Solved Display Driver Failures

M

mdiemer

I have had display driver failures, with the nasty black screen, for years, with both Vista and 7. I currently have a dual-boot, with one drive having 7x64 and a new drive vistax32 SP1. I use the vista drive almost exclusively, as the 7 drive takes 15 minutes to shut down, and has frequent DDF's. Now, the vista drive has started having them. I took it off Aero, optimized for performance and stopped using my Logitech wireless mouse. So far, it's been stable. I know this is a very mysterious problem, with many possible causes/solutions. I'm just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on it. It happens only online, and even then only certain websites, often when there's a video playing. I tried updating the driver, but as with the 7 drive, when I find a relatively stable driver, I tend to stick with it. The newer drivers are even worse. I'm currently using the onboard video that came with the computer, a Gateway GT 5656, dual core with 8 GB RAM, with Nvidia graphics.
 
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Is it the gpu IN YOUR system spec?

Yikes, it's very old and being onboard probably gets pretty warm, so I'd expect it is quite possible it's dying. It also may be that it is not able to properly show the video due to being old.

You may want to think about getting a basic add in gpu for under $40 bucks.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
    Motherboard
    Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
    Memory
    12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
    Graphics Card(s)
    gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 22" // Headless
    Hard Drives
    OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
    PSU
    Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
    Case
    Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
    Cooling
    Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
    Other Info
    Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
Thanks for your reply. Yes, it's the GPU that came with the compiuter. I do have a Video card I can use, but I wanted first to see how it would work with with the onboard, as the older drive (the one with W7) has problems even with the card. The card is a GeForce 8400 GS. I'll put it in and see how it goes. I just hate to clutter up a new drive with drivers and bits of drivers, which themselves cause problems.
 

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I got a new drive, installed and updated Vista 32 HP, deleted and reinstalled the Nvidia driver, and still have DDF's. I am using the 8400GS Nvidia card. Here's the thing, though: I installed Linux Mint on another drive. It never has DDF's. This proves that the problem is not Nvidia, or my card, or my computer (I also upgraded my power supply recently). Therefore, this problem has to be the fault of Windows. Why will Microsoft not admit this, and do something about it? the amount of stress this has caused people over the years must be staggering. the only reason I'm still running Windows is that I have several months left on my Carbonite subscription. After that, I will can all MS products for good. I will do whatever I have to do learn to use Linux, and get an online backup that works in Linux, such as Crashplan. I have had it with Windows.
 

My Computer

Perhaps the driver version that you are using is buggy. I suggest that you try using a slightly older one.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
Perhaps the driver version that you are using is buggy. I suggest that you try using a slightly older one.

OK, but why does it work fine in Linux? Why cannot Microsoft get it's systems to work correctly with display drivers? they have the best minds on the planet. Linux people are hobbyists. how is that they can get it right, but Microsoft cannot?
 

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OK, but why does it work fine in Linux? Why cannot Microsoft get it's systems to work correctly with display drivers? they have the best minds on the planet. Linux people are hobbyists. how is that they can get it right, but Microsoft cannot?

It is quite the opposite. Microsoft does not write Windows to work with the driver but the manufacturers have to write the drivers to work with Windows. The only drivers that Microsoft writes are generic ones that work with most hardware but provide limited functionality. Microsoft cannot be expected to write drivers for all past, present, and future hardware. As for your question I don't know enough about drivers or linux to answer it but I am making a suggestion.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
OK, but why does it work fine in Linux? Why cannot Microsoft get it's systems to work correctly with display drivers? they have the best minds on the planet. Linux people are hobbyists. how is that they can get it right, but Microsoft cannot?

Have you installed the actual *nix driver?

Both drivers are written by Nvidia, so it's not MS fault.

I still think it's the way system is working under both OS.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
    Motherboard
    Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
    Memory
    12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
    Graphics Card(s)
    gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 22" // Headless
    Hard Drives
    OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
    PSU
    Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
    Case
    Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
    Cooling
    Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
    Other Info
    Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
Appreciate the help, but I just don't see why I should have to sort through dozens of drivers to try and find one that might work on my system. Windows should be stable enough that Nidvia's drivers work on it. Nvidia is a giant in the industry. I am not anywhere near even a baby geek, but I intuitively suspect the fault is not with Nvidia, but with Windows. I suspect it has something to do with the frequent and massive updates. I realize these are needed for security, but then that just makes migrating to Linux all the more attractive. You don't need security with Linux. It's a shame, because other than this one issue, I really like Windows. It is incredibly user-friendly, which someone like me really appreciates it. To use Linux well, you have to study it. It's pretty complicated, but they have great tutorials. If Linux ever figures out how to be more user-friendly, windows will be in real trouble. I have been struggling with this issue for years. there is no solution, other than for MS to start caring about its users and fix its software, even the older programs they are not making money on. they have already lost me. when my Carbonite subscription runs out, I'm gone. By then I will have figured out to use Linux.
 

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The fact you do not need security is only due to market share and not the OS.

You are using out dated equipment and software, so encountering issues is not unexpected. It's like trying to find parts for a 1940 Studebaker.

