Nvidia Driver Problem

[cdrsubron7]

I just rercently upgraded my computer with a new processor, motherboard and 4 gigs of memory and switched to Vista Ultimate 64-bit OS. Since reinstalling SHIV followed by the U-Boat addon I've been getting these display driver problems, sometimes BSOD or just the driver has failed and just recovered. The culprit seems to be a file called nulddmkm.sys. The new parts I added were a eVGA 780i motherboard, an Intel e8400 Duo 2 Core Processor and 4 gigs of Patriot Viper PC2-6400 memory. I just wondering if anybody else has run into this problem and what you did to fix the problem. I've tried quite a few diferent set of display drivers including the new Omega drivers for a 64-bit system and have had no changes. The problem occurs when a ship appears or I hit a ship with a torpedo. As soon as the graphics get intensive I get this nulddmkm.sys error. Comments or suggestions on what to do would be most welcome as I'm getting very fustrated with this problem. As it stands right now, SHIV is unplayable with this error problem happening every time I try playing.

[Deimos01]

Ahh, you have just got bitten by the dreaded nvlddmkm error otherwise known as a TDR. I as well as many other ppl have been experiencing this nightmare. The short and sweet is a TDR can be caused by many different issues. However, the same symptom appears. The screen freezes and goes black, comes back on with the display driver stopped responding message. This problem can be because of bad drivers, dodgy hardware, vista/nvidia conflicts, heat... etc. I have been beating my head against a wall for 4 months now with this on a brand new Dell XPS 720.

The bad news is, there is no magic bullet to fix this problem. You need to figure what is causing the problem which usually involves a whole lot of trial and error since no solutions works for everyone. In my case, after trying many other fixes with no luck I finally did a clean instal of vista. I got the error after the first boot. The MS hotfixes that are supposed to fix this have not worked for me but have for others. If you go to the Nvidia driver page there is a link to get said hotfixes. Maybe they will work for you.

At this point Im at a loss as to what to do next other than demand Dell send me a computer that works. This problem, for me is not confined to SH4. It happens randomly in any setting and even when my comp is sitting idle. :damn:

I have tried the MS hotfixes, multiple drivers, tweeks, twitches and even a voodoo ritual to no avail finally ending with the vista re-install. Its not heat either as my cards run at 55c idle and this problem happens at idle too.
This thing is like a vampire in a bad B movie. It just keeps comming back.

:nope:

Oh, try googling nvlddmkm. There are many topics out there on it. Maybe one might solve your issue. Good luck and Cheers!

[Midnight Hunter]

You said the magic words.... any time you order a machine from Dell the FIRST thing to do is flash the bios, as dell parts sit and sit waiting to be used in a build and the bios can be 1 or more versions behind. I recently had a similar issue with Vista and after a quick bios flash all my issues went away.

I would recommend to you as well cdrsubron7, try a bios flash first and foremost, I have found 90% of my errors with Vista (I am in IT and see a TON of them) are cured with bios flashes and driver updates. Since you have apparently done all the driver updates, try the bios flash.

Hope this works for you...

[cdrsubron7]

One of the first things I did with this motherboard was flash the Bios. Still didn't help any. I've got a few ideas left to try, but I'm beginning to think I made a big mistake in my motherboard selections. :-?

[Deimos01]

Aye, I flashed the bios right after the first time I updated my video drivers. Didnt help.

I think I may be narrowing this down for me though. I pulled the SLI bridge and one of my cards. No errors after nearly an hour of gametime. :rock:

Pulled that card and installed the other. Again, no errors so far. I have so far run each card individually in each PCIe slot with no errors.

The only thing I noticed with both cards is that while being dc'd and the lights in the sub go out and come back on the images are all messed up. You ever seen those comics where everything is drawn in just black and white with no grey shading, knda like the Sin City comics? Thats what it looks like, except I still have color. I reproduced this on each card.

So, at this point Im still not sure but feel Im getting closer to a solution. Maybe its the SLI bridge itself.

So to recap, either card in either slot alone... no errors. Both cards installed with SLI disabled.... errors. Both cards with SLI enabled... errors.

Let me ask this. What is a good way to stress a card so I can really test this?

[Midnight Hunter]

Here is a link to a rather intense testing software (this is the 2006 version which is free)

http://www.download.com/3DMark06-Basic-Edition/3000-2121_4-10492454.html?tag=lst-2

3DMARK is an indepth tester that will push your card to the limits (and depending on your card, maybe over the limits) and give you a breakdown of what your card can and can't do.

