Vista and 7.3 Display driver atikmdag stopped responding error

CBRacerX

Interesting analysis gwhiz. What did you use as the GPU and Memory clock settings when you set them manually? My system is almost identical to yours, and I have 300/950 respectively for these as the default values.

BTW, what event does the event viewer log for your crashes?

CBRacerX

I should NOT have jinxed myself with the "no freezes yet" comment - as soon as I made the post I got three TDR's in a row and then a hard freeze.

Event Viewer Data: "Display driver atikmdag stopped responding and has successfully recovered."

[COLOR=#ff0000]-[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Event[/COLOR][COLOR=#ff0000] xmlns[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]="[/COLOR][COLOR=#ff0000]http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]">[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#ff0000]-[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]System[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Provider[/COLOR] [COLOR=#990000]Name[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]="[/COLOR]Display[COLOR=#0000ff]" />[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]EventID Qualifiers[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]="[/COLOR]0[COLOR=#0000ff]">[/COLOR]4101[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]EventID[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Level[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]3[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Level[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Task[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]0[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Task[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Keywords[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]0x80000000000000[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Keywords[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]TimeCreated[/COLOR] [COLOR=#990000]SystemTime[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]="[/COLOR]2008-02-19T14:08:21.000Z[COLOR=#0000ff]" />[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]EventRecordID[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]17303[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]EventRecordID[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Channel[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]System[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Channel[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Computer[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]QuadCore[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Computer[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Security[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]/>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]System[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]


[COLOR=#ff0000]-[/COLOR] [COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]EventData[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Data[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]atikmdag[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Data[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]EventData[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]


[COLOR=#0000ff]</[/COLOR][COLOR=#990000]Event[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff]>[/COLOR]

CBRacerX

Thanks Tlz - Are you using Vista 64 bit and/or multiple monitors?

gwhiz2k

I had taken note of the original GPU and memory settings, and just tried to put them back to that. Currently, it's throttled down again to 297. I'm guessing that it's either the act of dynamically changing core clock frequencies (when there's no need to) that caused the error, or maybe the error caused the card to throttle up. Either way, it does show spiked right where the TDR's happened.

As for the event log, it doesn't say much. The exact some, non-descript "Display driver atikmdag stopped responding and has successfully recovered.", and an event ID of 4101.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm running Vista Home Premium, 64bit version, with every windows update I can get my grubby little paws on

EDIT: Here's the raw XML for the event:

- <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
- <System>
<Provider Name="Display" />

<EventID Qualifiers="0">4101</EventID>

<Level>3</Level>

<Task>0</Task>

<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2008-02-19T16:29:12.000Z" />

<EventRecordID>18728</EventRecordID>

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer>VistaQuad64</Computer>

<Security />

</System>


- <EventData>
<Data>atikmdag</Data>

</EventData>


</Event>

CBRacerX

In desparation I have updated Catalyst to the latest release, v8.2 - no crashes yet this afternoon. I can't get the GPU to go under 300 using CCC, was there a trick to this?

gwhiz2k

I think it's a discrepancy in the reporting. In CCC, mine also shows 300/829, while Riva Tuner shows 297/828.

reggie14

I’ve been experiencing the same error that others have reported. I previously ran a 6600GT in Vista with dual monitors. I’ve been experiencing the driver stopped responding error since I installed an HD3850 card. I’ve found that I do not have the problem if I do not extend my desktop on to the second monitor. If I do extend the desktop, I get an error about once every two hours, regardless of whether I am using the computer or it is sitting idle (but on, obviously). Usually the system recovers, although sometimes Vista freezes. Also, I have to look in the system’s event log to see all the instances of the error. My full system specs are at the end of this message.

I’m curious, of the people that are experiencing this problem with dual monitors, how many of you are using two monitors with different resolutions? I am.

I’ve been thinking about playing with some of the registry settings documented here:
Timeout Detection and Recovery of GPUs through WDDM
Microsoft seems to warn pretty strongly against playing with these, but I’ve been thinking about changing the TdrDelay time to 5 seconds. I think that means that the video card would have to be nonresponsive for 5 seconds before triggering the driver shutdown and restart. Has anyone tried this?

