- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Location
- UK...London...
Hello People,
While installing Vista32 I came across the following error:
nvlddmkm.sys has stopped responding and has recovered
I looked around the net and found that it was a common problem. I managed to fix the same problem on both my home PCs and my clients by doing the same thing. It might not work for you but totally cured mine...actually I can replicate the error / crash on demand. Its a software issue and not a driver issue - fact (as u will see).
Method
Note: I am just explaining it as simply as I can. U can modify the solution so it is more precise, if you wish. I just wanted to fix the problem with the minimum of trouble.
1. UAC was turned on. ZoneAlarm was running (FW/AV)
2. First thing, download DriverCleaner. More recent the revision the better. Install this app.
3. Remove the Nvidia display drivers. My mobo is an Asus Extreme Striker so I only removed the display drivers.
4. Restart the PC into SM (safe mode) - (F8 at boot)
5. Login in while into SM
6. Run DriverCleaner. Choose the Nvidia option only. Only option I used but you can try all of them if you feel frisky
7. Empty RecycleBin (I set my RB to delete perm all the time so I don’t usually do the empty thing…)
8. Reboot into normal mode Vista
9. Using Explorer or open My Computer and browse C:\Windows\
10. Right-Click on System32 folder and click ‘search’
11. Enter NV*.sys
12. This will show you all the Nvidia system files in the folder. The ones we are interested in is the ‘nvlddmkm.sys’ and how many copies we have.
13. If you tried multiple install/uninstall you will a few copies of it. I had 19 copies. If you look at the location, they were all in the ‘FileRepository’ folder under different subfolder. Something like nv_as***, nv_io***, etc
14. Note down the name of the sub folders where the file is located, nv_as***
15. So we now know that we have X copies of the nvlddmkm.sys file and what folders they are located in under the FileRep folder. There might be one under the main system32 folder as well. Note it down.
16. Vista has a totally awesome function. ACLs for network geeks…Access-Control Lists or Access-Lists or whatever you want to call them
17. Browse to Accessories from the Start menu (win icon>all programs)
18. Right-Click on command and click ‘Run as Admin’
19. There are other ways 2 do the step above…I just got it pinned to my start menu or u can just press the win key on ur keyboard and type command
20. OK so in our Admin CMD window we type the following commands in sequence
21. takeown /f C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\*.*
22. The command above will give you ownership of all the files under the FileRep folder
23. cacls C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\*.* /G Username:F
24. Replace username with your windows account name or login name
25. Like magic we are done. Oh and if ur wondering…u cant do the above via GUI. Windows will give you permission but you would still not be able to delete anything
26. Earlier we did the search for the nvlddmkm.sys under the system32 folder. Do that again. In the search results, select all the instances of the nvlddmkm.sys file and delete them. OK, next is a totally optional step but I did it to make 100% sure it was all gone.
27. We noted down all the nv_as**, etc folder which had the nvlddmkm.sys file in it, delete the folders and empty ur RecBin
28. Fire up your ForceWare drivers for the install. Disabled ur AV before hand, it does make a difference (git)
29. Restart, login, set ur resolution and enjoy the whole error-free nvlddmkm.sys effect.
30. Few notes. Make sure u can see the file extensions and system files are not hidden (blasphemous behaviour for techGeeks). Google search to show hidden window files and extension if u have no idea what to do
The whole procedure might sound like a really long way to get the problem sorted out buts its not. When u actually do it u will see that in totally in takes around 10 mins tops to get the whole thing sorted out.
The techguys had this problem while rolling our vista to the execs. One of the execs asked me to look into it. I declined as I was too busy until they added a contract addendum (read bonus…£££s (^-^)…) and I took a look at the whole problem. Spent an hour trying various things. I did the most logical thing…make Vista like XP…as much as I can…the takeown/cacls commands do this for us.
Piece of advice, I don’t recommend u apply the ACL commands to your whole storage systems. I usually enter it for the FileRep folder and ALL my HDDs that used for only data storage, like avi’s, etc.
I am sure someone on the net will create a pic version of this guide. As of right now all the first 1000 hits from Google on the 11/07/2007 11pm…no-one has this method written but should see it pop up on more sites.
Well. First of all. Anyone that knocks Vista32 needs to be shot. MS did a good job with the OS. Nvidia should not be blamed for this problem or MS. For me it’s a security issue that is in a grey area.
