More Awesome Than You!

I know I haven't been around here for a while, but if anyone can help me with this, you guys can. I'm no computer dummy, but my knowledge only descends to about the fourth level of Hell.

My vital specs:

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)
System Model: Dell DXP051                 
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A05
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB RAM
Page File: 469MB used, 4491MB available
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (75Hz) (I changed it to 85Hz after I noticed that)
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.6218 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 6/29/2007 00:43:00, 5690624 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a

Question: Do I have the final version of this driver, or am I still running the beta version? The date is the same as the beta, but it says there that it's the final WHQL version.  ??? I need to know because I've tried six times to UNinstall the beta (I thought) and install the final, but every time I try to install (or think I'm installing), I get the damned BSOD and a STOP: error that reads, in part:

STOP: 0X0000008... (No terms, just a very long string of numbers)
nv4_disp.dll - Address BF01319c
base at BF012000
Datestamp 4684bf14

Then it commences a memory dump.

When I reboot, the stats are the same, as if I never UNinstalled/installed.

Here's the driver download page, if you need more info on the driver:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_162.18.html
Note the difference in the dates. That one says July 26, 2007, where as the one I'm running says 6/29/2007.

Second verse: I've tried uninstalling the beta ~ if it is the beta, and not the final ~ through the hardware device manager, and got "Access denied. You may need to log into an administrative account to change these settings, blah blah blah go away asshole." I have never seen an "Access denied" message before last week. I AM THE ADMINISTRATOR. I'm the only one who ever touches this computer. What is the secret handshake to be able to change settings and remove/change things on MY COMPUTER? Did BV or *kack* SecuROM do this???

BTW. yeah, BV freezes the whole system every hour or so, but I manage...with the aid of 160+ of JMP's entire BV-approved mod collection (nothing non-awesome). I'd like to update the driver, though, to see if that helps.

TYIA

Just because you're the only one who touches the computer doesn't mean that the account you're using is an administrator accout. Did you install the OS yourself or was it pre-installed. You might be operating under a user-account with a hidden administrator account.

As for getting the driver out. I always uninstall that sort of thing from the control panel and not the program folder. I'm not whoop de do on drivers and versions, but maybe you can trick it by uninstalling the suspect driver and going back to your original (off the disk) driver. Check that to make sure it's gone in and then install the 'latest' over the top. jIf you still get the mis-representing date then either the downloaded file is suspect or something completely beyond me is going on.

Also - try having a look on the NVidia boards, you never know, maybe somebody else has had the same problem and already been helped.

Have you tried uninstalling the driver in safe mode?

Best thing to do is boot into Safe Mode (per above) using the Administrator account, uninstall the driver, run Driver Cleaner, and reboot.  Then go ahead with installing the current build.

Actually, it sounds like you can't get across the river Styx.  Do you not have a talent for Charon?

You have the final driver version, not the beta, and it is the most current driver for XP.  This does not mean your driver installation is not corrupted, however.  Administrator settings are located in Start>Control Panel>User Accounts.  Uninstall nVidia drivers from Start>Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs, the way nVidia recommends.  If you are having trouble with driver installation, use Safe Mode, it is evil and should work just fine in Hell.  To get to Safe Mode, press and hold [F8] while Windows is trying to load during startup.

A STOP error like that is usually related to some kind of hardware dysfunction. Given that I've used an Nvidia card without any difficulty for awhile, I am inclined to suspect that your issue relates to overheating, especially since you have an LE "El Cheapo" Edition AND are exacerbating the strain by unnecessarily running at a higher refresh rate, forcing the card to work still harder. Thus, boom. Reduce your refresh rate to a more reasonable value, like the traditional 60. Making it run at 85 is making it work nearly 50% harder to draw the same thing, and people aren't supposed to be able to see better than 30 FPS anyway.

As for the access denied errors, THAT, I would blame on SecuRom, which is evil. The solution to THAT is to spit on your hands, hoist the black flag, and start slitting throats. ARRRR!

B posted how to stop Securom from running on another thread.
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,9559.msg265414.html#msg265414
Although, many of us don't seem to have, a bit odd.

According to UserAccounts, I am the Administrator.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/Hairfish/idontplaychess.gif)
Ah! The one thing I didn't try. Thank you! I was under the impression that using msconfig to use Diagnostic startup was the same as using Safe Mode. That's didn't work, obviously. (Neither did using Add/Remove Programs to try to remove the old drivers, which was the first thing I tried, then five times more, before trying it through the device manager. Sorry I wasn't clearer on that.)

For the time being, I'm going to leave things as they are, since I was able to play for two hours last night without a freeze-up, by saving every 30 minutes or less. Of course, I didn't take any Sims on vacation. If it starts happening again (and I have no doubt it will), I'll start with Safe Mode driver updating, and proceed from there with a direct attack on SecuROM, as provided by B...

JMP, people aren't supposed to be able see a change in refresh rate above 30? I did back mine down to 75, as advised, but anything below that flickers horribly. I'll give you that I do have a cheap card (it is from Dell, after all), but this is NOT a cheap monitor by any means. So it must be my cheap eyes, huh?  ;)

Or, as I've always suspected, I am not completely human.

Thank you all for taking the time to teach me some things.

Hm. I decided to go ahead and try to get SecuROM to go away, and I don't have a SecuROM User Access Service OR UAService7.exe (or UAServie8.exe) on my system.

I am still investigating the current protection scheme.  A few people (such as myself) encountered the usual crap, but most folks seem to be getting something else entirely.  Any updates on this will be posted in the other thread.

B, just out of interest, I don't have any of those services either. I have XP professional but haven't installed any of the MS security updates that are protecting MS security instead of mine. There was a big update - maybe a year or so ago - that had something to do with CD DVD emulation type issues. Is that a possibility?

Flicker would only happen if the frame rate for your eyes happened to be a multiple of the refresh rate and happen to be in phase sync. Otherwise you would not be able to catch it during the redraw often enough to see a flicker. Try blinking and rubbing your eyeballs, that should usually reset things.

Didn't work. Guess I'll have to wait for a patch.