Troubleshooting Agony, out of ideas

TLDR: a few weeks ago my computer started turning off signal to the monitors, usually when I was not using it. (On the two occasions where this happened when I WAS using the computer, there was no graphics card crash message). All attempts to troubleshoot the problem have failed. The problem has happened perhaps a total of 15 times over the course of the last month, and seems to be getting worse.


I received this Origin PC for my birthday (see first comment for specs) three years ago and it has been a perfect amazing wondermachine since then (I had a string of rough computers before this and not having to deal with problems has been amazing). Alas that time of perfection has come to an end. I am now cursed to return to my office and find a computer that appears to be on but is sending no signal to the monitors. Unplugging replugging the monitors does not fix it, only hard restarting the computer does anything.

There does not appear to be any software that has to be running for it to happen, but I would guess that I am running innerspace, evernote, and chrome every time it has happened (just because restarting those things are what I do when I turn on the computer). There does NOT appear to be a correlation with taxing the graphics card. It didn't happen at all when I was running 5 wows last month, and only one of the witnessed failures occurred when I was gaming at all.


Changes that may have led to this problem:

• Addition of a third monitor (weeks before problem started)
• Change in a case fan (maybe 10 days before the problem started... potentially I damaged or loosened something else)
• Microsoft Endnote fucking with my machine and trying to force me to log into microsoft rather than a local user (immediately before the first event)
• Unknown Windows 10 or Nvidia driver changes that introduced instability

Attempted fixes:

• Disabled the microsoft login feature (with much swearing and rage as I didn't actually know my microsoft password when this delightful change was sprung upon me)
• Disabled all sleep for all devices (there are a lot of people with laptops whose computers were not "waking up" the monitors when they woke up the computers... this was before I had ever experienced the shut off while using the computer and I assumed it was a sleep or hibernate bug)
• Uninstalled everything nvidia, reinstalled only graphics drivers
• Uninstall Endnote using Powershell (getting desperate now, since I no longer think the problem can be Endnote. I just did this this morning I have yet to see if this will fix it but probably not).

Any ideas what I should try next to troubleshoot this problem? I don't think my keyboard can take much more angry rage banging when it fails to wake up my monitors, the poor thing.


Lux

Motherboard: ASUS Maximus V-Gene
System Cooling: ORIGIN FROSTBYTE 120 Sealed Liquid Cooling Systems
Processors: Intel Core i5 3550 Quad-Core 3.3GHz (3.7GHz TurboBoost), 6MB Cache
Power Supply: 750 Watt Corsair TX750M
*Graphic Cards: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770
*Memory: 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600Mhz (2x8GB)
*Operating System: Windows 10 Pro

*The only things that have changed since I got it are the graphics card and I've added memory, as well as the Win 10 Upgrade

my thoughts
the last Nvidia driver was pulled last week due to instability
when i cannot find a reason software/driver for a problem like you are describing , my first thought is power supply, They can become tired after a while and I have often found that they are cause of many problems, so I always have a spare ( I used to do repairs when I had a computer shop years ago)
though TBH you have an extremely good psu, the corsairs are usually very reliable.

My computer went black screen after updating latest nVidia driver last week. I had to use windows boot manager to restore an old backup.

My problem started with "your graphics driver crashed but recovered" message so not sure if same issue as you.

I've had this kind of problem previously, and found, after looking through the event logs, it was usually because the graphics driver crashed while the monitor was in sleep mode. After much gnashing and annoyed noises, usually because I hadn't saved something I was doing in a program which did not have an autosave/autorecover function, I would bite the bullet and clean install the computer.
I did try graphics driver updates and backdates just in case, but found it seemed to be due to the crash while sleeping that the graphics driver never "restarted" like it should do, but it tended to not fix the issue. A clean install normally would correct this issue. I also found remoting to it and starting a new user session would sometimes allow it to sort itself out, but I decided that this was not a proper solution.

What kinds of "event logs" should I be looking at to try and sort this out?

I no longer have Nvidia Geforce Experience installed, I was having the unable to open it windows 10 problem (which is apparently quite widespread) and a lot of people seemed to think it would be better to have a clean driver install without it (which I did yesterday, but now I've had another crash overnight).

The Windows Event logs. e.g. Start -> Run -> Eventvwr.exe, and then look through the Windows Logs -> Application and System for recent events with the warning/error symbols between when you left the computer and after you've had to reboot it. I usually scan through all of the events anyway in case the programmers used the info log type for something important.

Ok, it happened again last night after a brute force uninstall of endnote and unplugging the third monitor.

The last application log item indicates that gupdate ran at 3:19am so the crash must be later than that. Although I guess that is probably incorrect since the computer itself was still running when I came in, it is the graphics card or other back of the machine that turn off. I realized this morning that the mouse didn't turn on when I wiggled it but the keyboard was on. Neither were able to turn on the monitors.

I have a bunch of things from that log, is any of this helpful:

I think the last one, where it says that the graphics card crashed and recovered at 8pm is probably the key? Obviously it lies about the "recovery" part.

I think it is possible I didn't use my computer after that.