If you would like to do a scan of your whole system they have a scanner for that as well (this version is a little older (2004) but it is free and a good tool.

http://www.download.com/PCMark04/3000-2086_4-10248599.html?tag=lst-1

Hope these tools can help you enough to pinpoint the issue your having :)

[Deimos01]

Thanks Midnight, Ill give that a shot. :up:

Cdrsubron7,
Here is a link for those MS hotfixes I mentioned.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/windows_vista_hotfixes.html

If you havent tried these yet they may solve you issue as they have worked for some folks getting the nvlddmkm error. Along with these, the first and easiest options are to flash the bios as Midnight said, update to latest drivers. Also, have you overclocked you cards or where they factory OC'd? If so you may want to dial them back as this has also been noted as a cause.
Other possible fixes:
Turn off User Account Control for Vista
Turn off Windows Aero
Turn of Dreamscape if you are using it
Check and make sure your power supply is up to the task. Most are suggesting at least a 750w.
Monitor you temps. This problem can also be related to heat. Rivatuner makes a nice program for that if you dont have one and also allows you to set you fan speed and OC your cards.
If none of this works then its time to start testing you hardware including your memory as I have heard that in addition to a bad video card this problem can also be the result of dodgy memory.
Worse comes to worse you may want to revert back to XP. Apparently, Vista is very fussy about things not being just right where XP was a bit more forgiving. I would wait till Vista SP1 comes out before doing that however since it is supposed to fix many issues.
Thats about all I can think of to try and its basically a rundown of everything I have done so far. Hopefully you will have better results than me. :up:

Keep us posted on how its going. Id be interested if you come across a solution that works for you. I will do the same if I get my problem fixed.

[kylesplanet]

One of the first things I did with this motherboard was flash the Bios. Still didn't help any. I've got a few ideas left to try, but I'm beginning to think I made a big mistake in my motherboard selections. :-?

Well if it makes you feel better, I have the 680SLI Nforce in an Alienware and I have been really happy with it, it has performed very well although I had to flash the bios as soon as I fired it up as mentioned above.

I hope you get it worked out and wish I could help but it is probably something other than your mobo because there have been a few with this problem with different brands of mobo's.

Good luck bro!:up:

[cdrsubron7]

Thanks Midnight, Ill give that a shot. :up:

Cdrsubron7,
Here is a link for those MS hotfixes I mentioned.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/windows_vista_hotfixes.html

If you havent tried these yet they may solve you issue as they have worked for some folks getting the nvlddmkm error. Along with these, the first and easiest options are to flash the bios as Midnight said, update to latest drivers. Also, have you overclocked you cards or where they factory OC'd? If so you may want to dial them back as this has also been noted as a cause.
Other possible fixes:
Turn off User Account Control for Vista
Turn off Windows Aero
Turn of Dreamscape if you are using it
Check and make sure your power supply is up to the task. Most are suggesting at least a 750w.
Monitor you temps. This problem can also be related to heat. Rivatuner makes a nice program for that if you dont have one and also allows you to set you fan speed and OC your cards.
If none of this works then its time to start testing you hardware including your memory as I have heard that in addition to a bad video card this problem can also be the result of dodgy memory.
Worse comes to worse you may want to revert back to XP. Apparently, Vista is very fussy about things not being just right where XP was a bit more forgiving. I would wait till Vista SP1 comes out before doing that however since it is supposed to fix many issues.
Thats about all I can think of to try and its basically a rundown of everything I have done so far. Hopefully you will have better results than me. :up:

Keep us posted on how its going. Id be interested if you come across a solution that works for you. I will do the same if I get my problem fixed.



Thanks for the suggestions, Diemos. I appreciate your suggestions.

As mentioned before the one of the first things I did with the 780i was was flash the Bios (P03). When adding a new motherboard to my computer the I always add the latest drivers, same goes for the video card which is stock by the way as i never have learned to overclock.

The UAC is off

Don't use Dreamscape.

I am however using Vista Aero. Never had problems before with 32-bit Vista, but thats a different ballgame.

My PSU is a Enermax "Liberty" 620w. You think it is too small for what I have now?

I have just recently run 3dmark06 on my computer and got a score of 11649.


Thanks again for the suggestions, I've been thinking about a new PSU, maybe its time to get one.

[maerean_m]

I know you won't be able to access the whole 4Gb RAM, but you should try Vista 32bit.

[snakeyez]

You aren't alone here.

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/7691074936

I don't believe it's your system, it's just something new that v1.5 introduced for certain NVIDIA cards IMHO.

I found SP1 for Vista and it seems to have helped with this specific issue. I haven't played enough yet to be certain though. Before you do any further messing with your rig, wait until SP1 is officially released through Windows Update and give it a try.

Last I heard, SP1 for Vista is supposed to show on Windows Update on March 18th.

[cdrsubron7]

I know you won't be able to access the whole 4Gb RAM, but you should try Vista 32bit.


I was using vista Ultimate 32-bit before I upgraded to Vista Ultimate 64-bit and SHIV ran perfectly. i guess I'm just going through some growing pains. :cry:

[FIREWALL]

I can take the laughter. :rotfl:

What doe's " Flash the Bios " mean and how do you do it ?

Is this something a guy who is computer dangerous to himself and others, but has adventure in his soul can do? :D

[wteapot]

I have run into this issue.

Using patch 1.4 = rock solid

Install U-Boat missions add-on
Blue screen, as soon as torpedo strikes target
The sound goes into a loop, i'll get a black screen, with the game screen popping back up a couple of times (that would be the graphics driver attempting to reset)
and then blue screen :damn:

Gone back to 1.4, and it's rock solid stable again

All my other games that seriously stress the graphics card are stable (eg - Crysis)

I'm using
Vista Home Premium
Motherboard: Asus P5N32-E (using latest BIOS)
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra (driver 169.25)
RAM: 2046Mb

[snakeyez]

Yessir, it's the same with all of us.

