GTX 560 "memorized" game screenshot and causes BSoD on Win 7/xp startup

[Mafiozych]

Hello

A few days ago I installed Battlefield 1942, changed its display settings to 1920*1080*32 60 fps via some config (in-game settings didn't work), launched a battle and after 3 seconds of playing I caught BSoD and my PC rebooted itself. That happened in Windows 7 64-bit, I tried to start it again but got BSoD 0x116 nvlddmkm.sys after Win7 logo shown (there also were a few seconds of no signal state). Then I tried to launch Windows XP instead of 7 and saw a screenshot from the game! It was there during 20-30 seconds, then I got BSoD 0x8E nv4_isp.dll. I launched Win7 in Safe Mode, deleted NVIDIA drivers via Control Panel, rebooted my PC and logged in to Win7 successfully (but with a standard VGA adapter instead of GTX 560). I did the same thing with WinXP. Every time I install NVIDIA graphics drivers again (tried the oldest and newest versions) I get the same BSoD after rebooting. The situation is almost identical in both XP and 7, just error codes and files are different. Actually, there's one more: I get some artifacts (blue dots) on WinXP logo at the end of its appearance, then blue dots all over a black screen, some random colored dots all over the screen (I used to get game screenshot parts 2-3 times, but then I started to get those dots).

The fact that I launched BF1942 in Win7 and got a game screenshot in WinXP after rebooting makes me think that my GPU somehow memorized an image rendered once and can't get rid of it.

What I've already tried:

• sfc /scannow - nothing found
• chkdsk c: /f - nothing found
• memtest86 with default settings - nothing found, my RAM is okay
• reinstalled NVIDIA drivers for both 7 and XP multiple times (tried different versions) - BSoD when drivers are installed, no BSoD without them
• nvflash'ed my GPU BIOS with the same BIOS version (70.24.21.00.00) and the newer one (70.24.36.00.00) - nothing changed at all
• deleted nvlddmkm.sys from "c:/windows/system32/drivers/" right after installing NVIDIA drivers - no BSoD, but with a standard VGA adapter, just like if I had no NVIDIA drivers at all
• reconnected my GPU and removed some dust - nothing changed

Sure, I can use my PC without NVIDIA drivers, but I can't change my screen resolution from default 4:3 to 16:9 and can't normally use 3D or FullHD video.

Looks like I have some serious hardware prolems with my GPU, but caused by just a game. How do I get it back to work normally? Even nvflash'ing didn't help. Is there any way to clear GPU's memory (or whatever it has)?

And yeah, even BSoD screen has some artifacts on it.

 

[kastriot]

Your gpu is dying/dead so nothing you can do but to buy another one.

 

[27MaD]

It's time to get a new GPU.

 

[Yukikaze]

The fact that I launched BF1942 in Win7 and got a game screenshot in WinXP after rebooting makes me think that my GPU somehow memorized an image rendered once and can't get rid of it.

This is not quite a thing: GPUs have no non-volatile memory to store something like this in.

It is far more likely that your old card is simply developing a fault: Random dots and other artifacts often indicate a memory chip failure, and a burned-in image can also be caused by memory chips failing and essentially "freezing" into a state on initialization, but since you've seen this once on a reboot, which is warm reset, and thus power was not lost to the card, and its memory could retain stuff from before the reboot, it is likely just a glitch of the memory not clearing properly on a crash.

You're going to need a new card.

 

[mouacyk]

shadowplay

 

[Mafiozych]

Interesting, I didn't have any problems with my GPU before, but had THAT after I tried to play a game I never played. Is there any way to fix it? Which part (chip, etc.) must be changed physically? Are there any nvflash-like tools I should also try?

 

[lexluthermiester]

Your gpu is dying/dead so nothing you can do but to buy another one.

Yup. This.

Interesting, I didn't have any problems with my GPU before, but had THAT after I tried to play a game I never played. Is there any way to fix it? Which part (chip, etc.) must be changed physically? Are there any nvflash-like tools I should also try?

That GPU is damaged beyond simple or cost effective repair. Happily, newer GPU's can be had for around $50 or $60 on Ebay. Look for a GTX660, GTX670, GTX760 or GTX770. Any of those cards will greatly increase your performance and maintain the Windows XP compatibility you seem to need. Examples;
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EVGA-GeFor...ed-2GB-Video-Card-02G-P4-2662-KR/372654533768
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EVGA-GeFor...5-SDRAM-PCI-Express-Graphic-Card/273787144222
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EVGA-GeForce-GTX-760-2-GB-02G-P4-2761-KR/143224947145
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EVGA-GeForce-GTX-760-SC-ACX-2GB-02G-P4-2765-KR/223490571667
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-GEFOR...-GRAPHICS-CARD-GTX770-DC2OC-2GD5/183754645399

 

[Yukikaze]

Replacing any of the likely affected components (memory or the GPU chip itself) is not something worth pursuing on an ancient GTX560, even if you could figure out exactly what died: Unless you have professional grade equipment ready to go and know how to use it, this is way beyond your abilities, while paying someone else to do it is going to be more expensive than getting a replacement.

 

[Bones]

Could be something in the game's software was goofed when the screenie was taken because the card was acting up, since it saves a screenie to your drive and the fact your card seems to be dying may explain it.
The GPU itself has no way to "Store" a pic but your HDD does because that's what it's supposed to do, I'm thinking somehow it got the screenie crossed up with a file/scrambled in the software to make it do that.

I too suggest a replacement GPU, anything close to the current gen would be better than the 560. Doesn't matter if it's Nvidia or AMD, anything of a more recent make will show an improvement over your current card if it were still working correctly.

I don't know your budget for such, let us know what that would be and we can make some suggestions based on it.

 

[xorbe]

Power off the PC. Unplug from wall. Wait 60 seconds. Plug in, and power on. If that doesn't help, your card is likely dead.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Could be something in the game's software was goofed when the screenie was taken because the card was acting up

Did you look at all of the screen shots provided? Such a problem would not persist through a reboot.

Power off the PC. Unplug from wall. Wait 60 seconds. Plug in, and power on.

That will not help this problem.

 

[Mr.Scott]

+1 for card is shot.

 

[Bones]

Did you look at all of the screen shots provided? Such a problem would not persist through a reboot.

That will not help this problem.

Yes I did and it's clear his card is FUBAR, I was trying to provide a possible explanation of why it was showing the screenie when he would start the game all the times it did.

However.....
That's a mute point, esp now since we know what the fix would be.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

He's got a fever, and the only prescription is a new graphics card

 

[xorbe]

That will not help this problem.

Over the years, we have seen nVidia cards get stuck in strange states that are only resolved with full power removal (psu unplug and wait). I didn't think it would help either, but it's worth a shot, since it's free to try. Somehow the gpu can get wedged in a way that reboots / reset button doesn't get the card back into a working state. I don't know if this still plagues their cards, and it was fairly rare in the first place (not reported very often).

 

[Mac2580]

Ive seen something similar once before. On a Gigabyte Windforce GTX 760, turned out that one of the fans stopped spinning. We pulled the fans/plastic off and attached a coolermaster sickleflow to the heatsink, using some screws and string. If this is the case the original fan 2 pin on the card needs to remain attached or the card wouldnt post. If the fans are still working fine then the card is dead.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Over the years, we have seen nVidia cards get stuck in strange states that are only resolved with full power removal (psu unplug and wait). I didn't think it would help either, but it's worth a shot, since it's free to try.

Given the screen shots? That card is hosed..