952888 - Firefox 26 causes Windows 7 to crash randomly with HWA enabled, identifying problem with igdkmd32.sys NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Core :: Graphics, defect)

Description

[algotechie]

Firefox 26 frequently (once or twice every 2 or 3 hours) crashes on my Windows 7 machine. There seems to be no particular series of steps that triggers the application crash or the other, more serious, problems described ahead. It happens when I click on something (for example, a bookmark folder in the sidebar), or when I press a key (for example, Tab key to bring the focus to the next entity).

In addition to the application crash, the following two problems happen (seem to be triggered by the same actions described above):

1. (This happens more frequently than the application crash.) For a second or two, Firefox (as well as the whole monitor screen) appears to be frozen with no activity or screen update. During this short period, the mouse pointer moves but the clicking won't show any changes immediately (however, the clicks are being received). Then the monitor screen will suddenly go black for about 2 seconds before the display comes back on. When it's back, the Windows (desktop) theme seems to change to non-Aero Glass for a split second, after which it switches to the correct theme. After that things get normal and the effect of any clicks made during that brief period is now visible.

2. (This has happened only twice in the last 3 days; so it's less frequent than the application crash.) The display freezes, there's no mouse movement, nor does the keyboard seem effective (typical characteristics of Windows getting hanged). This state remains for about 5 seconds, after which the infamous blue screen (BSOD) is displayed which identifies the Intel Graphics driver file "igdkmd32.sys" as having caused the fault.

As a remedy, I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the graphics driver (cannot seem to find a newer version on my systemboard's vendor's site), but the problem remains. I have not yet tried to use Firefox with a new profile or in safe mode, but I use 4 profiles with 2 of them having no common addon, and the above problems happen in all of them (except the system crash, which has so far occurred in just the default, or main, profile, but that may be because this profile gets used the most).

I relate this to Firefox 26 because:

1. It never occurred on any of the previous versions I've used (at the latest since version 3).
2. It never occurs (nor has occurred in the past) with any other program.
3. It doesn't occur when Firefox is minimized or is not being clicked at or given key-press inputs.

Comment 1

[Ioana (away)]

I haven't seen this happen on any Windows 7 machines I worked with (x86 and x86_64), so I think it might have to do with your specific environment. Can you please paste the Graphics section from your about:support in a comment here?

Does Firefox ever crash or is it only the OS?

Comment 2

[algotechie]

Sure, here it is:

Adapter Description	Mobile Intel(R) 45 Express Chipset Family (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1)
Adapter Drivers	igdumd32 igd10umd32
Adapter RAM	Unknown
ClearType Parameters	Gamma: 1800 Pixel Structure: RGB ClearType Level: 100 Enhanced Contrast: 400
Device ID	0x2a42
Direct2D Enabled	Blocked for your graphics driver version.
DirectWrite Enabled	false (6.1.7600.16699)
Driver Date	5-6-2009
Driver Version	8.15.10.1749
GPU #2 Active	false
GPU Accelerated Windows	1/1 Direct3D 9
Vendor ID	0x8086
WebGL Renderer	Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Mobile Intel(R) 45 Express Chipset Family (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1) Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0)
windowLayerManagerRemote	false
AzureCanvasBackend	skia
AzureContentBackend	none
AzureFallbackCanvasBackend	cairo
AzureSkiaAccelerated	0

Firefox itself does crash, more frequently than the operating system.

Comment 3

[Ioana (away)]

(In reply to algotechie from comment #2)
> Firefox itself does crash, more frequently than the operating system.

Can you please give a link to a crash reports too then? You can find this in about:crashes. Please either only give the link right after you see this crash again, or make sure you take the link for the crash described in this report.

Comment 4

[algotechie]

There are two reports mentioned on about:crashes; however, the date of submission for both is way older (11th December). The latest (Firefox) crash occurred just today, twice so far. I'll see if I can get a link the next time the application crashes.

Comment 5

[pal-moz]

(In reply to algotechie from comment #2)
> Driver Date	5-6-2009
> Driver Version	8.15.10.1749

driver is too old.
update the driver.