Vista+NVIDIA 8XXX series video card+SH4 v1.5 Add-On = trouble

I'm confident that either Vista SP1 or else an eventual v1.6 patch from Ubi will fix this.

[gj2020]

You aren't alone here.

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/7691074936

I don't believe it's your system, it's just something new that v1.5 introduced for certain NVIDIA cards IMHO.

I found SP1 for Vista and it seems to have helped with this specific issue. I haven't played enough yet to be certain though. Before you do any further messing with your rig, wait until SP1 is officially released through Windows Update and give it a try.

Last I heard, SP1 for Vista is supposed to show on Windows Update on March 18th.

Snakeyez,

Where oh where did you find SP1? I've looked a little but haven't found anything to download. I'm about ready to give Vista the boot but before I do that I'd really like to try it with the service pack installed.

gj

[Deimos01]

Vista SP1 is supposed to be out this month. Someone here mentioned Mar 18th but I havent seen a specific date myself yet.

Firewall - Im not real computer savy either. Flashing the bios is basically updating your MoBo with new programing. Kinda like a driver update. You can get updated bios from either you computer or MoBo manufacturer websites. Someone else around here could probably explain it better than me. :lol:


On to my test results so far. I have been error free for several days now other than some in game graffic anomilies with just one card installed. Looks like my issue has to do with both cards being run together. Any thoughts on this? I would get the error in or out of SLI mode with both installed. Im leaning towards a bad SLI bridge. What do you guys think?

[Midnight Hunter]

Looks like my issue has to do with both cards being run together. Any thoughts on this? I would get the error in or out of SLI mode with both installed. Im leaning towards a bad SLI bridge. What do you guys think?

I think you've got it pretty well pinpointed.... hopefully sp1 will take care of atleast half of the billion or so issues with vista. Worst OS I have seen in all my years of IT work :down:

[cdrsubron7]

I have noted that SHIV v1.4 has been rock solid for me also. It was only with SHIV v1.5 addded that my problems have started. While waiting for SP1 to make its appearance I've been experimenting some with my hardware. Friday night I uninstalled my Creative X-Fi card and reverted to the onboard audio that comes with the 780i motherboard. I was able to play abount an hour and a half before the inevitable crash occured. It makes me think that this problem might be sound related. Not 100% sure about that though.

[cdrsubron7]

I can take the laughter. :rotfl:

What doe's " Flash the Bios " mean and how do you do it ?

Is this something a guy who is computer dangerous to himself and others, but has adventure in his soul can do? :D


Check the information on your motherboard. Each company has their own specific way of flashing the Bios. Check and see which they recommend. :yep:

[Deimos01]

UPDATE

So I was able to run the game just fine with just one card installed. So, for the purpose of further testing I installed the latest drivers from Nvidia. I had been running the drivers I got from the Dell site after the OS re-install. I installed the drivers with just one card in the machine after cleaning out the old ones. I then installed the other card and the SLI bridge, re-activated SLI mode and have so far been error free after several hours of game play.:88)
This actually has me a bit baffled since I am now back in the same exact configuration as when I was getting the error nonstop. The only thing I can think of is maybe everything wont install just right with both cards in.

Im going to try some more tweeks using Nhancer and see what happens, but so far so good. :up:

[cdrsubron7]

UPDATE

So I was able to run the game just fine with just one card installed. So, for the purpose of further testing I installed the latest drivers from Nvidia. I had been running the drivers I got from the Dell site after the OS re-install. I installed the drivers with just one card in the machine after cleaning out the old ones. I then installed the other card and the SLI bridge, re-activated SLI mode and have so far been error free after several hours of game play.:88)
This actually has me a bit baffled since I am now back in the same exact configuration as when I was getting the error nonstop. The only thing I can think of is maybe everything wont install just right with both cards in.

Im going to try some more tweeks using Nhancer and see what happens, but so far so good. :up:


Glad to see your making some progress, Diemos. As I only have one card installed I'm still at square one and really don't know what to do now, except maybe RMA this board and try one of the x38 chipset boards. I'm really stumped and getting tired of having to try and fix this problem. :nope: :damn:

[Doolittle81]

I have run into this issue.
Using patch 1.4 = rock solid

Install U-Boat missions add-on
Blue screen, as soon as torpedo strikes target
The sound goes into a loop, i'll get a black screen, with the game screen popping back up a couple of times (that would be the graphics driver attempting to reset)
and then blue screen :damn:

Gone back to 1.4, and it's rock solid stable again

All my other games that seriously stress the graphics card are stable (eg - Crysis)



Now I have encountered the same problem. I today Hit my first ship in SH4 1.5 with a torpedoe and the explosion resulted in the nvlddmkm error and hard CTD and Hard Re-boot.

I have two SH4 installs, one SH4 1.5 and one SH4 1.4....With the latter I have no problem....works fine as it always had before. Something in SH4 1.5 is definitely causing this problem.

Howwever, interestingly enough, today I installed and SetUp and then attempted to run a new Game, "Pacific Storm:Allies", which is known graphics and action intense, and it crashed immediately upon my clicking to Start first training mission/game', giving the same nvlddmkm error. I find that coincidentally suspect.

Seems to me SH4 1.5 may have done something, or soemthing in SH4 1.5 AND Pacific Storm reacts oddly with my NVidia card/driver.

