Solved Frequent BSOD - Disappearing/Malfunctioning NVIDIA driver?

[Jinxi]

EDIT: I've replied to my post with the continuing issue. Please see my comment and new .zip file there! Thank you.


Alrighty, I've never made an account in a place like this, nor posted a thread for any help because I usually resort to desperate measures after I've exhausted all efforts to fix a problem myself.

And by desperate, I mean contacting Dell. Please, please don't make me contact Dell. I'll do anything. -.-

Anyway, here's the issue. A couple of weeks ago, perhaps almost a month now, I began experiencing a very sudden and completely random BSOD. I'm a frequent gamer, so a functioning graphics card is... you know; essential.

I have an Alienware M17x R3, ordered with (not self installed) an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics card. For the first few months of my owning and frequently using this laptop, all has been well. Everything runs smoothly, never had any problems before this, etc, etc.

When my computer blue-screened, the most I could read before it self-rebooted was something along the lines of a "Driver power state failure", or something along those lines. This was the same message for every other BSOD, which up to now has been... I'm gonna guess 7 or 8 different times, total. As in, I've never had a BSOD on this computer at -any- point before this. That being said, this computer is as good as brand new. Seeing as I'm still on warranty that only lasted a year... I'm gonna say it hasn't been a year yet.

The most common time I'm seeing it fail is when I have a YouTube video fullscreened. Though oddly enough, never when I'm in the middle of playing any of my numerous games. (Guild Wars 2, Minecraft, Sims 3, and at one point, World of Warcraft, though this has been happening long after I quit that one.) I'm not sure what's causing it, but under my device manager, my NVIDIA Graphics card continually goes "MIA". I'm always able to see the "Intel (R) HD Graphics Family" driver under "Display adapters", but the NVIDIA is always missing.

I've updated to the most up to date NVIDIA driver, hoping it would solve my problem... Nope. I updated my BIOS in hopes of solving some problems.... Nope. If I try to access the NVIDIA Control Panel on my computer, or search for driver updates via the device manager, 99.9% of the time I experience a bluescreen for my efforts. My computer is always on automatic updates, and I allow it to update every time it needs to. I've still got a buttload of RAM and memory left and yadayada... I have no friggin' clue what's going on. I've tried so many things, nothing is helping. This is my last resort before I'm doomed to needing to call Dell. Please help.

I've attached the ZIP file that this forum asked me to do, so I'm hoping that helps someone help me out here. Thanks ahead of time!

Oh, and as a side note: My computer has had no physical damage done to it in anyway, nothing spilt, nothing dropped, etc. This all started when plugging or unplugging my laptop (no matter what I was doing) caused my entire computer to freeze, but not bluescreen. Required a hard shutdown. At that point, I right clicked my graphics card in the device manager and told it to search for an updated driver. It told me it found one, and I updated. I thought that would fix it, but a few days later (after the problem insisted) I was prompted for a new NVIDIA graphics driver update. I completed the update, and... things seem to have just progressively taken a turn for the worse.

Sorry for such a long post, just trying to include anything and everything people might ask / need to know.

 

[Arc]

Hello Jinxi.

0: kd> !irp fffffa80070b25a0
Irp is active with 4 stacks 2 is current (= 0xfffffa80070b26b8)
 No Mdl: No System Buffer: Thread 00000000:  Irp stack trace.  
     cmd  flg cl Device   File     Completion-Context
 [  0, 0]   0  0 00000000 00000000 00000000-00000000    

            Args: 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
>[ 16, 2]   0 e1 fffffa800981d970 00000000 fffff880085d2084-fffffa800bb8c7c0 Success Error Cancel pending
          *** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for ACPI.sys
[COLOR=Red][B]*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for ACPI.sys
 \Driver\ACPI    nvlddmkm[/B][/COLOR]
            Args: 00000000 00000001 00000001 00000000
 [ 16, 2]   0 e1 fffffa800a455040 00000000 00000000-00000000    pending
           \Driver\nvlddmkm
            Args: 00000000 00000001 00000001 00000000
 [  0, 0]   0  0 00000000 00000000 00000000-fffffa800d9aa8f0    

