Multiple crashes with Alienware 17 R2 and Geforce GTX 980m

Question

Good day, I got myselft an alienware 17 R2 6 weeks ago, and I've been having serious problems with random crashes (while in desktop, playing a game or even running the video card diagnostics test from Dell). I tried installing newer drivers from the Dell support site, upgrading to Win10 and installing the latest drivers and going back to 8.1. Here are my system specs:   From the windows crash dump, you can see it is definelty the video card, if you look at the dates, you can see that the crashes happen between minutes of the last crash sometimes: System Information (local) Computer name: ALIENWARELAPTOPWindows version: Windows 8.1 , 6.3, build: 9600Windows dir: C:\WindowsHardware: Alienware 17 R2, AlienwareCPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4720HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz Intel586, level: 68 logical processors, active mask: 255RAM: 17059753984 bytes total Crash Dump Analysis Crash dump directory: C:\Windows\MinidumpCrash dumps are enabled on your computer.On Mon 14/09/2015 03:20:00 p. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-15312-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: ntoskrnl.exe (nt+0x150CA0) Bugcheck code: 0x133 (0x1, 0x1E00, 0x0, 0x0)Error: DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATIONfile path: C:\Windows\system32
toskrnl.exeproduct: Microsoft® Windows® Operating Systemcompany: Microsoft Corporationdescription: NT Kernel & SystemBug check description: The DPC watchdog detected a prolonged run time at an IRQL of DISPATCH_LEVEL or above.This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem. This problem might be caused by a thermal issue. The crash took place in the Windows kernel. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver that cannot be identified at this time. On Mon 14/09/2015 03:20:00 p. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\memory.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x1A4811) Bugcheck code: 0x133 (0x1, 0x1E00, 0x0, 0x0)Error: DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATIONfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: The DPC watchdog detected a prolonged run time at an IRQL of DISPATCH_LEVEL or above.This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem. This problem might be caused by a thermal issue. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATIONOn Mon 14/09/2015 03:03:08 p. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-8218-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x15843C) Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFE001B11DC4D0, 0xFFFFF80117C0343C, 0xFFFFFFFFC00000B5, 0xA)Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERRORfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation VIDEO_TDR_ERROROn Mon 14/09/2015 03:01:47 p. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-15421-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x15843C) Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFE000453854D0, 0xFFFFF801727CB43C, 0xFFFFFFFFC00000B5, 0xA)Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERRORfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation VIDEO_TDR_ERROROn Mon 14/09/2015 06:50:24 a. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-15750-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x921780) Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFE0006A3E9010, 0xFFFFF8003295A780, 0xFFFFFFFFC000009A, 0x4)Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERRORfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation VIDEO_TDR_ERROROn Mon 14/09/2015 06:45:19 a. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-15265-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x15843C) Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFE0006397C010, 0xFFFFF801E0A2F43C, 0xFFFFFFFFC00000B5, 0xA)Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERRORfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation VIDEO_TDR_ERROROn Mon 14/09/2015 06:43:56 a. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-15187-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: ntoskrnl.exe (nt+0x150CA0) Bugcheck code: 0x133 (0x1, 0x1E00, 0x0, 0x0)Error: DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATIONfile path: C:\Windows\system32
toskrnl.exeproduct: Microsoft® Windows® Operating Systemcompany: Microsoft Corporationdescription: NT Kernel & SystemBug check description: The DPC watchdog detected a prolonged run time at an IRQL of DISPATCH_LEVEL or above.This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem. This problem might be caused by a thermal issue. The crash took place in the Windows kernel. Possibly this problem is caused by another driver that cannot be identified at this time. On Mon 14/09/2015 06:36:48 a. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091415-15984-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x15843C) Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFE000EE209010, 0xFFFFF8007A17943C, 0xFFFFFFFFC00000B5, 0xA)Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERRORfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation VIDEO_TDR_ERROROn Sun 13/09/2015 07:07:45 p. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091315-14984-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (nvlddmkm+0x921780) Bugcheck code: 0x116 (0xFFFFE0009BE15010, 0xFFFFF800685BE780, 0xFFFFFFFFC000009A, 0x4)Error: VIDEO_TDR_ERRORfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout failed. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation VIDEO_TDR_ERROROn Sun 13/09/2015 04:39:03 p. m. GMT your computer crashedcrash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\091315-16406-01.dmpThis was probably caused by the following module: nvlddmkm.sys (0xFFFFF800B7687845) Bugcheck code: 0xD1 (0x20, 0x2, 0x0, 0xFFFFF800B7687845)Error: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUALfile path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers
vlddmkm.sysproduct: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 company: NVIDIA Corporationdescription: NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 Bug check description: This indicates that a kernel-mode driver attempted to access pageable memory at a process IRQL that was too high.This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem. A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.73 , NVIDIA Corporation). Google query: NVIDIA Corporation DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Do you guys have any insight on this or maybe people with the same problem as I have?

Alienware - Rodrigo · Answer

Hi,

Make sure your system is running the latest Bios firmware, click here for the download link. Try uinstalling both the Intel and Nvidia drivers first. Install the Intel driver listed on the Dell support site. For the Nvidia driver, use the latest version from the Nvidia website. Let us know how it goes.

Tjarboe · Answer

I have the Alienware 17 R2 GTX980 and I keep getting a crash to the launcher when launching minecraft.  I checked for the latest BIOS and my system is using the latest BIOS.  Any suggestions? Thanks!

Locked Topics – Alienware General

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