nForce drivers uninstall results in endless restart loop!

Seshiru · Jan 20, 2005, 03:53 AM

Hello,

Yesterday I decided to clean out my computer, uninstalling software I don't use and updating drivers as needed. All went well until I went to update my nVidia nForce drivers. My first step was to download the unified driver package from nVidia's website so that they would be ready to install right after I unistalled the old ones and restarted. And that's just what I did next - I uninstalled the nForce drivers through the Add/Remove programs list and rebooted when prompted.

The problem is, my computer is now stuck in an endless restart loop. It starts up as it should, showing the POST as usual. But when it gets to the point where the Windows startup screen with the little scrolling bar should be, I'm instead presented with a black screen with options like "Safe Mode", "Start Windows with last known good configuration", and "Start Windows as usual". Whichever option I choose just results in the computer restarting all over again.

From what I've managed to find out on the internet, this has something to do with the nForce IDE driver I uninstalled along with the rest of the drivers. I just don't know how to remedy the problem. I've put the nForce IDE driver NvAtaBus.sys onto a floppy and copied it into both C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers and C:\WINDOWS\system32 through the Recovery Console, but to no avail. I've also heard people saying they've solved this problem by installing the default Windows IDE driver, but I have yet to find out what this driver's name is and how to go about installing it in the position I'm in.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

farkas · Jan 20, 2005, 04:13 AM

I had the same issue. just got a Nforce based board. I remember thatbefore finishing the uninstall a prompt came up stating that I shouldreboot a 2nd time after the initial reboot, to make sure that blah blahblah...."

When I rebooted, I proceeded to uninstall other things and I left my PCfor a couple of minutes... only to come back and re-install the newerNForce drivers without a 2nd reboot, the loop problem started just likeyou.

I fixed the problem, by booting with my XP CD, and when I was promted to choose fresh or repair the 1st time, I said fresh.

When windows promted me a 2nd time afterwards when I picked mypartition to install Windows XP to it, I said yes for the repairinstead of installing fresh, and afterwards the shorter installprocedure, I got back up on my feet.

So boot with XP CD, and fix your XP, you'll keep 99% of your settingsand such. Maybe just your swap file and default services settings,aside from that, the desktop and games and apps and drivers are all OK! just re-install NForce drivers again, even if they are listed in"add/remove" cause the entry is there, but the essential files havebeen replaced for IDE/SATA etc...

Seshiru · Jan 20, 2005, 06:49 PM

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to work. I've tried doing a repair install twice now, but still no luck. I just don't know what to do.

Any other ideas?

farkas · Jan 22, 2005, 07:26 PM

Aside from re-installing, or trying to copy the exact file(s) that are missing, I guess not.

dipstick · Jan 23, 2005, 04:31 PM

Oh man, never unistall nVidia chipset drivers, always install new ones over the old ones

But since you have done this, see if you can install DriverCleaner and running it all in Safe mode. This got me through the last time I did this.

farkas · Jan 24, 2005, 05:03 AM

I would of liked to know about the "never uninstall Nvidia"... myself, but hey, we all learn the hard way

As for Driver Cleaner, I always use it on the initial reboot to do a thorough clean in "safe mode" but that's what hapenned to me, there was nothing left for XP and the chipset to agree on.

Also, not being able to boot in Safe mode, either wont help any better with Driver Cleaner, so try your luck at finding out the exact file you need, or try again to repair your XP with the CD, maybe the unatended recovery can help, but probably should just re-install.

Also, make sure that you are not OC your FSB more than 5Mhz on XP repairs and re-installs, it can make the thing just fail like you mentionned.

