NVIDIA Statement on Vista TDR Errors, Your help requested. Options

[Brian_S]

I've been asked by members for word from NVIDIA on the Timeout Detection and Recovery errors some users have been experiencing with Vista.

Display driver stopped responding, but has successfully recovered

I've forwarded your concerns to NVIDIA who asked me to post this in response:

NVIDIA statement on TDR Error Messages


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. The NVIDIA bug report link is here:
https://surveys.nvidia.com/index.jsp?pi=749...8f09e040b4a437a

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.

More information on TDRs can be found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/displ...dm_timeout.mspx.

[doobzilla]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! That is all I can say.

[JonathanLM]

Thanks for the info! Maybe the next release will be good enough I can finally switch over to Vista

[Everman]

...
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.
...
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Thank the stars! Soon soon soon!

Thanks!

[Gandalf-LoJ]

Excellent news. I've just reported again but with TDR in the description field as requested.

[Jello]

Oh, thank goodness for this response. Hopefully we'll soon see an end to this problem.

[jporter]

Why don't they post this earlier, could have saved so much drama.

Anyway, good to hear.

[brandon]

What can I say?

A million thanks.

[Brian_S]

What can I say?

A million thanks.
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You're welcome. (to all)

[Everman]

You're welcome. (to all)

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Did they give an indication of 101.41 is better for this problem than WHQL? Any indication of when the next rev after 101.41 is going to come out to address this?

Everman

[divad]

I've been asked by members for word from NVIDIA on the Timeout Detection and Recovery errors some users have been experiencing with Vista.
I've forwarded your concerns to NVIDIA who asked me to post this in response:
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Thanks Brian!

-david

[Hexen525]

Brian_S, thanx a ton, we all owe you a great big cookie!!!!

Nice to get some info on what's going on in hallowed halls of nVidia.

[RipTheJacker]

Very good news . Notice now how the display driver error thread is dropping down the page ;D

[theseasickpirate]

I've been asked by members for word from NVIDIA on the Timeout Detection and Recovery errors some users have been experiencing with Vista.
I've forwarded your concerns to NVIDIA who asked me to post this in response:
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Thank You Brian!

[Brian_S]

Did they give an indication of 101.41 is better for this problem than WHQL?  Any indication of when the next rev after 101.41 is going to come out to address this?

Everman
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Sorry can't post upcoming driver release dates!

[DigitalDemolitio]

I dont think its just a timeout request , because i'm getting the same graphical anomalies in a variety of windows environments, i have yet to successfully work my 6200 pci on vista,however i did get it to work properly on xp (until a recent format due to a driver issue with a wi-fi card,DOH!)and now *sigh* its back to its artifacting and crapola, i think if i remember right i underclocked it, i'm going to work on it some more and see if i can give a awnser to this problem, because im sure as heck not getting one from any techies and support sites. so far i've tried almost every known driver type out there and its definetly not completely a software issue, i've come to the conclusion that its completely a hardware gpu to software problem, now this hardware problem i found out typically only occurs in d3d applications no matter what o/s, because i can run open gl applications fine(quake 4 works grrrreat!)its just when i try to run f.e.a.r and games that use d3d, I can reinstall to any forceware version right now thats compatable with my card and open gl will work right off the bat. I'm pretty sure this problem can be fixed via a software patch, or systems setting,and its only a matter of time before someone figures this out, but yeah back to the lab!i'll tell anyone if i have figured it out.

This post has been edited by DigitalDemolitio: Apr 4 2007, 06:14 AM

[Rickm]

Three weeks ago I built a new system specifically for Vista. Without question I picked an Nvidia card, EVGA 7600GT, for my new build. I picked this card in anticipation of replacing it with a better one once DX10 hits the streets. This computer is mainly for work related duties and occasional gaming. I have had nothing but trouble with the drivers for this card, mainly "the driver has stopped responding" issue along with a few BSODs caused by the driver. Going back to Windows XP is not an option, but changing cards for an ATI powered card looks like the only available option for me at this point - before I reach the point where I cannot return the EVGA card. To be honest I really don't care what brand GPU is outputting the image for me, though I prefer Nvidia powered hardware. I just want stability and ATI seems to have it available right now.

I know it is against company policy to give any real date for release or even a hint of a possibility, but you folks need to know that this card has to go back on Monday if I don't have a good reason to keep it - i.e. some kind of date to look forward to so I can have a reason to keep it beyond the return date. I cannot continue with my computer the way it is now - nor can I expect my customers to put up with this. I am nothing more than a customer and I cannot put myself in a position of being a blind supporter of one particular piece of hardware - even though I like your product.

Good grief, the driver stopped responding three times while I typed this.

[t0qt4u]

I'm still a bit confused...

"TDRs are not specific to a single driver problem, and can occur for a variety of reasons."

If it were being caused by different reasons, wouldn't the 'nvlddmkm' be replaced with whatever reason is causing it? I'm still pretty sure this issue... For the majority of us, anyway, is directly related to the nvlddmkm file, and/or drivers. TDR is simply compensating for this issue. I have come to the conclusion that nVidia has not yet released full support for nVidia cards with Windows Vista. I have clean installed Windows XP Home Edition with all updates (SP2, etc.) on another HD and have downloaded the latest nVidia drivers. That was my only change (no RMAing RAM, no replacing parts.) My 6600GT couldn't be working any better, and I'm quite happy with it.

This post has been edited by t0qt4u: Apr 1 2007, 09:33 AM

[Sun Sheng]

some kind of date to look forward to so I can have a reason to keep it beyond the return date.
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No way are they going to give you dates for release, not because of policy so much as logic. If they tell you monday for example and they can't make the deadline, you or whoever is probably not going to be too happy, If they then release a week behind schedule and it cures some peoples problems but not everyones, then those people are going to be really unhappy. I would imagine they know they've got quite a few unhappy customers for whom things aren't going right atm, but you can already see posts in the forum from people counting the hours on the monthly schedule and pissed because they haven't released exactly according to it. Specific release dates would just make a bad problem worse.

[keggerbra]

No way  are they going to give you dates for release, not because of policy so much as logic. If they tell you monday for example and they can't make the deadline, you or whoever is probably not going to be too happy, If they then release a week behind schedule and it cures some peoples problems but not everyones, then those people are going to be really unhappy. I would imagine they know they've got quite a few unhappy customers for whom things aren't going right atm, but you can already see posts in the forum from people counting the hours on the monthly schedule and pissed because they haven't released exactly according to it. Specific release dates would just make a bad problem worse.
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so.. they said they read the user forums, and it took them this long to respond to one issue?