Windows not booting due to bad display driver

reckonn · 30 Mar 2014

(important info in the last paragraph)

Hi! I recently got a used ATI Radeon HD 7350 1gb to replace my old Nvidia graphic card. Unfortunately, Windows 7 wouldn't detect it and only showed "Standard VGA card", which I assume is the one integrated in the motherboard. I tried to find a solution and read online that setting the ATI card as the default one in the BIOS could solve it, so I tried it.

Now the situation is even worse. In the BIOS I changed the default display from "Auto" to IGP (didn't work), PEG (didn't work), PCI (didn't work) and back to "Auto", and now the computer simply restarts when the "windows is starting" message and the rotating logo appear on screen.

I tried the old graphic card and got the same problem. Also tried a different hard disk with both a Windows 7 and a Windows XP partition, and even though Windows 7 won't start, windows XP does (though it doesn't detect the ATI card either). Also, the boot repair tool says it can't fix the problem but at least points out a reason: "baddriver". Safe mode won't initiate either.

Bottom line: I'm assuming the integrated card's default drivers for windows 7 got corrupt or something similar, but I have no idea how to replace them/fix them. Any suggestions? Thanks a lot!

Mellon Head · 30 Mar 2014

Is there an option in your BIOS to turn off the integrated graphics? Most BIOSes have an option to do this. That will force the computer to work with the graphics card.

It's not quite clear from your post, but can the computer boot with the integrated graphics without the video card installed?

reckonn · 30 Mar 2014

Thanks Mellon Head,

I can, indeed, select the option to disable the integrated graphics, but I'm afraid I might then ruin any possible way to access the computer, since the screen doesn't turn on if I try to start the computer with a VGA cable connected to the integrated card (the ATI uses a DVI). I actually found it very odd from the beginning that the computer would work with the monitor connected through DVI to the new ATI card, but would only recognize the integrated one.

Mellon Head · 30 Mar 2014

The computer was probably using a generic driver for the graphics card and that's what you saw when you saw "Standard VGA". Windows will use Standard VGA until you load the manufacturer's drivers (AMD/Nvidia).

Can you still see the BIOS with the graphics card installed, and when it's attached to the monitor? Without the integrated adapter connected? If you can, it should be safe to turn off the integrated graphics. It might boot then. If not, you can always reset the BIOS by removing the CMOS battery for a few minutes and re-inserting it.

reckonn · 02 Apr 2014

Thanks Mellon Head,

I tried that and indeed the computer boots with the ATI card connected and the integrated card deactivated, but still crashes when the Win7 logo shows up. Also, the monitor doesn't turn on when I connect it to the integrated card, so apparently it's been a problem with the ATI card all the time.

I suppose the thread could be updated to "computer crashes on win7 logo due to bad ATI driver", since it does start with Win XP.

Is there a way to fix the default VGA driver or install a Win7 compatible one?

Mellon Head · 02 Apr 2014

Now when you have the ATI card in and the IGP deactivated, can you get into safe mode? If you can, you can try to load the ATI driver while in safe mode. You can also try Windows Update in safe mode to try and let Windows find a compatible driver for the card. Once you have it working again, we can see about putting in the correct ATI drivers.

reckonn · 05 Apr 2014

Thank you! So, after several tries I managed to get the computer working, only with a clean Win7 installation (system repair, etc. didn't work). However, I'm back to the "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" in the Device Manager. I've downloaded the appropriate ATI Catalyst software for the Radeon HD 7350. I'm just not sure if the right step here is to simply install it and pray for the ATI card to be recognized :/

Mellon Head · 05 Apr 2014

If you have the IGP turned off, you can run the ATI installer as Administrator and choose a Custom Install. It should detect your card, and you can avoid installing the bloatware from AMD. Make a restore point first.

BTW, where did you get the ATI driver from?

reckonn · 07 Apr 2014

Ok, so no success, unfortunately. But I feel the solution is closer now. In the BIOS, the default graphics are set to PCI Express Graphics or "PEG", which is the ATI card, and the Integrated Graphics are disabled. Using the tool "hwinfo" I got to see that the system does detect de ATI card, but the driver is still set to Standard VGA Graphics. The installation of the ATI catalyst, which I got from the AMD website, fails repeatedly: it succeeds to install the ATI Audio driver but fails at the display driver.

I'm thinking that perhaps I could find just the driver, no catalyst, and install it manually. However, I've tried a couple of websites (Driverscape and Solvusoft) and they don't seem too reliable. Do you happen to know any good ones?

I also took a few screenshots:

Mellon Head · 07 Apr 2014

If you dig a little bit on the AMD website, you can find just the driver package. At least, you used to be able to.

I did find this, though. It may help:

How-To Install AMD Catalyst? Drivers For A Windows® Based System