Nvidia kernal mode driver stopped responding.

[Larkspeed]

Windows 7 64 Bit (reinstalled about 3 weeks ago.)
Nvidia GTX 275 graphics
Dual 19" TFT Monitors.

The rest of my system spec on the left if needed.

Nothing is overclocked.

This problem started happening 2 days ago and before that the system was rock solid.

This happens at random intervals as often as every 10 minutes or it can take a couple of hours to happen again.

It does it during gaming, watching videos, browsing the net or even when the machine is just sitting at the desktop.

Some times I get a quick flash where the screens go black for a split second but I don't get the error other times it's a major flicker where the screens go off for as much as 5 seconds and then I get the error.

Things I have tried to fix it include:

System reboot
Reinstall of graphics driver
Update of graphics driver
I opened up my machine and checked everything for dust but it was clean. (I clean inside the machine every 3 months or so and all intakes are filtered)
Removal and reseat of graphics card

Any further ideas?

I really hope my graphics card is not dying as there is no way I can afford to replace it.

[Larkspeed]

Bump

Nobody has any ides on this?

I am at my wits end.

Things that have happened since my last post:

Due to an upgrade by my son I have a new motherboard, CPU and memory
Card tested with a graphics memory testing program and passed with flying colours
Temps have been monitored and the card although getting a bit warm under stress does not get anywhere near critical temp (maxes out around 61 degrees)

The only thing I have not done is reinstall windows but I would like to leave that as a last resort.

[kalniel]

You've upgraded motherboard, CPU and memory but have not reinstalled windows? While this is possible, it's not always advised as you're trusting Windows to clean itself up from the old system hardware.

Obviously it's nothing to with the problem, but something worth bearing in mind anyway.

Regarding the problem, have you tried cleaning out graphics drivers fully (slightly tricky) and going back to an earlier version? I'd try ones that came with the card first, to see if you can replicate the problem. If so, then there's little else to try apart from swapping out hardware (try the card in another computer, or try a different card in your computer, ditto PSU etc.)

[directhex]

This message can be triggered by a failing GPU

[Larkspeed]

Graphics drivers had been cleaned and rolled back but the issue remains.

GPU passed every stress test thrown at it so that kinds of rules out failing GPU

Also it can stop for days and then start again, if it were failing GPU then the problem would pretty well always be there.

I am not in a position where I can swap out the GPU as I do not have another one to put in it's place, I also don't have another machine that I can put this one in.

I guess I am left with little choice but to reinstall windows but I just hate doing it as it takes ages to get the machine back the way I like it and if it does not solve the problem then it's all for nothing.

[kalniel]

GPU passed every stress test thrown at it so that kinds of rules out failing GPU

Unfortunately not. Stress tests only target one or two types of things - typically full load shader operations with some multi-texture stuff. In the real world applications make very different demands on a GPU so if you've got something slightly unusual like stability problems on transition from idle states or a problem in an alpha blending bit of hardware for example then they'll not be caught by stress tests.

Also it can stop for days and then start again, if it were failing GPU then the problem would pretty well always be there.

Assuming every possible factor was the same.. which is impossible outside of a lab.

I am not in a position where I can swap out the GPU as I do not have another one to put in it's place, I also don't have another machine that I can put this one in.

That's a shame - that's the only way to be confident one way or the other with something intermittent like this.

I guess I am left with little choice but to reinstall windows but I just hate doing it as it takes ages to get the machine back the way I like it and if it does not solve the problem then it's all for nothing.

Right, but it's cheaper and less hassle than arranging for a spare GPU and PSU to test with, and until you do it you haven't ruled out software issues. As an intermediate step you could roll back windows to a date you know worked correctly. (Assuming you followed Windows default instructions for a regular system restore and image)

[Agent]

I was having the same issues Lark a few weeks back with a GTX260. A driver update seems to have sorted it for me though, so it might not be the same cause.

It would always be triggered for me by the screen going into standby and then coming out of it again. The weird thing was that games and stress tests were solid, as I thought was a dying GPU as well.

[Larkspeed]

Same thing I can play games without issue.

I have even done a real time trans Atlantic flight in FSX with quite a few graphics enhancements installed and it did the whole flight without a hiccup.

I have re-installed windows now and so far it has not done it again so fingers crossed, although it can be days before it decides to do it again.