One final thing. I am not a Vista32 expert by any means.
Feel free to try it out let me know how u get on.
ScreamMyName?
PS: Just finished a piece of work. To run the normal install of Vista32 entirely ‘virtualised’ with shadow copies. This means that when ANY service or app crashes you can recover from it from a few simple key presses and carry on working like nothing happened. This is not VMware or anything like that. There are runtimes in V32 that allow u to run effectively 2+ copies of the whole OS and flip between them. For example if the RPC service fails…BSOD follows or a screen-freeze crash. With this ‘tweak’ the RPC shadow takes over because fundamentally…the applications hand-off code is running in separate memory spaces (-_-). Might write this thing up but will wait as my client saw the tweaked version and offered a lot of £££s to install it on all the there systems. The thing about the whole tweak…resource usage is only 3% higher than not running it…
EDIT: Found out that if you do all the WindowsUpdates do not get installed / failed then the NVL error will appear. The method above will not fix the problem. You will need to use the expand method. Basically in the System32\drivers folder you need to remove the NVL file and manually copy across the new NVL, that are part of your drivers. This seems to sort the isssue out.
Some people are reinstalling there whole PCs, etc and then post that there problems are resolved regarding the issue. Its because the updates were installed completely with no failures, etc.
As not everyone can be asked to keep re-installing, I am trying to narrow down the exact order of updates required as a minimum to avoid the problem. Later on in the week I plan to uninstall all the AutoUpdates and do them one by one until the NVL appears.
People....post your details of install/update methods used. I am sure between us we can sort this out and find a work-around until NV/MS get there heads together and sort it out properly.
Update 03/11/2007: PDF of how I upgraded from .44 to the latest beta's with pics...enjoy!
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3K898TO3
http://rapidshare.com/files/67066628/KnightsOfTheRoundSummon.pdf.html
Update: 13/Dec/2007: I think the whole single dimm stick fix is totally bogus or not exactly correct. I am running 2x 2GB RAM sticks on the lastest beta's released yesterday and its all working fine. I tried the following sticks: Corsair 2x2GB PC6400, Corsair 2GB PC8888 and Crucial 2x2GB and all checked out fine on vista32.
While installing Vista32 I came across the following error:
nvlddmkm.sys has stopped responding and has recovered
I looked around the net and found that it was a common problem. I managed to fix the same problem on both my home PCs and my clients by doing the same thing. It might not work for you but totally cured mine...actually I can replicate the error / crash on demand. Its a software issue and not a driver issue - fact (as u will see).
Method
Note: I am just explaining it as simply as I can. U can modify the solution so it is more precise, if you wish. I just wanted to fix the problem with the minimum of trouble.
1. UAC was turned on. ZoneAlarm was running (FW/AV)
2. First thing, download DriverCleaner. More recent the revision the better. Install this app.
3. Remove the Nvidia display drivers. My mobo is an Asus Extreme Striker so I only removed the display drivers.
4. Restart the PC into SM (safe mode) - (F8 at boot)
5. Login in while into SM
6. Run DriverCleaner. Choose the Nvidia option only. Only option I used but you can try all of them if you feel frisky
7. Empty RecycleBin (I set my RB to delete perm all the time so I don’t usually do the empty thing…)
8. Reboot into normal mode Vista
9. Using Explorer or open My Computer and browse C:\Windows\
10. Right-Click on System32 folder and click ‘search’
11. Enter NV*.sys
12. This will show you all the Nvidia system files in the folder. The ones we are interested in is the ‘nvlddmkm.sys’ and how many copies we have.
13. If you tried multiple install/uninstall you will a few copies of it. I had 19 copies. If you look at the location, they were all in the ‘FileRepository’ folder under different subfolder. Something like nv_as***, nv_io***, etc
14. Note down the name of the sub folders where the file is located, nv_as***
15. So we now know that we have X copies of the nvlddmkm.sys file and what folders they are located in under the FileRep folder. There might be one under the main system32 folder as well. Note it down.
