BSOD's only on Win7 - nvlddmkm.sys 0x0000007F

[boonie]

I'll try and keep this as brief as possible.

I have a dual boot system (Windows 7 and Xp Pro Sp3) on separate HDDs.

About a week after installing Nvidia driver 197.13, I booted in to 7, and my resolution was 640 x 480 with no other resolutions available. I have an EVGA GTX 275.

I uninstalled, and reinstalled the video drivers, rebooted, and got a BSOD.

Could boot in to Safe Mode, and my GTX 275 is recognized in Device Manager, as well as driver version.

Shortly before this my screen would occasionally black out, and I would receive an error message: "Display Driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 196.21 stopped responding and has successfully recovered".

I skipped the 196.75 version of Forceware due to the well known fan speed errors. So I waited for 197.13. A week later this all started.

Since then I have:

Reinstalled Windows 7 32 bit. BSOD before I even get to the Desktop.

Installed Windows 7 64 bit. Same result as above.

Rolled back to Nvidia driver v196.21, BSOD.

Minidump from Win7:
216836

I Googled nvlddmkmm.sys, and found similar cases, but no solutions.
One common problem was, when installing Nvidia's Forceware, the new nvlddmkm.sys was not being copied to the Windows/System32/Drivers directory, so Windows was copying the older one from the File Repository directory instead.
I checked my Drivers directory, and the new one had indeed been successfully copied.

I Googled the Stop Error 0x0000007F (0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000), and the most common cause is hardware failure, usually memory, followed by video card, and mobo.

I thought it might be a hardware failure, so:

I tested my video card temp with SpeedFan and RealTemp.

275 GTX Idle Temps w/SpeedFan (logged into XP):
GPU: 44C
Core 0: 30C
Core1: 34C
Core2: 32C
Core3: 34C
HD0: 38C
HD1: 30C
HD2: 37C
Core: 44C
Ambient: 38C

275 GTX Idle Temps w/RealTemp (logged into XP):
GPU: 44C
Core0: 30C
Core1: 34C
Core2: 32C
Core3: 34C

The card does not appear to be overheating.

Ran memtest on both sticks of RAM, and then each one individually. No errors.

Tried a different power supply (with GTX 275). Same problems.

Tested HDDs with HDTune No problems reported.

Installed my old video card (7900GTO)
No BSOD. I can get in to Windows 7, but when I first log on, the screen is just a bunch of diagonal lines.
This lasts for about 15 seconds and then clears up.
If I run any 3D graphics, again, nothing but diagonal lines. I have to Alt-F4 out of the program running the graphics to get my Desktop back.
If I open the Nvidia Control Panel, my screen blacks out momentarily.

Then I installed Vista (Home Premium) on Windows 7 disk (with my GTX 275), and everything was fine!
Same with XP, all is fine with the GTX 275.
Ran ATI-Tool in XP, and Nvidia's Cascades (http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_cascades_home.html) in Vista to test DirectX10, and the GTX 275 is working just fine.

I can't figure out why my card functions in Vista and not 7.

Does anyone have any idea what might be causing the BSOD's in Windows 7?

Is there some feature that Windows 7 accesses in the video card/driver that Vista does not?

I've been seeking help on sevenforums.com, and windows7forums.com, but no luck.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm out of ideas, hope, sanity.


Specs:
MoBo: Gigabyte EP45-UD3P Bios vF10 (newest version)
CPU: Q9550 (no OC)
Cooler: Arctic 7 Pro
Video Card: EVGA GTX 275 896 MBs (no OC) (Now using a 7900 GTO)
RAM: GSkill DDR 2 1066 (PC2 8500) 2x2GBs (no OC)
HDDs: XP Disk-WD Velociraptor 150GBs, Windows 7 Disk-WD Black 640 GBs, Data Disk-WD Black 750 GBs
Optical Drives: LITE-ON Black SATA DVD-ROM, SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner
PSU: Corsair 650W

[NoIos]

Strange case indeed. You could try to go to an older bios of your motherboard. Maybe the new one has introduced some kind of bug.
Also you could try to install the new video card after setting up your system with the old one and see what happens.

[boonie]

Well, that's one thing I haven't tried yet, thanks. I had reverted to the Optimized, and then Fail Safe defaults, not that I change much, but I'll see if v.F9 makes a difference.

