Weird problem (Computer freezes on boot screen)

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

Have you tried different Nvidia drivers?

 

[Flava0ne]

Have you tried different Nvidia drivers?

I mentioned that I tried older drivers as old as 285.62 direct from MSI on the MSI N580GTX Lightning XE downloads page.

 

[Flava0ne]

So, I just finished testing out each stick of memory by putting it in, installing the nVidia GeForce drivers, restarting and if it locked up on the Windows boot screen, rebooted into Safe Mode and performed a System Restore prior to the driver installation and then moving on to testing the next stick of memory.

All 6 sticks of my RAM, individually installed one at a time, locked up on the Windows boot screen after the driver installation.

 

[the54thvoid]

Okay, now into the realms of IT 101.

1) Try removing your soundcard (leave it out and install vga drivers). These can be notorious for causing instabilities. Make sure you uninstall soundcard drivers first.
2) Are both power connectors installed properly into the vga's 8 pin ports?

 

[Flava0ne]

Okay, now into the realms of IT 101.

1) Try removing your soundcard (leave it out and install vga drivers). These can be notorious for causing instabilities. Make sure you uninstall soundcard drivers first.
2) Are both power connectors installed properly into the vga's 8 pin ports?

Sorry for the late reply, but yeah both 8-pin PCIe power connectors for both GPU's are securely plugged in.

I'll install Windows on a spare HDD, and try installing the nVidia drivers without the sound card installed tomorrow morning.

 

[Flava0ne]

Well, after a fresh Windows install onto the HDD, without my sound card and RevoDrive installed, and after installing the nVidia drivers, my system still locked up on the Windows boot screen.

 

[the54thvoid]

I'm all outta ideas.

Question. When did the problem first happen? Was your system ever stable?

Also, here are other web threads - you're not alone (unless these are you )

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f10/computer-freezes-after-installing-new-video-drivers-587849.html

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/265656-35-dell-m2010-crashes-installing-video-driver

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/225196-bsod-after-installing-intel-graphics-3150-drivers-error-0x0000007f.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/210787-random-bsod-even-after-clean-graphic-driver-installation.html

I just had a massively 'Hmmm... I wonder moment". You're using 64 bit Win 7. Is it the 64 bit drivers you're using?

 

[Flava0ne]

I'm all outta ideas.

Question. When did the problem first happen? Was your system ever stable?

Also, here are other web threads - you're not alone (unless these are you )

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f10/computer-freezes-after-installing-new-video-drivers-587849.html

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/265656-35-dell-m2010-crashes-installing-video-driver

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/225196-bsod-after-installing-intel-graphics-3150-drivers-error-0x0000007f.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/210787-random-bsod-even-after-clean-graphic-driver-installation.html

I just had a massively 'Hmmm... I wonder moment". You're using 64 bit Win 7. Is it the 64 bit drivers you're using?

Yes, the nVidia drivers are 64-bit.

It started about 2 and a half months ago when I started getting constant BSOD's. I thought that the IMC on my mobo might have gone bad since I didn't know that I had to keep my VTT voltage within spec in relation to the DIMM voltage in regards to the X58 chipset. And that's when the RMA'ing started and haven't even overclocked the rig with any of the replacement components that I've received.

 

[the54thvoid]

Maybe all your memory sticks are screwed but that seems unlikely.

 

[Flava0ne]

Maybe all your memory sticks are screwed but that seems unlikely.

Well, they are the only components left that I haven't RMA'ed.

Maybe they could be all messed up. I've RMA'ed everything else already so I guess it wouldn't hurt to try to RMA both of my memory kits.

 

[Aquinus]

I thought that the IMC on my mobo might have gone bad since I didn't know that I had to keep my VTT voltage within spec in relation to the DIMM voltage in regards to the X58 chipset.

The IMC is on the CPU on 1366 chips, not the X58 chipset. It sounds like you've RMA'ed a lot of things. Does it crash when the system is idle or only under load? Also have you tried downclocking your memory down to 1066 and having the timings match JEDEC for that speed? Theoretically, if your IMC is to blame putting less stress on the IMC should help.

Also have you tried underclocking everything that is in the CPU? How is stability at lets say 1ghz slower than stock at stock voltages? If it remains stable at the lower clocks it very well could be your 980x. That would be a sad day.

Edit: Are you booting off the revo drive?

Well, they are the only components left that I haven't RMA'ed.

Maybe they could be all messed up. I've RMA'ed everything else already so I guess it wouldn't hurt to try to RMA both of my memory kits.

That is highly unlikely unless you did something ridiculous to them.

 

[Flava0ne]

The IMC is on the CPU on 1366 chips, not the X58 chipset. It sounds like you've RMA'ed a lot of things. Does it crash when the system is idle or only under load? Also have you tried downclocking your memory down to 1066 and having the timings match JEDEC for that speed? Theoretically, if your IMC is to blame putting less stress on the IMC should help.

Also have you tried underclocking everything that is in the CPU? How is stability at lets say 1ghz slower than stock at stock voltages? If it remains stable at the lower clocks it very well could be your 980x. That would be a sad day.

Edit: Are you booting off the revo drive?




That is highly unlikely unless you did something ridiculous to them.

Intel replaced my 980 with a brand new one and I haven't overclocked it at all since I installed it. Everything's been on stock default settings in the BIOS. Only thing I changed was for my on-board SATA controller, IDE to AHCI for my RevoDrive.

My memory is all on stock default at 1066MHz ATM, but everything is on Auto, timings, voltages, etc. I'll try setting the timings manually according to what CPU-Z shows.

It only freezes once I install the nVidia GeForce drivers on reboot on the Windows boot screen. I pretty much have all other drivers including programs that I regularly use including Photoshop with no problems at all.