16. Vista has a totally awesome function. ACLs for network geeks…Access-Control Lists or Access-Lists or whatever you want to call them
17. Browse to Accessories from the Start menu (win icon>all programs)
18. Right-Click on command and click ‘Run as Admin’
19. There are other ways 2 do the step above…I just got it pinned to my start menu or u can just press the win key on ur keyboard and type command
20. OK so in our Admin CMD window we type the following commands in sequence
21. takeown /f C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\*.*
22. The command above will give you ownership of all the files under the FileRep folder
23. cacls C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\*.* /G Username:F
24. Replace username with your windows account name or login name
25. Like magic we are done. Oh and if ur wondering…u cant do the above via GUI. Windows will give you permission but you would still not be able to delete anything
26. Earlier we did the search for the nvlddmkm.sys under the system32 folder. Do that again. In the search results, select all the instances of the nvlddmkm.sys file and delete them. OK, next is a totally optional step but I did it to make 100% sure it was all gone.
27. We noted down all the nv_as**, etc folder which had the nvlddmkm.sys file in it, delete the folders and empty ur RecBin
28. Fire up your ForceWare drivers for the install. Disabled ur AV before hand, it does make a difference (git)
29. Restart, login, set ur resolution and enjoy the whole error-free nvlddmkm.sys effect.
30. Few notes. Make sure u can see the file extensions and system files are not hidden (blasphemous behaviour for techGeeks). Google search to show hidden window files and extension if u have no idea what to do
The whole procedure might sound like a really long way to get the problem sorted out buts its not. When u actually do it u will see that in totally in takes around 10 mins tops to get the whole thing sorted out.
The techguys had this problem while rolling our vista to the execs. One of the execs asked me to look into it. I declined as I was too busy until they added a contract addendum (read bonus…£££s (^-^)…) and I took a look at the whole problem. Spent an hour trying various things. I did the most logical thing…make Vista like XP…as much as I can…the takeown/cacls commands do this for us.
Piece of advice, I don’t recommend u apply the ACL commands to your whole storage systems. I usually enter it for the FileRep folder and ALL my HDDs that used for only data storage, like avi’s, etc.
I am sure someone on the net will create a pic version of this guide. As of right now all the first 1000 hits from Google on the 11/07/2007 11pm…no-one has this method written but should see it pop up on more sites.
Well. First of all. Anyone that knocks Vista32 needs to be shot. MS did a good job with the OS. Nvidia should not be blamed for this problem or MS. For me it’s a security issue that is in a grey area.
One final thing. I am not a Vista32 expert by any means.
Feel free to try it out let me know how u get on.
ScreamMyName?
PS: Just finished a piece of work. To run the normal install of Vista32 entirely ‘virtualised’ with shadow copies. This means that when ANY service or app crashes you can recover from it from a few simple key presses and carry on working like nothing happened. This is not VMware or anything like that. There are runtimes in V32 that allow u to run effectively 2+ copies of the whole OS and flip between them. For example if the RPC service fails…BSOD follows or a screen-freeze crash. With this ‘tweak’ the RPC shadow takes over because fundamentally…the applications hand-off code is running in separate memory spaces (-_-). Might write this thing up but will wait as my client saw the tweaked version and offered a lot of £££s to install it on all the there systems. The thing about the whole tweak…resource usage is only 3% higher than not running it…
EDIT: Found out that if you do all the WindowsUpdates do not get installed / failed then the NVL error will appear. The method above will not fix the problem. You will need to use the expand method. Basically in the System32\drivers folder you need to remove the NVL file and manually copy across the new NVL, that are part of your drivers. This seems to sort the isssue out.
Some people are reinstalling there whole PCs, etc and then post that there problems are resolved regarding the issue. Its because the updates were installed completely with no failures, etc.
As not everyone can be asked to keep re-installing, I am trying to narrow down the exact order of updates required as a minimum to avoid the problem. Later on in the week I plan to uninstall all the AutoUpdates and do them one by one until the NVL appears.
People....post your details of install/update methods used. I am sure between us we can sort this out and find a work-around until NV/MS get there heads together and sort it out properly.
Update 03/11/2007: PDF of how I upgraded from .44 to the latest beta's with pics...enjoy!
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3K898TO3
http://rapidshare.com/files/67066628/KnightsOfTheRoundSummon.pdf.html
Update: 13/Dec/2007: I think the whole single dimm stick fix is totally bogus or not exactly correct. I am running 2x 2GB RAM sticks on the lastest beta's released yesterday and its all working fine. I tried the following sticks: Corsair 2x2GB PC6400, Corsair 2GB PC8888 and Crucial 2x2GB and all checked out fine on vista32.
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