Vista - Microsoft Office update causes mayhem. Again. Any advice?

Hello all,

Sorry to duplicate my post, but I wasn't sure where to list this.

I had issues last November with what I suspected was a problem with updates for Office 2007 from Microsoft Update.
After a Factory Image reinstall and reloading all my software, everything was humming along nicely.
Then I discovered that my Office wasn't up to date and went over to MS update to pick up the security updates.
I got 20 updates including SP1 for Office.


I have been installing them a few at a time and the last batch included a security update for OneNote 2007 KB950130 and tw security updates for Office KB951944 and KB954326.
When I went to restart, the SAME THING HAPPENED AS IN NOVEMBER. Exactly.

The computer rebooted fine till it got to the point where I sign in and then somewhere in between the welcome screen and the desktop loading, it froze solid.
The little tone that sounds when the desktop loads went into a stutter and then slowly faded.

There was nothing I could do with it so I hard booted into safe mode, where I thought I could system restore (not available in safe mode?) or uninstall the updates (also not available)
On a whim, I tried to restart normally and fortunately it did work, but then my RAID had to repair itself and realign the system information on both drives. This usually takes about 4 hours so I walked away and came back when it was done.

When I came back, I found that when I tried to do anything that involved opening windows, my screen would go blank and I'd get a video driver error message.. "nkvddm has stopped working and has recovered". There were funny lines and black boxes in various places on my screen. This also happened last time, though at the time I didn't link it with the updates.

So now I have system restored to before I downloaded the three updates listed above and all seems well.

The three updates are still listed in my update history, but, are they still there after a system restore? SHould I uninstall them?
What do I do about the other 5 important and 6 recommended updates listed and waiting to download?

Stop downloading upddates? Grrr.

Hey Peppurr,

It sounds like you are not using Auto update. I say this, because, and I have sometimes wondered about this myself, when Office installs the updates (After a fresh install) on Auto, it downloads as usual, installs as usual and then comes with a message that 2 updates were not necessary and have not been installed. This has happened to me every time I have new installed, and believe me I do it often

I am wondering............ If you check manually, download and install are you installing these two updates, and if you are are they maybe causing your problems??

Pooch

Hi pooch

Thanks for your post!
I use Windows Update to check for updates then check them out before I allow it to download and install them. So far since my disaster last November, it's been working well. Since I've posted, things have gone rapidly downhill. I am getting more video driver errors, the desktop freezes for no reason and i have to hard boot, the display goes blank so I can't see anything and I have to hard boot. When the system is working.. like now.. I get random stripes off and on here and t here on my screen.
I am sitting here typing and they come and go...

I've just got off a really long phone call to Dell. They seem to think my video driver has gone wrong and have uninstalled and reinstalled it. The system froze up once since then, then the display went blank and while I was unplugging and plugging in the display cable the computer went and restarted itself. The error message said something about a blue screen..
The Dell guy said to use the computer, make note of any particular times it freezes up and he will call me back in about 2 hours.

The input I'm getting is that it's my video driver and/or card.
I just find it funny that I should have had this problem six months ago and not again.. even once.. since my factory image reinstall until now when I've downloaded the same updates from the same time I downloaded last time.

I have done 2 system restores since this morning so I think those two updates are well and truely gone (as well as Office SP1 that took my 30 minutes to download yesterday)

I would really appreciate any help guys.. Anywhere I can look for clues?
Data files, logs etc?

Thanks

Hi Peppurr,

If you are right that this has happened before that leaves us with the drivers, you are not going to fix the card with a new install.

It would still be a good Idea to change out the Graphic Card if this is possible.

A lot of people seem to be having problems with 8 series cards and Vista drivers I have heard of no fixes

A system restore does not seem to be working, You said that an image restore did the trick last time so it must be on the cards this time if only to prove that it is a driver problem.

It might be worth try Driver Cleaner and reinstalling the drivers;
Driver Cleaner Professional download from Guru3D.com

Maybe the Guy from dell will also be able to help

Let me know how it goes or if you have more questions

Pooch

Hello,

Sorry to not post back sooner. I just wanted to update and ask yet another question

The Dell techie had me uninstall and reinstall my driver last night. The system worked afterwards, but not well.


