nVidia driver kills screen

H

hastala

New Member
Hello, I have a problem I hope you can help me with! I searched the forum but didnt find a similar case as mine.

Ive been running Vista Ultimate x64 for about 7 months now, worked smooth once I got rid of all the little things. Today I recieved a Raptor harddrive to use as my primary, so Ive been formatting and re-installing. Sadly, it seems that when I install the nVidia drivers for my graphics card, the screen dies. I can hear the pc working, and if I reboot it, I can hear the Vista start-up tune. But the screen is completely dead. Both are, actually. Ive tried only plugging in one screen, but it doesnt seem to affect the situation. Reading up on the problem, I was suggested to start-up in safe mode and remove the driver again, which I did. But the second the driver was uninstalled, Vista itself seemed to install the drive, it gave the usual "new hardware detected" and installed one "GeForce 8800 GTS" which is my card. Then the screen went blank again.

I believe that I can fix this problem by going to safe mode, and install a functioning driver, my problem however, is that I dont know which drivers are useable and where to get them. I have tried the newest from nVidia's own site, one called 175.19 aswell as an older one I had lying around from when I last installed a graphics driver. neither worked. So if anyone have a sure-fire driver to use with Vista Ultimate 64-bit and a GeForce 8800GTS card, I'd be most appreciative!

Thank you :)
 

My Computer

System One

175.19 is in fact the latest WHQL certified driver...

you can try this ......169.25

ForceWare Release 169

its old but i believe it to be one of if not the most stable driver for 8800s
it works on every rig.
i don't think i have heard one compatibility issue with this

but it does not sound driver related .....
im sure vista will install 169.25 automatically (mine does)

& all you did was install a new HDD...? you touched nothing else.
:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    ME.....
    CPU
    Q9450 @ 3.6ghz
    Motherboard
    P5K PREMIUM
    Memory
    8GB 1066mhz buffalo firestix
    Graphics card(s)
    HD 5970
    Monitor(s) Displays
    20'' syncmaster
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    160GB 7200RPM SEAGATE BARRACUDA IDE 160GB 7200RPM SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA 2
    PSU
    XCILIO 850w
    Case
    unknown ATX
    Cooling
    Arctic cooler pro 775
    Mouse
    logitech cordless optical
    Keyboard
    logitech EX110
    Internet Speed
    2mb
Does your card output HDMI or other?

I have seen this when the HDMI thinks the chain of security is broken and will not go into HIRES mode. So it goes black, but stays on in Safe mode cause the resolution is lower
 

My Computer

System One

Thank you for your replies!

Skunksmash, I have tried that driver just now, and it didnt work. In fact, no driver seems to work. If I install a driver, boot in safe mode, remove it, boot normally, and cancel the automatic driver install (Vistas own) then I can use my pc and the screen, but as soon as I reboots or lets it install a driver of any kind, the screen goes blank again.

Philhu, the card is a GeForce 8800GTS 640mb and has 2 HDMI ports, so perhaps that may be whats wrong with it. Do you have any solutions?

Thank you both in advance :)
 

My Computer

System One

skunksmash said:
175.19 is in fact the latest WHQL certified driver...

you can try this ......169.25

ForceWare Release 169

its old but i believe it to be one of if not the most stable driver for 8800s
it works on every rig.
i don't think i have heard one compatibility issue with this

but it does not sound driver related .....
im sure vista will install 169.25 automatically (mine does)

& all you did was install a new HDD...? you touched nothing else.
:)
Click to expand...

Woops, to answer all your questions, I formatted my old C-drive (a 80gb sata) and formatted the 150gb raptor (the new one) and then installed Vista on the 150gb. Nothing else has changed... well, I did take the entire pc apart to clean it, but it seems to work just fine, with the hardware at least.
 

My Computer

System One

Go back into safe mode and then use Guru3D - Driver Sweeper (Setup) download from Guru3D.com (follow the instructions there carefully) and then reboot and let it install the default Vista drivers. This *should* remove all reg entries about the resolution settings as well, and thus will allow Vista to install and keep a very low (800 x 600?) res so that you can then manually pick them to see where it is failing.

