Display driver stopped responding - Memory related?

[GlennO]

Hi!

 

I have a big problem with my new 8800GTX graphics card, which I think is actually related to the memory. When I play 3D intensive games I get the message "Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding, but has succesfully recovered." in a yellow exclamation mark in the lower right corner on the screen.

 

I have tried exchanging the graphics card and still get the same message. I have tried exchannging the PSU to a XXXXXXX 650W get the same problem. Ithen figured that my memory was actually running on default SPD settings at 1.8V, changed the voltage to 2.1 (+0.3V in my BIOS) and got the error message much less frequent. When I then tried to change the memory timings (using CTRL+F1 in my BIOS) to 4-4-4-12@2.1V I get the message after a few minutes of gametime again...

 

When I ran memtest 1.70 I got 1 error at the 4-4-4-12@2.1V setting (running time ~1h40min). At the SPD timings and 1.8V I got no errors when running memtest for ~12H, but still got the error message in windows.

 

I tried using only 2 of my 4 RAM sticks in different slots on the motherboard and tried setting down speed as low as 533MHz and still get the error back.

 

I use the latest WHQL NVidia drivers (163.69) and a clean Windows Vista Ulitmate x86. I have tried lots of other drivers too, so it is hardware related with a high probablility that it's caused by the memory. I use the latest BIOS revision (F6) on my motherboard.

 

Do you have any helpful suggestions that I could try, or do you think the memory is bad and need to be replaced?

 

Best regards,

Glenn Ohlsson

[RAM GUY]

If the memory is passing memtest, there is probably some other issue. If you have 4GB of memory with Vista, make sure you have the following patch: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929777. Are you able to test the memory in a different system? Do you get the same errors when you are only using the modules one at a time in the system?

[GlennO]

Thanks for your answer. I have downloaded and installed that patch and all the four hotfixes recommended by NVidia, so I don't think the problem is software related.

 

I have also tried using just 1 memory stick with the same results.

 

I have tried searching for the advanced settings in BIOS for my memory with the motherboard/BIOS i'm using, but have'nt found all the settings. Maybe it can be fixed using the correct BIOS settings, but I guess it should work with using SPD timings at 2.1V?

[DerekT]

Do you have a Windows XP CD? Can you install Windows XP on a separate partion (for testing) and see if this issue occurs or isolates. Whenever I have seen such an issue, it has always been video card hardware or video card software drivers.

 

You may wish to read through this:

 

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=86550

 

Clearly this issue is not an isolated one and it is one in which it might be an overheating issue. All you have to do is google:

 

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&ned=ca&q=Display+driver+nvlddmkm+stopped+responding%2C+but+has+succesfully+recovered&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web

 

To see that there are 1,230 pages regarding Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding, but has succesfully recovered

[GlennO]

Yes I know there is alot of pages regarding this issue, and I spent the last week or so reading them. My problem is most likely not related to my graphics card and the closest description I came across in the superlong thread you linked is the one where the memory was causing this problem, and was replaced to fix it. Even though he got 12 hours or more errorfree runs in memtest.

 

Im thinking about just buying a new RAM to test it. After all its very cheap compared to the rest of the components in my computer.

[RAM GUY]

If you would like to try getting the modules replaced, then please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part! Or “Tech Support Express” and we will be happy to replace them or it, please note that you are posting from the forum!