Ubuntu runs just like windows, so I'm unsure what you need to learn, and is very easy to run.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
    Motherboard
    Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
    Memory
    12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
    Graphics Card(s)
    gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 22" // Headless
    Hard Drives
    OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
    PSU
    Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
    Case
    Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
    Cooling
    Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
    Other Info
    Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
My computer is 5 years old. It's an AMD dual core, 3,000 mhz, 8 GB ram. the 8400GS card is not that ancient. This is a good computer, I just can't see why it's having these problems. It runs cool (I just upgraded the PS), is very fast and has no problems other than this one. I'm not going to plop down more money on a new graphics card because I know the problem will still be there. As I said before, I think it's the updates that cause it. I realize it doesn't happen on every computer, but the problem also does not happen on my Linux drive, in the very same computer. Logic therefore tells me the cause is Windows.

Anyway, as for Linux, I actually have Mint. It does have a GUI just like Windows, but to do certain things, you need to use commands. For example, installing software that's not from their collection, or figuring out permissions. So I'm learning to do that. Always good to be learning something new.
 

My Computer

The 8 series cards were huge significant and came out in 2006, They were also quite warm. The heat cycling cracked the circuitry cause many 8 cards to die. You may have built the system 5yrs ago but the models are 8yrs ago, 5 true generations old.

*nix is the generic term for all the Unix, Linux OS out there, as while the same base programing they do have differences.

You did install the proper driver by Nvidia, correct?
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
    Motherboard
    Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
    Memory
    12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
    Graphics Card(s)
    gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 22" // Headless
    Hard Drives
    OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
    PSU
    Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
    Case
    Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
    Cooling
    Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
    Other Info
    Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
Yes, Sir, I installed drivers meant for vista/seven on the vista drive, and Linux installed their versions on the Linux drive. So you think I should get a new card? Can you recommend a budget one? I don't want to spend a lot of money and then find out I still have the problem!

Appreciate your continued interest in my problem, thank you and all the others for the help, I'm just getting so frustrated, because it seems to have no solution. I was thinking of going back to the RAM that came with the computer, but it's only 3GB, and 667mhz, so no point in doing that. Of course, my "new" RAM is also only 667, but at least there is 8GB of it!

The 8 series cards were huge significant and came out in 2006, They were also quite warm. The heat cycling cracked the circuitry cause many 8 cards to die. You may have built the system 5yrs ago but the models are 8yrs ago, 5 true generations old.

*nix is the generic term for all the Unix, Linux OS out there, as while the same base programing they do have differences.

You did install the proper driver by Nvidia, correct?
 

My Computer

Is there any reason I can't just forget the Nvidia drivers, and use the VGA drivers instead? sure it looks a little funny, but with some adjustments it can be made to work fairly well. Especially on a drive that is not my main one (the Linux drive is the my main one).
 

My Computer

You seem hell bent on blaming windows. I'm not saying that Vista is perfect however it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to write their drivers for the OS not the other way around. I suspect that either there is something wrong with your card or you are using buggy drivers which is why is suggested using slightly older drivers. It's a step in a process of elimination. As for the built in drivers yes you can use them but the resolution is not going to be optimal especially if you have a wide screen monitor. As for the updates those are mostly security updates however Microsoft does try to incorporate manufacturer's drivers something I disagree with.

I agree with you on the learning curve for Linux and administrative tasks however installing programs is even easier on a Mac than on Windows and certainly easier than Linux. The downside to many is the hardware.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
Sorry if I seem hostile to Windows. I actually love windows, and think that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are two of the people who changed the world for the better. It's just my frustration coming out. and the fact that I don't really know enough to figure this stuff out on my own, which is why I ask for help. Why can't MS and Nvidia get together and solve this problem? It would be to their mutual advantage to do so, I would think. Or is that like asking why there can't be peace in the Middle East? :)

Anyway, Nvidia claims they are doing everything they can to solve this, but then they give you a list of like 20 different possible causes (there could be more than that). Most have to do with things that are really beyond me, like changing Bios settings. the most I do there is select boot preference! I have successfully replaced drives, memory and power supplies, so I'm not a complete moron. But I tread carefully when messing around too much (first, do no harm, is my motto).

I guess I'll use the VGA drivers. It's my secondary drive, as I'm forcing myself to use Linux and try to make progress becoming proficient there. The VGA drivers don't seem to have the problem, and I've adjusted things so it doesn't look too bad. Maybe Nvidia and/or MS will finally solve this at some point. Or I'll get lucky and guess right!
 

My Computer

Again it is not Microsoft's responsibility to make the drivers work but Nvidia's after all they can't be expected to work with every hardware manufacturer out there. Have you even taken my suggestion and tried older drivers?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
Yes, I have tried a number of drivers. Even if one works, it's only a matter of time until the problem returns, usually after windows updates. But the VGA drivers I'm using are ok. I'm not on that drive much, just to do my email and run Carbonite, so I guess I've found a solution for the time being. However, if anyone has any more ideas, I'm all ears.

Again it is not Microsoft's responsibility to make the drivers work but Nvidia's after all they can't be expected to work with every hardware manufacturer out there. Have you even taken my suggestion and tried older drivers?
 

My Computer

Yes, I have tried a number of drivers. Even if one works, it's only a matter of time until the problem returns, usually after windows updates. But the VGA drivers I'm using are ok. I'm not on that drive much, just to do my email and run Carbonite, so I guess I've found a solution for the time being. However, if anyone has any more ideas, I'm all ears.

I suggest not installing drivers through Windows updater.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
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