If the symptoms persist, perhaps you need to evaluate if it is the card causing the issue....
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro X64 Insider Preview (Skip Ahead) latest build
    Manufacturer/Model
    The Beast Model V (homebrew)
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 965 EE @ 3.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    eVGA X58 Classified 3 (141-GT-E770-A1)
    Memory
    3 * Mushkin 998981 Redline Enhanced triple channel DDR3 4 GB CL7 DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3-12800)
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC ACX 2.0 (04G-P4-3979-KB)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio (onboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 * Lenovo LT2323pwA Widescreeen
    Screen Resolution
    2 * 1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SanDisk Ultra SDSSDHII-960G-G25 960 GB SATA III SSD (System) Crucial MX100 CT256MX100SSD1 256GB SATA III SSD (User Tree) 2 * Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA II Mech. HD Seagate ST1500DL001-9VT15L Barracuda 7200.12 1.5 TB S
    PSU
    Thermaltake Black Widow TX TR2 850W 80+ Bronze Semi-Mod ATX
    Case
    ThermalTake Level 10 GT (Black)
    Cooling
    Corsair H100 (CPU, dual 140 mm fans on radiator) + Air (2 *
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master (shared)
    Keyboard
    Logitech G15 (gen 2)
    Internet Speed
    AT&T Lightspeed Gigabit duplex
  • Operating System
    Sabayon Linux (current, weekly updates, 5.1.x kernel)
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkPad E545
    CPU
    AMD A6-5350M APU
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    8 GB
    Sound Card
    Conextant 20671 SmartAudio HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Lenovo 15" Matte
    Screen Resolution
    1680 * 1050
    Hard Drives
    INTEL Cherryvill 520 Series SSDSC2CW180A 180 GB SSD
    PSU
    Lenovo
    Case
    Lenovo
    Cooling
    Lenovo
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master (shared) | Synaptics TouchPad
    Keyboard
    Lenovo
    Internet Speed
    AT&T LightSpeed Gigabit Duplex
Just for comparrison, I've using the latest Nvidia drivers for an 8800GTS 512 card and it runs fine.

Was the card overclocked at all as well?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
    Motherboard
    XFX MB-750I-72P9 NF750i
    Memory
    4096MB Corsair XMS2 PC-5400
    Graphics card(s)
    ASUS Nvidia Geforce GTX470
    Sound Card
    ASUS Xonar DX
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 24" S2409W & Dell 20" E207WFP
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 & 1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    750GB Western Digital Caviar Black & 500GB Samsung
    PSU
    750 watt Thermaltake Toughpower
    Case
    Coolermaster Dominator 690 Nvidia Edition
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9700-NT Cooler, 6x 120mm Chassis Fans
    Mouse
    Logitech G5 Laser Mouse (2007 edition)
    Keyboard
    Logitech G11 Keyboard
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Other Info
    abit airpace 54mbps wireless PCI-E x1 card
hastala said:
skunksmash said:
175.19 is in fact the latest WHQL certified driver...

you can try this ......169.25

ForceWare Release 169

its old but i believe it to be one of if not the most stable driver for 8800s
it works on every rig.
i don't think i have heard one compatibility issue with this

but it does not sound driver related .....
im sure vista will install 169.25 automatically (mine does)

& all you did was install a new HDD...? you touched nothing else.
:)
Click to expand...

