BSOD issues relating to graphics driver

NewishJahtzee · Oct 30, 2014

View attachment 53198

A couple of months ago, my computer first started to blue screen (I believe the error message at the time was IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL). After quite a lot of research and trial/error, I determined that it had something to do with my Nvidia GeForce GTX 560m driver. I disabled this driver and just used my computer with the stock graphics driver because I was sick of trying to fix the problem and my computer appeared to function almost normally. The only issue was that whenever I woke my computer from sleep or hibernation, a balloon appeared from the task bar announcing that my graphics driver had stopped but has recovered. As this was causing random windows to stop functioning on occasion, I decided to try again to remedy this situation.

After more research into my issue, I downloaded DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller), uninstalled the GeForce graphics driver completely, and then downloaded/installed the newest compatible graphics driver from the GeForce website (Drivers | GeForce).

Briefly, this appeared to remedy my problem. I began playing a game (League of Legends), of which I have had no trouble playing while using the stock driver, and the screen began to bug-out. My computer then crashed and, upon reboot, another blue screen. After another restart, I was able to get back into Windows and reconnect to my game, only to have the computer crash again. Since then, I have not been able to get back into Windows. My computer will start up, show the Windows loading screen, and then it will go black for ~5 min before bringing me to another blue screen.

After shutting down the computer for the night and then trying to reboot this morning, I came across the blue screen error DRIVER_POWER_FAILURE, or something along those lines, and then each subsequent reboot brought me the blue screen error of DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION.

I booted my computer in safe mode, tried disabling the Atheros wireless driver (as I had read that this may be the problem in some other forum), but still the same blue screen. I then went through safe mode again and disabled the new GeForce graphics driver, and that allowed me to restart normally. At this point, I am out of ideas and in need of assistance. So after disabling my graphics driver, I immediately came here to ask for help from someone who knows more than I.

I don't know if the SF Debug Tool provides my system information, so here it is:
Toshiba Qosmio x775-Q7380
Windows 8.1 Pro
Intel Core i5-2430M CPU @ 2.40GHz
6.00 GB of RAM
64-bit OS, x64-based processor

Thank you for any help!

usasma · Oct 31, 2014

Please use the display drivers from the laptop manufacturer if you have dual graphics cards (in this case it's probably Intel and nVidia graphics cards). Their drivers are specially modified in order to work with both video cards.

The "fix" for this (hopefully) is to:
- download both graphics drivers from the Toshiba website
- uninstall both graphics drivers from the system
- then install the freshly downloaded graphics drivers
- monitor for further issues.

I suspect that (if my theory is correct), removing the graphics drivers should make the system bootable.
I think that the memory dumps support this theory as they point to the nVidia drivers and to a problem with the HAL (which can indicate an incompatibility).

Please update these older drivers. Links are included to assist in looking up the source of the drivers. If unable to find an update, please remove (un-install) the program responsible for that driver. DO NOT manually delete/rename the driver as it may make the system unbootable! :

Thpevm.SYS Mon Jun 29 04:15:37 2009 (4A487829)
Toshiba HDD Protection
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=Thpevm.SYS

HECIx64.sys Tue Oct 19 19:33:43 2010 (4CBE2AD7)
Intel Management Engine Interface
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=HECIx64.sys

jmcr.sys Thu May 26 04:20:49 2011 (4DDE0D61)
JMicron JMB38X Memory Card Reader Driver
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=jmcr.sys

Analysis:
The following is for informational purposes only.

