NVIDIA device driver/nvlddmkm.sys crashes - Rather odd case

[ztubbs]

Greetings all,

Since 2008 I have had problems with my nVidia GeForce 9600 GT (if thats whats causing the problem). The first occurence was after installing crysis, which freezed during the opening cinematics, and sometimes throughout the game.

The crashes look similiar to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOvgF_6L738 (in my case I was unable to fix it by cntrl+alt+delete/alt-tabbing out)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyUxWUYZAfw

The funny thing is, however, that the freezes would depend on the game being played and whether or not it was the first game played after startup. For example, I was able to live with the crashes by simply restarting the pc and then immediately running the game before doing anything else (meaning if I played the game, quit, and wanted to play it again, I'd have to restart). This process continued with all the other games I played (e.g. Call of Duty 4 and GTA: SA). The one game, however, where this crash almost never occured, was the multiplayer component of CoD4. Also, I was able to run GTA4 for quite a while before the error finally turned up.
Additionally, World of Warcraft freezed, but when I installed the latest expansion (Wrath of the Lich King), the crash NEVER occurred. As in, ever. I played it for months without any problems whatsoever.

All of the above occured with Windows XP installed.

However, at the start of this year, I installed Windows 7, and the crashes have continued, even with the multiplayer component of CoD4 and WotLK.

It usually gives me the "Display Driver Nvidia Windows Kernel Mode Driver Version <whatever version of the driver I happen to be using/testing> stopped responding and has successfully recovered." popup in the lower right of the screen. If I'm fast enough, I can use cntrl-alt-delete and kill the game process before my screen starts turning grainy (where the problem has spread to the desktop and not just the game).

I have tried everything, including:

• Installing the newest drivers, older drivers, using driver sweeper and safe mode
• Updating the BIOS
• Updating my chipset drivers
• Disabling Dreamscene
• Disabling UAC
• Using the expand.exe command in the cmd with the nvlddmkm.sys files
• Downloading a "working" version of nvlddmkm.sys and placing it in the appropriate directory

However, I doubt that it is a hardware-related issue, such as the GPU overheating, since I can run games such as WoW and CoD4 on the highest settings for literally hours on end (WoW binges ftw) with absolutely no problems.

Please, can anyone help?

[ztubbs]

Can no one help me with this?

[ferraca]

Dear ztubbs,

I'm having the same problems. So, I read the messages which were posted on the second youtube video that you had sent.

There's someone says that the problem is related to the Outpost Firewall. Coincidentally, I have the Outpost Firewall installed. Do you have it as well? And, as far as I remember, the problem started after I have installed the Firewall.

I haven't tested it yet. But when I get home I'll try it. I hope it works. So, I can report you if I'll have it fixed.

Regards,

[Hockson]

There can be numerous issue relating to the same error, it could be faulty video card, it could be due to heavy loadings of games such as Crysis, GTA 4, etc, the card is not able to handle or something else. I also had this issue and what I did to solve it is written below:

1) Go Windows/System32/Drivers and rename nvlddmkm.sys in nvlddmkm.sys.old

2) Go into the Nvidia folder (eg c: \ NVIDIA \ Win7 \ xxx.xx) and locate the file then do nvlddmkm.sy_ right clik -> copy

3) paste in the folder c: \

4) open the MSDOS command prompt (cmd) and type: cd \ to place the root of the hard disk

5) Type the following command expand.exe nvlddmkm.sy_ nvlddmkm.sys

6) retrieve the file to disk nvlddmkm.sys c: \ and paste it in c: \ windows \ system32 \ drivers

7) reboot the computer

[labman]

Not sure whether this tip will work for you but i found it after searching a lot. I think the folder "nvlddmkm.sys" is defective. Just locate the folder named "WindowsSystem32 Drivers" under C drive. Than highlight the folder name "nvlddmkm.sys" and rename it to "nvlddmkm.sys.old" Now try to continue. Hope this works. Do reply the result.

