• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

The Infinite Loop Bug Isn't nVidia's Fault.

A

AGodspeed

Diamond Member
VIA Arena and other web sites have been testing many different configurations for a while and have been concluding that the infamous infinite loop bug is in fact not nVidia specific, but is an MS OS issue. My question is why people still use the infinite loop bug as proof that nVidia's drivers are lacking in that respect or as a reason not to buy an nVidia card?

Here's a little of what VIA Arena said:

The loop error is how Windows XP describes a critical error related to the graphics card. The loop error can and has been been reproduced with any video card and any chipset. It is by no means a new problem. Windows XP has just given it a name. If you were to plug in a faulty video card and plugged it in to any motherboard using WinXP, it will reproduce the loop error. That doesn't mean that the loop error is always caused by a faulty video card though.

The only difference will be the video card and driver information as per your setup. This can be reproduced with any video card and is not Nvidia GeForce 3 specific.
 
So, microcode written by NVidia is an MS issue?

Funny thing is that this is not an incident limited to just WinXP.
 
nt's video drivers run to close to (or perhaps within) the kernel. not the best way to do it, from a stability standpoint. at least, thats what i've heard.
 
Well it's quite easy to see that 99% of the issues with the infinite loop bug happen with nVidia graphics boards, so it's relatively obvious that nVidia has a much larger issue with this then any other manufacturers.
So, yes I still find it reasonable for one to quote the infinite loop bug as an example of a bug in the nVidia drivers.
It may not be 100% nVidia's fault, but it's clear that it happens extremely rarely using any oter graphics card.

So long as this remains an issue that is primarily relegated to users of nVidia boards then it's an issue with nVidia in correlation with Win2K/XP.

I can count the number of times I've seen or heard of the infinite loop with other manufacturers boards on one hand, however I've seen it on nVidia boards hundreds of times on many vastly different configurations.

As for while some people use it as a reason for not choosing to purchase an nVidia graphics card... umm well that's obvious. If you can't USE it what is the point in owning it?!
On the otherhand you rent at all likely to see the problem if you choose another board, so yes I can see that for some people it may very well be a perfectly valid reason not to buy an nVidia board.
 
Well it's quite easy to see that 99% of the issues with the infinite loop bug happen with nVidia graphics boards...

Proof? Links?

Obviously there's going to be more complaints about infinite loop problems with nVidia cards since nVidia has twice the market share in the standalone graphics card market than ATi.

But still, I've seen my share of complaints about infinite loop bugs using ATi boards, and not just with a VIA chipset-based boards, but Intel too.
 
So you quoted something saying that the error can be reproduced by any video card and any chipset. And when a faulty card is put in winXP, you get this error.

So doesn't that lead to nvidia's faulty drivers? or their card is faulty? It is happening a lot with nvidia, not with many others, so I'm guess that their drivers are still to blame, and MS is just giving you an error telling you that its a bad card. The whole quote just states what the winXP error means, doesn't prove that its not nvidia's fault. I bet if you stick an ATI card in there, screw up the drivers, you'll get the same result. So the quote is true, its not a video card specific error, but it happens with one brand more then anything, indicating who is at fault.

Since this happens with win2k too, and only started happening with their newer drivers, it isn't a MS problem completely. I'm sure MS has something to do with it, but its not their fault, as the cards were working fine before.

Even on rage3d, the kind of ati problems, there are little posts of ati infinite loop problems. I have seen only a couple.
 


<< Wow, I feel slow; I didnt even know there WAS an infinite loop bug 🙁 >>


I've only heard about it too. I've never seen the bug myself and I hope I never do!
 
in fact not nVidia specific,

Just as I expected - no surprises there.

but is an MS OS issue

I don't believe this is the case either. I believe it's certain motherboards and certain BIOSes.
 
I had a KT133A/Thunderbird system for 4 months and I kept getting the infinite loop bug everytime I watched a DivX. A format didn't fix it. Last week I upgraded to a i850/P4 and now the problem is gone.

My guess is that it's nothing in specific but a combination of things.
 
Someone mentioned this had something to do with the AGP slot not feeding good enough current to the GFX card on some mobos.

Dont remember the details, but it reminded me of the problems lots of people were having with the original GF cards on some mobo's where the AGP slot couldn't feel enough power to the cards, this happened mostly to nVidia cards since they were the most power hungry, as well as the ones that pushed the AGP the hardest.
 
Infinite Loop bug? What exactly happens when a computer crashes from this bug? I've heard about it, but it was only until MrGrim mentioned DivX that I payed much attention. My friend's computer crashes after watching about a minute of a DivX movie. It just locks up and he has to restart, or sometimes it just restarts itself. He runs a Radeon LE, btw. Is this the Infinite Loop bug? 😀
 
This reminds me of the 686B/Soundblaster Live! problems. It finally came out that the 686B was at fault, but curiously replacing the Live! card with any other brand of sound card solved the problem. So there was obviously something funny happening with the combination of the two.

Same deal here. The problem may very well be something inherent in the OS, but something particular to the GeForce card brings it to light.
 
hang on a minute, weren't the boys at viaarena saying just a few short weeks ago that they were 99% sure it was a power issue, and in particular something with the 3v line?

