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Maintain Windows 7 Part 1: Use File Signature Verification

Do you run into blue screens regularly and you read our tutorial how to fix blue screens but it didn’t help? Here is a tip how you can maintain the integrity of your system and check for files that are not digitally signed. Some drivers that are not signed may cause trouble, so this might be helpful if you have a few hours.

Windows 7 includes a tool called File Signature Verification. What it does? It scans your system drivers for digitally signatures. Not all drivers are obviously digitally signed. And that’s the kicker! Normally, you don’t have to worry about files that are not signed. In fact, a lot of new NVIDIA drivers may not be signed. However, if you are debugging your system it may be useful to know what drivers are not signed.

1. Step Click on Start.

2. Step Enter sigverif.exe and hit enter

3. Step The File Signature Verifications starts, click on Start to scan for system files that are not digitally signed.

4. Step Normally, you should get a message: “Your files have been scanned and verified as digitally signed:

Over at http://www.techsupportforum.com/ I found a list of files of a user that run the test. A lot of false positives popped up:

dxmasf.dll 8/22/2006 6.4.9.1133
mfc40u.dll 11/1/2006 4.1.0.6141
mxdwdrv.dll 3/22/2007 0.3.6000.0
mxdwdui.dll 3/22/2007 0.3.6000.16438
mxdwdui.gpd 8/31/2006 None
mxdwdui.ini 4/21/2006 None
nv4_disp.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nv4_mini.sys 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvapi.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvcpl.hlp 4/19/2007 None
nvcod.dll 4/19/2007 1.0.0.35
nvcodins.dll 4/19/2007 1.0.0.35
nvcpl.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvdisps.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvgames.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvhwvid.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvmccs.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvmccss.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvmctray.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvmobls.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvnt4cpl.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.11090
nvoglnt.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvsvc32.exe 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvvitvs.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvwcplen.hlp 4/19/2007 None
nvwddi.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
nvwss.dll 4/19/2007 6.14.10.9424
quartz.dll 8/29/2005 6.5.2600.2749
stddtype.gdl 4/21/2006 None
stdschem.gdl 8/4/2006 None
stdschmx.gdl 4/21/2006 None
strmdll.dll 8/21/2006 4.1.0.3936
unidrv.dll 3/22/2007 0.3.6000.16438
unidrvui.dll 3/22/2007 0.3.6000.16438
unires.dll 3/22/2007 0.3.6000.16438

Most of the dll files are from Nvidia (NV) and can be safely ignored most of the time.

However, you may want to try different drivers if you get blue screens frequently. Try a driver that IS signed.

You can check our page: Download latest video card drivers