Jan 20, 2005, 03:53 AM	#1
Seshiru DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	nForce drivers uninstall results in endless restart loop! Hello, Yesterday I decided to clean out my computer, uninstalling software I don't use and updating drivers as needed. All went well until I went to update my nVidia nForce drivers. My first step was to download the unified driver package from nVidia's website so that they would be ready to install right after I unistalled the old ones and restarted. And that's just what I did next - I uninstalled the nForce drivers through the Add/Remove programs list and rebooted when prompted. The problem is, my computer is now stuck in an endless restart loop. It starts up as it should, showing the POST as usual. But when it gets to the point where the Windows startup screen with the little scrolling bar should be, I'm instead presented with a black screen with options like "Safe Mode", "Start Windows with last known good configuration", and "Start Windows as usual". Whichever option I choose just results in the computer restarting all over again. From what I've managed to find out on the internet, this has something to do with the nForce IDE driver I uninstalled along with the rest of the drivers. I just don't know how to remedy the problem. I've put the nForce IDE driver NvAtaBus.sys onto a floppy and copied it into both C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers and C:\WINDOWS\system32 through the Recovery Console, but to no avail. I've also heard people saying they've solved this problem by installing the default Windows IDE driver, but I have yet to find out what this driver's name is and how to go about installing it in the position I'm in. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Jan 20, 2005, 04:13 AM	#2
farkas IT Support Specialist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Québec, Can Posts: 175 Rep Power: 0	I had the same issue. just got a Nforce based board. I remember thatbefore finishing the uninstall a prompt came up stating that I shouldreboot a 2nd time after the initial reboot, to make sure that blah blahblah...." When I rebooted, I proceeded to uninstall other things and I left my PCfor a couple of minutes... only to come back and re-install the newerNForce drivers without a 2nd reboot, the loop problem started just likeyou. I fixed the problem, by booting with my XP CD, and when I was promted to choose fresh or repair the 1st time, I said fresh. When windows promted me a 2nd time afterwards when I picked mypartition to install Windows XP to it, I said yes for the repairinstead of installing fresh, and afterwards the shorter installprocedure, I got back up on my feet. So boot with XP CD, and fix your XP, you'll keep 99% of your settingsand such. Maybe just your swap file and default services settings,aside from that, the desktop and games and apps and drivers are all OK! just re-install NForce drivers again, even if they are listed in"add/remove" cause the entry is there, but the essential files havebeen replaced for IDE/SATA etc... __________________ K8N DLX (s754) A64 3200+ Thermalright XP-120 Corsair CMX512C2 X 2 1GB total Asus X800XT PE with ATI Silencer 4 rev 1 120Gb Sea SATA + 120GB WD PATA + 80GB WD PATA Last edited by farkas; Jan 20, 2005 at 04:21 AM.

Jan 22, 2005, 07:26 PM	#4
farkas IT Support Specialist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Québec, Can Posts: 175 Rep Power: 0	Aside from re-installing, or trying to copy the exact file(s) that are missing, I guess not. __________________ K8N DLX (s754) A64 3200+ Thermalright XP-120 Corsair CMX512C2 X 2 1GB total Asus X800XT PE with ATI Silencer 4 rev 1 120Gb Sea SATA + 120GB WD PATA + 80GB WD PATA

Jan 24, 2005, 05:03 AM	#6
farkas IT Support Specialist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Québec, Can Posts: 175 Rep Power: 0	I would of liked to know about the "never uninstall Nvidia"... myself, but hey, we all learn the hard way As for Driver Cleaner, I always use it on the initial reboot to do a thorough clean in "safe mode" but that's what hapenned to me, there was nothing left for XP and the chipset to agree on. Also, not being able to boot in Safe mode, either wont help any better with Driver Cleaner, so try your luck at finding out the exact file you need, or try again to repair your XP with the CD, maybe the unatended recovery can help, but probably should just re-install. Also, make sure that you are not OC your FSB more than 5Mhz on XP repairs and re-installs, it can make the thing just fail like you mentionned. __________________ K8N DLX (s754) A64 3200+ Thermalright XP-120 Corsair CMX512C2 X 2 1GB total Asus X800XT PE with ATI Silencer 4 rev 1 120Gb Sea SATA + 120GB WD PATA + 80GB WD PATA

Jan 20, 2005, 06:49 PM	Thread Starter #3
Seshiru DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	Unfortunately, that didn't seem to work. I've tried doing a repair install twice now, but still no luck. I just don't know what to do. Any other ideas?

Jan 23, 2005, 04:31 PM	#5
dipstick HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: USA Posts: 3,609 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	Oh man, never unistall nVidia chipset drivers, always install new ones over the old ones But since you have done this, see if you can install DriverCleaner and running it all in Safe mode. This got me through the last time I did this.