PC reboots halfway into Nvidia driver install

gijoe50000 · August 16, 2017

So I got a random "watchdog" BSOD a few days ago and pc wouldn't boot afterwards. It got to the windows logo but then kept rebooting. I went into safe mode and uninstalled the Nvidia drivers (DDU) and it booted up fine with the basic-adapter driver but won't complete an any Nvidia driver installs. I think the bios reset itself too in the process, but that's been happening for a long time.

I did a compete format and a fresh install of the Creators update and still the same thing.

I have two 970's in sli and the exact same thing happens with the second card. Same thing happens whether I use the dp or hdmi port. The integrated hdmi on my mobo does pretty much the same thing too but won't even boot most of the time, or freezes on the windows logo. Swapped out ram.. same thing.

Also created a new Microsoft account in case some corrupted settings were getting downloaded

This seems to rule out an os issue, account issue, gpu issue(not sure) and a memory issue. My drives seem to be fine too, no errors anyway and I can't see how they'd affect it this way. And I don't think it's the psu as the issue is very specific.

I'm thinking maybe it's either the motherboard, or maybe video memory(?) or something that only comes into effect when the proper Nvidia driver gets installed.

I can install the driver in safe mode but when I reboot I just get the same boot-loop again.

Does this make sense to anyone?

Edit:

Also, my monitor won't show up in Device Manager as anything other than "generic non-pnp monitor". It did show up for a few minutes after the fresh install, before the Nvidia drivers came along, but not since. It's like windows can't figure out what the monitor is, like it's not getting enough info back from the monitor or something.

Gaming 5 Gigabyte

4790k

2x970's

crucial 120GB SSD & 4GB Toshiba

4K AOC U2868PQU monitor

Kd4lif3 · August 17, 2017

See if you can try the card in another computer all together to rule out the gpus as an issue all togeather.

xGGAx · August 17, 2017

Try the fix in this thread:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/4544-73-bsod-dpc_watchdog_violation

if that doesn't work try booting up with a portable linux OS. Make a bootable usb with debian or ubuntu live and see if it works( try each 970 separately). If the problem persists then i think your motherboard is dying.

gijoe50000 · August 17, 2017

12 hours ago, Kd4lif3 said:

See if you can try the card in another computer all together to rule out the gpus as an issue all togeather.

Yea, that'll be my next step, fairly soon, I think. I'm leaving it as a later option because I have one big WC loop with my 2x970s and the cpu all together, so it will probably involve draining and disassembling the loop and removing the waterblocks, lots of cleaning and reapplying old heatsinks etc. I have an old FX8350 and mobo lying around so I'll probably run a test bench with that when all else fails.

9 hours ago, xGGAx said:

Try the fix in this thread:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/4544-73-bsod-dpc_watchdog_violation

related:

https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/dpc-watchdog-violation-on-windows-10-fixed/

if that doesn't work try booting up with a portable linux OS. Make a bootable usb with debian or ubuntu live and see if it works( try each 970 separately). If the problem persists then i think your motherboard is dying.

I've actually done almost everything in those two links already, even raising the voltage to the PCIe lanes and anything related to display or gpu in the bios. I didn't take them to the limit though, just one or two notches until I go Googling the safe limits. I'll have another good read through it now though, to make sure.

I don't get the watchdog anymore though, it was just that first time. I had errors on the SSD after it happened, but I just assumed it was unsaved\corrupted data after the BSOD, haven't got any errors since and the SSD seems to check out OK

I haven't made any changes recently either and I've done lots of reformats and reinstalls in the past and never had an issue like it before, so I assume it's not driver or software related..

Haven't done a portable Linux boot yet, but that's a good idea. I can install gpu drivers to the usb too if I remember correctly, so that might rule out dodgy permissions or sectors on the SSD (even though I think that's ok). It might save me taking my loop apart..

gijoe50000 · August 18, 2017

So I replaced the motherboard and cpu.. no change.

Then removed one of the gpus.. again, the exact same thing. I'll swap out the other gpu tomorrow but I don't think that'll do it either.

Update:

So I put in the other gpu, and reinstalled my 4790k and mobo (god, the FX8350 is bad!) refilled the loop and after some freezing at the windows logo due to display drivers, swapping to igfx-hdmi, running DDU and reinstalling gpu driver it's all sorted again.

When I had my display running off this gpu a few days ago it was showing the same symptoms as the top gpu. I'm guessing the fault in the top gpu carried over to the second gpu even though it wasn't the main display..

So now I've got a semi-dead watercooled 970 to throw at the neighbour's dog, or use as a paperweight. :-(