Video driver (I think) causes computer to freeze up, then continue

Question

Laptop: Dell Studio XPS1340; Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 @2.4GHz; 8GB RAM; Intel 120GB SSD SC2BW120A4

GPU: (stock) NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G, Driver Version 340.52 (up-to-date) [more info avail if needed]

Question: Occasionally when watching YouTube videos or playing StarCraft 2, the display will freeze - not changing at all - and the sound will either freeze with it (causing a single, jarring sound), or proceed really slowly (approx. x16 slower). After 1-3 minutes, it flickers and then continues on as if nothing happens. Only occasionally do I get a pop-up in the taskbar stating that the video driver was restarted. The entire computer becomes unresponsive, and I even get booted from games (from no networking).

I do not remember this happening before I switched to SSD. I thought it was a faulty Crucial drive, but the issue persists with the Intel drive. If not SSD related, is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening video-driver-wise?

Thank you for your help!

Answer 1

Driver Timeout - basically you are overworking the system.

You could try increasing the Timeout Detection and Recovery value (that page has a 'fix it for me' option), or try closing down programmes you are not actively using.

Alternatively; Fixing the Nvlddmkm Error Has interactions covering

• Power setup, making sure the PCIe always running at full speed
• Disabling Aero
• Checking for up to date drivers & windows updates.

... before going on to registry & hardware

Answer 2

Most of the time this type of problems are caused by hardware itself but you can try any of the following solution which will fix the software/driver problems.

Just for FYI, This applies to Windows OS

Solution 1
Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options > Change plan settings (next to whichever active plan you're using) > Change advanced power settings

Under PCI Express > Link State Power Management > Setting > Select "Off"
Apply it and press OK

Solution 2
This is a bit risky because it has to do with regedit but it is considered to be a solution if you're on Windows 7 or 8.

1. Got to Run and enter "regedit" without quotes and enter.
2. It will open registry editor in your system. Go to following path
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > GraphicsDrivers.
   Create new DWORD 32 bit value with name "TdrDelay" without quotes and set it's value to 8.
3. Restart your computer.

Solution 3
Uninstall any overclocking software from your motherboard vendor. For example, If you've installed Easy Tune from gigabyte if you're using gigabyte's motherboard. It turns out most of them don't go along with some brands of graphics cards and other components.

Solution 4
Sometimes Nvidia audio conflicts with your motherboard's audio system. For example sound blaster cards. So disable Nvidia's audio system. Possibly uninstall the audio driver from your system.

1. Open Nvidia control panel > Set up digital audio
2. Turn off audio on all ports
3. Restart your computer

Solution 5

1. Open Nvidia control panel > Go to Set PhysX Configuration
2. Select your graphics card instead of Auto-Select
3. Restart your computer

Solution 6

1. Go to the Control Panel > System > Advanced System Settings > Advanced Tab > Performance Settings > Advanced Tab > Change Virtual Memory
2. Select Custom size and set Initial size to 1024 and Maximum to half of your RAM. For example I've got 16GB Ram so mine will be initial = 1024 and Max = 8192

And that's it. Hope this helps. In most of the cases in all the systems I've built so far, Solution 2 and 3 always works.