I would go to open a window and the system would freeze and I'd have to reboot or the display would go black and I'd have to reboot. The last time it did, it rebooted itself complaining of a 'blue screen event".
Afte this happened two or three times the system finally restarted and seemed stable.
The last problem that I had last night and again this morning was when the screensaver would kick in and the display would go blank. I would have to hard boot to get any display back.

I have shut off the screensaver this morning, the computer has been on all day and seems ok when I work with it now.
The lines are gone.

The Problem Reports and Solutions had this to say about the errors:

Description
A problem with your video hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 2057

Files that help describe the problem (some files may no longer be available)
WD-20090309-1607.dmp
sysdata.xml
Version.txt

View a temporary copy of these files
Warning: If a virus or other security threat caused the problem, opening a copy of the files could harm your computer.

Extra information about the problem
BCCode: 117
BCP1: 86B28510
BCP2: 8EE13010
BCP3: 00000000
BCP4: 00000000
OS Version: 6_0_6001
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 768_1
Server information: 221143af-d7c1-4782-ac48-60b834be3b4b


The video drivers:
The Windows Update one has gone away.
Dell has one on offer on their website that comes up when I put my service tag in.
The NVIDIA website has a way newer one.
The diagnostics on my video card all come up passed.

I'm just afraid to do anything with it now.

I do remember on the Dell forums people having trouble with the downloads from manufacturer's website... I don't remember particulars, but it had something to do with the card or the driver being 'tailored' to Dell.
The Dell guy has promised to call me back and if and when he does, I will see what he says.

A question though. The update on the Dell site says this under 'version'
163.71 Vista 32 A03
I think the A03 is a BIOS version. I have A02
Does that mean I need to update my BIOS before I update the driver? That is scary..
Thanks

Hey peppurr,

No I do not believe so. I think this is just the third graphic update for this particular model

As for a graphic update (My two cents) if it is working properly it might be best to leave it alone.

If you are going to update the drivers then yes the best ones for your card are probably going to come from Dell because they could be tailored, also your card is not so new anymore it might run better with older drivers

On The other hand the drivers from Nvidia are bang up to date and might also be good for you

I personally would go for the newest drivers, except I have seen so many problems with the 8 series cards that, would lead me to taking the Dell drivers.
Should you get any problem from the dell drivers you can always rollback to the Drivers that you have now.

Pooch

[quote=pooch;988755]Hi pooch,
Thank you! I think I will just now-at least for tonight anyway.
I just got off the phone with Dell. The tech guy has now decided that it's not my card but he wants to reinstall my OS.
I asked him to call me back on Friday.


The last problem I had was this morning when I tried the screensaver. Now, with no screensaver, i have had no problems in the last 2 hours of constant use.
I think I'd rather go from a scalpel approach rather than a shotgun one. Or am I being silly?

I'll see how things go tomorrow and let you know?
Thanks for being there..
peppurr

No not silly,

I do not think its your OS. If anything it is the Graphic card or the drivers or both
Turning off the screensaver is probably saving the card stress

See how it goes tom.

Pooch

Hi pooch,
Thanks for posting back. I did try to post a reply last night but I think it got lost in the cyber ether!

I like the thought of leaving things alone for a bit. I talked to Dell last night when they finally got around to calling me back, and the tech was all ready to reinstall my OS.
Now, I know that sometimes is the best fix, but also to be honest I have heard many nightmare stories about reinstalling drivers etc and I'm really not ready to let this Dell tech guide me through it. After all, he was the one that asked me to unplug and replug in my monitor data cable while the computer was still on!

Maybe I'm being silly, but I have a working system here (plus or minus screensaver) that has been doing everything I've asked it to since yesterday. The only thing that I have not tried is a reboot and to use the screensaver. I am thinking a reinstall is kind of a bull in a china shop approach.

I have just spoken to an independent PC repair guy whose advice was to just leave things as they are for now, try a reboot and the screensaver again when I'm ready and if the problem reoccurs to try to upgrade to the Dell driver.. just like you said.

I'll keep you posted.
Thank you
Peppurr