After updating AMD Drivers Windows 7 won't boot

[Rolomarr]

Specs:
Dell XPS notebook
Intel i7
AMD HD 5xxx

So,

I had the computer for about a two years when I decided I should reinstall windows from the ground up and get as much uneccesarry crap off my computer and as much speed and performance as possible out if it. After I got windows 7 reinstalled and installed the drivers off of the Dell Driver disc everything worked OK. However I did notice that it couldn't handle games like it used to. I just downloaded the Star Wars MMORPG and I had to set the graphics at minimum to get the game to run and it still had a low frame rate. I figured a system with stats like mine should do better then that so I decided to look into the drivers for the AMD graphics card. I went to their website and used their tool to download the best driver for my system. When the installer tried to install it went about halfway and then restarted my computer. When the computer restarted my screen resolution was all jacked up. I went into the setting and tried to fix it but windows didn't recognize the AMD anymore. Re ran the tool from AMD and it said the latest driver was installed. Uninstalled AMD Catalyst, reinstalled it and tried to reinstall the driver. This time my computer restarted and gave me the option to boot into recovery or normal mode. If I choose boot into recovery it doesn't work and if I try to boot normally it gives me a blue screen with a fatal error. Read online about some F8 option to boot without drivers but I don't have that option when booting my computer. Just F2 and F12.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[suat]

Can you write down the BSOD fatal error code and post here ?

Other than this, you can boot to the Windows Advanced Boot Options and do a system restore.

 

[smorizio]

f8 is safe mode and only works if you hit f8 before windows loads. to let you know most vendors like dell and hp tweek there mb and gpu some times so that the stock drivers from amd wont work right. i would try and boot of windows install cd and try a windows recovery if it wont boot into last know good config.

 

[womble]

I've come across the odd laptop where Windows update has messed things up with the display drivers. I would go to Dells site and download them from there.

You should be able to get into safe mode by pressing the F8 key shortly after powering on, you have to catch it before Windows starts to load, sometimes requires a bit of timing. You will have a basic screen but should hopefully be enough for you reinstall the graphics drivers.

 

[cala_01]

I kind of have the same problem with my 4870x2. Crash during driver install, and bsod when normal boot.

Indeed just try get in the safemode with f8.
What u can do there is go to ur device manager and disable the graphic adapter.
This will make it possible for u to boot in normal mode and try reinstall or something ( since you cant install those drivers on safemode ).

For me, the 4870x2 is detected in the device manager as 2 graphic adapters. i disabled only one of them, and that seems to bypass the bsod and made the card functional ( with or without performance loss, no input. ).
After I updated to win7, my bsod changed from an ati2dvag error to atikmpag error.
Same bypass applied currently. ( maybe this helps somehow )

 

[Rolomarr]

So I started the computer and from the moment it came on I pressed F8 and it did bring up the menu. I was able to load windows and log in after disabling the driver config. What should I do now? Should I uninstall catalyst and the drivers? Should I try to reinstall them again? Is it possible to just uninstall the bad driver and install one version before it?

 

[Rolomarr]

Ok, I spoke to soon. Windows started and then locked up. Couldn't move the mouse, Ctrl-alt-delete. Nothing. Restarted the computer and this time I got the option to boot it safe mode. So far that is working. I'm sitting in safe mode. Where to now?

 

[cala_01]

Well uninstalling all drivers in safemode should make it possible to boot normal again. From there on just couple things you could try:

First of all I would like to know though what file is causing the problem. Do one bsod by purpose and see what file they say caused the problem.

Then u could try those and see if it helps anything:

-Refit ur card on ur motherboard.
-Reinstall drivers again, see if it helps. If you want older drivers and thing those will work better you can select those from the website also. If you have the cd drivers you could try those. For me, the version of drivers didnt make any difference. in that case, go for the newest I would say. (Just make sure you have the right driver for ur device)
-If you think your card is actually overheating, or louder then usual, a dust clean up might do the trick...sounds wierd but helps somethimes.

