Video Drivers Install Sound Drivers Too Causing Crashes

[Perfesser]

Suddenly I'm getting random reboots and crashes. Not blue screen, just shutting off.

Event log shows "kernel power 41" system reboot without clean shut down.

A few times it didn't even boot up again fully before the next crash. I'm thinking PSU or HD or motherboard failure.

So I search a bit and find a post where the guy says he has the same issues and he has the answer.

 

Nvidia installs sound drivers as well as video drivers when you do a regular update.  I go to the control panel and sure enough there are the drivers for my on board sound plus 2 new Nvidia ones.

I disabled the new ones and all is now good.

 

Doesn't seem like that should have made such a fuss in the OS but 24 hrs now and it's still working.

[FoolTrottel]

Perf, could you be a bit more specific on the applied solution?

 

We've got at least one that may have the same problem....

 

- Disable the Nvidia sound devices in Device Manager

or

- Uninstall the Nvidia Sound driver?

[Perfesser]

This may only be a problem for folks with on board sound ie no separate sound card.

 

In device manager look for "Sound, video and game controllers" and expand that.

I show:

High Definition Audio Device (I think this is my headset)

NVIDIA High Definition Audio

NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible) (WDM)

Realtek High Definition Audio

 

Right click on each NVIDIA entry and select disable. Then reboot.

 

You can experiment, but I think the important thing is to have only one driver active. From the limited searching I've done the Realtek driver works best with on board sound.

NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device may be needed for Shadow play sound or streaming.

[FoolTrottel]

Thanks Perf, will give it a go!

 

The NVidia sound drivers are part of the HDMI functionality of today's Vidcards, the basically have one on them...

[Painless]

Thanks FT and Perf,

That member is me so I will do as instructed .

I had a blue screen after installing the latest Nvidia drivers for my 580GTX.

Painless.

[FoolTrottel]

(...)I had a blue screen after installing the latest Nvidia drivers for my 580GTX.

Painless.

But, you also had one/some before installing them didn't you?

[Painless]

Yes I did m8, quite right.

P.

[Perfesser]

Maybe have a look in the windows event viewer for some clues.

Start button, type event viewer in the search bar.

Either look in the Windows/system folder for all events or Custom Views/ administrative events for the juicy stuff.

 

Apparently I'd been having the odd random crash for months before it came to my notice. Same "kernel power 41" event ID though