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October 21st, 2022 11:00
XPS 8930, underclocking Nvidia GPU as possible fix?
A fairly common issue I've found with both custom built as well as pre-built OEM PC's is the display driver nvlddmkm driver will stop responding within the 1 sec TDR delay set in the Windows registry which will cause the display to either go black on else flicker and recover. But then many users will still find they have to re-boot their system... or sometimes not.
What I don't want to spend too much time discussing is all the testing I've already done and also all the troubleshooting already performed. With 100% certainty if asked, did you try this, or did you do that, the response will be undeniably 'Yes. Been there, done that'.
The only thing that hasn't been tried is underclocking the Nvidia GPU. One might ask, who the heck would consider doing that? There's been users who've posted on other forums that it has worked (for them) to correct this issue.
It was my understanding Dell GPU cards are clocked slightly lower than the reference specs. Nvidia specs for my GPU clock are 1506 MHz and the GPU boost of 1708 MHz.
Perhaps trying MSI Afterburner to lower the Core clock to a negative (-) boost range may work
Both GPU-Z Tech Power Up and HDWInfo64 sensors read the graphics clock of 1911 MHz. I wouldn't consider messing around with undervoltaging since I'm informed enough to know of the possible cause of damage to the GPU.
Anyone tried underclocking and if so, did it work to fix black screens, and critical error 4101 "Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered" ?
HWInfo64
GPU-Z Tech Power-Up
Anonymous
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October 26th, 2022 11:00
@ispalten, @Tesla1856
For what its worth, I thought I'd provide an Update.
Perhaps some others in the future might benefit who're having the same issue I had.
The problem was that while there were no processes or applications drawing resources from the Nvidia GPU as evident in the Windows task manager GPU performance data, the data from the sensors read from GPU-Z (and also HWiNFO64) showed the video engine load (stuck? perhaps) at 100%. The temperature was running up there, the base clock was astronomically higher above the Dell spec of 1507MHz. And the fan speed was running way out there.
Turns out it was due to the previous BIOS version. I flashed the new BIOS version 1.1.26 copied onto a USB stick from the one-time boot menu.
Then I took the sensors reading with GPU-Z. The video engine load, temperature, base clock, and fan all dropped. The PCLe slot voltage is even back up to + 12 v along with the 6-Pin power cable voltage up to +12v .
A lot of sleep lost over a problem I had no control over. How many others may have the same issue without knowing, who knows?
I never did try underclocking with MSI Afterburner. Didn't want to start another problem by tweaking on the clock until I narrowed down the cause. Stuck to my guns
I did try one minor tweak but I didn't see it having any affect. Before updating the BIOS, I changed the power management mode in Nvidia CP from maximum performance to optimal. So far, I think I'll leave it set at optimal . .. overriding Windows power setting
Tesla1856
10 Wizard
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October 21st, 2022 11:00
Not really, however (I think related), my:
MSI Nvidia GTX-1070 (Gaming-X ) 8gb
Is an Over-Clockable card, but I have always (intentionally) never really turned-on the OC much, and just run it at "stock clocks". It's already very fast, runs cool under heavy utilization, and rock-solid. I ran it under Windows-7 and now Windows-10, with various Nvidia WHQL drivers over the years, and it runs excellent.
I also have a Dell-OEM GTX-1070 (back blower) in this Aurora-R6. It also runs at stocks clocks and is very stable. I had a little issue recently, but I don't think it was the actual video-card, as it is fine now (after being re-seated):
https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R6-hardware-error-Nvidia-GTX-1070/m-p/8279402#M63101
ispalten
7 Practitioner
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October 21st, 2022 12:00
@Anonymous
Not sure what you are running when you took that data? Your Video Engine Load is 100%?
I''m just looking at this thread with FireFox and nothing else basically running and my GPU-Z sure looks a lot different from your data?
This is the Driver I am on on an XPS 8940 with Win 11 2H22 version:
You must have something else using the Video card? Task Manager might show something using CPU that could be using the GPU?
ispalten
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October 21st, 2022 12:00
@Anonymous
I checked the GTX 1060 spec's here, https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1060-6-gb.c2862
Your clock is off according to that page.
By comparison, mine is correct on my model on that site:
Anonymous
12 Elder
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October 21st, 2022 14:00
Yeah, I mentioned the Nvidia spec reference level clock 1506 MHz
Task mgr will only show a higher CPU and memory usage for Window Update, wsappx (which is a Windows process associated with the MS store), and Windows Defender security updates....all a brief time and a tad high after the system boots up
I never overclocked the GPU or CPU
nothing, not any thing is consuming high nvidia GPU demand when either starting up or during just browsing with nothing else running
ispalten
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October 21st, 2022 16:00
Not the case, on the Process Tab (and some others, if you Right Mouse Button on the column header, you''ll see a list of columns, click on GPU and you'll get that and be able to see who is.
I'm showing you that I Right Mouse Button on my GPU column here, and as you can see it is checked already.
