Solved Laptop BSOD (nvlddmkm.sys)

[meddy05]

Before sending my laptop into repair I experienced audio stuttering and major fps drops in games e.g. in Watch Dogs fps went from 70 to 9 and all games were unplayable using Speccy and Speedfan I found my CPU and motherboard temperatures went up to 95 degrees when playing and 70 degrees idle. The GPU went up to 60-70 degrees and fan speed was always at 100%. After the repair CPU and motherborard temperatures hover at 50 degrees at idle. GPU hovers at 40 degrees idle. On the 2nd day of use after the repaired laptop was returned I experienced multiple of these BSODs. Double-clicking Furmark results in an instant BSOD.

 

[essenbe]

The temps you have now are not too bad, but a little high, in my opinion. I don't know what your temps are in gaming, but that is more important than idle temps. It sounds to me that with the Optimus technology, any time the graphics card is called on it crashes. Can you perform anything that uses the Nvidia graphics and does not crash?

 

[meddy05]

Ahh sorry. The idle temps I posted to you after repair are actually lower by approx 8 degrees after using speccy several times at different points. I can perhaps play a game and see if it crashes anytime during today? I will post the temps during the game of the GPU and CPU. I'd like to add my laptop is still under warranty so I can send it back I just want to ascertain the cause of my problems.

EDIT: Using NVidia control panel and setting my global settings for my GPU set to NVidia and making sure the game I was going to play used the NVidia card, I clicked the play button on a client for the game, "League of Legends" and it resulted in a instant BSOD (nvlddmkm.sys attempt reset the display driver amd recover from timeout failed).

 

[essenbe]

Unless Boozad has some other suggestions, my opinion is your graphics card is not functioning. I can try a couple of other things if you want to pursue this. We could run driver verifier to see if there is some rogue driver conflicting with you card. If you want to do that I can give you instructions. But be advised there is a possibility that you may have to do a clean install, but we will take every precaution to see that does not happen.

We will continue to work with you for as long as you like until we run out of suggestions. But, it just seems to me that if your card will not even load a game, much less play it. The card seems to be bad. If it is still under warranty, I would send it back for repairs, especially since they just worked on it and it still is causing BSODs.

 

[meddy05]

Yes, I will send this laptop in for repair as I do not want to waste your time, thank you both for helping ascertain the problem at hand . I have looked up this Driver Verifier procedure and my laptop brought a BSOD again lol. I will leave this thread open for a few days and return my laptop to PCSpecialist and see what happens.

Thank you!

 

[essenbe]

Don't be concerned about wasting our time. That is what we are here for. Just because I believe something to be the cause, does not mean it is actually the cause. I do not mind continuing with you if you would like to.

Driver Verifier can cause you to have to do a clean install. However we take every precaution to keep that from happening. I can tell you I have never had someone do a clean install because of it, but it is a possibility. Every thing in life is a gamble, pretty much.

 

[Boozad]

Steve the only other thing I could think of trying is to force the nVidia GPU as the primary GPU and disabling the Intel graphics. My thinking being it may be the switching of the graphics that's causing the BSODs and not the card itself? It's a long shot but could be an outside possibility.

 

[essenbe]

Yes, I agree. In fact, that's what I did with my laptop and it has worked well for me. However there is one thing that troubles me about that. The Nvidia card does not seem to be working at all. Although, if we uninstall it only, won't the on board be installed on next boot up?

 

[Boozad]

My knowledge of switchable graphics isn't anywhere near good to say for certain Steve, I know I've read somewhere before that you can force the nVidia GPU to be the sole GPU but I don't know how you do it, and like you say if the nVidia GPU is actually borked it won't be achieving anything. I think at this point an RMA would be the best option.

 

[essenbe]

You can just set the global profile in the Nvidia control panel to the Nvidia card as primary graphics adaptor. At this time I am assuming the card is borked, maybe meddy05 can shed some light on it for us.
This is how Arc said to do it, only in reverse.

First set the integrated graphics as preferred .....

1. Open Nvidia control panel.
2. Click on "Manage 3D settings".
3. Click on the button below "Preferred Graphics Processor"
4. Change it to "Integrated graphics"from the drop down menu.
   
   
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5. Apply it.

Now restart the computer.


Now, disable nvidia graphics card in the device manager.

1. Click on the start button.
2. Type Device Manager in the search bar.
3. Click on the resulting link. The Device Manager window will open.
4. The third one should be "Display Adapter". Expand it by clicking on the "►" in front of it. Your nvidia card name will be shown.
5. Right click on it. Choose "Disable" in the context menu.
6. A dialog will appear with some scary words. Dont be afraid. Click on "Yes" .
7. Restart the computer.

Hopefully the nvidia display is out of use now, and so there will not be any further chance of graphics switching.

 

[Boozad]

Hopefully the nvidia display is out of use now, and so there will not be any further chance of graphics switching.

Theoretically eliminating the BSODs? Good move, I was just thinking that if the nVidia GPU was the only active GPU we could determine whether it was actually the card that was bad or the switching graphics? Or maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree.

 

[essenbe]

Sounds reasonable to me, as long as we do it in such a way that if the card is dead, meddy05 will have some graphics left to be able to use the computer. I think I would create a restore point, then Do Not disable the on board but uninstall it. If I am not mistaken, uninstalling the graphics adapter will make Windows re install it on the next reboot, and the drivers will still be there. Does that sound right?

 

[Boozad]

It does, I'm not sure whether Windows will use the nVidia card by default before installing the Intel drivers but you'd think so.

I've got to hit the sack Steve, I'm knackered after a long late shift but I'll be back tomorrow night mucca.

 

[essenbe]

Sleep well and thanks for all your help.

 

[meddy05]

After putting in the new battery, which works, my laptop is now saying my copy of windows needs to be activated again yet it was already pre-installed by PCSpecialist lol. I have already been on Nvidia Control Panel, changing global settings to NVidia and clicking on anything results in BSOD when changing global settings to integrated graphics nothing happens and I can go on computer fine.

I've sent an RMA request now. Too many problems with hardware and software, best to leave it to the technicians. I'll keep you posted.

 

[essenbe]

Thanks, I think you made the right decision. It has seemed to me that your Nvidia card was not working at all. I hope you have good luck with PCSpeciatists. Please keep us posted and let us know if we can provide any help.

 

[meddy05]

Recieved my laptop back. Its all good now, I don't know what they did but yeah.

Thank you both again I really do appreciate your help!

 

[Boozad]

You're welcome. If you call PCS and ask for Tom Davies (tell him Boozad told you to ask for him) he may be able to help you with the details of what they did. Glad everything is working well now.

 

[essenbe]

You are more than welcome. Glad everything is working well for you.

 

[Layback Bear]

Very good job Steve, Gav and meddy05.

After reading this thread several times in the last week I also would like to know what fixed the problem.