Code:

[font=lucida console]**************************Thu Oct 30 22:36:54.347 2014 (UTC - 4:00)**************************
Loading Dump File [C:\Users\John\SysnativeBSODApps\103014-24015-01.dmp]
Windows 8 Kernel Version 9600 MP (4 procs) Free x64
Built by: [B]9600[/B].17238.amd64fre.winblue_gdr.140723-2018
System Uptime:[B]0 days 0:02:16.067[/B]
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by :[B]nvlddmkm.sys ( nvlddmkm+1a3ed9 )[/B]
BugCheck [B]133, {1, 1e00, 0, 0}[/B]
BugCheck Info: [url=http://www.carrona.org/bsodindx.html#0x00000133]DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)[/url]
Arguments: 
Arg1: 0000000000000001, The system cumulatively spent an extended period of time at
    DISPATCH_LEVEL or above. The offending component can usually be
    identified with a stack trace.
Arg2: 0000000000001e00, The watchdog period.
Arg3: 0000000000000000
Arg4: 0000000000000000
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x133
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  System
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: [B]0x133_ISR_nvlddmkm+1a3ed9[/B]
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
**************************Thu Oct 30 22:21:56.337 2014 (UTC - 4:00)**************************
Loading Dump File [C:\Users\John\SysnativeBSODApps\103014-23906-01.dmp]
Windows 8 Kernel Version 9600 MP (4 procs) Free x64
Built by: [B]9600[/B].17238.amd64fre.winblue_gdr.140723-2018
System Uptime:[B]0 days 0:02:16.057[/B]
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nvlddmkm.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for nvlddmkm.sys
Probably caused by :[B]nvlddmkm.sys ( nvlddmkm+1b7178 )[/B]
BugCheck [B]133, {1, 1e00, 0, 0}[/B]
BugCheck Info: [url=http://www.carrona.org/bsodindx.html#0x00000133]DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)[/url]
Arguments: 
Arg1: 0000000000000001, The system cumulatively spent an extended period of time at
    DISPATCH_LEVEL or above. The offending component can usually be
    identified with a stack trace.
Arg2: 0000000000001e00, The watchdog period.
Arg3: 0000000000000000
Arg4: 0000000000000000
BUGCHECK_STR:  0x133
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  System
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: [B]0x133_ISR_nvlddmkm+1b7178[/B]
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
[/font]

3rd Party Drivers:
The following is for information purposes only.
Any drivers in red should be updated or removed from your system. And should have been discussed in the body of my post.

Code:

[font=lucida console]**************************Thu Oct 30 22:36:54.347 2014 (UTC - 4:00)**************************
[COLOR=RED][B]Thpevm.SYS                  Mon Jun 29 04:15:37 2009 (4A487829)[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=RED][B]HECIx64.sys                 Tue Oct 19 19:33:43 2010 (4CBE2AD7)[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=RED][B]jmcr.sys                    Thu May 26 04:20:49 2011 (4DDE0D61)[/B][/COLOR]
GEARAspiWDM.sys             Thu May  3 15:56:17 2012 (4FA2E2E1)
IntcDAud.sys                Tue Jun 19 10:40:51 2012 (4FE08F73)
TVALZ_O.SYS                 Wed Jul 25 19:23:25 2012 (50107FED)
Rt630x64.sys                Fri May 10 05:59:08 2013 (518CC4EC)
igdkmd64.sys                Thu Jun 27 11:07:26 2013 (51CC552E)
SynTP.sys                   Tue Aug 13 17:20:24 2013 (520AA318)
Smb_driver_Intel.sys        Tue Aug 13 17:23:00 2013 (520AA3B4)
Thotkey.sys                 Thu Aug 15 02:13:20 2013 (520C7180)
intelppm.sys                Thu Aug 22 04:46:35 2013 (5215CFEB)
dump_storahci.sys           Thu Aug 22 07:40:39 2013 (5215F8B7)
tosrfec.sys                 Wed Oct 30 23:20:55 2013 (5271CC97)
RTKVHD64.sys                Tue Mar 11 08:56:41 2014 (531F0809)
nvvad64v.sys                Thu Sep  4 13:10:48 2014 (54089D18)
nvpciflt.sys                Thu Oct 16 08:22:56 2014 (543FB8A0)
nvlddmkm.sys                Thu Oct 16 08:31:28 2014 (543FBAA0)
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨``
**************************Thu Oct 30 22:21:56.337 2014 (UTC - 4:00)**************************
athwnx.sys                  Mon Apr  1 01:32:05 2013 (51591BD5)
btfilter.sys                Thu Apr 24 23:01:52 2014 (5359D020)
[/font]

