Laptop Video Issue

[Nycto]

So I know this is mostly for Thinkpads, but I get a lot of good advice here, so I want to see what advice I could get for my HP. I have a somewhat modified DV9287cl Pavilion laptop. Some time ago, the laptop went through a series of issues that involved me replacing the LCD screen, the motherboard and the processor. As part of the upgrade, the laptop went from an Intel 945 Chipset and a GeForce Go 7600 to an Intel 965 chipset and a GeForce 8600 GS video card. It worked fine for a few months, until the past couple weeks where now, I keep having issues with Windows wanting to 'recover' the display driver. The exact message is as follows:

Display driver stopped responding and has recovered

Display Driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver. Version xxx.xx stopped responding and has successfully recovered.

I can't recall the driver version, but it was the latest one available for the card as of the last month or so on Nvidia's webpage. I've reinstalled Windows, rolled back to earlier driver versions, and none of that has worked. The computer just runs for awhile, vomits out that error message repeatedly, and then winds up either locking up, giving me a black screen, or a blue screen with an error message referring to Nvlddmkm.dll. The odd thing is, the computer runs fine in safe mode. So I have no idea what's going on. I'll replace the motherboard if I have to, but I'd rather not. At four year old, this computer is getting costly to work on compared to the price of getting a new one, however, it was a graduation gift from the folks, and I feel inclined to keep it running.

So, if you guys can help me out again, I'd appreciate it. If there's any questions, I'll do what I can, as I really want to get this resolved. Thanks guys.

[ajkula66]

I'd be worried that the GPU is one of nVidias from the defective batch, which is about right given the machine's vintage.

Works fine in the Safe Mode, but once you "push" it with the *proper* driver it collapses...seen that on T61/p generation...

That's all I've got - good luck.

[RealBlackStuff]

ajkula66 is right (as usual). That nVidia 8600 is the real "baddie" that all T61/T61p (and lots of other brands, such as HP) die from at an alarming rate.
Put your old mobo back in if you want to continue using that laptop.

[Nycto]

I was wondering if it may have been related to the Nvidia GeForce 8 series issue.

If I put in the machine a GeForce 7...those aren't affected by the same issue that plagues the GeForce 8, correct?

[automobus]

I'll replace the motherboard if I have to

Good luck with that. My friend had a dv9000. HP repaired it a few times, and each repair did not last long before the GPU would break again. My friend looked for boards with alternate graphics choices, but could not find ANY that were not "for parts or repair" nvidias.

This is what the friend did:
Sold the whole screen assembly (plus wireless card) on feebay.
The optical drive was a good burner, so kept it.
Kept memory, HDD, processor, and some spare screws.
Kept the HDD connector: one day it will go in a T43.
Sent the rest to recycling. Even batteries are too plentiful to sell.
Got a ThinkPad T60.

T60 uses the same kind of memory, CPU, HDD as the HP, so the T60 was upgraded with HP parts.

GeForce 7 aren't affected by the same issue that plagues the GeForce 8, correct?

Correct.