[gj2020]

I had the problem constantly. Installed servcie pack 1 for Vista last night and at least for the few hours I had to play, no crashes!:rock:

[Doolittle81]

On the ubi SH4 forum, somone with this problem also installed the VISTA SP1, but it didn't help. Go Figure.

Now, here's a weird one which happened to me just now:
I loaded the game (SH4 1.5) normally and did the following with the Results shown:

Post Processing OFF Texture High OFF No nvlddmkm problem Torps hit (several) Exploded!!

Post Processing OFF Texture High ON No nvlddmkm problem Torps hit (several) Exploded!!

Post Processing ON Texture High OFF No nvlddmkm problem Torps hit (several) Exploded!!

Now here is the Screwy part. I then checked both options ON, which is/was my normal settings and with which I was having the constant and immediate SH4 1.5 nvlddmkm Crashes....and now there was NO problem:
Post Processing ON Texture High ON No nvlddmkm problem Torps hit (several) Exploded!!!!!!


There is absolutely NO logic to that!

Maybe turning one or both of those options OFF, "Applying" those settings, then immediately changing them back to the preferred ON setting somehow resets the "nvlddmkm" function, whetever in h&ll that is....!!!!????!!!

I left those settings both checked, Exited SH4, re-started SH4....and it runs perfectly. Now someone explain that to me!

Is anyone else experiencing random crashes...sometimes SH4 1.5 works okay, other times not???? I won't know for some time if the nvlddmkm problem will recur...

Meanwhile, I have NO problems with my SH4 1.4 version.

Of course, this experimenting around with SH4 1.5 shouldn't logically solve my Pacific Storm nvlddmkm issue....but I'll check that out soon.

This is all very odd, indeed.

[Deimos01]

UPDATE UPDATE

Ok, so now Im back to getting frequent driver errors with both cards installed in SLI. Dell is sending me a new card and SLI bridge. I also am unable to install SP1 for some reason. I get error 80073712. Well, Im supposed to re-install vista when I get the new card and Ill then be able to install SP1 as well, I hope.

And again. The nvlddmkm error is not specific to SH4 though it may manifest there. I get it while my screen saver is running. The mystifying thing about this error, otherwise known as a TDR is that the problem can be many different things. Hardware, heat, drivers, memory... etc. But all of them exhibit the same symptom making it difficult to pin down the cause. THERE IS NO MAGIC BULLET for this one. :nope:

[Deimos01]

Just a little more background on the TDR errors. I have been dealing with this myself for about 4 months. Before I ever got SH4. This error is predominately experienced by folks using NVIDIA cards with Vista. There are some rarer cases of people running ATI cards and vista. Even rarer are folks using XP but in most of the XP cases it was traced to bad hardware.

The popular opinion is that VISTA is very fussy about things not being just right, where XP was a lot more forgiving. If you google nvlddmkm you will find lots of info on this error but no common solution. Some things work for some while other things work for others and then there are the folks who find nothing that works.

[Doolittle81]

UPDATE:
I started up SH4 today, version 1.4 which had always been working fine...and just as a mission started, even without a torp being fired let alone hit, I had a CTD and BlueScreen Of Death...rebooted and found that the crash was caused by...nvlddmkm...Again! Also version 1.5 was back to crashing...

So...I did what I could to uninstall my driver (169.28) using control panel device manager....not all files were removed..apparently from what I've read its tough to get rid of certain/many nv files, like the nvlddmkm ones. I used "DriverSweeper" application to supposedly clean out all related driver files, but it still left many nvidia files. Someplace on these forums I read about a very complex (to me) way to manually go in and delte those left overs, but it was beyond my ability...

So, I went ahead anyway and just installed the newest GURU3D 174.20 Driver. So far, both SH4 1.4 and SH4 1.5 are working perfectly again...an hour or more with each and I've seen no nvlddmkm glitches/warning/crashes...with quite a few torp hits/explosions in both versions. No telling if it will last. Fingers are crossed.

[Deimos01]

UPDATE:
I started up SH4 today, version 1.4 which had always been working fine...and just as a mission started, even without a torp being fired let alone hit, I had a CTD and BlueScreen Of Death...rebooted and found that the crash was caused by...nvlddmkm...Again! Also version 1.5 was back to crashing...

So...I did what I could to uninstall my driver (169.28) using control panel device manager....not all files were removed..apparently from what I've read its tough to get rid of certain/many nv files, like the nvlddmkm ones. I used "DriverSweeper" application to supposedly clean out all related driver files, but it still left many nvidia files. Someplace on these forums I read about a very complex (to me) way to manually go in and delte those left overs, but it was beyond my ability...

So, I went ahead anyway and just installed the newest GURU3D 174.20 Driver. So far, both SH4 1.4 and SH4 1.5 are working perfectly again...an hour or more with each and I've seen no nvlddmkm glitches/warning/crashes...with quite a few torp hits/explosions in both versions. No telling if it will last. Fingers are crossed.

Ya, it seems like once you get this error you cant get rid of it. Kinda like herpes.:lol:

Im gonna try out those drivers as well. Wont hurt since Im gonna have to do a OS re-install anyway. :damn:

Lets stay posted here on the results. :up:

[cdrsubron7]

Just an update on some of the things I've done lately. I've added new ram, some G.Skill DDR2 8500 which has had absolutely no affect on the nvlddmkm problem. I've tried the latest Omega drivers, which were no better. I installed XP Pro on an extra hard drive I had and then installed SHIV v1.5 on and was able to play with no problems for about an hour and a half before I went to bed. Not sure exactly sure what to try next, been thinking about a complete reinstall of Vista 64-bit and starting over and see what happens.

