Display Driver nvlddmkm

[Haiku32]

After playing any game for more than 15 minutes it crashes and I get this error:

"display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered"

Cannot update my drivers as they don't work (just get "no signal"). Searched the internet for a fix and found nothing. Trying to play l4d2 and can't get past the first chapter without it crashing like this.

Anyone have a fix for this? Really getting on my nerves.

[sleepyhead]

I presume running Win7?

At first I thought (in my case) it was a windows update or an Nvidia driver revision but after literally unplugging my GTX260 and slapping in the old 8600GT...not had the problem come back *touch wood*. I can only assume the GPU is up the duff (hence running OCCT and finding lots of errors within a few minutes).

I do feel your pain though...

EDIT: if it's the spec in your "my system" bit then I have had no experience with Vista 64bit. But try running something like OCCT GPU error check to see if it's physically the GPU the problem.

[CyberChris]

Loads of fixes out there for this one but all of them different, the easiest is to try different drivers, even windows own to see if that helps.

If not if you post you sytem specs them maybe someone will spot something that does not look right.

[Haiku32]

Sorry, running Vista 64bit. Specs are on your left under the cat with a watermelon on his head. CPU is running at stock speed atm though .

My graphics card seems very weird right now, doesn't let me install new drivers (just have to roll back in safe mode) and now this. Even though on the internet I've been reading that this "Display Driver nvlddmkm" error could indicate a ram problem, oh no.

[sleepyhead]

Running memtest is not a bad idea. Check, test and let us know how it goes.

[Haiku32]

Assuming I did it right, memtest says my RAM is fine, i.e. I got no errors.

Going to try updating drivers, if that doesn't work I'll try previous drivers .

[sleepyhead]

Do you have a spare GPU? A simple switch might pin it to drivers or hardware?

[Haiku32]

Sadly not.

I am on the market for a new GPU and RAM in.... 9 days when I get paid. Obviously I'd still like this to be sorted so I can play l4d2, but assuming it's a hardware problem, installing a new graphics card and RAM would hopefully erase any trace of the problem?

[sleepyhead]

Not necessarily....Can't guarantee that it is hardware...try running OCCT the GPU Error test and see what happens. Or run the ATi-Tool and RTHDRIBL as I was suggested to by Wesley at SCAN.

[Haiku32]

With OCCT I try and run "GPU: Memtest" and when I click "ON" the program just crashes. Does this indicate something wrong with he program or something wrong with my graphics card? It just immediately crashes when I start the test.

[sleepyhead]

Wow...that is odd....I mean the first thing OCCT on GPU test do is idles for 1 minute before doing anything. Very strange.

Well lets ignore OCCT and try ATi-Tool and RTHDRIBL; the former I have used very little and the later, never (yet). Not too sure what either are supposed to prove BUT somewhere in there will be a way of measuring if your GPU is up to scratch. Well i would hope so as that is what SCAN want me to do with my (now uninstalled) GTX260.

[Haiku32]

Works fine with the CPU testing though, idles for a minute then tests. GPU test, not so much.

Will try the 2 programs you mentioned, thanks.

[Terbinator]

My first thoughts was a RAM related issue but if its failing on the graphics card then i don't know. I know that from past experience when processes randomly drop its been to bad RAM.

[Haiku32]

Memtest didn't bring up any errors after a few passes, should I try leave it running for a good few hours to test it completely?

[Terbinator]

Memtest didn't bring up any errors after a few passes, should I try leave it running for a good few hours to test it completely?

If its convinient then yeah, why not. The failure may be due to graphics trying to address an area in RAM and thats what causing the failure.

[sleepyhead]

If you can, leave memtest on overnight.