Problem with NVIDIA driver

[peachypear]

Hi,

I have a VAIO VGN-FE41S, 32 bit, 4 years old, now out of warranty.

I have problems for a few weeks now with random crashes, so I updated a few things and since I did that my laptop crashes at every startup.  I can only run now in safe mode with networking.

The `blue screen view` states that it is the nvidia driver causing it, even though when I try to update in device manager it is telling me it doesn`t need updating.  The name of the driver is GeForce Go 7600, (file version 7.15.10.9746)

On the nvidia site it shows recommended driver for windows vista but underneath shows that some notebooks are not supported in this release, then when you look down the list it states : Sony  VAIO notebooks (please contact the notebook OEM for driver support for these  notebooks)

I`m confused. Any help would be so appreciated.

[rich912]

Hi peachypear,

Have you tried installing the updated driver (7.15.10.9813a) available from Support?

http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/downloads/updates/index.aspx?m=VGN-FE41S&l=en_GB

Full instructions on the install procedure are included.

Rich

[peachypear]

Hi Rich,

Thanks for that, I was just looking at that half an hour ago and writing down the steps 1 to 20! I can`t print at the mo so I thought I would find it easier if I wrote it all down. Yes, you guessed it, i`m more than useless at technical stuff.  I havn`t used this site in the 4 years i`ve had my laptop - so I guess that`s good really cos it`s all been fine until recently.

Rich will it download ok in safe mode with networking? I`m terrified that it all goes wrong and I make things worse.

I really appreciate your replying to my post, thanks.

[peachypear]

Also does the download take minutes or hours, I have to go to work in just over an hour so i`m thinking I might do it tonight if it takes a while.

[rich912]

Hi peachypear,

Yes it should download and install in Safe Mode with Networking, but if you encounter problems then download from another computer and transfer the file to your notebook via a flash drive or similar.

Download speed will vary depending on your broadband connection speed but I have just downloaded the file in less than 3 minutes (300 Kb/sec).

Hope this helps,

Rich

[peachypear]

Hi Rich, I encountered a problem as soon as I tried to extract the file, error message was:

The contents of this file cannot be unpacked. The executable you are attempting to run has been corrupted. Please obtain another copy of the file, verify its integrity, and try again.

Any way round this without using another computer?

[rich912]

Hi peachypear,

I would deleting the original download and then try downloading the file again as corruptions do happen on download, albeit rarely.

If this again fails to extract then downloading from another computer is the next option. Extract the file on the same computer to a know folder and then transfer the extracted files to a folder on your notebook and follow the instructions from Number 7 – as detailed on the support site.

If all else fails then a restore to factory defaults is an option or a recovery back to a date prior to the updating that you recently carried out. But let’s cross that bridge if and when necessary.

Rich.

[peachypear]

Hi Rich

It seemed to work ok this time, though the wording on some of the prompts differed slightly but it did say it has installed. It still crashed on restart though.

Mini070611-05.dmp    06/07/2011 23:09:37    PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA    0x00000050    0x9fa0c030    0x00000000    0x82081928    0x00000002    nvlddmkm.sys    nvlddmkm.sys+6bcd6    NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Miniport Driver, Version 97.32    NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Miniport Driver, Version 97.32    NVIDIA Corporation    7.15.10.9732    32-bit    ntkrnlpa.exe+a9ff2    ntkrnlpa.exe+8fc44    ntkrnlpa.exe+81928            C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini070611-05.dmp    2    15    6000    134,816

I`m not sure but note the file version shown is 7.15.10.9732 and I thought I had downloaded the version ending 9813a

Time to go. Let me know if you have any ideas. I will come back tomorrow night. Thanks for all your time.

[rich912]

Hi peachypear,

I assume that you downloaded the file again and that this time it extracted to a folder named NVDVID-01193629-UN?

If the version (after install) is showing as 7.15.10.9732 (as opposed to 7.15.10.9813a) then this would suggest that the original drivers have re-installed.

When you say that “the wording on some of the prompts differed slightly” do you mean that they differed from the Download and Installation instructions you were expecting from the instructions given on the Support site?

The most important instruction is that you first remove the existing driver and then force an install of the updated driver by browsing to the location of the folder containing the extracted files (which will not necessarily be C:\Update). Make sure that you know the location of this folder before proceeding.

12. Right-click [Standard VGA Graphics Adapter] > click [Update Driver Software].
13. Click [Browse my computer for driver software].
14. Click [Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer].
15. Click [Have Disk].

Locate the folder NVDVID-01193629 and select nvsz.inf (Setup Information).

Continue from 17 through to 20.

Rich

[peachypear]

Hi Rich

Delay is due to long working hours but I finally had time to try again today.

I am pretty sure I have done it correctly this time. In device manager it is showing the version of the adapter as

7.15.10.9813.

I restarted the computer but it firstly wouldn`t start up, no blue screen just black and nothing happening for about 10 mins. So turned it off and on restart had to use safe mode with networking again.

Not sure where to go from here, any ideas?