Seems fishy. Nobody knows anything in my opinion, although I'd like to blame MS myself. 🙂
 
I had this infinite loop error with Windows XP Pro and my old Geforce 2 Pro 64 MB. I replaced it with a Geforce 2 GTS 32 MB and continued to get the error. I then purchased a Radeon 8500 and still the infinite loop errors.

I decided to reformat and reinstall XP. After the final reboot into Windows, I received the infinite loop error with the Radeon 8500. The errors with my system seemed to be a bit more severe than what most accounts describe. I could not get to my desktop before the system would blue screen with the infinite loop error. As you can image, this was very frustrating. The only video card I had that would not cause this error was a Voodoo 5 5500.

The fix for me was a format and reinstall of Windows 2000 Pro. I have been up for over a month now with the Radeon 8500 and have not had any errors.

My vote on the subject is - Windows XP :|
 
If you were to plug in a faulty video card and plugged it in to any motherboard using WinXP, it will reproduce the loop error.

Just because more than 1 manufacturer produces a "faulty video card" shouldn't get NVidia off the hook for THEIR faulty video cards!
 
Looks more like people are (once again) desperate to sweep all of nvidia's "dirty little secrets" under the carpet again. :frown:
Honestly folks, nVidia just makes video cards. Their cards aren't THAT much different from ATI's cards. They're not perfect - they won't fill the empty gap in your life either.

Get a grip. 🙂 No, no... let go of the video card... you'll live without it. 😉
 

i heard people claiming they could solve that problem with better power supplies...one guy swears he got the IL error all the time...and after he got a better, more powerfull PSU it went away.

However (me, as a 98/SE user, radeon 8500 retail)...i never saw anything like the IL bug on my system.....sounds very bizzare to me 🙂

I would (of course) blame XP....

Please anyone confitm that this bugs ALSO exists on 98/SE ! That's a new one to me, btw !


Just let "logic" speak.....i used nvidia cards/drivers for YEARS already..since the times of the riva128.....and all of a sudden it should be Nvidia's fault there is a bug in the drivers...and they're unable to track it down ? It is just VERY VERY unlikely after the (maybe literally) hundreds of detonators released already from Nvidia which workled flawlessly in the sense that there was no IL bug. However, now many people switch to XP....experience that bug...and blame it to nvidia ? Doesnt make sense..

What about DirectX8.1...... maybe that would be a good place to start looking (besides confirming the PSU relationship 🙂



 
I can confirm that the problem exists in 98/Me as well. I was on XP when it first started happening, formatted to win98, still got it. Formatted to Me, still got it. Formatted to 2K Pro, still got it. For me, it's not nvidia either, since I've used a GF2MX and a radeon 8500 in this system, both get the infinite loop. It was perfectly stable before, but I upgraded my cpu (with new bios version), added a stick of RAM, and added another HD, and I've gone back to all my old hardware except for the cpu. That'll be changed tonight to see if it's the problem. If not, then I'm guessing it's a power supply issue, and adding all those new devices pushed it over the top. Or, the mobo isn't working properly. Gah...
 
I have to go with the Power issue on this one....possibly the AGP specs for mobo's. Someone isn't following the guidelines here, not sure if its the card manufacturers or the mobo manufacturers.
 
lol..after reading this article....

it turns out the "IL error" is not a specific, relatively new error...but nothing else than "general lockups" which can happen with all hardware combinations and under each OS ?

right ?

so why do people come up with this only recently ? Do PCs lock up only since a while ago ? 🙂 I really dont get it...

How i see it:

The bug is a "manifestation" of the fact that nowadays hardware (eg. graphics cards, cpus), even power supplies run totally borderline "just within" specs and have a VERY limited tolerance.

Example: I have a 340W PSU w/ 180W on the combined side...which COULD be problematic considering the fact that it's approved for up tp XP2000, however the 180W already might be not enough especially if you overclock...therefore draw more power..etc.....

I also shot a radeon retail, very LIKELY because i kept it overclocked by 10mhz for memory/gpu...result: It all of a suddenc ranked out after 2 months of use.
There are reports of cards running very hot even within specs....same of course for (especially) AMD cpus which are known to literally be able to burn up if there's no suffcient cooling. Ehrm..and yes...let's NOT forget the cooling then either....

All these factors...and the fact that hardware usually is "blown out" at insane speeds to the market, without extensive testing periods...in a market where a new generation of CPUs,gfxcards etc. usually is released any 6 months.....it's no wonder that "there might be strange bugs appearing".....and please consider that the market/consumer usually wants a product CHEAP, for the best price possible....highest performance at most possible cheapest price.....usuaully you do NOT have a $200 400W PSU...you get it with your case.....and/or you can also look around what quality certain components are...eg. in systems purchased at stores like BB for $899 including monitor 🙂





 
If it were a power issue, I do not understand why this did not follow me to Windows 2000. My configuration has not changed in quite some time and I have been using an Enermax 430 watt PS for almost a year.

In some cases where this is an issue with all OSs it may indeed be power related. In my case, I do not understand how this power issue would only manifest itself within Windows XP and not other OSs.
 
have never had an infinite loop yet w/ my radeon 8500 + i850 setup + XP

or a single crash for that matter : ) once i hit the sweet spot with my northy

my GTS + athlon classic 800 via kx133 + win2k setup has not had a single crash either so i dont know who is to blame

both of those systems i'd bet i could keep on for over a month and not have a single problem
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top