Ill try to keep posting if I find something also.

 

[cala_01]

Also try to roll back on the drivers you had before the problem. If you remember what version it was, get those. If you don't, go to device manager, display adapters, and right click on ur adapter. click properties and click on roll back drivers to previous.
If this helps, it would mean that u have to mess around with driver versions to get the performance you want or think you should get.

 

[cala_01]

I remembered you did a fresh install. Probably the roll back option is not available then...

 

[Rolomarr]

Ah, I hate it when things start to work right and then all hell breaks lose. I got the newest drivers installed and all was well for a day. Today I wa adjusting the settings on SWTOR to get the best Performance when my computer restarted. I tried to restart in safe mode and it gave me an error. I tried to boot normally and it have me another blue screen. I tried to boot off of the F8 menu. Nothing is working. I tried to boot into the safe mode again so that I could write the error code on this site. It crashed before even bringing up the error. Ah! This is so frusterating.

 

[cala_01]

1. First of all, are u not able to boot in safe mode anymore?

2. Otherwise, the newest driver worked for like a day. So for now lets keep it.
Disable ur card for now from device manager in safe mode so you can enter windows in normal.
-Now I need you to check if you have overheat. A 2 years old card might need a cleaning. This might fix a lot, at least if its not a fix for the current problem it will prevent many future problems.
-After that, since you clean installed your windows, see if you can update windows. Go to windows updates and install all the critical updates but also look at optional. If you find .NET framework updates, install those too.
-Finally, also look on ur card see if there is any red LED indicators that is lit. Maybe ur PSU got tired.

After these steps, go back to safemode and enable the card.
See how it goes.

 

[cala_01]

Also when u boot with F8, disable automatic reboot at failure. After that you might be able to see the bleuscreen and write down the error.

 

[mactronix]

The vast number of these errors are memory related it could be that the problem has nothing to do with the GPU at all or the drivers. Try removing and reseating your system Ram. If you get it running download Memtest which is a free utility that will test the ram for you in case its an intermittent fault.
Also on basic fault finding check all cables and connections, things can come loose on their own. Either that or its gremlins
Going into safe mode and using driversweeper to clear out your drivers would be a good idea as well as you have made a few attempts so as clean a start as possible is going to be in order, sometimes bits of old drivers get left behind and cause issues.

Do not use the latest drivers go to the AMD website and there is an option for previous drivers. Go back to the drivers you had before the reinstall.

Mactronix

 

[todd_65]

No looking for help but I will post my scenario ( painful ) here. I went through this 2x.

Picked up my Gateway (Acer NV52) I began meticulously restoring and updating my new machine.
Windows Vista Home Premium, AMD Athalon QL-64, 2.1ghz, Dual Core, Radeon 3200, 780 700 chipset.
Bla bla bla....

After putting on Service Pack2 and 187 updates,(important ones only) Uninstalling NORTON, And Windows Live and Google toolbars and such then putting on MS Security Essentials....... ie about 5 hours of configuring.... My puter was running splendid soooo ......I thought I would update my Chipset Drivers.... So I downloaded CPU ID utility ......put them on .... Crystal installer told me to restart.......Black Screen ..... Boot Repair. Did I mention this happend 2x....

The first time I put on the latest chipset drivers ( pretty sure it's the ATI driver fouling up) windows let me boot up correctly but my screen locked up within a few minutes like I had lost TV reception or Sattellite reception. The screen "detuned" and froze up like Johnny Carson show lost reception 1969 or something. The Second time I updated the AMD chipset drivers I was never able to Re-Boot....... Heartbreaking after the Hell MS put me through on the Window Updates (187).

Being the stubborn PC user that I will always be, I am going to ReDo my machine one more time. But I will not be "installing the latest chipset drivers" that's for DAMN sure. I haven't messed around with PC's for over 10 years but I can already tell you that it's a "KERNEL EMULATION" issue with the ATI graphics driver.

ADIOS NERDOS toddlewis at techemail dot com