GPU Hardware Failure? -- BSODs, atikmpag.sys, vertical dots and dashes

uanaka

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Long story short (since this has been a week of nonstop troubleshooting) -- I'm on the last straw with this laptop and I want to get some confirmation or some discussion that the problem is very much likely a GPU hardware failure.

I've gotten BSOD's on startup -- point to atikmpag.sys, as well when I look at the BlueScreenView minidump also points out dxgkrnl.sys dxgmms1.sys as well but on the primary BSOD, it mentions the atikmpag.sys as well as the 0x016 error code which lets me know for a fact it has to do with the graphics driver.

Computer is Lenovo y460p, so it is old and on its way out but I wanted to fix it and keep on trucking at least. It uses the AMD Radeon 6500 HD graphics driver, which are part of the 5000HD series. I have tried the drivers directly from the Lenovo support page as well as from AMD, either through it's auto-detect as well as the two possible legacy driver downloads, the Catalyst and Crimson software packages. I've even gone as far as trying modded AMD graphics drivers such as from leshcatlabs.net. I've tried old packages that I could find going back to 12.6 to 13.2 to the current ones. I can go into safe mode just fine using the standard VGA adapter, but cannot boot normally with the driver.

I updated the BIOS, I've updated the drivers that I could from Lenovo's page as well as using a Driver DVD I had from before for the laptop. When I do startup with the downloaded and installed AMD driver, I am unable to even get past the Windows logo splash screen, it ends up on a black screen (but still on, because there is a visible LCD difference) I hear the Windows login screen chime as well as see a mouse pointer. I am able to move it for a few seconds and then freeze, crash.... either into a BSOD or it just shuts down.

Regardless of the driver though, VGA adaptor or the AMD driver, on the Lenovo startup where BIOS and POST are initialized i get some sort of a color gradient along the screen. Then before the Windows logo splash screen, I get these vertical dots and dashes that go across the entire screen, sometimes red, soemtimes white.

At this point, am I correct to assume that the problem lies with the GPU hardware itself? Since it is a laptop, I haven't taken it apart, but I did take it apart a while back to clean it with compressed air. I don't think I had messed with anything other than to pick up some larger dust clouds.

EDIT: I have tried sfc/scannow to no errors, as well as chkdisks. No errors there either. I have run through some automated cleanup scripts (TronScript) where it runs through a variety of malware, virus, defragging cleanup tools for me. No problems. I've even done a clean install of Windows 7.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Professional - 64 bitIntel - i7 2630QM - 2.0MHz8gb RAMAMD Radeon Mobility 6550 -- 5000 Series
Computer type
Laptop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Lenovo Y460p
OS
Windows 7 Professional - 64 bit
CPU
Intel - i7 2630QM - 2.0MHz
Motherboard
N/A
Memory
8gb RAM
Graphics Card(s)
AMD Radeon Mobility 6550 -- 5000 Series
Hard Drives
750gb 5400rpm
Antivirus
Microsoft Security Essentials
Since you've done a complete reinstall and reinstalled the drivers and you are still getting the video corruption and BSODs, it pretty much sounds like a hardware issue to me.

I could be wrong, but that's what is sounds like to me. It might be time to give up and buy a new laptop. :(
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual bootAMD FX 8350 Vishera @ 420016 GB Mushkin Blackline DDR3-2400 @ 1866 (9-1...XFX Radeon R9 280 Double D Black Edition
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Mellon Labs (custom build)
OS
Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
CPU
AMD FX 8350 Vishera @ 4200
Motherboard
ASUS M5A97 R2.0
Memory
16 GB Mushkin Blackline DDR3-2400 @ 1866 (9-10-10-10-31)
Graphics Card(s)
XFX Radeon R9 280 Double D Black Edition
Sound Card
Realtek HD Audio on MB. Sounds great.
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer 24", Acer 22"
Screen Resolution
3840 x 1080
Hard Drives
1 x Mushkin Chronos 120 GB SSD (Win 10)
1 x Samsung 850 EVO 250 GB SSD (Win 7)
1 x WD 1TB SATA Blue
1 x WD 1TB SATA Green
PSU
Corsair TX-750
Case
CoolerMaster HAF 912+
Cooling
Coolermaster Seidon 240M Liquid AIO. 6 case fans
Keyboard
Logitech G710+
Mouse
Logitech G500s
Internet Speed
Much better since I got fiber, but still way overpriced.
Antivirus
MSE, Malware Bytes for scanning
Browser
Firefox
Other Info
Corsair VOID USB headphones.

A Mellon Labs X-1 - LCD Smartie driven system status display.

Brought to you by the letter E
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