Solved NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT drivers not working

[Sysop1337]

Hello,

I like Windows 8, and my experience has been good so far. Yesterday I've installed Windows 8 and it had been hanging at 'Installing Drivers... 10%'. So I slammed my GeForce 8600 in my PC, and surprisingly it worked.
However, I need my GeForce 6600 because another OS needs it *cough*Hackintosh*cough*, and so I put this card back into my PC. Now it boots up into Windows 8, but it's not exactly as you call it 'fast'. I downloaded the 296.17 drivers, and my attempts to install it were unsuccessful. The installer stops with a BSOD while attempting to flash the screen, and the computer restarts.
I have already attempted to install the drivers with Device Manager, automatic as well as manual, but the same BSOD happens.

Is there anyone who can help? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Edit: I have Windows 8 32 bits.

 

[GMan]

Hi,

Yeah, we can help ya out no prob.

All you need to do is run the tool found in the top thread of the Crash subforum then attach the zip it makes to a new post here.

 

[Sysop1337]

I ran the tool and zipped the files. I hope it helps fixing the problem.

 

[GMan]

1: kd> lmvm smwdm
start    end        module name
91d10000 91d4f880   smwdm      (deferred)             
    Image path: \SystemRoot\system32\drivers\smwdm.sys
    Image name: smwdm.sys
    Timestamp:        Tue Nov 29 13:30:22 2005 (438C9E3E)
    CheckSum:         00045A55
    ImageSize:        0003F880
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

I don't like that above driver for your audio. And I'm not too confident you can even find an updated SoundMax driver. So for now as testing, disable the SoundMax in the Device Manager. Then reboot. Try to install the latest NVIDIA driver normally now. Let me know how it goes either way, successful or not, and then we'll see how to take things from there.

 

[Sysop1337]

Thank you for your help. I disabled the SoundMax driver and I was trying to install the graphics card drivers again. I still get the BSOD. It has something to do with dxgmms1.sys.

 

[GMan]

It has something to do with dxgmms1.sys.

That's just showing the video subsystem is failing. Please run the tool again so I can see the latest crash dump. You're welcome.

In the meantime, you can use the latest non-Guru3d version of Driver Sweeper, in safe mode, to clear all NVIDIA driver files and settings.

Reboot and try to install the driver normally again.

And this card you're trying to install....is it known well (like when used in another system)? Do you have the proper power connectors attached inside the case, if any?

And finally for now, I would update the motherboard to latest bios version and also install the latest chipset drivers too.

(Something is corrupting the memory storing the kernel modules themselves. Could definitely be fault, buggy hardware but the above might be helpful. If you have Turbo mode on the motherboard, try disabling - or better yet - after bios update, set Optimized Defaults then save.)

 

[Sysop1337]

I have tried everything you said - I upgraded my BIOS, which seemed to only make the boot process faster, I've deleted the NVIDIA Driver with that program and tried to reinstall the driver, without success.

My GeForce 6600GT works on Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux, Mac OS X 10.5 and Haiku OS, so I'm convinced the card is well known.

I have attached the ZIP containing my last crash dumps.

 

[GMan]

From latest crash dump:

91d10000 91d4f880   smwdm    smwdm.sys    Tue Nov 29 13:30:22 2005 (438C9E3E)

It hasn't been disabled from the system.

Also, did you set Optimized Defaults in the bios so to eliminate the possibility of overclocking being the cause, or incorrect memory settings as the cause?

-------

Also you have the following driver on the machine, of which Google returns absolutely no results for:

91df7000 91dfe000   sthid      (deferred)             
    Image path: \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\sthid.sys
    Image name: sthid.sys
    Timestamp:        Mon Apr 02 21:36:04 2012 (4F7A5404)
    CheckSum:         000079E3
    ImageSize:        00007000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

I would rename that to sthid.BAK then reboot.

 

[Sysop1337]

Wow, thank you! I disabled the sound driver completely and I did the BIOS reset. Sthid.sys is a driver to make Splashtop Streamer (a VNC-like program) work, but I temporary disabled it. The first time I got the same BSOD, but the second time I opened it by running the installer as administrator. Somehow it worked, and it does great now!

Once again, thank you for your help. Now I can triple-boot into Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows 8 without any problem.

 

[GMan]

Wow, thank you! I disabled the sound driver completely and I did the BIOS reset. Sthid.sys is a driver to make Splashtop Streamer (a VNC-like program) work, but I temporary disabled it. The first time I got the same BSOD, but the second time I opened it by running the installer as administrator. Somehow it worked, and it does great now!

Once again, thank you for your help. Now I can triple-boot into Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows 8 without any problem.

Awesome! Congrats on solving with me the most difficult bsod yet seen under Windows 8.

Oh man, VNC, VPN, firewall, many wireless/wired adapter drivers - wait, no - well, well more than 50% of those exotic networking type of softwares always cause bsods on new version of Windows until the companies fix their drivers. My advice is to uninstall that completely.

Or on the other hand, try your luck for as long as it goes and if any issues, look to that first.

Enjoy and you're welcome.