[Deimos01]

Just an update on some of the things I've done lately. I've added new ram, some G.Skill DDR2 8500 which has had absolutely no affect on the nvlddmkm problem. I've tried the latest Omega drivers, which were no better. I installed XP Pro on an extra hard drive I had and then installed SHIV v1.5 on and was able to play with no problems for about an hour and a half before I went to bed. Not sure exactly sure what to try next, been thinking about a complete reinstall of Vista 64-bit and starting over and see what happens.

If you are running fine in XP then that is a good indication that your problem is not harware related. That only leaves about 1000 other possible causes. :p

Im trying those Guru3d drivers on one card. Had the display go crazy. Im now trying it with my other card. More info to follow.

[Hydra]

Add me to the list. I downloaded v1.5 yesterday and immediately began having the problems mentioned above. Previously ran patch 1.4 with no problems whatsoever. i have updated the drivers, even instated version 175.20, with no luck. i'm running an 8800 GTs with 320 mb.

I'm using Home Vista Ultimate 32 with the SP1 installed. When i attempt to start SH4, the screen flickers, I get a messsage that some psrt of the program is not responding and I'm being changed to vista basic. The program then loads but as soon as I start a mission, the program crashes. Sometimes I get back to the desktop with a message that the system has successfully been restored. Others times, it just crashes completely.

Common sense would seem to indicate that this is not a problem with motherboards, bios, ram, or graphics cards, or running two cards because I don't think it is coincidence that so many people are experiencing these hardward issues just after loading patch 1.5. I downloaded patch 1.5 through the Subsim connection. This is very strange and quite frustrating. Do i have any reason to believe that going back to patch 1.4 will solves this problem? What a PITA that will be!:damn:

[Deimos01]

Add me to the list. I downloaded v1.5 yesterday and immediately began having the problems mentioned above. Previously ran patch 1.4 with no problems whatsoever. i have updated the drivers, even instated version 175.20, with no luck. i'm running an 8800 GTs with 320 mb.

I'm using Home Vista Ultimate 32 with the SP1 installed. When i attempt to start SH4, the screen flickers, I get a messsage that some psrt of the program is not responding and I'm being changed to vista basic. The program then loads but as soon as I start a mission, the program crashes. Sometimes I get back to the desktop with a message that the system has successfully been restored. Others times, it just crashes completely.

Common sense would seem to indicate that this is not a problem with motherboards, bios, ram, or graphics cards, or running two cards because I don't think it is coincidence that so many people are experiencing these hardward issues just after loading patch 1.5. I downloaded patch 1.5 through the Subsim connection. This is very strange and quite frustrating. Do i have any reason to believe that going back to patch 1.4 will solves this problem? What a PITA that will be!:damn:

Hydra, are you getting the Display driver stopped responding and has recovered error.... nvlddmkm? If not then you may experiencing an unrelated issue. I had one problem with 1.5 when I installed it. I would get through the first movie screens and then the display would go black and just sit there. I had to adjust my performance setting in Nvidia to application controlled to make it work.

[Fubar2Niner]

Sorry if I'm asking something already mentioned here shipmates, but is this just Vista SP1 related or a vid driver thing. I can test on a clean Vista SP1 install if required, latest Nvid(Vista) drivers etc. All calls recieved and tried, to the best of my ability.

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

[Doolittle81]

Sorry if I'm asking something already mentioned here shipmates, but is this just Vista SP1 related or a vid driver thing. I can test on a clean Vista SP1 install if required, latest Nvid(Vista) drivers etc. All calls recieved and tried, to the best of my ability.

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

This is not related to VISTA SP1....the nvlddmkm error/crashes have been a problem apperently for a year or more for all sorts of people, not just SH4. My problem just started after I installed the SH4 1.5 patch, and this seems to be the case with a large number of people. I, for one, have NOT yet installed the VISTA SP1 patch.

[Hydra]

Add me to the list. I downloaded v1.5 yesterday and immediately began having the problems mentioned above. Previously ran patch 1.4 with no problems whatsoever. i have updated the drivers, even instated version 175.20, with no luck. i'm running an 8800 GTs with 320 mb.

I'm using Home Vista Ultimate 32 with the SP1 installed. When i attempt to start SH4, the screen flickers, I get a messsage that some psrt of the program is not responding and I'm being changed to vista basic. The program then loads but as soon as I start a mission, the program crashes. Sometimes I get back to the desktop with a message that the system has successfully been restored. Others times, it just crashes completely.

Common sense would seem to indicate that this is not a problem with motherboards, bios, ram, or graphics cards, or running two cards because I don't think it is coincidence that so many people are experiencing these hardward issues just after loading patch 1.5. I downloaded patch 1.5 through the Subsim connection. This is very strange and quite frustrating. Do i have any reason to believe that going back to patch 1.4 will solves this problem? What a PITA that will be!:damn:

Hydra, are you getting the Display driver stopped responding and has recovered error.... nvlddmkm? If not then you may experiencing an unrelated issue. I had one problem with 1.5 when I installed it. I would get through the first movie screens and then the display would go black and just sit there. I had to adjust my performance setting in Nvidia to application controlled to make it work.

