Windows won't get past Start Up screen with Nvidia drivers enabled.

[Nakitu]

This started about a month ago when a system restore completely mucked up my computer. I've managed to fix most of the problems (NoelDP is a wizard) but I can't get past the start up screen with the Nvidia drivers enabled. I think I managed to get past it once after a clean install but then I kept getting BSODs. It could be an outdated BIOS (when I click on @BIOS in the GIGABYTE folder in 'All Programs' I get a BSOD) but I really want to know if there are more options before I start mucking around with BIOS flashing.

The graphics card I have is a GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 660 and I've done clean installs of at least 3 different Nvidia driver versions.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Nakitu mate this is the right driver for the card - not the top one as it is beta and I would if I were you dump the AVG and pick a different security.


Drivers | GeForce

Best Free Antivirus Software - I would personally not pick AVG or MSE from this list

 

[Nakitu]

No, I've tried previous working versions along with the newest WHQL/beta drivers for the right graphics card. I use AVG in conjunction with MalwareBytes; it does the job as long as I don't go to fishy sites (I doubt it's related to the problem). Could you suggest things to try before I try flashing the BIOS?

 

[cryptoncore]

AVG has actually caused me a lot of problems in the past. for your motherboard sometimes there is chip-set drivers like for mine there is one and i need to use them for my graphics to display correctly. So it might help if you download the right drivers.

-edit- if there is any specific for yours?

-Second edit- There is device specific check the link below:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4150#dl

It might not even help but having all the drivers installed will probably do a world of good.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Like crytoncore has said mate the AVG is really not a good player and in my humble opinion I would never have it on board as many years ago I had an untold number of problems with it on board.

It is also very hard to get rid of too I found and that in itself speaks rams to me but the choice is yours.
I gave you some options and this is another link I did not mention last night.
Probably the Best Free Security List in the World section 2 is the real time stuff the rest is a good list of other stuff you can use for all sorts of problems.

 

[Nakitu]

Erm, aside from computer security...
I've reinstalled the chipset drivers (as suggested by CryptonCore) and I'm going to go test it right now.

 

[Nakitu]

No, didn't change anything. Is it possible that Windows unintentionally messed with the bios of my graphics card?

 

[cryptoncore]

Have you installed any new programs lately, any new windows updates?

 

[smarteyeball]

No, didn't change anything. Is it possible that Windows unintentionally messed with the bios of my graphics card?

Not possible at all mate. On that score, you're fine.


When you say clean install of drivers, are you talking about just uninstalling through programs and features?

Sounds like you'd be better off using Driver Fusion to remove all nvidia drivers/settings etc as well.



Uninstall the nvidia drivers. In safe mode since you can't boot properly.

Run Driver Fusion select Display> Nvidia

Reboot normally and re-install the nvidia drivers.

If the PC is still Blue screening afterwards, you might have to start a thread in the BSOD section to determine whats actually causing the blue screens.

 

[Nakitu]

No, this all started with a system restore gone wrong so if there is a program causing it, it's not obvious.

I've already used Driver Sweeper and turned off automatic installation of drivers. I've just used my old disc that came with my GPU and installed something called Gigabyte OC Guru for diagnostics but that gave a BSOD too . This has been the case with accessing @BIOS in All Programs as well so it seems like every driver related to my graphics card crashes. I have GPU-Z which shows that my graphics card is at least alive, but I don't know how well...

Is there like a main driver specific to GIGABYTE graphics cards that needs fixing?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

No mate there is no specific Giga driver the driver you need is the one Iquoted earlier http://www.geforce.com/driversas (unless I am very wrong) the GPU brands use the NVidia base.

The board ones are here http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4150#dl

Just for info I hardly ever used the Gigabyte disk when I built my Sandy Bridge because the drivers for example were so far behind the current ones. I always use the manufacturers site as the Windows feature in my humble opinion is a waste of space.
Plus the disk also has a ton of unwanted crapware that I personally (I don't know about anyone else) I do not need as it screws things up.

Hasve you checked out the temps too yet?? if not do so with Speccy Speccy - Download and it might be worth checking out the PSU as well
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/86648-psu-jump-start.html
Voltage Rails - Power Supply 101: A Reference Of Specifications (for reference and info) I would be checking the volts on the different leads and this

SLOTCLEANING

Now as for the slots to clean them use astrip of old credit card about 1/2 inch wide nip the corners off one end - preferably round them off hold apiece of thin lint free cloth over the end dab on some form of alcohol - isopropyl alcohol (what we swab the skin with before an injection) is good and GENTLY swipe along the slots.

This can also be done for the GPU slot/s.

You may think this a lot of trouble to go to but it will eliminate some other probabilities even though they may look unrelated.

 

[Nakitu]

Sorry for letting this thread get cold. I've arranged to test my graphics card with my friend's computer for when the holidays start to confirm whether it's my graphics card causing the problem. It's likely my PSU actually causing the problem; I occasionally got full-on crashes while playing PlanetSide 2 and one unusual crash while watching Youtube prior to the system restore. Serves me right for being a cheapskate and buying a 500w PSU