display driver problem?

[matorme]

hey ppl,

 

i have a hp pavilion laptop and it has been working fine for bout year n half now with no major problems.

when i log into vista, desktop opens fine and i can use the computer no problem but when i go to play a computer game (i tried to play call of duty 4) the game loaded and then bout 10 seconds into play the screen freezes and i need to reboot the pc, when i restart the laptop and then try to log in again the screen is all fussy, colourful blinking like static but with colours..however i CAN get onto my desktop and use the laptop through safe mode.

now, i blieve the problem lies with some kind of driver, as it only failed when i tried to run a game..would directX be the problem? can it suddenly break? as everything was fine a week ago.

 

Thanks for reading and hope to hear back soon, if you need anymore info on this issue let me know .

Mat.

[Goku]

Hello and Welcome to FPCH Mat. :)

 

It could be well indeed a graphic driver problem as you already suspect. Can you please tell us the model number of your laptop, so that we may search for the appropriate drivers.

 

-- Goku

[matorme]

Thanks for your response Goku,

 

my laptop model is:

'HP Pavilion dv9500 Notebook PC'

 

and incase you need it my graphics card is:

'NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS'

Thanks for helping me, look forward to ya reply :)

 

Mat.

[Goku]

OK, I tried to perform a search on your model number but it came with a stupendous amount of results.

 

Download drivers and software - HP Pavillion dv9500

 

From the listed options, there are a couple varieties for the dv9500 series. Please choose the appropriate series and you will be presented with a list of Operating Systems. Choose your Operating System and download the drivers for your graphics card.

 

After you have downloaded the drivers, install them and reboot the computer. See if the problem still persists or not. Good Luck.

 

-- Goku

[Seth]

Goku and Mat:

 

Here is the latest driver from Nvidia.

 

GeForce Release 175

[Seth]

Also, the old drivers should be uninstalled first.

 

If that doesn't help, it might be easier to do a system restore.

[Goku]

Goku and Mat:

 

Here is the latest driver from Nvidia.

 

GeForce Release 175

Yes, I found the driver listed too but I just wanted to see if HP's recommended driver works for Mat or not.

 

Thanks for listing it up. :)

 

-- Goku

[Dalo Harkin]

uninstall the old driver from add/remove programs its under nvidia driver.

then goto C:/nvidia and remove ALL the files in there delete them!

and then restart and install the latest one :)

[matorme]

just downloaded the correct graphics driver (my model was in fact dv9667ea, found it on the back of laptop) and still no luck :( restarted laptop as normal and after the vista loading bar disappears (before the login screen) the screen just goes all like 'matrix' style if ya understand me? i cud try taking a picture but it's like all different colour lines blinking..and i cant get passed it...however i can still get on through safe mode.

think of any cause? its really starting to annoy me now as it happened so quickly without warning lol

 

Thanks,

Mat.

[matorme]

....edit just seen the latest posts, about taking off the old drivers 1st, didnt do that so ill go do that and then reinstall the drivers and see what happens

Thanks,

Mat.

[Dalo Harkin]

please follow my advice above in safe mode.

[Seth]

if the driver doesn't help, and the display is ok in Safe Mode, then the issue has to be a startup program causing a conflict or using a bad area of the memory, or a Vista Service.

 

Before addressing the above though, I would try a system restore first if the driver doesn't help:

 

Windows Vista Help: System Restore: frequently asked questions

[matorme]

just uninstalled the drivers and reset the pc, when i reset the pc i WAS able to access the desktop through the normal way, all be it was in a lower resolution and there wer 'pink dots' around..so i then installed the driver again, the one from HP website and reset the pc, and it went to the same screen again, with the coloured lines, didnt even give me the option to log in :(

do you think the other link seth posted will work, the one from NVIDIA website??

 

thanks,

Mat

[Seth]

It's worth a try...and remember to uninstall the drivers first.

[matorme]

kk, well im just trying a system restore now so see if that does anything, if not then ill give the other driver a try and if that doesnt work..the laptop is going out the window!! hehe

 

Thanks,

Mat.

[matorme]

tried to install the other driver and then restarted the pc but before i resetted it i changed the startup to diagnostic, in case anything was clashing with NVIDIA for some reason... now after the vista loading screen has ended the screen goes black for bout 20 seconds and then i get blue screened :(

this info was shown in the 'technical information':

 

Stop: 0x00000116

 

then somthing about nvlddmkm.sys

..i can, however, still get onto the desktop through safe mode lol.

any idea what this problem is?? or anyone got any more ideas coz i just dont get it :(

 

Thanks,

Mat.

[Seth]

The error refers to the nvidia driver.

 

Did the system restore complete?

[matorme]

well i think it did (first time i have done a system restore) i picked a restore point from yesterday, hit ok, it then resetted and came back saying the system restore was successfull..but i cud only see that wen i went through safe mode as it still wouldnt load normal..???

[Seth]

As soon as you turn on the computer, keep tapping F8 which will bring you to a boot menu. Use the arrow keys and choose "Last Known Good Configuration" then press enter.

 

If that doesn't work, try an earlier restore point.

[matorme]

when i clicked on 'last known..' it started up the normal way to desktop, but there is no graphics driver installed..when i try and install the driver again, it crashes to blue screen....

[Dalo Harkin]

The error you posted is definately the Nvidia driver - did you manually navigate to C:/Nvidia and remove ALL the files in there -

if its crashing its normally becuase the OS is trying to use more than one driver.

[matorme]

yes, i removed the entire folder..i may be trying to install the wrong driver tho?

my graphics card is NVIDIA Geforce 8600M GS

 

this is the driver i think i need, is it right for me?

v177.98 Vista 32bit | NVIDIA - nVision

 

Thanks,

Mat.

[Dalo Harkin]

ALWAYS use the Nvidia drivers from their site -

GeForce Release 175

[matorme]

ALWAYS use the Nvidia drivers from their site -

GeForce Release 175

 

yeah i tried that but it wudnt work? someone told me its because laptop drivers are different to desktop pc computers? when i try to install it it says:-

 

"nVidia setup program could not locate any drivers that are compatible with your current hardware. Setup will now exit."

 

Is there something else i need to do to make that driver work?

 

Thanks,

Mat.

[Dalo Harkin]

Right there are different types of drivers -

Nvidia chipset driver - this is if you have an Nvidia chip in your Mobo

Nvidia graphics driver - this is if you have an Nvidia graphics card

 

If you have both then you need BOTH drivers installed.