BSoD when screen saver trying to start

rting · 26 May 2012

Well all is well until I use AMD's own Catalyst to tune the graphics cards.

Now the entire screen would turn red and then the machine hangs.

It would hang less frequently if I just have 1 screen hooked up.

Currently running Memtest86 v4.20 to test the new memories and the old and so far the tests are still on-going with the memory. It looks like I need new graphics cards - which seems to be the original problem? Until I discovered faulty memory? Now that the memory issue is fix and the graphics cards are now a problem when pushed to their limits?

Does any one have a good graphics card test software - presumably for AMD HD Radeon series of graphics cards? Can't seem to find any on AMD's website.

writhziden · 26 May 2012

STOP 0x116: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR troubleshooting offers some good graphics card tests. FurMark you already ran. Just in case, read through Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark though.

On the 2nd page of the 0x116 thread, some more robust tests are offered: Unigine: real-time 3D engine (game, simulation, visualization and VR)

rting · 26 May 2012

Currently running MemTest86 v4.20 and so far the memory looks good - old and new.

Quick Question:
Furmark is a stress and benchmark test only and does not analyze what is wrong?

Will look at others as suggested.

writhziden · 26 May 2012

Correct, FurMark requires you to watch the temperature and see if it exceeds the recommended temperature for the graphics card. You also have to watch out for any artifacts. The tutorial I linked describes how it should be used: Video Card - Stress Test with Furmark.

rting · 26 May 2012

Quick question:
Before the BSD today, temperature was running at around 82-84 degrees celcius - without loading programs (just the usual anti-virus, chat, printer, etc. software).

While running Battlefield 3 / Furmark, temperature reached about 95 degrees and then levels off.

Does that sound bad? I do not know the usual temperature of these cards.

Computer is still running memory tests ... so not able to re-run Furmark / re-install Catalyst from AMD, etc. as yet. It is going to be a really long weekend though.

rting · 27 May 2012

Furmark just crashed and then two of the screens went blank and now it hangs. What is going on? Cannot run Furmark ... will see if I can uninstall Catalyst ... run 1 graphics card first, etc.

rting · 27 May 2012

Well, I saw this article ... regarding Furmark and my HD4850 ... may be it explains my problem ... which is not a problem????????????

AMD/ATI Catalyst 8.8 downclocks GPU on detecting FurMark | ZDNet

Not only that, I also found that if I use AMD latest driver, the version number is 8.56.1.10 - which I think I was using - will include the Catalyst from AMD because you can only download the entire package.

While if I use Windows's Device Manager and just hit Driver Update, the version number is 8.850.0.0. Which I have no Catalyst installed on my system currently. System so far has not crashed.

Catalyst had always have a problem with my system but now I should un-install Furmark????? Attached screen shot is just one HD 4850 card with the "older" 8.850.0.0 driver and running Furmark but WITHOUT checking the "Xtreme burn-in, Post-Fx, GPU temperature alarm, and Log GPU data boxes under "Settings". It looks normal??

I will not install Catalyst for now ... at least until I tested both cards under most condition ... and assuming Furmark does not crash.

writhziden · 27 May 2012

You can install your drivers without Catalyst.

You should already have the installer downloaded and installed the drivers/Catalyst software, so your drivers probably exist in C:\AMD\Support\xx-x_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc where the x's replace your version number of the driver software.
Uninstall all AMD software related to your graphics card by uninstalling AMD Catalyst Install Manager in Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Uninstall a program
Restart your computer.
Re-install your drivers from the C:\AMD\Support\xx-x_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc folder using a similar method to that in OPTION TWO of Drivers - Install Vista Drivers on Windows 7

95 C is fairly typical of AMD cards. If you get over 100 C, there is something wrong with the card.

rting · 27 May 2012

writhziden said:

You can install your drivers without Catalyst.

You should already have the installer downloaded and installed the drivers/Catalyst software, so your drivers probably exist in C:\AMD\Support\xx-x_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc where the x's replace your version number of the driver software.
Uninstall all AMD software related to your graphics card by uninstalling AMD Catalyst Install Manager in Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Uninstall a program
Restart your computer.
Re-install your drivers from the C:\AMD\Support\xx-x_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc folder using a similar method to that in OPTION TWO of Drivers - Install Vista Drivers on Windows 7

95 C is fairly typical of AMD cards. If you get over 100 C, there is something wrong with the card.

Thank you!

writhziden · 27 May 2012

You're welcome. Let us know if installing the drivers solo helps. :)