NVDLMKM Error =(

Ok so I bought a refurb 7805u and as soon as vista completed installing from factory reset I get this gay error. Now I did a ton of research online and haven't found any good fixes yet, figured I would ask here in the gateway forum itself and see if you all have had any luck with this error and what I could possibly do. I upgraded vista to Windows 7 (32 bit) I was running vista in 64 bit but figured that was the issue. But even here in Windows 7 I cant find a stable driver or anything.. help!!!

 

Why would Vista 64 be a problem...

I'm running Win7 64 on my 6860 and i found 186.03 to be a pretty stable driver. Its available directly from nVidia.

 

If you completely wiped out the previous data, re-formatting the drive, and then performed a "factory restore" using Vista 64, it should be working OK.

If it isn't, I would suspect some other problem, most likely hardware related.

Did you refurb come with "factory disks", or did you make them?

 

I dont know why vista 64 would be a problem but as soon as I got it restored it gave me the nvdlmkm error and I hadnt even installed anything yet. No it didnt come with factory disks they guy who sent it didnt include disks but when I first booted it up I had to make a username etc like he just wiped it so. But yes its aggravating, cant play any games keep getting that error and the bsod occasionally even here in Windows 7.

 

Use the proper method to remove the previous video driver you installed and try a new one. Use the proper video driver installation method every time you change/try a new video driver. The link is stickied at the top of this forum with instructions.

 

I have everytime. I am not a newb when it comes to computers. I have been an IT Tech for 4 years working for a large insurance company. I know how to install and uninstall drivers.

 

Realizing of course up until this point we didnt know that... we have to ask the questions to know where you stand with doing things we can suggest

So walk me through the steps you have done to uninstall/clean your drivers and the reinstall process.

Also if you will download HWMoniter and run it so we can have a look at your systems temps.

the NVDLMKM error can be solved if its on the software side, but unfortunatly that error can also mean a hardware failure. So if your willing to go through the steps we can deffinatly rule out software (and some hardware as well)

 

It should be OK, at least for diag testing, using Vista 64.

You would probably need a variety of updated drivers though, since you don't have or couldn't make the "factory restore" disks.

It should also run with the default (no nvidia drivers) VGA drivers, although not at an acceptable resolution at least one that will let you continue to attempt to isolate the problem.

It is a refurb and from what I've gathered by reading about Gateway FX refurbs on this board, they may not have even attempted to resolve the original issue which could be a problem with the GPU.

Let us know, OK?

 

Which video drivers have you tried?

 

I've tried the newest ones directly from Nvida's page, and also the ones Windows will download through normal updating. Im currently using just normal vga drivers since I cant stablize with any nvidia drivers yet. For an uninstall I basically uninstall in during regular windows mode, reboot into safemode and use driver sweeper to clean out anything nvidia and agea physics. And I'm attaching the HWmonitor text for you to look over. Temps look in range nothing out of the ordinary that I can see of. Let me know which driverset you think I should try and I'll give it a shot. Haven't had luck with any thusfar so Im open to any and all ideas

 

I recommend the Dox 182.46 (I had a stuttering issue with Dox 185.20), if you read around you will see many video problem threads, where the fix ends up being a different driver. Hardware is always a possiblity, but since you cannot test with different hardware and changing drivers is easier than sending the laptop back, it's time to troubleshoot with different driver versions. You already changed the OS so that rules out the OS somehow causing the error (Or viruses, etc.), which is something the support will probably try to tell you it is.

Different users have posted different experiences with the same drivers, so you will have to just do some testing with many versions to try until you find one that works great for you. There have been MANY new drivers released recently, the other Dox ones I know of are 185.85 and 182.05, as well as the many Nvidia ones available in the "Older" downloads section of their website. Try them out, run benchmarks, do whatever you have to do to get the BSOD consistently (not just once), and then rule that one out and try the next one.