Comment 6

[algotechie]

No newer version is compatible with my system. When I run the installer for any newer version, it says the computer doesn't meet the minimum requirements. When I try to update the driver manually, the hardware wizard says my current driver is already the best. BTW, the computer was bought in 2009, and has pretty decent specs sans this driver.

It seems the crash or the brief loss of display is most frequently triggered when opening a new tab or closing a tab to switch to a different one, although any click can in general result in the crash.

Comment 7

[algotechie]

A quick update: I disabled hardware acceleration yesterday, and so far, the app has not crashed after that. Cannot say if the problem is permanently solved, but Fx seems to be working fine (even a little bit faster) so far (but it's only been one day, maybe a bit too soon to predict).

An unrelated issue: Now I'm unable to see the bug description (just after the attachment box) and the comments when I open this page in Firefox (only the top and bottom portions are visible). (I've tried refreshing the page, including by bypassing the cache. I've tried with Javascript enabled and disabled.) Other browsers open the page just fine. However, it could be something on my end, so not submitting a separate bug quite yet. I'll see what the problem can be and if anyone else has had this problem.

Comment 8

[user2037]

I believe I may have run into this as well. Newer versions of Firefox seem to be involved. When Firefox is not open the computer does not crash. The screen stalling symptom is sometimes accompanied by a graphics-driver recovery message followed by a working screen. However, most often it causes a system reboot.

Windows Event Viewer logs indicate it began in 2013-08 and became more frequent in 2013-11.

Here is my Graphics section from about:support
Adapter Description	NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
Adapter Drivers	nvd3dumx,nvwgf2umx,nvwgf2umx nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Adapter RAM	1024
Device ID	0x1245
Direct2D Enabled	true
DirectWrite Enabled	true (6.2.9200.16571)
Driver Date	11-11-2013
Driver Version	9.18.13.3182
GPU #2 Active	false
GPU Accelerated Windows	1/1 Direct3D 10
Vendor ID	0x10de
WebGL Renderer	Google Inc. -- ANGLE (NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0)
windowLayerManagerRemote	false
AzureCanvasBackend	direct2d
AzureContentBackend	direct2d
AzureFallbackCanvasBackend	cairo
AzureSkiaAccelerated	0

Comment 9

[algotechie]

Hi [e-mail]

Disabling hardware acceleration has fixed this for me. Try that as a workaround.

Comment 10

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

what is your crash ID?

Comment 11

[algotechie]

No idea. I think I removed all crash reports at some point, or maybe Fx cleared them up. Currently there's no entry in about:crashes.

Comment 12

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

I was just at the website - I'm pretty sure there are driver updates for your NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 in the past month or two.

Comment 13

[algotechie]

Hello, Wayne Mery

NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 is not my graphics driver. Clearing needinfo.

Comment 14

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

correction - comment 12 is for  user2037

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk) from comment #12)
> I was just at the website - I'm pretty sure there are driver updates for
> your NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 in the past month or two.

Comment 15

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

(In reply to algotechie from comment #13)
> Hello, Wayne Mery
> 
> NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 is not my graphics driver. Clearing needinfo.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Is there no newer driver for you, than what's mentioned in comment 2?
"Adapter Description	Mobile Intel(R) 45 Express Chipset Family (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1)
Adapter Drivers	igdumd32 igd10umd32
Adapter RAM	Unknown
ClearType Parameters	Gamma: 1800 Pixel Structure: RGB ClearType Level: 100 Enhanced Contrast: 400
Device ID	0x2a42
Direct2D Enabled	Blocked for your graphics driver version.
DirectWrite Enabled	false (6.1.7600.16699)
Driver Date	5-6-2009
Driver Version	8.15.10.1749"

Comment 16

[algotechie]

(In reply to comment #12): A newer version is available but unfortunately, I can't install it, try however hard. Please see comment 6. Anyway the issue is gone for me upon disabling the hardware acceleration and is not bugging me anymore.

Comment 17

[u279076]

Closing this as INCOMPLETE based on comment 16.