Infanate loop problem at start up

[GenMarshall]

This has just recently happened to me just recently. My computer is now stuck showing the BSOD and flickering.

I can barely make out the flickering (I am posting this from my older laptop) but it states that:
The problem seems to be caused by the following file: nv4_disp

(Usual "if this is the first time")

The driver got stuck in an infanate loop. This usually indicates problem with the device itself or with the device driver programing the hardware incorrectly.

I can barely make out the code which comes to:
0x000000EA and the rest is too tedius to type in to write in due to the flickering.

However, if I go into safe mode, I dont get a BSOD.

 

[GenMarshall]

No one knows how to correct this problem?

BTW, I am running on:
Dell XPS M170
Windows Pro SP 2
NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800 Ultra

 

[Till]

As an first attempt to fix the problem, i'd try:

1. Boot in save mode.
2. De-Install your graphic card driver.
3. Install the most recent version of Nvidia's drivers for your card.

 

[GenMarshall]

Tried that, it didint work.

Some times at boot up (when at the BIOS screen) the screen is on but no signal (blank screen).

Sometimes during load up, there is "snow"

Sometimes I get a test pattern with snow in it on one half of the screen

Sometimes windows loads up normaly and then blinks in and out

 

[Chairman Meow]

That sounds like it might be a failing video card.

 

[Speedo]

Tried that, it didint work.

Some times at boot up (when at the BIOS screen) the screen is on but no signal (blank screen).

Sometimes during load up, there is "snow"

Sometimes I get a test pattern with snow in it on one half of the screen

Sometimes windows loads up normaly and then blinks in and out

/me plays taps

 

[GenMarshall]

Does that mean that my video card in my laptop needs replacing?

 

[Macha]

Which is a big job (places charge 100 to open it never mind fix it.

 

[Mise]

If it's a new laptop it should be under warranty either from the manufacturer or from the place that you bought it. A similar thing happened to mine a few years ago, and the place I bought it from were very helpful (they just dumped it and gave me a new one!).

It certainly sounds like something you can't fix easily... Whatever you do though, don't try and open it up yourself, or it'll void the warranty (if there is one that is).

 

[Mulholland]

Is the chipset on your mobo Nvidia nForce? If it is, it might not simply be your graphics card drivers gone kaput but your chipset drivers.

 

[GenMarshall]

If it's a new laptop it should be under warranty either from the manufacturer or from the place that you bought it. A similar thing happened to mine a few years ago, and the place I bought it from were very helpful (they just dumped it and gave me a new one!).

Now, when they do that. Do they put the HD into the new shell (IE a new casing along with new components) or a fresh new one?

I already backed up all my stuff onto a Dell Digital Jukebox which I am using as an external harddrive and moved my firefox settings, passwords onto a USB stick.

It certainly sounds like something you can't fix easily... Whatever you do though, don't try and open it up yourself, or it'll void the warranty (if there is one that is).

Well, I am not that tech savvy to muck around in a claustrophobic area .

Is the chipset on your mobo Nvidia nForce? If it is, it might not simply be your graphics card drivers gone kaput but your chipset drivers.

When it comes to hardware, I dont have a clue . All I know that it is a NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800 Ultra.

The BIOS runs fine (Just that I cant see the processes going on in the monitor without closing and opening the lid)
The sound works fine
heck even USB, networking, and wireless works fine.

It's just that the error seems to stem from the video segment.

I can recall having my laptop's screen suddenly turn white and shuts itself off whenever I encounter a heavely animated*.gif site (Such as myspace with the annoying glitter graphics that people paste on their sites).

 

[Mulholland]

I've looked at alot of threads and your problem seems to be quite common. Only problem is I can't find a sure fire fix. Looks like yet another problem with nvidia cards. The following thread has alot of possible solutions but no real help as far as I could see.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=4432

 

[GenMarshall]

Well, my mother just got off the phone from Dell's Tech support and they are sending over replaceable parts for it.

Here is the run down.

Basicly the tech support guy told my mother to swap the memory cards and the thing loaded up flawlessly where the other is kaput.

 

[Mise]

Now, when they do that. Do they put the HD into the new shell (IE a new casing along with new components) or a fresh new one?

I already backed up all my stuff onto a Dell Digital Jukebox which I am using as an external harddrive and moved my firefox settings, passwords onto a USB stick.

They just gave me a brand new one. They didn't even open it up, just turned it on, saw that the display was screwed, and gave me a new one on the spot. This was a good 8 or 9 months after I bought it too. I guess they fix the broken one and resell it as "reconditioned" or something.

I lost all the data on my old laptop, cos as I say it comes with a clean, brand new hard drive. I didn't think to back anything up

 

[GenMarshall]

Apperently a Dell technition is comming over to my house next week along with a video card to see if the problem can be fixed. Tried the new memory chips and it still did not resolved the issue.

 

[marioh]

The first thing you need to do is to stop the automatic reboot, if it's happening thanks to the Windows setting under My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery. For the system failure field, there's a checkbox for Automatically restart. Remove the check from the box so the computer won't automatically restart everytime it runs into a system crash.

Next thing to do is to either check the system logs or reboot the PC, and write down what the error message is for the blue screen (probably some sort of STOP error with a corresponding device driver).

The majority of startup blue screen issues are driver issues. But, the cause could also be a system file problem (corruption/missing). Run checkdisk on the system drive to fix any file system problems that may be on your hard drive to see if that helps.

 

[GenMarshall]

Well, how on earth am I going to read what the BSOD says when the screen itself flickers like someone is turning on and off an old tube TV?

Plus on the first boot, the screen does not show anything.
A Dell technition is coming ofer with a new video card and hopefully fix the issue at hand. I have a gut feeling that it might be a fried video card (The computer can go into VGA mode normaly as proven by starting in safe mode).

 

[Speedo]

The first thing you need to do is to stop the automatic reboot, if it's happening thanks to the Windows setting under My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery. For the system failure field, there's a checkbox for Automatically restart. Remove the check from the box so the computer won't automatically restart everytime it runs into a system crash.

Next thing to do is to either check the system logs or reboot the PC, and write down what the error message is for the blue screen (probably some sort of STOP error with a corresponding device driver).

The majority of startup blue screen issues are driver issues. But, the cause could also be a system file problem (corruption/missing). Run checkdisk on the system drive to fix any file system problems that may be on your hard drive to see if that helps.

He already knows that the BSOD is in nv4_disp.dll, which is the nVidia display driver.

From skimming the thread on the nVidia forums, it sounds like the best bet is a replacement card, which is apparently in progress.

 

[GenMarshall]

Well, I have good news. The problem has been resolved and now working on my new laptop .

 

[Mulholland]

So What was the problem? Bad card?