I've been having a strange problem in which when I run a game (any game) i start to get graphical glitches (flashing textures, coloured dots appearing randomly etc). These build up and eventually the game freezes, the sound loops and if i wait even longer the computer restarts itself. It says on the next startup that the problem was something to do with the nvidia display driver.

However, I've tried installing older drivers, newer drivers (using driver cleaner etc aswell) but there has been no change. I know that when i reformat windows the problem goes away for a while but comes back.

here is the small error message i get on startup:
szAppName : Drivers.Display szAppVer : 10DE0045A1020410DE
szModName : nv4_disp.dll szModVer : 6.14.10.7772 Offset : F8A006E

And here is the watchdog log file (ive written more underneith)

//
// Watchdog Event Log File
//

LogType: Watchdog
Created: 2005-07-18 20:59:41
TimeZone: 0 - GMT Standard Time
WindowsVersion: XP
EventType: 0xEA - Thread Stuck in Device Driver

//
// The driver for the display device got stuck in an infinite loop. This
// usually indicates a problem with the device itself or with the device
// driver programming the hardware incorrectly. Please check with your
// display device vendor for any driver updates.
//

EaRecovery: 1
ShutdownCount: 165
Shutdown: 0
EventCount: 5
BreakCount: 5
BugcheckTriggered: 1
DebuggerNotPresent: 1
DriverName: nv4_disp
EventFlag: 1
DeviceClass: Display
DeviceDescription: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT
HardwareID: PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0045&SUBSYS_020410DE&REV_A1
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
DriverFixedFileInfo: FEEF04BD 00010000 0006000E 000A1E5C 0006000E 000A1E5C 0000003F 00000008 00040004 00000003 00000004 00000000 00000000
DriverCompanyName: NVIDIA Corporation
DriverFileDescription: NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 77.72
DriverFileVersion: 6.14.10.7772
DriverInternalName: nv4_disp.dll
DriverLegalCopyright: (C) NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved.
DriverOriginalFilename: nv4_disp.dll
DriverProductName: NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 77.72
DriverProductVersion: 6.14.10.7772


Is my graphics card bust? I used to overclock it slightly, but not much and not for long. Using powerstrip.
I was having serious cpu overheating problems before hand aswell, (like 90 degrees Celsius) but i recently got a new heatsink and that cooled right down, and that solved the glitch/crash problem aswell but only for a while.
I used to overclock my processor aswell, possibly quite violently.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

oh, i forgot
Geforce 6800 gt (fairly new)
Audigy 2 zs (fairly new)
Athlon xp 2600 +
768 mb RAM
asus a7v8x-x motherboard

It's likely your graphics card driver 77.72. This driver has been causing various problems. Uninstall and install 71.89 or earlier.

I've installed the earlier ones, including the ones you reccommend. The problem happens with any graphics driver.

yea. i get the same problem. even WHQL 66.72 dont work.

curious, is ur card a evga 6800gt?

Hmmm. You did say you tried older drivers in your first post. I don't know how I missed that.

77.72 Driver fix ThAnKs to StoZzy_RoX!

It's not the gamma that's the problem, i get lot's of graphical texture flashes and random coloured dots flashing on the screen when i play games, resulting in a video freeze and sound loop, and then windows restarts.
It happens on any driver

"Thread Stuck in Device Driver"

Anyone know what that means?

sorry smartjoe, didnt see your post there, yes it is a gt

Have you had any comunications with Manufacturer?
I'm stumped on thi one
Don't give up some one here can help..
G'Luck

whats mfgr? i havent spoken to anyone except people on this thread

Manufacturer :knock:
my bad....acronyms and abbreviations didn't work right...

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q293078

Check out the "Workaround".

"Install the most current driver for your video adapter, or replace your video card"

I guess I need a new video card then, damn.

First of all before you run out and buy something you may not need. How did you reinstall the drivers? Do this. First Download the driver you want to use and save it to your drive. Next, go to add/remove programs in control panel. Uninstall the Win2k/XP drivers program. After the uninstall it will tell you to reboot to finish the uninstall programs. DON'T! Go to the root drive where the program files are. You will seean nVidia file there. It has the reinstall program included with the driver files, delete it. Then go into the program files and look for an nVidia folder in there. If there is one delete it also. If you have any secondary tweak programs delete/uninstall them also. Like Cool Bits or Rive Tuner. When you think you have got it all, go into device manager and uninstall the display adapter from the driver tab, then reboot. When the system reboots the resolution should have gone down to 600x800 or lower. In otherwords everything should be really big. If it's not, if it's the same as it was before, then you left something behind, and the OS has reinstalled the old drivers. If it's big and ugly you did good. Now navigate to where you downloaded the fresh driver file and begin the install. If you want to adjust your resolution before you begin, that's OK. Try that and let me know if it works for you.

Just as a thought, if you have more than one memory stick in your PC, try taking one out and testing each one individually with a program like memtest. I had problems with many games freezing and crashing etc. Thought I had a duff card but it turned out to be the RAM.

RAM is much cheaper than a new gfx card too
Bubba

I had the same problem with my 6600GT. what u should do is check ur ram on other computer. open ur cabinet and clear all the dust particles completely with a blower. check if the ram and the video card is properly seated. Format ur c:\drive and reinstall winxp sp2. Update all devlce drivers (especially ur mainboard and graphics card) and disable ALL overclocking options )be it through software or the bios. ANd hey check if the fans on ur SMPS are properly blowing.

[COLOR=Red]WARNING DO NOT DO THE PROCESS BELOW IF U R NOT PERFECTLY SURELY U CAN DO IT PLEASE!!![/COLOR]
If ur knowledge is little advance, u can flash the bios of ur motherboard and gfx card.(visit ur manufacturers website 4 more info on how to do it). REmove ur MB and gfx heatsink, clean the surfaces and apply Arctic silver thermal paste carefully and reseat the heatsinks again.
Good luck buddy