[Duds]

I am probably going to get slammed for "not searching the forums," just like I have been at every other technical support/help site I have gone to in the past few months in pursuit of a solution to this problem. Trust me, I have tried to fix this issue on my own for so long now I do not think I will ever be able to. I've easily been to more varied and differing tech support sites in the past few months than porn, gaming, and blog sites all put together. Bold statement, I know. Please, I am begging someone to help me.

First some basics about my machine:
Windows 7 x64, Gateway Laptop
nvidia geforce 9800m gts, 1gb video memory
4gb ram, 2.53 dual-core processor
no external monitors or anything


Here's the problem in gory detail:
I first got the "kernel display driver xxx.x has stopped responding and successfully recovered" a few months ago. I ignored it initially, and then it happened again. And again. And again. It has occurred in increasing frequency as time has gone on.
Also, about 2 months ago, my laptop actually crashed. It flickered first (which I took note of but mostly ignored)then promptly crashed about 2 minutes later. Now my computer routinely flashes/flickers before the Message appears. Or my computer crashes. A few times it has restarted on its own, once it went to the Blue Screen, but most often the screen flickers and shuts off (completely black). Accompanying this last one, the screen shutting off, 1 of two things happens to the audio. Either it continues normally (so i have the sound of w/e was playing before the crash) or it replays the last millisecond or so of sound repeatedly (so if i am playing a song or video, i will hear a looping sound). If the screen goes completely black, I am forced to manually restart the laptop by holding down the power button.

What CAUSES the problem:
Here is what I have noticed routinely causes the problem to occur. If I am watching YouTube videos (in Chrome AND Firefox, I dont use IE) it will happen randomly. If I am using Adobe After Effects/Sony Vegas/3DS Max, it also shuts down.
This issue has forced me to completely stop using any video editing programs whatsoever, because it just happens CONSTANTLY.
Also it happened today as I was playing Portal 2. Twice. After restarting the system. Twice. When it happened the second time i gave up trying to play. Portal also crashed at one point. I'm not sure if this is related to the same problem or not.
What causes it MOST CONSISTENTLY is watching YouTube videos. It has crashed on other sites like Hulu, etc. but not nearly as often.

What I've tried to FIX the problem:
I've tried a myriad of confusing forum posts but here's what I remember and have been advised most often.
- Updating Flash Player.
- Updating video drivers from nvidias site (clean install using nvidias built in function and then driver sweeper method when that didnt work)
- Turning off Windows Aero
- Defragging computer
- Registry cleaner (glary utilities)
- scanning for various viruses (malwarebytes, avast, norton)
- clearing browsing cache

None of the above methods worked for me.

Please...someone...anyone...help me. Today alone my computer has crashed 3/4 times and had the error message at least twice that i can remember. If you heartily suggest any of the above methods because they worked for you, I will HAPPILY try them again following your instructions to the letter. If you know something else that can work, please, speak your mind.

Thank you for your time and effort.

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Hi Duds
What model of Gateway laptop do you have, how old is it and is it covered by any warranty?
Couple of suggestions for you 1: Try Riva Tuner http://www.freewaref...gram_13538.html
2: Run http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed read the instructions thoroughly 1st 3: Stress test your graphics chip http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/
4: Run MemTest86+ for at least 5-6 passes http://www.memtest.org/ read this tutorial 1st http://www.geekstogo...sing-memtest86/
Hopefully one of the above will help you resolve the issue and let us know how it goes.
BTW I have listed the suggestions in the above order due to the amount of time it takes to run each test ie you may need to leave MemTest86+ running overnight.

[phillpower2]

Hi Duds
What model of Gateway laptop do you have, how old is it and is it covered by any warranty?
Couple of suggestions for you 1: Try Riva Tuner http://www.freewaref...gram_13538.html
2: Run http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed read the instructions thoroughly 1st 3: Stress test your graphics chip http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/
4: Run MemTest86+ for at least 5-6 passes http://www.memtest.org/ read this tutorial 1st http://www.geekstogo...sing-memtest86/
Hopefully one of the above will help you resolve the issue and let us know how it goes.
BTW I have listed the suggestions in the above order due to the amount of time it takes to run each test ie you may need to leave MemTest86+ running overnight.

[Duds]

So here's an update on my progress.

In the time before I got that first reply, I kept trying random other drivers to see if they would help at all.

I eventually settled on the nvidia display driver 258.96.
Surprisingly, I have had ZERO crashes from YouTube videos since updating (or downgrading, rather) to this driver. Portal 2 is a little clunkier it seems, and crashed a few more times, but I beat the game so I don't really care anymore.

So yeah, to anyone else with this problem, I advise trying the version 258.96 driver. The exact one I used is --here--. It's worked so far for me

Thanks for the support guys, seems I've found a "solution."

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update Duds and for posting the solution so that it may help others

[duffman8472]

Thanks man. I have the exact same computer with the exact same problem.