            Args: 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0: kd> lmvm nvlddmkm
start             end                 module name
fffff880`084a7000 fffff880`08f45000   nvlddmkm T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: nvlddmkm.sys
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys
[COLOR=Red][B]    Image name: nvlddmkm.sys
    Timestamp:        Sat Dec 29 12:17:52 2012 [/B][/COLOR](50DE9218)
    CheckSum:         00A7F96C
    ImageSize:        00A9E000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

This particular version of display driver is problematic. Roll back to an earlier stable one.

• Download and install Driver Fusion.
• Reboot the computer in Advanced Boot Options, safe mode. Search Driver Fusion in your start menu, and remove all components of your nVidia display driver.
• Boot normally now. Go to Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers, Drivers > Beta and Legacy; search there with your cards particulars for GeForce 306.23 Driver, dated 13.9.2012 and install it.

Daemon Tools, Alcohol 120% and Power Archiver Pro uses SCSI Pass Through Direct (SPTD), which is a well known BSOD causer. Uninstall Daemon Tools at first. Then download SPTD standalone installer from Disk-Tools.com, and execute the downloaded file as guided below :

• Double click to open it.
• Click this button only:
• 
• If it is grayed out, as in the picture, there is no more SPTD in your system, and you just close the window.

Free up the startup.

1. Click on the Start button
2. Type “msconfig (without quotes), click the resulting link. It will open the System Configuration window.
3. Select the “Startup” tab.
4. Deselect all items other than the antivirus.
5. Apply > OK
6. Accept the restart.

Let us know the results.

 

[Jinxi]

Thank you, Arc. I'm going to be giving that a shot right now. I'll let you know how it went. I appreciate the response!

EDIT: Alrighty, I've finished every step of what you've instructed. First thing after installing the NVIDIA 306.23 driver, I rebooted and checked the display adapters under device manager. It's showing the appropriate graphics card right now, so we'll see how everything goes from here. I removed Daemon Tools, and there was no other SPTD detected on my system.

All in all, all of what you said went through just fine, and I didn't run into any trouble with any of the steps. I'll report back to let anyone reading know if this solved my problem or not.

Now I just hope to know one thing:

When will I be able to update my NVIDIA graphics card? I'm not really knowledgeable on this subject, but surely I shouldn't have to run an outdated version of it forever? It'd be awesome if someone could let me know when I should update, and perhaps just which versions to skip if they're known trouble causers?

 

[Jinxi]

So far, no bluescreen. I've tried replicating my past BSODs to no avail, thankfully.

However I re-enabled the startup things you told me to clear, as it disabled quite a few semi-necessary components such as my volume control via the buttons above my keyboard, and I think something went a little haywire with my mouse. A reboot didn't help, but now my touchpad driver isn't allowing me to enable scrolling.

Any ideas how to get my touchpad scrolling back? I tried to go to the driver properties to click the 'update driver' button, but it was grayed out... It says the driver is a 2010 version, as well. Not sure of that's as it should be or not...

It wasn't messing up before. Seems every time I fix one thing, something else goes crazy. Ugh, computers. @_@

 

[Pauly]

nVidia drivers are a bit problematic as of late as far as we know it is only the version you were using that is problematic the version dated 29/12/12 there is a newer one out dated jan 2013 we are waiting to see how that one goes before we recommend people to upgrade to it, IMO leave everything the same see how it goes if all problems are resolved then you can start updating things (touchpad, gfx drivers etc) one at a time so if prob returns you know what caused it

 

[Jinxi]

IMO leave everything the same see how it goes if all problems are resolved then you can start updating things (touchpad, gfx drivers etc) one at a time so if prob returns you know what caused it

That's just it, though. According to my device manager, my touchpad driver is completely up to date. It even says that it's working properly. But for some reason it's not letting me enable scrolling anymore. When I click the little checkbox for it, it colors the checkbox a light shade of grey; the "apply" button UNgreys (as if some changes had actually been made, though they hadn't) and I can click apply, or okay, or whatever, but no check actually applies to the checkbox and nothing changes. I've no idea what's wrong with it now.

