nVidia driver - freeze on Windows 10 startup on fresh installation

d3im · 08 Aug 2020

i7-2600
6 GB RAM
new SSD HDD
Fresh installation of Windows 10 Home 2004 (build 19041.264)
nVidia GT 545

I installed UEFI version of Windows and everything was OK but when I update graphics drivers screen goes black. I'm able to press enter on end of installation to reboot.
But after that Windows starts to boot but freezes on Boot screen (blue windows logo with dotted wheel).

It worked somehow before but after a while it started to freeze and now I'm unable to boot with nVidia drivers installed.

Could it be problem with non-UEFI GPU?

dalchina · 08 Aug 2020

Hi, prior to this, were you using an earlier build of Windows (without graphics problems)?

See this post to #816
Known and Resolved issues for Windows 10 May 2020 Update version 2004

and
Known and Resolved issues for Windows 10 May 2020 Update version 2004
first issue under summary

What is your Nvidia driver build number?

Also
Known and Resolved issues for Windows 10 May 2020 Update version 2004

More: try a search:

nVidia driver - freeze on Windows 10 startup on fresh installation-1.png

d3im · 08 Aug 2020

Thank You for info - impressive

It's PC of friend of mine. It was OK before but it fall into boot-loop - diagnostic.

When PC came to me I put in SSD and installed fresh 2004, updated all available windows updates, then used SDI to upgrade rest of drivers. It was OK (about week back). Few days back friend called it's again in boot-loop with diagnostic (he says about 3 times it started OK to him). I suppose there must be some update that broke this again.

Today I tried same technique but after GPU drivers update it started to freeze as I stated.

I tried nVidia drivers 391.35

Also tried to remove nVidia GPU and enable iGPU Intel and it works OK.

dalchina · 08 Aug 2020

Hi, first, never use a driver installer unless you can't find a driver any other way. If the system is working with the drivers provided, you're not going to magically improve performance by updating drivers with such a tool.

Second, as to the NVidia driver compatibility issue with 2004, I'm afraid I can't add more- I'm staying with 1903 for now- too many issues with 2004 including 2 or 3 more we've recently found that seem to affect some.

You can research that further of course.

The way to protect yourself from non-bootable cases, drive failure, ransomware and even your own mistakes is to routinely and regularly use disk imaging e.g. Macrium Reflect (free-paid) + external storage for image files.

Then recovery becomes mere routine- restore partition images - which are also a full backup. Thus can avoid clean install.

d3im · 08 Aug 2020

Thanks for advices.

I'm just affraid - when I install 1909 Home edition - what will hold windows to autoupgrade? I know MS has some rules for excluding upgrade to 2004 but what if this PC is "marked as upgradable"?
I just don't want to return PC to friend and wait for next boot-loop.

dalchina · 08 Aug 2020

If a PC runs 1909. there will be no upgrade to 2004 unless specifically approved by the user. MS has changed policy on that.

That applies until end of service life of a build.

d3im · 08 Aug 2020

Thanks for everything - installed 1909 and everything works so far

dalchina · 08 Aug 2020

Make sure you set up a sequence of disk imaging - a backup job- for your friend to use regularly so your friend may then be able to recover from some difficult problems. E.g. Macrium Reflect (free-paid).