Yes, I got that message ...recovered error......nvlddmkm. That happened several times when I first attempted to start the 1.5 patch and the program froze. I would be able to get back to the desktop and would get the nvlddmkm message. Now, it just freezes with a black screen and I have to reboot.

[Deimos01]

Sorry if I'm asking something already mentioned here shipmates, but is this just Vista SP1 related or a vid driver thing. I can test on a clean Vista SP1 install if required, latest Nvid(Vista) drivers etc. All calls recieved and tried, to the best of my ability.

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

This is not related to VISTA SP1....the nvlddmkm error/crashes have been a problem apperently for a year or more for all sorts of people, not just SH4. My problem just started after I installed the SH4 1.5 patch, and this seems to be the case with a large number of people. I, for one, have NOT yet installed the VISTA SP1 patch.

Doolittle has the right of it. I had this problem 4 months before installing SH4. I have yet to be able to install SP1 without getting error 80073712. The nvlddmkm thing is more of a Vista/Nvidia thing. Just seems like SH4 1.5 makes it manifest for some reason on comps that were, up till then stable. In my case I only get the error if I am running both my cards. Single card= rock solid :nope:

[Doolittle81]

What P##ss#s me off is that the SH4 Romanian Developers should be able to run a comparison between 1.4 and 1.5 to see what they changed. SOMETHING different is in operation and causes the nvllddmkm error. If an SH4 installed version works jiust fine, but SH4 1.5 does not, that means SH4 1.5 is causing the nvlddmkm dropout/rest/crash..... I'd appreciate a little help on their part. It's almost certainly (99% certain) something in the hardcoded part of SH4 1.5. It wouldn't take a brain surgeon to sort it out:

SH4 1.4 + Nvidia Card + VISTA = NO Problem!

SH4 1.5 + Nvidia Card + VISTA = BIG Problem!


Other Games/Programs + Nvidia Card + VISTA = Problems sometimes.

It seems to me the Romanian SH4 developers have an opportunity to find the single common denominator in SH4 1.4 versus 1.5 which could Reveal to teh world the true underlying code line(s) which invoke the nvlddmkm Monster to rear its ugly head.

[Doolittle81]

LOTS of experimentation today!! It IS SH4 1.5 !!!!!

I ran many single missions, copying same from one Data/Single Missions folder to the other so that I was running the exact same Mission (files,etc) in both 1.5 and 1.4. MANY missions, maybe all, once the enemy was engaged and some sort of action took place with explosions, whether torps hitting ships or DD's firing hitting my Sub with surface fire, for example, 1.5 repeatedly (almost predictably) Crashed! SH4 1.4 ran as smoothly as it has for the past nine months.

I'll admit, that I ran some missions in SH4 1.5 when I did NOT crash-to-D or BSOD, and I had great optimism/hopes.....but it seems to be totally unpredictable.

SH4 1.4, however, even MODded to H&ll and Back, never Fails!

So: SH4 1.5 + VISTA + a great Graphics card such as in the 8XXXX series = Crashes.

[Deimos01]

See, thats the thing about the nvlddmkm error. Its like having a cough. The cough could mean you smoke too much, it could mean you just got something caught, it could mean you have a cold or pnumonia, it could mean you have lung cancer. The cough itself doesnt really tell you anything, you have to figure out what is going on so you can treat the disease. It would be nice if Vista was able to give more info besides the generic display driver stopped responding message.

Anyway, I am in the process of re-installing vista with my new vcard. Will post status report later.

[Hylander_1314]

Built my own rig,

EVGA 780i mobo

Core 2 Extreme X9650 Quadcore @ 3.00Ghz

4 Gigs of Corsair PC 6400 ram

2 EVGA nVidia 8800 GTS in SLi

Running Vista x64 bit Home Premium

Have only had one crash. And not sure what caused it.

But I'm wondering if this may help

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1721257

It deals with a missing or damaged DX file that I guess M$ neglected in DX10. From what I understand, and that ain't much.............................................. ........

[Deimos01]

Nuther update:
So I just re-installed Vista clean from disk
I then got all windows updates
I did not install any device drivers unless they came from windows update
This time Vista SP1 successfully installed

I also have the new V-card and SLI bridge that Dell sent me installed. Im now going to start testing to see if I still get the display error.

Wish me luck! :up:

[Doolittle81]

...But I'm wondering if this may help

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1721257

It deals with a missing or damaged DX file that I guess M$ neglected in DX10. From what I understand, and that ain't much.............................................. ........
A possibly missing d3dx9_31.dll shouldn't be related to the nvlddmkm issue, but thanks for making the suggestion...

[Doolittle81]

.....I then got all windows updates
I did not install any device drivers unless they came from windows update
....
Wish me luck! :up:
Not sure I understand....don't you have to have a Driver for your Graphics card? Are you saying that Windows automtically provides a default/generic device driver (for graphics card/adaptor) of some sort??


Meanwhile, Good Luck!

