Windows 7: Problem With Windows 7 Pro 64Bit and Radeon HD 4890

ok... So i feel like i have tried everything but I'm sure i haven't because if i did it would be working here's my problem and a time line.

Preorder'd win 7 got it on the 22nd

installed it yesterday. it immediately ran windows update, during that update it installed the drivers for my GFX Card i rebooted my PC and it stopped loading at the starting windows screen after waiting 10-15 minutes i reset the PC and let it boot into start up repair mode which ran system restore and successfully removed the drivers. after booting into windows again i removed the update for the GFX card so i could at least redo the other updates (System restore removed them all) after installing the other updates i rebooted to see if i had the same problem i didn't so that narrowed it down to the drivers WU was trying to install. i knew WU and Drivers were not a good combo so i went to AMD and downloaded the latest catalyst and drivers version 9.10 for win vista and 7 64 bit. i installed those drivers and reboot still no go. ran the system restore again to roll back the drivers which worked. did this whole install roll back process many times. so after a few hours i deleted all ATI folders re-downloaded the 9.10 Package this time running it in compatibility mode for vista still same problem. Any Suggestions?

so to sum it all up I'm having more trouble finding drivers for windows than i had with finding drivers for Ubuntu now that is saying something.

My system Specs are filled in
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EDIT:

I Have Read many of the posts here about the 4800 series GFX card problems none really fit my problem or were helpful/worked

FYI if anyone is having this problem i fixed it

i downloaded the windows vista 9.8 catalyst drivers for x64 and it worked.

Hey there,

firstly, thanks for your input here, because you saved me from further torment. I've just purchased Windows 7 today and did a clean install in a new hard-drive - Specs are attached to my profile - and everything went smoothly until I installed the graphics drivers. The recently released 10.5 suite. Incidentally, I had numerous problems with the same graphics card Gigabyte HD 4890, with the previous build, using XP. The system was the same, I've only replaced the hard-drive for the OS. On the old build, windows regularly crashed on start up, and usually only loaded after three or four attempts which was highly annoying, but workable in that the system was completely stable and solid once it had loaded.
With the new installation, the problems began once I installed the 10.5 drivers. Firstly, the screen hung on the windows logo, whilst a line of static slowly appeared across the top of the screen. There was no progress beyond this point, so I tried several reboots for the same result. I loaded the last working configuration, which took me back pre-driver install - I reinstalled the drivers and got the same result. After this, having loaded very little else, I decided to reload Windows in the hope of getting a better result. This time I noticed the windows update for ATI, chose not to install it, and hoped it might be the root cause. It wasn't - once the drivers were installed, the same problem occurred, though with a different flavour - crash to reboot or the hanging screen with line of static across the top.
Now I began the long and tedious process of downloading every one of the recent drivers. System restore - find and delete all ATI folders - install drivers, hey presto - hanging screen or boot failure. It was then that I saw this post on the forum here and thought, sure, why not try the 9.8 drivers. Well, guess what - it worked!
I am baffled as to why the problem with this particular species of card has not been solved, and why the earliest version of the drivers, or at least, a very eary version should be the only one that seems to work. Seriously, what's going on there? I have just now tried four reboots with no problems whatsoever and the system seems fast and stable, and loading is smooth. I would certainly recommend downloading the 9.8 version of the Vista 64 /win 7 drivers if you have a similar problem.
Btw, they're not so easy to find if you just run a web search - it took me a long time to dig them out of the AMD website, so here's a link:

ATI Catalystâ„¢ Display Driver

Good luck to anyone else who has this issue, and thanks, PRDeerkiller, for the tip ; )

ATI drivers are notoriously buggy and problematic, and have been so for the last decade. For future reference, anytime you update ATI drivers you should do them clean.

First dl and install driver sweeper: Guru3D - Driver Sweeper, then uninstall your current set of ATI drivers. Reboot into safe mode (reboot, tap F8 key), and run driver sweeper to clear all traces of ATI.

Boot normally and install the latest set of drivers. Doing it this way, you will avoid myriad problems that result from ATI's apparent inability to write good drivers.