NewishJahtzee · Oct 31, 2014

I downloaded both the Intel and the nVidia drivers from the Toshiba website, and then used the DDU tool to remove the old drivers from my computer. I then installed the Intel driver with no problems, but when I attempted to install the nVidia driver, as soon as it began installing my computer blue screened again, this time with the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL message. I then rebooted in safe mode, uninstalled the nVidia driver again, and then proceeded to download/install the out-of-date drivers from the end of your message. Once I had finished this, I attempted to install the nVidia driver again, and was able to get all the way through the installation. Aftet it completed, it required a restart, so I restarted. Upon reboot, my computer will only bring up the blue screen IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL message. I went into safe mode and disabled the nVidia driver, but still the same blue screen. I then tried to uninstall the nVidia driver in safe mode, still the blue screen. I would send you an updated zip file, but I can't figure out how to get back in to my computer.

NewishJahtzee · Oct 31, 2014

So in attempt to send you the updated .zip file from today's antics, I tried starting the computer in safe mode with networking. When that led me to the same blue screen (IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL), I went back into safe mode and disabled the Qualcomm Atheros Wireless Adaptor (and another Atheros Wireless driver, had something to do with intermediate). I was then able to start up my computer normally and, once in Windows, I re-enabled both of the Atheros Wireless drivers (the intermediate one disappeared after I re-enabled it). After this whole process, I remembered that I forgot to mention that I also updated the Atheros Wireless driver along with the other out-of-date drivers that you had recommended I update. I will make an attempt to rollback the wireless driver and then re-install the nVidia graphics driver, and will then update you.

NewishJahtzee · Oct 31, 2014

View attachment 53218

Also, here is the .zip file that I ran in safe mode about 30 minutes ago. Don't know if it helps, but I assume it can't hurt.

NewishJahtzee · Oct 31, 2014

I believe I rolled back the Qualcomm wireless adaptor: I went into thr adapter's properties and clicked roll back; after a short delay, the roll back button grayed out. I then attempted to install the nVidia driver, but as soon as the install began, another blue screen. I then went into safe mode and disabled the "Qualcomm Atheros AR9002WB-1NG Wireless Network Adapter - Wireless Intermediate Driver" and rebooted, another blue screen. Back in safe mode, I disabled the "Qualcomm Atheros AR9002WB-1NG Wireless Network Adapter" as well and tried to reboot, same blue screen. Under Display Adapters, the Intel HD Graphics 3000 and the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter are listed.

usasma · Nov 1, 2014

I'm running late for work. I hope to get back to you this evening, but I'm traveling to Microsoft early Sunday AM, so I may be delayed.

I would suggest removing the wireless card (if you are able to do this fairly easily) and uninstalling it's software.
If not, see if you can disable it in the UEFI/BIOS.
If not, then disable it in Device Manager and try using a wired connection to see if the BSOD's return.

Once the system is stabilized without the wireless, then experiment with the video drivers.

FWIW - it's possible that there is a hardware problem with your system - and it could be that there are multiple problems - or that just one problem (with the motherboard) is affecting both components.

If the video stuff still BSOD's, you may want to consider sending it in for repair. This can be expensive if the system isn't under warranty, so you'll have to make the choice that's best for you.

Good luck!

BSOD issues relating to graphics driver

NewishJahtzee

New Member

My Computer

System One

usasma

Mr. Cranky Pants

My Computer

System One

NewishJahtzee

New Member

My Computer

System One

NewishJahtzee

New Member

My Computer

System One

NewishJahtzee

New Member

My Computer

System One

NewishJahtzee

New Member

My Computer

System One

usasma

Mr. Cranky Pants

My Computer

System One