[Deimos01]

.....I then got all windows updates
I did not install any device drivers unless they came from windows update
....
Wish me luck! :up:
Not sure I understand....don't you have to have a Driver for your Graphics card? Are you saying that Windows automtically provides a default/generic device driver (for graphics card/adaptor) of some sort??


Meanwhile, Good Luck!

Windows Update will sometimes have drivers for your particular V-card but they are usually older ones than what you can find on the manufacturers sites. Heck, I have a razor keyboard and mouse and updates for those show up on the list.

This is a bit off topic but what are some key indicators that TMO is installed and working properly in game?

[Deimos01]

Ok, never mind on the TMO question. Got it sorted out. :up: I copied the extracted folders into the MODS folder. They showed on the list in JSME but didnt enable. I then extracted into the MODS folder and everything appears to work just fine now.

Now to see if I get the display error.

[Doolittle81]

...I copied the extracted folders into the MODS folder. They showed on the list in JSME but didnt enable. I then extracted into the MODS folder and everything appears to work just fine now.

....

That's very odd. I always extract any Downloaded Zipped/RARed MOD into a Folder outside of my SH4 Folder(s)....usually just into a folder in my download section.

Then I simply copy/move the MOD folder into the MOD folder of either my SH4 1.4 or my SH4 1.5 Folder, or both, depending on the MOD's compatibility and desirability. That always works and the MODs are always ready for enabling with JSGME. I've never extracted a Zipped MOD directly into my SH4 MOD folder. As I said, your experience is an odd one.

[Syneval]

I'm running vista ultimate x64 with the latest beta nvidia drivers ( specifically to fix some pirates of the carribean issues ), and I haven't had any problems with v1.5. In fact, I'm seeing improved performance. My vidcard is an 8800gts320, and vista has all relevant hotfixes and sp1.

[jahlmeen]

Having the same problem...
In my case I could get it when switching to periscope or when moving the camera from but just in rare cases, I mostly got it at torpedo hits or torpedo launchs. However when I tuned down graphics abit (on max noramly) it wasent 100% sure to ctd but still a chance.

Comp: Quadcore Q6600, 3gb DDR II SDRAM 667 MHz PC2-5300, 8800GTS 640MB, Vista

Could it be the bad ram?

Somehow I get a feeling this will take months to sort out, as with most problems I've had with SH4 :hmm:

Someone with problems in Vista tried geting XP?

cheers

[Doolittle81]

I'm running vista ultimate x64 with the latest beta nvidia drivers ( specifically to fix some pirates of the carribean issues ), and I haven't had any problems with v1.5. In fact, I'm seeing improved performance. My vidcard is an 8800gts320, and vista has all relevant hotfixes and sp1.

Specifically what drivers are you using? I've gone to the latest for VISTA, 174.20. and all seems to be going well...although I've really only logged an hour or so with 1.5 and 1.4 so it's hard to say yet if the problem has been totally solved, or not.

My RIG specs, by the way, are:
ASUS P5N32-E SLI
Dual core E6700 Cpu
2GB OCZ PC2 8800 (1100Mhz) RAM
BFG 8800GTX w/768MB Graphics card
Audigy2 ZS
4 Seagate 400GB hard drives in a 0+1 RAID array
Plextor PX-800A
Samsung SyncMaster 244T 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor 1920X1200 native resolution
Windows VISTA 32bit

[cdrsubron7]

I've gone back and restarted also. Completely the old version of Vista 964-bit) off my hard drive by formatting the drive and then reinstalled Vista again. Using the newest beta drivers from Nvidai that I could get. Got all the updates and SP1. Installed SHIV for the 100th time in the last two weeks and then installed the addon and went to try and play SHIV and can't get past the blame activation screen. I get some unknown error when trying to activate the dumb thing. Ubisoft in their infinite wisdon has struck again. :down:

[Doolittle81]

LOTS of experimentation today!! It IS SH4 1.5 !!!!!

I ran many single missions, copying same from one Data/Single Missions folder to the other so that I was running the exact same Mission (files,etc) in both 1.5 and 1.4. MANY missions, maybe all, once the enemy was engaged and some sort of action took place with explosions, whether torps hitting ships or DD's firing hitting my Sub with surface fire, for example, 1.5 repeatedly (almost predictably) Crashed! SH4 1.4 ran as smoothly as it has for the past nine months.

I'll admit, that I ran some missions in SH4 1.5 when I did NOT crash-to-D or BSOD, and I had great optimism/hopes.....but it seems to be totally unpredictable.

SH4 1.4, however, even MODded to H&ll and Back, never Fails!

So: SH4 1.5 + VISTA + a great Graphics card such as in the 8XXXX series = Crashes.


Okay I have done much more methodical clinical research on this.

Using One mission, I ran it in both SH4 1.4 and SH4 1.5, as I did before. The mission has several destroyers attacking my surfaced sub head on, engaging with LOTS of surface gunfire. I am firing torpedoes and engaging with deck gun. LOTS of action.

It runs flawlessly in 1.4, without a hiccup.

Running it in SH4 1.5, with exactly the same in-game graphic settings, it locks up/crashes/needs re-boot at the very first shot from a DD gun!!!

Okay, so I reboot and start SH4 1.5, etc, and change in-game graphic settings, unchecking the "Post Processing" and "High Texture" options. The mission then runs perfectly with all that same Action/explosions, torpedo hits, everything. So one concludes that it is one or both of those Graphic Options which cause the problem...right??