Woops, to answer all your questions, I formatted my old C-drive (a 80gb sata) and formatted the 150gb raptor (the new one) and then installed Vista on the 150gb. Nothing else has changed... well, I did take the entire pc apart to clean it, but it seems to work just fine, with the hardware at least.
Click to expand...

you say you took the rig apart to clean it....did you remove the ram..?

if you removed the GPU you may have damaged it in some way
static maybe..??

the card seems to run fine until you try & install the driver then it dies.....but the machine keeps running so i would be looking at the GPU ....

also it maybe a coincidental PSU deterioration (not delivering enough power)
...this happened to me once
i was installing a new chip & the rig had worked fine for at least a year... changed the chip, it would boot & spin up but no picture.. i must have reseated that chip, my ram & card at least 30 times before i tried another PSU ...
& it fired straight up

philhu's take on it is promising ..
i have never heard of it but i would google this ''HIRES mode'' see if you can find anything

do you have access to another GPU / PSU to try...?
:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    ME.....
    CPU
    Q9450 @ 3.6ghz
    Motherboard
    P5K PREMIUM
    Memory
    8GB 1066mhz buffalo firestix
    Graphics card(s)
    HD 5970
    Monitor(s) Displays
    20'' syncmaster
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    160GB 7200RPM SEAGATE BARRACUDA IDE 160GB 7200RPM SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA 2
    PSU
    XCILIO 850w
    Case
    unknown ATX
    Cooling
    Arctic cooler pro 775
    Mouse
    logitech cordless optical
    Keyboard
    logitech EX110
    Internet Speed
    2mb
Oh dear... seems im abit of a drooling retard. After what Philhu wrote, I started looking at the card and realised I had not only two monitors on HDMI ports, but also connected the tv via the S-VHS port. I removed the tv and 2nd monitor and, well... woops. It worked again. My bad guys!

The installer for 177.79 is giving me grief, saying the installer is a 32-bit program and that it wont install, but I should be able to figure it out from here. I'll leave this to read for anyone as stupid as me, pull out the extra monitors and tvs untill you've installed some drivers!

Thank you guys who gave advice and helped, you guys are great!
 

My Computer

System One

Glad it worked out - seems none of us thought to ask *how many* devices you had plugged in, as we all assumed that was fine. I know *I* learned something from this - I hope others did too.

re: drivers, yeah, that is an easy one to figure out - you grabbed the 32bit drivers, not the 64bit drivers.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro X64 Insider Preview (Skip Ahead) latest build
    Manufacturer/Model
    The Beast Model V (homebrew)
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 965 EE @ 3.6 GHz
    Motherboard
    eVGA X58 Classified 3 (141-GT-E770-A1)
    Memory
    3 * Mushkin 998981 Redline Enhanced triple channel DDR3 4 GB CL7 DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3-12800)
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC ACX 2.0 (04G-P4-3979-KB)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio (onboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 * Lenovo LT2323pwA Widescreeen
    Screen Resolution
    2 * 1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SanDisk Ultra SDSSDHII-960G-G25 960 GB SATA III SSD (System) Crucial MX100 CT256MX100SSD1 256GB SATA III SSD (User Tree) 2 * Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA II Mech. HD Seagate ST1500DL001-9VT15L Barracuda 7200.12 1.5 TB S
    PSU
    Thermaltake Black Widow TX TR2 850W 80+ Bronze Semi-Mod ATX
    Case
    ThermalTake Level 10 GT (Black)
    Cooling
    Corsair H100 (CPU, dual 140 mm fans on radiator) + Air (2 *
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master (shared)
    Keyboard
    Logitech G15 (gen 2)
    Internet Speed
    AT&T Lightspeed Gigabit duplex
  • Operating System
    Sabayon Linux (current, weekly updates, 5.1.x kernel)
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkPad E545
    CPU
    AMD A6-5350M APU
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    8 GB
    Sound Card
    Conextant 20671 SmartAudio HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Lenovo 15" Matte
    Screen Resolution
    1680 * 1050
    Hard Drives
    INTEL Cherryvill 520 Series SSDSC2CW180A 180 GB SSD
    PSU
    Lenovo
    Case
    Lenovo
    Cooling
    Lenovo
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master (shared) | Synaptics TouchPad
    Keyboard
    Lenovo
    Internet Speed
    AT&T LightSpeed Gigabit Duplex
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