Question Clean install BSOD or Freeze on Graphics Driver install

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vaderag

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Aug 6, 2005
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I've just purchased a refurb machine (this one) to replace an old machine that the motherboard died on and is serving as an Arcade machine.

The needs are pretty low, hence the cheap purchase, but I'm trying to put my old graphics card in there

Again that's old, but working, an MSI geforce GT 740
Seems drivers are still supported (with some caveats) on the nvidia site, so I've downloaded and installed

No matter what I do, when it finishes the driver install I either get the Video TDR Failure nvlddmkm.sys and a bsod or it just freezes and reboots. Sometimes it fully reboots, sometimes it freezes at the windows logo

I'm at a bit of a loss where to go now, I've removed the drivers and reinstalled both in normal and safe mode, but always end up at the same point
 

vaderag

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Well, that CPU is 12 years old. That's an incredibly old platform and it's highly likely that there are going to be some modern applications and software that it won't run. Since you are having problems as well I'd definitely return it if they are willing to allow you to. Old is one thing, but that is seriously approaching the "unusable" category.
Yup, going to push ahead with the return...

Any suggestions on what I should look for in the sub-£100 category to give it a bit more longevity?!
It's basically a MAME machine so doesn't need a lot of umph
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
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where are you getting the drivers from for the 730?

I can look at the crash reports if you want or you just returning PC?

Do this if you want me to look

Can you follow option one on the following link - here - and then do this step below: Small memory dumps - Have Windows Create a Small Memory Dump (Minidump) on BSOD - that creates a file in c windows/minidump after the next BSOD

  1. Open Windows File Explore
  2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Minidump
  3. Copy the mini-dump files out onto your Desktop
  4. Do not use Winzip, use the built in facility in Windows
  5. Select those files on your Desktop, right click them and choose 'Send to' - Compressed (zipped) folder
  6. Upload the zip file to the Cloud (OneDrive, DropBox . . . etc.)
  7. Then post a link here to the zip file, so we can take a look for you . . .
 
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vaderag

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i would have tried the drivers from windows update but I assume Darkbreeze thought of that. Chances of new drivers running with that GPU are slim.

good luck, I just thought I offer. Had been watching thread :)
Well, they were the ones that got automatically installed to begin with. They failed so I tried the other one
 
Well, I don't know exactly what you need or where you are located in terms of ordering, but assuming Ebay is where you got the previous system (And without knowing anything personally about the seller, who does however have a 100% positive feedback rating) this unit with a MUCH newer 6th Gen i5 looks to be a WAY better deal than what you had. Especially since it does come with 8GB of RAM and an SSD rather than an old slow HDD.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185569455735
 

vaderag

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Well, return has been accepted, so it's going back

While I look out for another deal on a cheap machine, I'm going to see if I can diagnose the old machine I'm trying to replace... posted a thread for that here if anyone can help! :)