 

[Arc]

In my best knowledge, it is the WHQL driver dated 5th January 2013 which is appearing as a driver of 29.12.2012 in the crash dumps. Version 310.90.

 

[Jinxi]

there is a newer one out dated jan 2013 we are waiting to see how that one goes before we recommend people to upgrade to it

Forgot to mention, that's the NVIDIA update that I was running during all of this. When the problems first started, I had an older version. I updated my card to that 2013 version, and updated my A09 BIOS to a version A12.

Things were all better for a few days, then it went bad again. But just thought I should mention I was in fact running that version.

Otherwise, still no bluescreens yet, but I'm going to give it a few days before I mark this as solved. Can never be too sure.

I'm still not real clear on how to fix my scrolling touchpad, though.

 

[Arc]

I'm still not real clear on how to fix my scrolling touchpad, though.

I guess it went away during freeing up the startup. A wrong guidance from my part....

1. Right click on "my computer" icon and click "manage" on the context menu.
2. It will open the "computer management" window.
3. Select "Device Manager" in the left pane, It will list all the existing devices up.
4. Expand "Mice and other pointing devices" by clicking on the triangle in front of it.
5. Select one item under it, right click, uninstall.
6. Continue the process for all items under "Mice and other pointing devices"
7. Now restart the computer. At restart, windows will auto configure the appropriate system driver.

If not worked, download the driver from http://www.synaptics.com/resources/drivers and install it again. Everything will go normal.

 

[Jinxi]

I'm still not real clear on how to fix my scrolling touchpad, though.

I guess it went away during freeing up the startup. A wrong guidance from my part....

1. Right click on "my computer" icon and click "manage" on the context menu.
2. It will open the "computer management" window.
3. Select "Device Manager" in the left pane, It will list all the existing devices up.
4. Expand "Mice and other pointing devices" by clicking on the triangle in front of it.
5. Select one item under it, right click, uninstall.
6. Continue the process for all items under "Mice and other pointing devices"
7. Now restart the computer. At restart, windows will auto configure the appropriate system driver.

If not worked, download the driver from Drivers | Synaptics and install it again. Everything will go normal.

Hey! It's alright. Everybody makes mistakes; and as it turns out, this little mix up actually helped me. When I went to the website you linked me, and downloaded and installed the driver, not only did it fix my mouse problem, but it seemed to have a bit of an update with the software. It works better than before!

Thanks a ton. I really appreciate it! And still no bluescreens. I think you've been my technical knight in shining armor, lol! Thank you.

 

[Arc]

Very happy to know that you fixed it ultimately. When I came to know that your touchpad is not wotking properly I felt a guilt .... despite of helping you I caused a problem there actually.

Anyway, all is well that ends well. Let us know if there is any further problem

 

[Pauly]

Nice work arc, i stand corrected about the nVidia drivers thanks for pointing that out, i thought they were two different versions

 

[Jinxi]

Still no bluescreen. I'm guessing the NVIDIA driver version I was running was indeed the root cause. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Arc]

You are welcome. If there is a further issue, let us know.

 

[Jinxi]

EDIT: Nevermind.

 

[Jinxi]

It's back

Despite how long it's been since my last post on my thread, here, the problem is back. I thought for sure it had been fixed, as I was having no further issues what so ever, but unfortunately this is not the case. The same BSOD I was experiencing before has returned, happening once or twice a day, now. I've attached my latest .zip file containing my recent crash history.

The issue is about the same as I explained in my first post, here. However, here is what I've learned so far.

1) The BSOD's I have experienced thus far ONLY trigger when I launch any type of graphically dependent program. (i.e.: IMVU, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, other games, etc.)