When you have Task Manager open Desktop Window Manager will use the GPU (as it is writing to the screen) and if nothing is using the GPU it will show 100%. Sorting on that column you will see a list of programs using the GPU. I've got GeForce open now, using ALT-R to show the GPU measurements and this is what it looks like:
It should show you what probably is using the GPU, and probably a background process.
Anonymous
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October 21st, 2022 18:00
I'm familiar with task mgr and how to view what's using the GPU. I'd post a snap shot if I could but the snip-it tool never worked for screen shots in task mgr on my machine . .as in never. . probably the only Windows desktop app that snip-it never worked in.
TM shows what's using the GPU or any supporting apps. Desktop Windows manager that's about it
Tesla1856
10 Wizard
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October 21st, 2022 18:00
Do you have two monitors connected?
Tesla1856
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October 21st, 2022 18:00
Alt-Print-Screen works.
My screenshots save to OneDrive cloud, but if yours don't ... you can Paste into Paint.
Tesla1856
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October 21st, 2022 19:00
Right. No, I just meant that sometimes less is ok if it makes it more reliable. I'll take "more stable" over a couple of FPS any day.
Still, it is curious you run into this problem often as I hardly ever see it on 3 different Nvidia desktops, and one Nvidia laptop. Is it maybe just because you are moving the same Nvidia card around to various systems?
Anonymous
12 Elder
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October 21st, 2022 19:00
not like I never tried Alt-PrtScr and paste in Paint before
So I tried it again. . . and the Paint app becomes the screen shot to be saved. Perhaps its been so long I forgot the trick in this old legacy app
Tesla1856
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October 21st, 2022 20:00
Print-Screen captures the whole screen to the Copy/Paste buffer.
Alt-Print-Screen captures the App-Window currently active or in focus. It works, try again while looking at the Task-Manager.
Tesla1856
10 Wizard
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October 21st, 2022 21:00
Well, definitely some strange-ness going on there with your system.
It's most likely your Windows or it's drivers. Yeah, until you can figure it out ... MSI-AfterBurner should be able to be used to set it back to stock-clocks (and you can set it to load Config #1 on Windows boot).
What Nvidia driver are you running? On my Nvidia GTX-1070 cards ... since they are not new and several generations behind now, I run on both ... Nvidia GTX-1070 Driver is still v457.51 WHQL (DCH) .
ispalten
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October 22nd, 2022 05:00
@Anonymous
Well, I guess us GPU geniuses could use some more details?
I too would like to know more about the card and how used? # of monitor's, port used, as well?
Can you run the Nvidia Control Panel? If so, what does the SYSTEM INFORMATION on the lower left provide?
My info is:
=======================
NVIDIA System Information report created on: 10/22/2022 07:30:56
System name: IRVXPS8940
[Display]
Operating System: Windows 10 Home, 64-bit
DirectX version: 12.0
GPU processor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
Driver version: 522.25
Driver Type: DCH
Direct3D feature level: 12_1
CUDA Cores: 1920
Core clock: 1680 MHz
Memory data rate: 14.00 Gbps
Memory interface: 192-bit
Memory bandwidth: 336.05 GB/s
Total available graphics memory: 22314 MB
Dedicated video memory: 6144 MB GDDR6
System video memory: 0 MB
Shared system memory: 16170 MB
Video BIOS version: 90.06.2E.C0.0B
IRQ: Not used
Bus: PCI Express x16 Gen3
Device Id: 10DE 1F08 37591028
Part Number: G160 0042
[Components]
nvui.dll 8.17.15.2225 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdplcy.dll 8.17.15.2225 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdbat.dll 8.17.15.2225 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdapix.dll 8.17.15.2225 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
NVCPL.DLL 8.17.15.2225 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvCplUIR.dll 8.1.940.0 NVIDIA Control Panel
nvCplUI.exe 8.1.940.0 NVIDIA Control Panel
nvWSSR.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Workstation Server
nvWSS.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Workstation Server
nvViTvSR.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Video Server
nvViTvS.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Video Server
nvLicensingS.dll 6.14.15.2225 NVIDIA Licensing Server
nvDevToolSR.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Licensing Server
nvDevToolS.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server
nvDispSR.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Display Server
nvDispS.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA Display Server
PhysX 09.21.0713 NVIDIA PhysX
NVCUDA64.DLL 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA CUDA 11.8.87 driver
nvGameSR.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server
nvGameS.dll 31.0.15.2225 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server
===================
You can save the data to your desktop, open it, and use COPY and PASTE to put it here.
Odd that the 'Snipping Tool' doesn't work? I have no problems?
Also, what you might try is on the Nvidia Control Panel is a Restore Defaults:
It is possible some were changed causing your problem. However, there doesn't seem to be a way to save your present settings and restore them? So if you don't want to do that, you can go down the list and see if any appear changed.
These are my Global Settings:
You can check it against mine above.
As you run the mouse over those there is info about it below, so if you do have a difference, you can decide to keep it or not?
ispalten
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October 22nd, 2022 05:00
Get an Alternate program if the Snipping Tool doesn't work then. I'll use GREENSHOT sometimes. It is much better. For instance it will open an Image Editor with the snip. It has some better tools. It is OLD, but it works great, https://getgreenshot.org/downloads/