[ztubbs]

Dear ztubbs,

I'm having the same problems. So, I read the messages which were posted on the second youtube video that you had sent.

There's someone says that the problem is related to the Outpost Firewall. Coincidentally, I have the Outpost Firewall installed. Do you have it as well? And, as far as I remember, the problem started after I have installed the Firewall.

I haven't tested it yet. But when I get home I'll try it. I hope it works. So, I can report you if I'll have it fixed.

Regards,

Unfortunately, I do not use Outpost Firewall. I wish I did, so I could fix it . I'm using AVG. I disabled all Windows firewalls, and the problem still persists.

There can be numerous issue relating to the same error, it could be faulty video card, it could be due to heavy loadings of games such as Crysis, GTA 4, etc, the card is not able to handle or something else. I also had this issue and what I did to solve it is written below:

1) Go Windows/System32/Drivers and rename nvlddmkm.sys in nvlddmkm.sys.old

2) Go into the Nvidia folder (eg c: \ NVIDIA \ Win7 \ xxx.xx) and locate the file then do nvlddmkm.sy_ right clik -> copy

3) paste in the folder c: \

4) open the MSDOS command prompt (cmd) and type: cd \ to place the root of the hard disk

5) Type the following command expand.exe nvlddmkm.sy_ nvlddmkm.sys

6) retrieve the file to disk nvlddmkm.sys c: \ and paste it in c: \ windows \ system32 \ drivers

7) reboot the computer

I tried that, unfortunately it did not work.

Not sure whether this tip will work for you but i found it after searching a lot. I think the folder "nvlddmkm.sys" is defective. Just locate the folder named "WindowsSystem32 Drivers" under C drive. Than highlight the folder name "nvlddmkm.sys" and rename it to "nvlddmkm.sys.old" Now try to continue. Hope this works. Do reply the result.

The system detects an error with the video card and refuses to run any games : /. Good try though.

I noticed that after freezes, I got a BSOD saying: "Attempt to reset the display driver and recover from timeout failed."

After which, I tried this fix:


Unfortunately, it didn't work either.

Any more ideas? Comon guys, I'm sure we can fix this.

[Birdie]

I have observed that for the same nvlddmkm.sys crashing problem there are several possible solutions ...
-Graphics card faulty
Active memory-incompatible
-Graphics card inserted incorrectly or too heavy so that it disconnects
Problem-drivers
- (And for me) defective motherboard
So the easiest solution is to try all these solutions ...
Good luck

[ztubbs]

I have observed that for the same nvlddmkm.sys crashing problem there are several possible solutions ...
-Graphics card faulty
Active memory-incompatible
-Graphics card inserted incorrectly or too heavy so that it disconnects
Problem-drivers
- (And for me) defective motherboard
So the easiest solution is to try all these solutions ...
Good luck

UPDATE

I took the machine to the tech guys. They can't figure out whats wrong either. So far, the problem has persisted throughout the following changes:

-Replacing the nVidia GeForce 9600GT with an ASUS EAH5750
-Reloading Windows 7 and installing all the newest drivers
-Checking with a Hardware Diagnostics Card, which turned up no errors

Taking it back in Monday, getting tired of this now...

Will ask them to test with another motherboard and PSU.

[ztubbs]

I GOT IT FIXED. FINALLY.

Turns out the idiots who built my computer used two different brands of RAM - 1 stick Apacer, 3 sticks Kingston.

I got it replaced with 4 Kingston sticks, runs like a dream.

Hope this helps anyone else.

[JAMES_911]

I have hardly seen a solution for nvlddmkm.sys crashing by changing the ram. Anyways it is always good to know what we cannot expect becomes the solution in any forms.

[ztubbs]

I have hardly seen a solution for nvlddmkm.sys crashing by changing the ram. Anyways it is always good to know what we cannot expect becomes the solution in any forms.

I am unsure as to whether the error was specific to nvlddmkm.sys - the error persisted through to ATi drivers. It could be filed under the general "display driver has stopped working and has recovered".