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 3/23/2016 8:34:53 AM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (70368744177664),(2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: zzzOrigin
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
<EventID>41</EventID>
<Version>3</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>63</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000400000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-03-23T12:34:53.902973300Z" />
<EventRecordID>4286</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>zzzOrigin</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="SleepInProgress">0</Data>
<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">131032100653323348</Data>
<Data Name="BootAppStatus">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


Log Name: System
Source: volmgr
Date: 3/23/2016 8:34:53 AM
Event ID: 46
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: zzzOrigin
Description:
Crash dump initialization failed!
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="volmgr" />
<EventID Qualifiers="49156">46</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-03-23T12:34:53.765058500Z" />
<EventRecordID>4283</EventRecordID>
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>zzzOrigin</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>\Device\HarddiskVolume4</Data>
<Binary>0000000001000000000000002E0004C0091000000F 0000C000000000000000000000000000000000</Binary>
</EventData>
</Event>


Log Name: System
Source: EventLog
Date: 3/23/2016 8:34:59 AM
Event ID: 6008
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: zzzOrigin
Description:
The previous system shutdown at 8:33:28 AM on ‎3/‎23/‎2016 was unexpected.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="EventLog" />
<EventID Qualifiers="32768">6008</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-03-23T12:34:59.173406300Z" />
<EventRecordID>4276</EventRecordID>
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>zzzOrigin</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>8:33:28 AM</Data>
<Data>‎3/‎23/‎2016</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>83769</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Binary>E007030003001700080021001C007901E007030003 0017000C0021001C0079013C0000003C000000000000000000 000000000000000000000100000000000000</Binary>
</EventData>
</Event>


Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-DistributedCOM
Date: 3/22/2016 7:58:08 PM
Event ID: 10010
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: zzzORIGIN\xxxx yyyy
Computer: zzzOrigin
Description:
The server Windows.Security.Authentication.Web.Core.Backgroun dGetTokenTask.ClassId.WebAccountProvider did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-DistributedCOM" Guid="{1B562E86-B7AA-4131-BADC-B6F3A001407E}" EventSourceName="DCOM" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">10010</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8080000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-03-22T23:58:08.582839000Z" />
<EventRecordID>4268</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="884" ThreadID="712" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>zzzOrigin</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-21-110341675-3817353191-4120475523-1000" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="param1">Windows.Security.Authentication.Web. Core.BackgroundGetTokenTask.ClassId.WebAccountProv ider</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


Log Name: System
Source: Display
Date: 3/22/2016 7:56:09 PM
Event ID: 4101
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: zzzOrigin
Description:
Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Display" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">4101</EventID>
<Level>3</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-03-22T23:56:09.019742800Z" />
<EventRecordID>4267</EventRecordID>
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>zzzOrigin</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>nvlddmkm</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


Log Name: System
Source: Display
Date: 3/22/2016 7:56:09 PM
Event ID: 4101
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: zzzOrigin
Description:
Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Display" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">4101</EventID>
<Level>3</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-03-22T23:56:09.017241300Z" />
<EventRecordID>4266</EventRecordID>
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>zzzOrigin</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>nvlddmkm</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

It IS a 4 or 5 year old graphics card, is this just physical?

The last couple of items indicates the graphics driver is doing the whole "Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered." If you were using the computer at the time, it would normally freeze up, and then come back eventually with this message showing from a bubble from the notification area. It seems that if it happens while the monitor is sleeping, then it prevents it from ever waking. This is pretty much the same as I experienced when I first got a GTX580, and that was with a brand new card. I ended up clean installing the machine when a driver arrived that appeared stable enough.

There have been a slew of issues with NVidia drivers recently, and the more stable releases seem to be 358.58 and 359.06. After 359.06 the Vulkan updates started appearing, so they might be causing some instability, or you may have something else going on.

For your quick diagnosis of the mouse not working but the keyboard does, does the keyboard actually respond (hard to tell with no display)? To test I verify whether Numlock turns on/off, or Scroll lock if you have one? These two keys are good indicators because they wont turn on/off the indicator lights for the functions if the computer is locked.
Another thing, I notice you have an ASUS mainboard. A quick google indicates that when the PLL Overvoltage is enabled (a CPU setting) in the BIOS/UEFI for ASUS boards, it is a common problem that the monitor wont wake from sleep, although this is usually when the computer is in a sleep state too. Might be worth testing.

Failing all that, I'd go with a clean install of the OS w/ known good drivers.

It still has the potential to be hardware, but I do have a couple of 8800GTX's around here that are 10 years old, and still going strong.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mbox_bob

For your quick diagnosis of the mouse not working but the keyboard does, does the keyboard actually respond (hard to tell with no display)? To test I verify whether Numlock turns on/off, or Scroll lock if you have one? These two keys are good indicators because they wont turn on/off the indicator lights for the functions if the computer is locked.
Another thing, I notice you have an ASUS mainboard. A quick google indicates that when the PLL Overvoltage is enabled (a CPU setting) in the BIOS/UEFI for ASUS boards, it is a common problem that the monitor wont wake from sleep, although this is usually when the computer is in a sleep state too. Might be worth testing.

---

Thanks bob.

Ok, I will remember to check the scroll lock when it happens again and hunt down those stable drivers. I won't worry aboutt the sleep angle right now because it has happened twice while I was using the computer. Maybe tomorrow!

Fingers crossed...

This is starting to make some eerie sense. About a month ago I noticed my main monitor wasn't waking up from standby, though I don't let my PC itself go to sleep, just the monitors (in advanced power options: Display -> Turn off display after = 60 minutes). I disabled that and just use a screen saver and it hasn't done this since. That said, I never saw the NVidia driver events you're seeing, so it may be unrelated.

Incidentally, I'm on a 36x.xx driver, EVGA 980 Ti, MSI motherboard, displayport main monitor and DVI secondary monitor. I've been letting the GeForce Experience update as desired.

I replaced the drivers yesterday and I made sure to check the tightness of the graphics card seating (the screw had fallen out) and the power connectors.

So far so good.

Origin has the option to Overclock the video card, did you do that with your system? I went with that for mine.

I didn't overclock.


Update almost a week later and no crashes. It was the bad video card drivers! MS OneNote was just a red herring.

Thanks everyone who chimed in!