And yes, I'm booting off my RevoDrive.

 

[Aquinus]

Intel replaced my 980 with a brand new one and I haven't overclocked it at all since I installed it. Everything's been on stock default settings in the BIOS. Only thing I changed was for my on-board SATA controller, IDE to AHCI for my RevoDrive.

My memory is all on stock default at 1066MHz ATM, but everything is on Auto, timings, voltages, etc. I'll try setting the timings manually according to what CPU-Z shows.

It only freezes once I install the nVidia GeForce drivers on reboot on the Windows boot screen. I pretty much have all other drivers including programs that I regularly use including Photoshop with no problems at all.

And yes, I'm booting off my RevoDrive.

I've heard of strange issues with booting off of revo drives, but I doubt that is related. I read that you were thinking about trying a different video card ideally one that isn't a nVidia card, because it could be drivers and how they react with your setup. Do you have another video card to try? Also if you have a free drive, could you try installing Windows and booting off a regular SATA drive? It sounds like you've been booting off of the revo drive every time and you've replaced just about everything.

Also what is in your first full size PCI-E slot? Would it happen to be the revo drive?

 

[Flava0ne]

I've heard of strange issues with booting off of revo drives, but I doubt that is related. I read that you were thinking about trying a different video card ideally one that isn't a nVidia card, because it could be drivers and how they react with your setup. Do you have another video card to try? Also if you have a free drive, could you try installing Windows and booting off a regular SATA drive? It sounds like you've been booting off of the revo drive every time and you've replaced just about everything.

Also what is in your first full size PCI-E slot? Would it happen to be the revo drive?

I installed Windows on a spare SATA HDD both with the Revo installed and not installed, and my system still locked up on the Windows boot screen after the graphics driver installation.

I won't be able to try another video card until sometime next week when I see my friend. My Revo is installed on my 3rd PCI-e x16 slot, my first video card is installed on the 1st PCI-e x16 slot.

I've replaced everything except for my memory kits, EVERYTHING component wise other then my sound card which I've had for a few years now.

 

[1freedude]

Does it freeze at the balls twirling in? I call that "My balls are frozen!"

Seriously, how long have you waited after it froze? Maybe just wait it out and let the drivers do their thing. My rig has done that, and I was worried, so i restarted a few times, thinking oh shit, then I just let it roll. It worked out.

Might be premature in the reboots...

 

[Aquinus]

I installed Windows on a spare SATA HDD both with the Revo installed and not installed, and my system still locked up on the Windows boot screen after the graphics driver installation.

I won't be able to try another video card until sometime next week when I see my friend. My Revo is installed on my 3rd PCI-e x16 slot, my first video card is installed on the 1st PCI-e x16 slot.

I've replaced everything except for my memory kits, EVERYTHING component wise other then my sound card which I've had for a few years now.

So it crashes without fail once the nVidia drivers are installed but not before, regardless of either 580s installed, but once the drivers are removed it boots. Huh. That is very strange. Try to get your hands on any AMD video card to rule out drivers just in case there is a conflict.

 

[Flava0ne]

Does it freeze at the balls twirling in? I call that "My balls are frozen!"

Seriously, how long have you waited after it froze? Maybe just wait it out and let the drivers do their thing. My rig has done that, and I was worried, so i restarted a few times, thinking oh shit, then I just let it roll. It worked out.

Might be premature in the reboots...

Yeah, I know what you're saying!

I've had that happen before and it booted into Windows just fine when my rig was up and running the way it's supposed to. Lately I've waited about 5 minues and still stayed locked. You saying wait longer? Because 5 minutes seemed like an eternity to me, especially staring at those "frozen balls!"

 

[ensabrenoir]

feel your pain,,,,Catalyst Version 12.3 took down my system.... every other version worked fine no issues. Never figured out why.... but definitely a driver issue.. ..Total hail mary but have tried mb a bios update/flash?

 

[Flava0ne]

feel your pain,,,,Catalyst Version 12.3 took down my system.... every other version worked fine no issues. Never figured out why.... but definitely a driver issue.. ..Total hail mary but have tried mb a bios update/flash?

Oh yeah, I did that as soon as I received my replacement mobo.

 

[1freedude]

Chipset drivers loaded?

 

[Flava0ne]

Chipset drivers loaded?

Yup.

 

[Aquinus]

Yup.

You know, you should grab yourself a cheap video card just to have in case of emergencies. I have an old ATI Radeon x300 SE with 64mb of VRAM that lives on PCI-E that acts as my backup card. It does next to nothing, but it works. At the time I got it brand new it costs 30 USD, so it might be worth while investing in a cheap chip. There could always be a cheap one on B/S/T too.

Maybe something like this: PowerColor Go! Green AX5450 1GBK3-SH Radeon HD 545...

 

[Jetster]

Did you run memtest? That should have been your first test if it will load

 

[the54thvoid]

Did you run memtest? That should have been your first test if it will load

You've not read the whole thread, have you?

He's run it and also tried running with each single stick of RAM isolated.

It's the most fucked up install problem I've ever seen.

My final suggestion would be;

1) complete wipe/reformat of the HDD (NOT revo).
2) install only gfx card, HDD, optical drive. DO NOT even touch the Revo or Soundcard.
3) boot up and instal windows.
4) install only the essential chipset drivers
5) install vga drivers.

If you've done those steps then it can't even be a driver clash from the vga. In fact, I'd go so far as to say your Windows copy is dodgy or corrupted.

 

[Aquinus]

It sounds like a driver conflict to me because it happens every time he installs nVidia drivers but not before. I too recommend only installing a single PCI-E card (your video card,) and see where that gets you.