2) I don't know too much about computers, however I feel that this is an issue related to software, somehow, and not the hardware. I believe it's hardware because when I boot my computer in safe mode, my disappearing NVIDIA driver is always visible in the device manager, as opposed to when I boot back up in normal mode and it's gone missing after the BSOD.

3) Sometimes, though rarely, a regular reboot of my computer will cause the NVIDIA driver to return to its rightful place in the device manager, under display adapters. Most of the time this will not help, however, a couple of times I've clicked the 'scan for hardware changes' button in the DM (device manager) and an "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" will pop up where my NVIDIA GeForce 560M is supposed to show up.

Then, my wireless internet will shut down momentarily as it tells me it found new hardware, and begins to install something. I reconnect to my internet, and the internet goes back to working as intended, yet the VGA thing still says 'this device requires a reboot to function properly' or something along those lines. I reboot, and it's just back to showing nothing there, again. No VGA or NVIDIA anything, and running any games is likely to BSOD me again.

4) I have, as of now, fully updated my computer, including BIOS (I'm running A12 now, as I was the first time I posted here) and NVIDIA driver. In order to even update my NVIDIA I had to reboot in safe mode to do so, as that's the only time my computer seems to want to detect my card.

I'm running version 314.22 now, though I'm beginning to think that has nothing to do with my problem anymore. Seeing as I've tried completely deleting/uninstalling the driver from my computer and reinstalling the same one, rolling back the driver, or completely updating it. Nothing seems to want to work.

System restore isn't really an option for me right now. I don't have the discs or flash drives to back up all the important things on this computer that I need to, at the moment, and my Dell warranty expired on the 4th of this month. I really can't afford the 230+ it takes to renew that thing, and Dell doesn't seem to have much to offer in the way of help anymore.

As of this moment (writing this reply) my NVIDIA GeForce 560M is showing up under display adapters, and all is functioning as intended. I've not launched any games or anything (and don't plan to until I get this fixed).

Please, somebody tell me this is a fixable issue. This computer is barely a year old and treated like a precious diamond. I don't understand why it's having such a problem.

 

[Arc]

Stress test the Graphics Card using Furmark.
Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

Is the computer hot? Report us the heat of the computer after a couple of hours of your normal usage. Upload a screenshot of the summery tab of Speccy.

Laptops, how much costly and how much graphics rich they may be, they never are good gaming platforms. They have limitations, always. And those does not give a flexibility to deal with those issues.

 

[Jinxi]

Stress test the Graphics Card using Furmark.
Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark

Is the computer hot? Report us the heat of the computer after a couple of hours of your normal usage. Upload a screenshot of the summery tab of Speccy.

Laptops, how much costly and how much graphics rich they may be, they never are good gaming platforms. They have limitations, always. And those does not give a flexibility to deal with those issues.

Ordinarily I would go through with all of these tests and such, and I did monitor it for a while, but I feel like I can safely assure myself that the temperature of anything in my laptop isn't the issue. Especially with how cool my room tends to be, and the fact that a) the fans on this computer are some of the best I've ever had on a laptop; and b) I keep it propped up at all times so that it may vent even better. I also have a cooling pad if need be.

The average temp even during high stress periods tends to sit around 70-80 at best, though usually never at 80 unless it's a generally hot day in the house or something.

I also run my games with a game booster that monitors my internal computer temperature so that I'm not damaging anything with deathly heat rays.

Might there be anything else that could be triggering this? Oddly enough, it seems to have happened quite frequently when I'm not even having anything moving much on my screen. (for example, IMVU, when sitting on a still screen it will suddenly blue screen, and make this very high pitched BEEEEEEEEEEP noise until your ears want to bleed.)

I believe I can safely rule out temperature / heat being an issue, here.

 

[Arc]

The compressed and congested build of the laptops make them not worthy for gaming, despite of everything.

As the same crash it is, over time, and with different driver versions, it is not a driver related issue. Still, you may try to roll back the display driver that worked good earlier.
Device Manager - Roll Back Driver

Is the laptop in warranty still?