HELP! Dell "Serious Error" "nv4_disp"

Hi All

First post for me. Yesterday my Dell Latitude D800 started to get a bit funny on the display front. Screen started to pixalate and then froze. Saw an error message relating to nv4_disp, so tracked it down to the graphics card (NVIDIA GEFORCE 4 4200 Dell - i think)

There is something on the Dell support site about it which tells me to uninstall the driver and install an updated version. I think I've managed to uninstall it, but still seems to be happening and the problem is it's hit or miss as to whether it boots or not and whether I can connect to web to download. Have tried downloading driver I think it is and then USBing it, but it said no applicable hardware or something.

My questions are this: Is this really a driver problem? Symptoms and the fact it seems to be getting worse suggest a hardware problem to me. Second, if it is a hardware problem (ie graphics card), how easy is it to fit a new one? I'm not a mug when it comes to opening things up and having a poke (if you know what I mean), so where would I get one and would it be straightforward to do?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as it's my work laptop and whilst I have a back up of all files etc I don't really want to lose it and buy another one.

Thanks in advance

Matt

 

The nv4_disp is one of the nVidia driver's files.
But since the driver is connected directly to the GPU, there might be some hardware damage, but I'm not sure, so let's forget the possibility of hardware damage for now.
Try downloading and installing drivers somehow.
The last option is making a good backup from everything (make sure you backup the my documents and these folders too) and using the reovery option.
The other choice is to download the driver and burn it to a CD/DVD and then installing it (if it cannot work with the USB)

 

Thanks mujtaba, will try CD if I can boot the thing up!

 

I managed to unistall the drivers but it's not letting me re-install, just keeps saying there is no appropriate hardware (I can see it and it keeps telling me that 'new hardware found NVIDIA...').

Tried a system restore, which I completed but it's still doing the same thing.

I am flumoxed. Any thoughts?

Matt

 

Not the system restore,
I meant using the DELL Windows recovery CD that cam with the laptop.

 

Ah, don't have that CD anymore (my old work gave me the laptop when I left). Think I might have to look at new card then? Thanks for your help again mujtaba, I appreciate it.

Matt

 

You cannot change the card.
As for the installation CD,I think you can order it from DELL.

 

I was able to successfully restore my computer in 4 steps. This nv4_disp infinite loop problem fix worked for my 4600 Dell with NVIDIA GeForce 5200 on it:

1. Boot your computer into Safe Mode w/ Networking. For Windows XP users, this is accomplished by pressing F8 repeatedly when your computer is booting up. You will be presented with several options. Choose “Safe Mode w/ Networking.” This will boot Windows XP into Safe Mode, but you will be able to browse the Web.

2. Go to NVIDIA’s Web site and download the latest display drivers for Windows XP. Here's the link: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_81.98.html I saved the 20MB file to my desktop for easy locating later on. (81.98_forceware_winxp2k_english_whql.exe)

3. Install the updated NVIDIA display drivers by double-clicking the NVIDIA setup file you saved to the desktop earlier. The installation will run its course. Do not uninstall the troublesome drivers, the new ones will automatically overwrite them.

4. Reboot your computer.

Good luck & my pleasure!

 

It sounds to me like you tried to download the drivers directly from nVidia. You'll have to use the ones on Dell's website, or modded ones from a place like LaptopVideo2Go. nVidia does not directly support mobile cards.