# Display Driver Crash (TDR error Win 7 x64)



## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

Hello,

For about a month now I've been experiencing the "Display Driver Nvidia Windows Kernel Mode Driver Version XXX.XX stopped responding and has successfully recovered." error message. The only recent change to my system was 3 months ago I added 4GB of the same RAM that was already in my system. The error still occurs with or without the new RAM. 

Specs:
Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit
Asus P5Q Pro Motherboard
Intel Q6600 Core 2 Quad @ 2.4GHz
8GB Kingston Hyper-X DDR2 1066 (4 x 2GB)
nVidia Geforce GTX 295 BFG-Tech OC-FU Edition
ThermalTake Toughpower XT 750W [email protected] Single Rail


Temperatures:
GPU1: Idle 43C Load 53C
GPU2: Idle 45C Load 53C
CPU: Idle 25C Load 36C
HDD: 25C-30C
Memory: 33C


BIOS Voltage Readings:
CPU Voltage: 1.248V
3.3 Voltage: 3.280V
5V Voltage: 5.088V
12V Voltage: 11.984V


What I've tried, from the beginning until now:
- At first occurrence, I installed latest drivers from nVidia website
- Installed latest motherboard drivers
- Tried a number of previous driver versions
- Uninstalled nVidia drivers, ran driver cleaner, installed GTX295 drivers suggested by Windows Update
- Reformat, went from Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit to Windows 7 Premium 64-Bit with no internet connection so that Windows could not try to install the suggested version of the nVidia drivers.
- Installed driver version 196.21
- Removed recently added 4GB of memory
- Used each stick of memory by itself
- Added hardware piece-by-piece
- Disabled Multi-GPU mode in NVIDIA Control Panel
- Set GPU mode to (Single GPU only) for games
- Turned Link State Power Management for PCI Express OFF
- Unplugged one of my monitors and tried all of the previous steps again with the exception of a reformat
- Uninstalled nVidia Physx
- Disabled Aero in Windows
- Memtest, no errors


I have read suggestions of trying the default clock speeds on the GPU even on factory overclocked cards. I'd like to try this, but I do not know how to get default clock speeds on my card.

EDIT: Just ran Furmark from Guru3d.com for 20 minutes in Stability Test mode. Graphics card reached 85C max (Never reaches anything even remotely near this when I experience crashes), Average 155FPS, Max 205FPS, GPU load on both averaged 87%, GPU fan speed adjusted properly, and temperatures returned to their normal idle temperatures within 2-3 minutes of stopping the test. I did not experience any crashes or problems during the test.

As a note, I primarily play 2 games; World of Warcraft and Left 4 Dead 2. The only time I ever experience the driver error is during World of Warcraft and it happens at random times (sometimes just standing around) I also get suspiciously low FPS in World of Warcraft. I have tried playing with the in-game settings, but have not yet found anything that works.

Any information is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
- Sean


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

if you can roll back the video drivers they are not installed correctly

there should be nothing to roll back to

in the device manager uninstall the video card
reboot tapping f8 and choose low resolution mode
when windows finishes rebooting
disable a/virus
install your drivers
reboot the computer


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## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

My mistake with the terminology, I didn't rollback. I did fresh installs of every driver version that I used, using the method that you just described.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

post your dumps

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f217/blue-screen-of-death-bsod-posting-instructions-452654.html


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## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

As requested


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

i have pm'd someone to check them


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## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

Thank you very much


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi - 

There were no dump files in the zipped attachment.

Please go to c:\windows\minidumps - copy them out to TSF folder, zip it all up again.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

There is no minidumps directory/file in the windows directory.

When i do a search for minidumps, your batch file is the only thing that pops up.

I'll follow the instructions from your BSOD thread again and reattach the file to see if anything changes.

The perfmon /report showed me this message:

Severity: Informational 
Symptom: Missing Events in Event Log 
Details: Investigate why 74% (50,115) events were lost during data collection. The settings for Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) maximum buffers and buffer size may not be optimal depending on which data sets are being collected. 

Not sure if that helps to explain the missing dump files?

Anyways, I ran it again just in case.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi - 

I see no mention in your system logs nor in WERCON about BSODs, so no real surprise that you did not find any kernel dump files. I did see 100's of app crashes and "Live Kernel Events" (literally a step away from a BSOD), mostly related to video and PCA2 (program compatibility).

I believe your #1 issue at this time to be the Asus ATK0110 utility kernel mode driver asacpi.sys. The 2005 version in your system has been crashing and Blue Screening Windows 7 systems for many months now - 

```
[FONT=Lucida Console]MTsensor    ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY 

[COLOR=Red]3/27/2005 [/COLOR]7:30:36 PM   C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\[COLOR=red]ASACPI.sys[/COLOR][/FONT]
```
Update it immediately.

