SOE? Please Respond -> Vista/nVidia driver crash. [Archive]

View Full Version : SOE? Please Respond -> Vista/nVidia driver crash.

Paceyourself

04-20-2008, 11:21 AM

This post refers to the "Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered" error message.I have done some research and found that this is a combined Microsoft/nVidia/Game Developer issue and not a single one of these entities accepts total responsibility. I tend to agree that there is joint responsibility here. SOE makes it a point to advertise their "alliance" with nVidia and go so far as to make it (and the nVidia logo) part of the install routine. Hence my decision (and I'm sure others) to go with an nVidia graphics card.The problem here is that I really don't care whose issue it is. I know that I would like it fixed OR an update that keeps us posted on a potential solution or fix. I'd like to know whether you're working with nVidia and/or Microsoft as well as doing internal testing in conjunction with them to help solve this problem. With the number of people experiencing this problem, there HAS to be someone at each company looking at, and trying to fix, this issue. It's too widespread to be ignored.So far I've found the following:Microsoft:<a href="http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938194/en-us" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938194/en-us</a>This seems to address part of the problem. Is this included in SP1? If we have SP1 do we need to install this?<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/wddm_timeout.mspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devic...dm_timeout.mspx</a>Can some of these registry entries be modified to help overcome these "hangs"?nVidia:Some Windows Vista users have reported that their systems are displaying an error message that says: "Display driver stopped responding, but has successfully recovered." This is called a Timeout Detection and Recovery error message.Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) is a new feature of Windows Vista that attempts to detect problematic situations and recover to a functional desktop without forcing a reboot. Hangs can occur when the GPU is processing intensive graphics operations, typically during gameplay, and nothing is being updated on the monitor. To the user it appears that the system is frozen with no resolution to the problem; in previous operating systems users generally had to wait a few seconds and then reboot.The TDR error message "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" lets the user know that the NVIDIA display driver (specifically the "nvlddmkm.sys" file) has been re-initialized and the GPU is reset without requiring a reboot. The only visible artifact from the recovery is a screen flicker, the result of a screen redraw. Note that some older Microsoft DirectX applications may render to a black screen at the end of the TDR, requiring the user to restart these applications.TDRs are not specific to a single driver problem, and can occur for a variety of reasons. When they occur, diagnostic information is collected in the form of a debug report that is sent to Microsoft through the Online Crash Analysis (OCA) mechanism if the user opts to provide feedback. NVIDIA encourages users to submit their own bug reports via the NVIDIA Vista Quality Assurance Program, using the keyword "TDR" in the description of the problem.We understand that many users have expressed frustration with this issue, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Since the NVIDIA v101.41 beta driver release, NVIDIA has been fixing many TDR issues reported by users. Our software team is currently preparing a new driver which will dramatically reduce the number of TDR errors that users have reported on the forums. Thank you for your patience.Amazingly, nVidia has removed any references to this statement from their database.The bottom line is this... I don't want to hear how it's Microsoft or nVidia's fault. I want to know what you're doing to help them fix it. I am YOUR customer and your product is being affected by this anomaly. Please respond without "passing the buck" and let us know SOE's stance on this issue.Thank you for your honest and insightful reply!

willnotuse

04-20-2008, 12:22 PM

Again, it's not an issue caused by the game. I had the issue myself on one computer. It stopped happening after an update from Microsoft when I went into Windows Update and I chose custom updates. I picked EVERY update they had and not just the ones that normally come through (critical only). I suggest you do the same.

Paceyourself

04-20-2008, 02:25 PM

Hello willnotuse,Thank you for your reply. Are you responding in an official capacity as an SOE representative? If so, would it be possible to get specific answers to the questions that were asked in my original post? I have tried user suggestions posted here and elsewhere on the web to no avail.At this point I'm not willing to try things that are suggested by persons not directly able to determine whether they are the root of the problem, and therefore a valid fix, by simply using the shotgun approach.Thank you for your input.

willnotuse

04-20-2008, 02:47 PM

Wingrider01

04-20-2008, 06:13 PM

<cite>Paceyourself@Everfrost wrote:</cite><blockquote>Hello willnotuse,Thank you for your reply. Are you responding in an official capacity as an SOE representative? If so, would it be possible to get specific answers to the questions that were asked in my original post? I have tried user suggestions posted here and elsewhere on the web to no avail.At this point I'm not willing to try things that are suggested by persons not directly able to determine whether they are the root of the problem, and therefore a valid fix, by simply using the shotgun approach.Thank you for your input.</blockquote>If you read the stickied posts titled *** Read before posting *** that is located here<a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=353617" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...topic_id=353617</a>You will see this:Posting the appropriate information will assist us, as well as your fellow posters, in assisting you. Either a tech moderator of this message board or one of your fellow players will then answer your post. Keep in mind that the moderators work from the bottom to the top of the message boards. So *BUMPING* a post puts that post at the end of the line and is not allowed. Please remember there is no guaranteed response here. However, quite frequently, many players with tech knowledge help out here as well. Please try to be patient and keep your comments to one thread regarding technical problems.For further assistance with urgent issues or issues not adequately described by these steps, please contact Technical and Account/Billing support via the following methods:<a rel="nofollow" href="http://station.sony.com/email" target="_blank">Email</a>, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week<a rel="nofollow" href="http://station.sony.com/chat" target="_blank">Live Chat</a>, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, excluding some holidaysTelephone: +1.858.537.0898, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, excluding most holidaysSo as you can see, you fellow posters will also help in resolving the issues that are posted here, as a matter of fact, shown by the above copy, it is encouraged, if you want direct support from SOE, then use the live chat during the above posted hoursBottom line, there is a 90 percent change the cause of the issue resides on your system, running 3 boxes here, all with Vista Ultimate (2 64 bit 1 32bit) and not expierencing crashes with the systems. All systems are running are running Nvidia cards, a 7900, (1) 7950GX2, (2) 9800GX2 installed with the recommended drivers for the 7XXX series cards and the required driver for the 9XXX series card.

Paceyourself

04-22-2008, 10:21 PM

Thank you both for your responses. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I understand that it's not specifically an SOE issue but it is a software-wide "Game Developer" / nVidia / Microsoft issue. At this point I've tried various "user" suggestions and have not found a solution that's persistent. They've all been band-aids.This problem is so pervasive that Microsoft has addressed it, nVidia has addressed it and my hunch is... SOE is aware of the issue. Maybe I should be more specific about the answers I'm looking for (and had asked for) in my original post:I know that I would like it fixed OR an update that keeps us posted on a potential solution or fix. I'd like to know whether you're working with nVidia and/or Microsoft as well as doing internal testing in conjunction with them to help solve this problem. With the number of people experiencing this problem, there HAS to be someone at each company looking at, and trying to fix, this issue. It's too widespread to be ignored.andI want to know what you're doing to help them fix it. I am YOUR customer and your product is being affected by this anomaly. Please respond without "passing the buck" and let us know SOE's stance on this issue.Based on these two paragraphs, my specific questions are:1. Are you (SOE) aware of this issue?2. If so, are you working with nVidia and/or Microsoft on this issue?3. If you are working with them, how close are you to finding the cause?4. Are you doing any internal testing and have you been able to recreate this anomaly?5. What is SOE's stance on this issue? Are you being passive, or are you being proactive and working on it?If answering these questions requires that I upload page after page of diagnostics, and it helps solve the world-wide issue at hand, then I'll be more than happy to start uploading. In the interim a few answers would be nice...EDIT- Sorry... Two more questions based on the Microsoft links:6. If we have SP1 do we need to install this?7. Are some of the registry tweaks valid at the second Microsoft link?