Constant NVIDIA crashing issue

[scorpion_wins]

I've been having a long-standing problem related to my graphics card. Whenever anything uses the card to render 3D graphics it will always crash with the following error:

"Display driver, NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version X stopped responding and has successfully recovered."

I keep the driver updated and it happens with every version of the driver. No issue with Windows, it never happens ever just using the OS. With any game that's not 2D, it will always happen. Usually it happens every 2-5 minutes and it's resovlable in that tabbing out and back in means whatever game I'm playing usually does not crash. But clearly, that's really annoying.

I am running a GTX 260, mobo is MSI P55-GD65 and the OS is Windows 7.

Any ideas on where to start?

[mashakos]

what is you PSU? Better provide your full specs. Driver version as well.
Also, go into event viewer and post the detailed error report.

[Feldspar]

Honestly? I'd say replace the graphics card.

Failing that, uninstall all nVidia drivers, reboot, reinstall. And then replace the graphics card.

I take it you have taken out and reseated the card, check all the wires, etc. If you can't then solve it by removing and replacing the drivers, then it is probably the card itself, sorry, you can probably replace it for relatively little money (no, this isn't a good excuse to buy the monster 1000squid card nVidia's just pooped out).

Edit: Yes it could be the power supply, too, not supplying enough to the card when asked.

[Sakkura]

Edit: Yes it could be the power supply, too, not supplying enough to the card when asked.

Or supplying dirty power.

Easiest way to rule out a problem with the card itself is to plug it into another computer.

[scorpion_wins]

PSU is 550w (Corsair CMPSU-550vx).

Sorry for being a noob, but although I looked in event viewer, I can't find the appropriate log.

I can probably borrow a card to switch in and see if the issue goes away, I will try that.

[mashakos]

Sorry for being a noob, but although I looked in event viewer, I can't find the appropriate log.

open up Event Viewer
under event viewer (on the left hand pane)
expand "Windows Logs"
select "Applications"
now do one of two things:-
search (Ctrl+F) for two or three words from the error message you got, I recommend using each of these till you find the one you need - "kernel", "nvidia", "stopped"

if that fails

go through each entry looking at the info on the lower half of the window until you hit one with the text "Display driver, NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version X stopped responding and has successfully recovered."

[trjp]

I'd test the card in another PC - and if it works then I'd test the card in your PC with another PSU

It's also possible it's a software problem - uninstalling all nVidia software and reinstalling just the latest drivers would be worth a try too.

When you say a '3D' game - you realise a lot of games which appear to be '2D' are actually '3D' as far as your card is concerned? What you perhaps means is a fullscreen DirectX application? Which reminds me - have you tried running a game in non-fullscreen (e.g. windowed) and does it still crash that way?

[scorpion_wins]

The event isn't in the event viewer, probably because it's been forced off by many instances of a benign but recurring SQL error. I'll re-create the error and then copy/paste the info as soon as I have time.

When you say a '3D' game - you realise a lot of games which appear to be '2D' are actually '3D' as far as your card is concerned? What you perhaps means is a fullscreen DirectX application? Which reminds me - have you tried running a game in non-fullscreen (e.g. windowed) and does it still crash that way?

This is potentially a very interesting point. First off, yes it still happens in Windowed mode. The most recent example I can think of for this is Crusader Kings II, I switched to windowed mode specifically to see if it would resolve or lessen the problem, but it did not. The exact same problem has happened with every other game (with one exception) that I've played on this computer (Dragon Age, Dishonored, The Witcher 2, Borderlands 2, many others). The problem did not occur when playing Rage.

[scorpion_wins]

Ok, just forced the error playing a session of Borderlands 2 but it does not write anything to the Event Viewer. Is it coincidence that the only game it doesn't occur with uses OpenGL? I will try the card switch out ASAP in any case.

[trjp]

Before pulling-out hardware I'd try a complete driver clean and reinstall - usually just uninstalling all the drivers from Add/Remove Programs is enough but you might want to seek-out a driver-cleaner utility designed to purge all traces of nVidia's drivers - this is one such thing, there are others

http://www.guru3d.com/content_page/g...r_sweeper.html

and then reinstall just the very latest ones - you might get a surprise...

[KauhuK]

I had a GTX260 couple of years ago and it was causing same problems for me. I changed PSU and sent it back for testing. To no avail. The problem was with my motherboard or at least changing it solved the problem. If I remember correctly it was a MSI motherboard though different model than yours. I would suggest that you test that gtx260 on other computer if you can.