Here is a in-depth technical description of the exact failure noted
Nvidia driver 295.51 downloaded to my desktop
Afterburner settings changed to "not start at windows boot" (to prevent wrapper failure on reboot) and shutdown.
*cards 100% at stock settings, only custom a fan profile used.
Fresh reboot to desktop
Start/Control panel/Programs and features
Nvidia entires showing: Graphics Driver 285.79 and its PhysX version
PhysX uninstalled normally
Graphics Driver uninstalled normally
Restart selected normally
Reboot into windows
Normal (no driver installed) reboot into windows
Normal "Standard VGA adaptor" installed on GPU 1 and "Failure to install Standard VGA adaptor" on GPU 2
Normal "restart requested" by windows, ignored and closed.
Nvidia 295.51 installer launched
Unpacked to default location, installed with "Custom Option" only Graphics driver, PhysX and Clean install checked.
Normal install noted, restart selected
Normal boot to desktop noted
Nvidia control panel in right click desktop flyout shown
Nvidia control panel used to enable SLI
SLI enabled normally
Nvidia control panel used to set my standard NVCP settings (3D settings)
Changed: Frames to render ahead from default of (3) to a value of (2) and set to "single display performance mode)
No other NVCP settings cahnged
Display properties used to confirm screen res and default refresh rate (no changes made)
Afterburner re-enabled and re-set to start with windows
Computer restarted (rebooted normally)
Appox 2hr of browser use, posting/reading viewing videos (normal, no issues seen thru maybe 15 websites)
Knowing I wanted to do testing later that night with benchmarks and BF3, and that there was a patch for BF3 pending..
I again restarted my computer (normal boot, no issues seen)
Opened Origin/Battlelog (left at idle for 10mins in case of backdoor updates to punkbuster or game), then got link for new browser plugin, shut down Battlelog then Origin and installed the new plugin.
Went back to browsing and posting for appox 1hr.
Then a Full system shutdown (for dinner)
Upon startup, normal booting behavior seen until the windows Logo screen
*Noticed right away the "green pixel" in the top lefthand section of the Logo screen that occurs when a driver is not loaded.
System appeared to "hang" on the windows logo, and the "login chime" was heard while still on the logo screen.
Typing in the Admin password had no effect and a power button full shutdown was needed.
Upon reboot, Windows booted normally but without a driver and I got a single Standard VGA adaptor install notice of failure, but no reboot was requested...
Afterburner gave normal notice that no driver was detected
Start/Control panel/Programs and features
Afterburner was uninstalled
Nvidia entires showing: Graphics Driver 295.51 and its PhysX version seen
PhysX uninstalled normally
Graphics Driver uninstalled normally
Restart selected normally
Normal boot to the desktop without a driver was seen
I used my normal process and re-installed my previous 285.79
All normal steps with the driver and Afterburner were taken
Tested lastnight with 2 passes Heaven and one of 3Dmark11 -and- 4hrs of solid BF3 play.
Attempted another 295.51 install this morning using the exact same steps
Driver installed, SLI enabled and NVCP setup and Afterburner same as before.
Hot restarts showed no problems
A full shutdown and cold restart showed the same hang at the Windows logo screen as before.
All the same steps taken as before to re-install 285.79
Everything is currently working correctly (with 285.79) and is what I am using now
post edited by maniacvvv - 2012/02/01 10:20:02