[boonie]

Well, it was a good suggestion, but no go. Another BSOD.

I've already tried installing on the old video card, and then switching to the GTX 275, but no luck there.

I suppose I could resign myself to replacing hardware, but, at this point, I'm not completely certain what needs replacing. The video card seems obvious, but is the problem in the mobo as well? I dunno.

Anyway, thanks again for the ideas.

If anyone else has a suggestion, please feel free to post it. This is beyond me.

Back to Google I guess.

[NoIos]

About replacing the hardware: since you have no issues with Vista and XP, I suggest to stick with vista and continue using your hardware. If Windows 7 is a must for you and you want to replace the hardware, begin with the motherboard ( it is "obligatory" to change the manufacturer and not just the model ).

[boonie]

-{ Quote: "About replacing the hardware: since you have no issues with Vista and XP, I suggest to stick with vista and continue using your hardware." }-

Thanks NoIos, I suppose I will for now. If I start seeing problems in either XP or Vista, I think I can then assume hardware failure.

-{ Quote: "If Windows 7 is a must for you and you want to replace the hardware, begin with the motherboard ( it is "obligatory" to change the manufacturer and not just the model )." }-

I'm already pricing Asus and ATI, just in case.

Thanks again.

[tipstir]

Yes hardware that works under XP and Vista might not work with 7. But if hardware is starting to fail and it doesn't show up in XP or Vista, it will show-up in 7. Happen to me under 7 turn out the onboard NIC was faulty but there are not errors pointing to that problem I was when I remote into the system then error would quickly appear and disappear. Loose connection always. Disable onboard NIC and replace it with PCI Gig that worked. Order PCI-E dual direction Gig adapter never had any more hardware blue screen ever again.

[boonie]

Thanks for sharing that tipster.

I thought that might be the case, but things continue to get more and more odd.

Since my original post I have tried a few things:

Tried an ASUS P5Q Pro Turbo mobo with my GTX 275, my roomates 3 month old GTX 275, and his old 8800 GTS: BSOD on all.

I've been reading a few similar cases on the evga, and Nvidia forums.

It seems the only common threads left in all my configurations are my RAM and Nvidia. So, I ordered new RAM, since DDR2 is dirt cheap, and a Sapphire ATI 5850.

With a new mobo, new RAM, and a new ATI card in my system, I'm hoping to up and running (knocking wood).

We'll see.

Have also been checking my home for gremlins.

[tipstir]

Well one good thing that came out of this was you know that Windows 7 can let you know how well your hardware isn't working. You found DDR2 dirt cheap where?

[boonie]

-{ Quote: "Well one good thing that came out of this was you know that Windows 7 can let you know how well your hardware isn't working. You found DDR2 dirt cheap where?" }-

Well that does put a positive slant on it.
Researching and testing also taught me quite a bit more about hardware and driver problems.
The RAM I got was from a computer shop near my home. I got the "sad story" discount.

[boonie]

Just thought I'd post this for the sake of closure.

Tried new RAM. No help. I was able to install Win7 with the ATI card but was seeing artifacts and lines on 3D demos (ATI Tool).
Tried a new CPU, optical drive, and even borrowed a Win 7 disk. No Help.

All in all I had tried replacing:
CPU
MoBo
Video Card
RAM
HDD
Optical Drive
PSU
Win 7 Media
Most of which had been borrowed and returned to friends.

At this point, I was at a loss, and resolved myself to using Vista until I could afford a completely new system.

Two days ago I was sitting, looking at my system, thinking how I had tried everything, except for the monitor (CRT), but it couldn't be that, could it?
I mean it was working with Windows 7 for several months. Still, I decided to borrow one from work (LCD) and bring it home. Just for laughs.

Plugged it in. Popped in my Win7 disk, and started installing, fully expecting the now familiar B.S.O.D.
Imagine my surprise when it finished installing and brought me to the Desktop.

Almost 5 months. Ran every test I could think of. Cleaned out and reinstalled I don't know how many drivers. Replaced everything in the tower, and I'd been staring at the problem the whole time.

Ordered a new monitor from NewEgg today. :wacko:

[xxJackxx]

Wow, BSODs caused by a monitor. In 15 years of building PCs I've never seen that one before. Definitely interesting to know it's a possibility.