BUT, without exiting SH4, I then went to the Graphic Options and re-checked both those options (PostProc and High Texture) ON, apply them, and run the same mission again. This time the Mission runs flawlessly, even though the first time with all the same options checked ON it had crashed immediately.


So, the situation seems to be the following:
SH4 1.4, even MODded to H&ll and Back, never Fails!

SH4 1.5 + VISTA + a great Graphics card such as in the 8XXXX series = Crashes IF you have both Post Processing and High Texture options Checked ON. If you uncheck them, 1.5 runs fine. Oddly, though, you can uncheck them, then re-check them back ON, and 1.5 will run fine.

Surely someone on the development team can use these odd facts/results to isolate whatever they did in the code in 1.5 to cause such a weird response to the graphic options. It is definitely something in 1.5!!!!

[Deimos01]

Here is where Im at now.
Vista 32 Home Premium
Vista SP1
All wndows updates
Dual 8600gts in SLI
Intel core 2 duo @3g
2x 1gig DDR2 memory sticks

With the new card and SP1 on a clean install of Vista I seem to be experiencing the nvlddmkm error at a signigicantly reduced frequency. I've had 3 sessions with SH4 1.5 that lasted at least 1 hour or more each time. Only during one session (navigation training mission) did I get the error and it happened twice within 2-3 minutes. My thoughts are that in my case this may be connected to something else.

The other problem I have with my system is that it will not re-start. To clarify, if I go to the start menu and hit RE-START not shut down, when my comp tries to come back up it always hangs on the Dell load screen (the one where you can go into the boot menu). It will do this during an auto restart when loading new apps as well. Had this problem since day one. I have to actually shut down the comp and then use the power button the bring it back up. Im wondering if thats not a memory problem. Any thoughts? And could this be connected to my nvlddmkm problem?

[Doolittle81]

...The other problem I have with my system is that it will not re-start. To clarify, if I go to the start menu and hit RE-START not shut down, when my comp tries to come back up it always hangs on the Dell load screen (the one where you can go into the boot menu). It will do this during an auto restart when loading new apps as well. Had this problem since day one. I have to actually shut down the comp and then use the power button the bring it back up. Im wondering if thats not a memory problem. Any thoughts? And could this be connected to my nvlddmkm problem?

Sorry....I can't help with the Re-Start problem. Sounds like Dell should be able to figure out a solution.

Meanwhile, I should add that since I loaded the new Nvidia 174.20 drivers I have not seen the nvlddmkm error/warning message a single time! Yes, SH4 1.5 with Post Processing and Texture High options ON does cause a hard crash to a Black Screen, and I must do a Computer ReStart...BUT, I do not see a specific nvlddmkm error. That problem seems to have been resolved by the 174.20 drivers.....and something else unique to SH4 1.5 is causing that specific Game to crash.

[Deimos01]

I've gone back and restarted also. Completely the old version of Vista 964-bit) off my hard drive by formatting the drive and then reinstalled Vista again. Using the newest beta drivers from Nvidai that I could get. Got all the updates and SP1. Installed SHIV for the 100th time in the last two weeks and then installed the addon and went to try and play SHIV and can't get past the blame activation screen. I get some unknown error when trying to activate the dumb thing. Ubisoft in their infinite wisdon has struck again. :down:

Just a shot in the dark. Is the error for some missing file and if so did you opt to install directx 9.0c with SH4? I opted not not to install the Directx thinking my copy of Vista woulda had it already. Got an error for a missing dx file when trying to start the game. I just DL'd and installed the latest Direct x runtime components from microsoft and the game started just fine.

[jahlmeen]

doolittle I dont think the problem is with Post process and High qual. text., not for me atleast lol. I resinstalled SH4+Uboat and could play with max settings without a problem (with the mentioned settings above on) however I also use nhancer to get some antialasing for that stadimeter. And when I turned on nhancer settings I would get the error.

[Deimos01]

...The other problem I have with my system is that it will not re-start. To clarify, if I go to the start menu and hit RE-START not shut down, when my comp tries to come back up it always hangs on the Dell load screen (the one where you can go into the boot menu). It will do this during an auto restart when loading new apps as well. Had this problem since day one. I have to actually shut down the comp and then use the power button the bring it back up. Im wondering if thats not a memory problem. Any thoughts? And could this be connected to my nvlddmkm problem?

Sorry....I can't help with the Re-Start problem. Sounds like Dell should be able to figure out a solution.

You would think. :nope: This one has them perplexed. This is why Im starting to lean towards all my issues being a memory problem. As part of the testing I tried to boot up with one 1gig stick installed. Got a BSOD on boot up. This happened with either stick on its own in any slot. :hmm:

Perhaps Im leaning in the wrong direction though?

[Doolittle81]

doolittle I dont think the problem is with Post process and High qual. text., not for me atleast lol. I resinstalled SH4+Uboat and could play with max settings without a problem (with the mentioned settings above on) however I also use nhancer to get some antialasing for that stadimeter. And when I turned on nhancer settings I would get the error.

I use nHancer and set AA at 4X with Multisampling. I have no problems other than, as I described above, when I start SH4 1.5 with Post Process and High Texture set to ON.