Solved BSOD unexpectedly, seems to be drivers, reached limit of my knowledge

[Zippity]

Hello,

I have a Sager NP9170 laptop, run as my primary computer. Relevant to this conversation, it has:
- AMD Radeon HD 7970M graphics card.
- Intel i7-3720QM
- - With the god damn integrated graphics card, an Intel HD 4000.

Original problem:
-BSOD randomly, unsure what caused. I did not change any drivers manually. BSOD continues upon every startup relatively quickly (within 5 minutes, often during startup).
Error report: "Attempt to reset the display driver and recover from timeout failed."

I did research and figured out it was probably a problem with the graphics card drivers.

Point of success: Disabling the AMD card allows otherwise normal operation, no crashes noted.

I then figured that I should update the cards as suggested by my retailer. They sent me to Software Upgrade , where I downloaded the most recent drivers for "Video Drivers for Windows 7 64 BIT" and "AMD Radeon HD 7070M Video driver for Windows 7 32 BIT / 64 BIT".

I attempted to install the AMD drivers - BSOD persisted.

Researched and found I should do a "clean install" of them by clearing the drivers after uninstall with Drive Sweeper in safe mode. Attempted this - BSOD persisted.

Figured perhaps my intel graphics drivers and the amd ones were not agreeing with each other. So I uninstalled both, Drive Swept away the AMD in safe mode, and reinstalled the intel. Worked fine. Next, reinstalling the AMD ones caused me to crash to a black screen with the cursor in the top left. Attempting to restart revealed an error and windows requested to restore (backups had been made, restored fine).

Attempted same "clean install" procedure, got a BSOD during installation this time.

Am I missing something? Is there some obvious mistake I have made?

Thank you all in advance so much for help with this matter.

Edit: BSOD Technical information from the persistent blue screen when AMD card is enabled:

*** STOP: 0x00000116 (0xFFFFFA8013396300, 0xFFFFF880046F1AE4, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000002)

*** atikmpag.sys - Address FFFFF880046F1AE4 base at FFFFF880046EA000, DateStamp 4f751588

Edit: Files uploaded in third post, sorry about that.

 

[Pauly]

Hello zippity, welcome to SF

Have a read through this
http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/96879-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html

 

[Zippity]

Wow, I am so sorry for missing that. Panic mode and all, but here are the files now.

I created three, hoping at least one set will be useful. The first is with all AMD uninstalled. The second is with the AMD software (Catalyst Control Center etc) that comes with the drivers installed. The third is after attempting to install the AMD Radeon driver and experiencing the blue screen (I had to disable the card after installing the driver to do the diagnostic out of safe mode, don't know how that will show up).

View attachment 249481

View attachment 249482

View attachment 249483

 

[Pauly]

Just ran three most recent dumps and they all state 0x101 and blame your ati drivers but that could be card related/temperauture related
Recommend you install temp monitoring software initially and check for heat issues, laptops and i7s dont always get on
If your OCing anything get rid of it all now and return bios to stock and manually check all settings
Get rid of teamviewer and install newer copy got a seriously old driver on there
Check this out
http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lo...0x101-clock_watchdog_timeout-troubleshtg.html

 

[Zippity]

Just ran three most recent dumps and they all state 0x101 and blame your ati drivers but that could be card related/temperauture related
Recommend you install temp monitoring software initially and check for heat issues, laptops and i7s dont always get on
If your OCing anything get rid of it all now and return bios to stock and manually check all settings
Get rid of teamviewer and install newer copy got a seriously old driver on there
Check this out
http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lo...0x101-clock_watchdog_timeout-troubleshtg.html

Thanks Pauly.

Yeah, I was thinking the problem is the ATI/AMD drivers as well. Annoying part is I'm attempting to install the up to date drivers, from the seller, specifically stated to work for my computer. The problem is that I can't get them to install - crashes with BSOD mid installation every time. So I would expect the drivers to be messed up as they are incapable of installing fully. I wish I had the diagnostic software up during the first crash, before attempting to update the drivers, as maybe it could help more. Lesson learned there.

I'll check temps, but I'm not aware of which software is best. Went with the first google, "GPU Temp". It is having trouble finding the card so perhaps I will try and find another one.

Bios is stock, and no overclocking or other processor modifications in use.

Teamviewer hasn't been used in a while, I'll update that as mentioned.

Edit: Also attempting to install some old versions of the driver package, maybe going backward until one works.

Edit: Also going to just clean install Windows 8, I think. Promotion going on at my campus and as the drivers are different that might help solve my problem (or at least eliminate many potential issues).

 

[Zippity]

Update: I managed to get the drivers installed (properly?). I used a version found at [UPDATED] Clevo Driver Thread . The "AMD Catalyst Performance Driver (Release - 15/11/2012 Version - 12.11)"

It managed to install correctly, but upon restart gave the same BSOD. However, given multiple restarts it eventually managed to load. Therefore, I have a new package of error logs! At the moment it is able to sometimes boot (2/7 so far), but has cut out randomly once so far while attempting to load a game and GPU Temp.

Attached is the new set of diagnostics.

View attachment 249567

 

[Zippity]

LAST UPDATE:

I just formatted the drives and installed windows 8 clean instead. Drivers for the Windows 7 Radeon 7970M are garbage and do not work when the bios mandates switchable graphics (as mine does, with the integrated Intel HD 4000). The windows 8 ones will *hopefully* work.

Additionally, bios files are not available in an unlocked form for the Sager NP9170 so I can't run it just as a discrete GPU. I've contacted them directly and expecting service. Also, AMD updates to the 7970M drivers are infrequent and bug filed. It seems like the two companies state "it's the other guy's responsibility".

Neither company will be receiving any of my cash in the future.

So, "solved" as unsolvable until Sager releases new drivers for AMD's graphics card with switchable graphics enabled. Possible other solution is to contact Sager, get an unlocked bios file, mess with bios to disable the onboard graphics and run only off of the discrete GPU, install the newest drivers and hope that works.