Asus driver updates --> http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx

Then run the System File Checker/ Repair utility -
START | type *cmd.exe* into the start search box | right-click on cmd.exe | select run as Administrator | type the following:

```
[font=lucida console]sfc /scannow[/font]
```
Upon completion re-boot to allow files in use to be repaired.

SFC general info - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936212
SFC & the CBS log - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228

Validate your Windows OS installation at the Microsoft Genuine Advantage site.

WGA --> www.microsoft.com/genuine

I would advise that you get rid of FrostWire - it will bring you nothing but problems and will have you running more virus scans than one would have done on systems that existed during the Cold War.

Uninstall your existing arsenal of anti-virus, spyware/ other apps - 
- Avira 
- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
- Spybot Search & Destroy
- any others that I missed

Avira removal --> http://www.avira.com/en/support/kbdetails.php?id=135

Reboot upon removal completion of each.

Reset the Windows Firewall to default settings -
START | *firewall.cpl* | "Restore Defaults"

Install Microsoft Security Essentials --> http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

Re-install NVIDIA video drivers --> http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us 

Keep an eye on Elby - it has caused its fair share of BSODs - 

```
[font=lucida console]
ElbyVCDShell	5.4.4.0	   3/3/2010 7:31 PM	Elaborate Bytes AG	c:\program files (x86)\elaborate bytes\virtualclonedrive\elbyvcdshell.dll
VCDDaemon	5.4.3.3	  6/17/2009 4:44 AM	Elaborate Bytes AG	c:\program files (x86)\elaborate bytes\virtualclonedrive\vcddaemon.exe[/font]
```
Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

Hello,

Thank you again for the speedy responses. I have completed what you asked me to do in the previous post and I can definitely say it slowed down the frequency of the "driver has stopped responding" error, but it is still happening unfortunately :frown:

- ACPI Utility Driver updated to Version 1043.6.0.0
- System File Checker completed with no errors
- Validated OS
- Removed Avira, Malwarebytes, Spybot, rebooted after each
- Removed Frostwire
- Restored Windows firewall defaults
- Installed Microsoft Security Essentials
- Re-Installed NVIDIA video drivers
- Removed Elby Virtual Clone Drive

I ran the batch file again after these steps and I'll re-attach the zip file here. Again, thank you very much for all of your help and patience.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Are you still experiencing any system trouble?

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## Spankdacamel4me (Mar 21, 2007)

Yes sir, I am experiencing the same error as before ("Display driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 196.21 stopped responding and has successfully recovered." My monitors will flicker on and off for a couple seconds and then usually it wont happen again for another 10 minutes or so.) The error does happen less frequently now after the things you had me do though, so I'd say it was most definitely a step in the right direction. :smile:


I was looking up some more instances of the same problem that I am having and I was wondering if this explanation that a thread on another site offers is plausible, "a common problem with these cards is with older games (such as WoW) a newer card will want to be pushed to it's limits and with WoW it won't, so it may downclock itself automatically, which will cause problems." It goes on to suggest using RivaTuner to not allow your card to downclock on its own.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

I have heard that quite a few have problems with the NVIDIA 196.21 drivers. I would suggest that you try a prior version of the video drivers from NVIDIA and see if it helps (a 'rollback' of sorts'). Are you overclocked? You mention Riva Tuner - all I know of it -- it has caused many BSODs due to old drivers being installed. Sorry, I am not a 'gamer', but have seen w/ my kids 1st hand how video is affected by "today's" games. Video heats up quickly and sometimes freezes the systems.


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## moshie (Jan 2, 2010)

I have also been experiencing this horrible error I fear that it is atchualy a file called nvlddmkm.sys this is a Nvidia driver and has caused a lot of people stress.

through out my findings I have found that if you have a realtek driver go into the device manager and roll it back, it may or may not help you but its worth a shot.

It takes a lot of troubleshooting I have had this error for almost 5-8 months and not getting anywhere I'm buying a new graphics card hope that will solve the problem if not then I'm screwed lol. 

Ill report back if it fixes the problem


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

try the latest 197 drivers


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## Riskyone101 (Oct 22, 2008)

Hello,

Forget it reinstall operating system, wipe harddrive if you were using Frostwire then you did get "trojan droppers" which frostwire said it handled them - WRONG - 

How many warnings did you get???

Go here and read about them:
http://www.viruslist.com/en/virusesdescribed?chapter=153318112

Your windows operating system is corrupted beyond repair most likely.

Reinstall windows using a wipedrive utility and not just one but 2 or 3 maybe even 4 different ones to wipe harddrive.


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