Thanks for the reply - I spoke too soon in my post above - the build crashed on load again on the 5th attempt with the 9.8 drivers. I was originally starting with a completely clean build - new HD and fresh install of OS after format. The 10.5 drivers did not work the first time nor the second time after another format and clean install. Is this problem likely to be peculiar to my hardware config, or is there something else I should be doing? I believe Windows was actually loading, because I heard the welcome chimes when the logo page hung, but it simply would not display. Could this have something to do with refresh rates etc? In my previous post, I noted that the 9.8 drivers were still working after three or four consecutive boots, but after then installing further utilities, they failed. I noted when running system restore that DirectX updates had been installed in the intervening period - is it possible the directx have caused some conflict? Seriously tempted to buy a new graphics card. Would prefer a solution, but should one not be forthcoming, can anyone recommend a high end graphics card (not top dollar, but near enough) which actually works hassle free with windows 7 and hardware specs similar to my own?
I'm getting desperate here!
Cheers all

One further question - the following update was offered through WU, but I didn't trust it after the first failure, in which instance I had allowed it to install. Does anyone know if this update actually works, and, if so, is there a particular order in which it should be installed - ie. after drivers, or, before? Or, perhaps, does it only work with a particular driver model?

Again, thanks anyone who can help.


ATI Technologies Inc. driver update for ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
This driver was provided by ATI Technologies Inc. for support of ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
More information:
Winqual Help
Help and Support:
Select a Product Solution Center

Hi Hallifax,

Always use the manufacture's drivers over Windows update. They're usually newer and include optional items like the Catalyst Control Panel for example.

Since you have a 4890 you would do well to get the drivers here -ATI Video Card Drivers

BTW - The only time most people use Windows' Update drivers is if they can't find any offered by the manufacture - for example, outdated hardware that Windows has "generic" drivers for.

Also, you'll find that not everyone is a proponent of driver sweepers. I for example have never had to use one to install or uninstall "problematic" drivers; But to each his own.

One other thing, Nvidia has buggy drivers as well. In fact, if it uses drivers, chances are you'll find bugs

Questions about ATI's drivers??? - CATALYST Drivers - Rage3D Discussion Area.

Hope this helps.

Good luck

You should not be having these problems; all the hardware is solid. I will second that you should avoid Windows Update. WU only provides drivers given to them, and if WU only has outdated drivers, it can only give you outdated drivers. Best option is to go to the manufacturer's site.

The 10.5's are actually a huge step forward from previous drivers. There's something else going on if you crash on a fresh install. My guess is your RAM is messing you up; or more specifically, you need a bios update and/or to adjust timings.

If you've had problems with the card, then yeah, it could be the card, but since ATI drivers are notoriously buggy, it could also be that you've not been using driver sweeper in between updates?

Fumz and Sygnus, thanks a lot for your help here. I think I have finally solved the problem. I think there were two issues here - firstly, the drivers for the PCI slot on my motherboard, which I updated today, and secondly, the download of 10.5 which I had used seems to have been in some way corrupt. After updating all the drivers on the motherboard, I actually used drive sweeper to clean out the graphics drivers, then installed 10.5 again. First time, it didn't work - but, I had downloaded the drivers from a secondary source, and not from AMD. Still, they should have been the real deal and were identical in size, content and appearance to the ones I later downloaded from AMD. First run did not work, but after another Drive sweep and the second install with a new download of the drivers from the AMD website, things seem to be working just fine. I'm hoping things stay this way from now on!

Thanks again for your quick responses and good advice- fingers crossed, all will be well!

I think the moral of the story is, check the bloody drivers for your motherboard first!

Hallifax

Oh dear, again I spoke too soon. Everything ran fine until around the 3rd reboot and then same problem resurfaced - the hanging windows logo, a strangled-sounding fanfare, and a spreading line of static across the very top of the screen. I went through the process again, and this time it wouldn't even load once. I really don't know what options are left, other than replacing the video card. Still, it is relatively new - about four months old, and though I had issues with it on XP, I am certain that it was another driver problem there and not the hardware itself. Still, there's no way to be sure. It's only in the boot that I have issues. If it actually loads, everything works just fine. When I go through this process, I usually get one or two good boots, then a hanging window or shut-down. I am, now, completely baffled. I unplugged everything from the motherboard, plugged it in again, restarted, and that didn't make a difference either. At this stage, a new card seems like the most attractive, if somewhat expensive option.