Help with display driver: nvlddmkm Please!

[fireonalexis]

Specs: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium V6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
(32 bit)
System Type: x86 Based PC

Dell XPS 420
Intel Core (TM)2 Quad CPU Q9450 @ 2.66GHz
4GB RAM
32 bit Operating System
Graphics: Nvidia 9800 GT

PROBLEM:

I was playing a copy of Fallout 3 from Bethesda, on my year old XPS when suddenly my game crashes. I've been playing this game for weeks now with great graphics and was kind of surprised. So I uninstalled the game only to find out there's something wrong with my Nvidia graphics driver. So I updated to the most recent drivers from the nvidia site (even though I already had that driver). I get a black screen if I try to do anything more than browse the web on my PC. It pops in and out and gives me the message: "Display driver nvlddmkm.sys has stopped responding and has fixed itself".... it keeps doing this until my PC shuts down. I've tried system restores up until a week ago and it's not working... I've seen plenty of threads on this crash, but most of them are years old and on way lower end systems. Please if anyone has a solution to my problem I'll send you a bag of doritos (happy halloween).

[KarmaKiller]

1. Download Driver Sweeper
a) Download this set of drivers
2. Uninstall anything that has to do with Nvidia drivers.
3. Restart
4. Cancel out of "found new hardware"
a) Run driver sweeper
5. Restart
6. Install other set of drivers linked to above.

See if that fixes it.

[fireonalexis]

Just downloaded driver sweeper (thx, couldn't find a free version of a driver program anywhere) and now im downloading the nvidia drivers... so i install these and then how do I uninstall all nvidia drivers?

[fireonalexis]

ok i ran driver sweeper and took all of the nvidia drivers off my computer and now it's running without crashing (i had to fix the resolution but no big deal) but now how I get the latest drivers so I can actually play my games? Everytime i download the lastest drivers from the nvidia site i get the same problem.

[KarmaKiller]

The set of drivers I linked to in my OP is an older set that many have good luck with. Some of the 190.xx drivers are buggy. Many others have experienced this I know, so it doesn't surprise me.
But the set I linked you to are good drivers, so if those don't fix it I'm not sure what will.

[fireonalexis]

The link you gave me is for 64bit drivers, but since you mentioned that 190.xx drivers tend to be buggy ill update to 180 something or other. Thanks anyway

[KarmaKiller]

Oh do you need 32bit drivers?
NVIDIA DRIVERS 186.18 WHQL
There ya go.

[fireonalexis]

Thanks for the 2nd link, going to try those drivers now

[fireonalexis]

Still nothing. I tried downloading those older drivers, too. I think it might actually be a hardware malfunction, where I was playing fallout for like 10 hours straight with graphics turned up to the max. Might be a good time to upgrade

[KarmaKiller]

Well I have a hard time thinking it's a hardware problem when it works fine without drivers installed. Really seems like it's a software/driver problem to me. But hey, I'm all for upgrades!