PC specs:
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64bit
CPU: Intel i5 7600K
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB (EVGA) - 7 months old
RAM: 8GB DDR4 2400MHz Kingston Hyper-X Fury
MB: ASRock B250M Pro4
PSU: FSP RAIDER 550W
HDD: 1TB WD Blue
 
Some BIOS info:
Mode - UEFI
BIOS Version/Date - American Megatrends Inc. P1.50, 2/10/2017
SMBIOS Version - 3.0
Fast Boot - Disabled
Secure Boot - Disabled
Integrated GPU - Disabled
 
Problem summary:
During installation of Nvidia drivers Windows black-screens and freezes, then fails to boot (freezes at loading screen while booting). Safe Mode boots successfully. The problem persists after complete Windows 10 reinstall (with stopped updates), different Nvidia drivers and BIOS reset to default settings.
 
Dxdiag shows "graphics device driver error code 43" and windows system event log shows Event ID 14 nvlddmkm Errors.
 
I suspect it's a hardware problem, but want to make sure before I RMA my video card.
 
Detailed explanation:
Shortly after the new driver (391.01) became available (2018.2.26) I updated the nvidia driver through GeForce Experience (I always update to the latest drivers when available). The next day my machine couldn't boot (might be a coincidence and not related with the new driver). It froze at the loading screen while booting. After several reboots it still froze at the same spot. Windows 10 had the latest updates.
 
I did a clean reinstall of Windows 10 without internet connection (to stop it from downloading updates). During the first boot after the installation I stopped (paused) the automatic updates and enabled advanced boot settings (to access Safe Mode with F8).
 
The machine was working OK, rebooted a few times without problems and turned on the Internet connection. I was monitoring the processes and when Windows started installing the nvidia drivers it black-screened and froze. After hard reboot, it froze again at the loading screen while booting.


This time I used the power button to shutdown the machine and when I powered it up again it booted successfully. I checked dxdiag, which showed that windows was using its own driver (basicdisplay.sys) and the nvidia driver had an error ("graphics device driver error code 43"). Windows Device Manager showed the same.
 


 
Windows System Event log showed several Event ID 14 nvlddmkm Errors. (I verified that these errors occure during the driver installation and also when the system freezes during boot).

 
The information included in the events is:

 
Restarted the machine and booted in Safe Mode successfully. Using the latest version of DDU (v17.0.8.3) I uninstalled the nvidia driver, rebooted and windows booted successully. Manually downloaded and installed the latest nvidia driver (391.01), but during installation the same problem occured (black screen + freeze + freeze at boot time).
 
Started Windows in Safe Mode, uninstalled the driver, booted again in Safe Mode, installed the driver while in Safe Mode. Installation went without problems, but when I tried to start Windows normally it froze again at boot screen.
 
Tried two other driver versions, one which I know for sure the PC was working without problems (388.71 from December 20, 2017) and an older one (381.89 from April 25, 2017). The problem persisted with both drivers.
 
I recorded a video while installing the 381.89 driver to show exactly what happens.
youtube.com/watch?v=hxaLLkFSMtY
 
Next, I returned BIOS to default settings (although I never changed them, except for the boot order), but this didn't help either. Tried another "fix", where I unplugged the PC from the power outlet and held down the power button to discharge the build up in the capacitors, but this also didn't work.
 
Because the problem persists after clean reinstall of Windows, different driver versions and BIOS reset, I beleieve it might be a hardware problem with the video card, but I want to be 100% sure, before I RMA the card. Any recommendations how to verify if it's indeed a problem with the GPU? (Just to be sure I checked the HDD with chkdsk, RAM with MemTest86 and integrity of system files with sfc - no problems there.)

Was this a new card being installed or a card that had been running / working prior?
 
I would re seat the card into the motherboard then perhaps roll back the drivers to see if an older set will work

Code 43 can mean a lot of things...
 
#1 Fauly card.
#2 Fauly pci-e slot.
#3 Registry corruption. 
#4 Card not receiving enough power.
#5 Corrupt vbios.

reed_solomon
Updated Windows, but still the same problem.
First I let Windows to install the driver automatically and while installing -> black screen+freeze...
Then manually installed the newest driver (391.01), but same issue. After that I tried an older one (381.89) but also no luck.

Do you have another power supply you can test with?

you've already been told on geforce forums, get a decent power supply.
 
the one you have has serious droop, barely passed reviews.
 
 
the ATX spec is long overdue setting 12v tolerances to 3%

I'd go with Seasonic over Corsair in the Ops apparent price range.
you'd be looking at a VS unit and those are just garbage.
 
for the same price in Seasonics range you'd get a 450 to 500w psu which is overbuilt for a value unit.

Did you get your issue fixed??i am having the same issue as well.

I see...i will try your way and see if it works for me too.I highly doubt it though.I used another card amd hd6570(its ancient i know) and it worked flawlessly.At this point i think i should go for RMA.Thanks anyway.