"nv4_disp" error - blue screen

[GuruJ0sh]

Recently my PC has starting crashing and blue screening frequently. It seems to do it generally when I am using my web browser (especially on new sites I have never browsed before) both Firefox and IE, opening images, using publisher and word, basically anything.

When the problem occurs, the computer becomes unresponsive, and bleeps when I attempt to click or keystroke, the sound that jutters and eventually it flashes and then blue screens. The blue screens mentions an error with the file: nv4_disp. (infinite loop....)
A photograph of the blue screen can be found attached to the bottom of this post.

I can force the crash quite easily by opening up loads of youtube tabs, or going into office and just copying lots of images.

Solutions I have attempted:

• Updating graphics and motherboard Drivers. Nothing
• Rolling back drivers. Nothing
• Completey cleaning display drivers with 'Driver Sweeper' and reinstalling. Nothing
• Cleaning/repairing registry. Nothing
• Replacing graphics card with a different one. Nothing
• Using Memtest86+ to test the sticks of memory. (5 passes) . Nothing

I tried all of these and the error still persisted.

I am really reluctant to reinstall windows and restore everything on my computer because it would take hours, maybe days to download and install everything.

I would appreciate greatly any ideas from people about how to fix this problem! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

PC Specs:

Asus MV2 Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
3072 MB RAMB (1x 1024, 1x 2048)
Club3DNvidia GeForce9500 GT Graphics Card

Apologies if this should be posted in drivers thread.

 

[EXCellR8]

could very well be that the video card, or more specifically the vRAM is faulty. it sounds like you've exhausted all of your practical options, so the next step would be to replace the card via RMA (if under warranty) or just buying a new one. video cards a notorious for sudden crashing, and it's not unlikely for an adapter to just break down. don't bother wiping the HDD and reinstalling the operating system. it's much easier to go another route and save the headache for another day

a few questions though...

what OS is the computer running?
do you notice any artifacts or other anomalies on the screen?
which power supply are you using?

 

[GuruJ0sh]

Answers to your questions.

• OS: Windows XP Home (SP3)
• A few seconds before the blue screen, the screen flashes with some horizontal white stripes briefly
• PSU: G7 Power Extreme 580W

However, I have tried replacing the graphics card with a GT 240, and it still happened, but at that point I had not used Driver Sweeper.

 

[GuruJ0sh]

1 Month later.

Problem still occurs.
I've sent the computer into an IT repair centre, and its been returned now and they said it was a HDD issue, so they replaced it with a nice new one.

I set it all up at home and open MS Publisher, and then bam, it blue screens again. But this time it's a different error message, something involving:
nv4_mini.sys

Any advice? I have already reinstalled the video drivers multiple times. Its a new HDD, what's going on!?

 

[Route44]

First, take that back to the IT guys and either a) have them fix it properly without further cost or b) demand your money back. What information/diagnostics did they say had them determine it was the harddrive? That is an Nvidia display driver.

I am wonder if it is your PCI-e slot or if it is a power issue to your video card. What make and model is your power supply and how many watts does it claim to supply?

Make sure your video card is seated properly.

 

[CaryS]

Not an isolated failure? re: "nv4_disp" blue screen w/XP

I've had a very stable WinXP SP3 on a Dell M4300 before late last week.

I too have rolled the back driver, run Dell's Driver Diag tool and did a System Restore to a previous version without getting rid of the Blue Screen.

The only TWO changes to my computer prior to the problem appearing was to switch to Firefox 4.0b8 (4.0 Beta version of ff) and configure a Bluetooth Network.

The problem with my problem is that crashes occur from 24 hours apart to ~6 hours

I have a two monitor configuration that does occasionally get screwed up so I am going to try a System Restore to a point before I last changed any video settings, then try FF4b again as not to change too much at one time.

I'll keep this thread posted as to what I find.
- CaryS