Here are my full system specs:
Antec Sonata II Case
Antec 450 Watt Power Supply
Asus A8N-E Motherboard (stock BIOS settings)
AMD Athlon X2 3800+ (no overclocking)
4x512 MB DDR400 RAM
Diamond HD3850 Video Card (no overclocking)
Monitor 1: 1680x1050 Samsung via DVI
Monitor 2: 1280x1024 Samsung via DVI to analog adapter
OS: Windows Vista Business 32-bit with Aero turned ON
Drivers: 8.2 (also experienced in older driver versions)

CBRacerX

I have three monitors which have three different resolutions! So sue me

CBRacerX

Jinx applies again - full cycle of TDR and freeze this AM after running about 18 hrs.

reggie14

I read on other boards that some people have success avoiding the problem by dropping down to a single stick of RAM. I only have 512 meg sticks, so it would be pretty painful for me to try. It looks like you have 2 gig sticks. If you're desperate enough, I'd be curious to hear if it works for you. But, it doesn't sound like these people were running dual monitors. That might be a problematic configuration.

CBRacerX

Ouch. I am going to try and underclock the RAM a bit - that has been offered as a solution by others.

CATALYSTCATCHER

Removing ram has worked for some, but you have to ask the question "Are they removing a bad or missmatched ram stick?" WHY? because many people have uncovered bad ram sticks and had them replaced, which resolves their TDR problem.

Underclocking has also worked for some people and is worth a try if it can be achieved.

Neither of these options has worked for everyone, but both options are useful as troubleshooting steps which may lead to a resolution or temporary workaround.

Even the dual display issue is only experienced by some. However, with 2 display adapters the system memory allocations and memory usage is different than with a single display.

I can report that I have finally experienced TDR events on my system, but these only occur if I use the overdrive auto calibration or manually adjust the clocks up to the same range as the auto calibration sets. Once I return to defaults the TDRs stop, so this information is useless because it just means TDRs occur when you OC too much and that not all boards can be OC'd the same amount.

The same is true for CPUs, system memory, motherboards and any other electronic device you can think of. Also OCing , voltage adjustment and extra cooling go hand in hand. (If this were not true, the PCs would run 1000s of times faster, use only milliwatts of power and be cool enough to make ice. But this is not true or even possible.)

This should be common knowledge. But is not understood by all wanna be Overclockers. (Present company and DH experts aside :-)

CBRacerX

Understood, and I ran memtest for 24 hours with no issues with the 8 GB of RAM I am using. And I have gone to the _extreme_ length of buying another motherboard (ASUS Maximus Formula) which was a very expensive experiment since only 30 days before I had built the new system with a new Gigabyte P35 board. I also bought another identical (and expensive) HD3780 card (bringing me to a pair) so that I was not running two different ATI cards.

So far, this has been all for naught.

gwhiz2k

This was different than what I got. After unlocking Overdrive (yet with only the default values), I went from a TDR + lockup once a day to a TDR + lockup once a week. (although it's hard to tell if this is indeed a weekly occurrence, or just a really random problem)

It had formerly been once a day at least.

Please see my earlier long post. I collected some data about what was going on during the TDR.

CBRacerX

Well, my first attempt at this failed, so I am going to try it even slower. Not optimistic...

I also attempted a rollback of the driver to version 7.12. However, this failed to install and I wonder if it does not support the 3870 series cards...

CATALYSTCATCHER

I don't believe the 7.12 does support the 3870, but I'm not 100% sure. But generally if you get the INF error message then the driver is not configured to install on the installed graphics.

reggie14

So, tonight I tried installing SP1 on my Vista install. I hoped it would help the problem, but I already got an error. I'm curious, at what point do I RMA the card? I contacted ATI customer care a few weeks ago looking for help. They basically wanted me to have a second computer to test the card on. I don't have that.

CBRacerX

7.12 was only released on Dec 20, 2007 - so I expected it would support the 3870!


The install appeared to be going fine, but once the driver install occured the screens went blank and the system froze. After that, starting Vista resulting in a BSOD with a Driver Load error. I did a System Restore rollback to 8.2

This is starting to get ridiculous, I'm really close to throwing in the towel on making these ATI cards work.

gwhiz2k

Have you tried disabling Aero?

CBRacerX

No, I haven't tried that yet but you experience with this sure seems to prove indisputably that this is a Driver issue and not hardware.

Judas

I can easily reproduce TDRs only in circumstances such as "other hardwave/software causing the issue"... or by overclocking, and only occasionally find out that the overclock has caused the TDRs... lowering it has resolved this, sometimes the Rarest, such as once a week or out of the blue in a month TDRs arefrom what i've seen, caused by overclocking the video ram on the edge of a few issues.....

Another circumstance is a buggy 3D application if your getting TDRs while playing a game in windowed mode (i've only experienced this in windowed mode thus far... fullscreen doesn't exibit this)... sometimes running multiple 3D applications in windowed mode that are known to crash for just about anyone for any reason... but generally stable enough to use for hours on end sometimes.... have produced TDRs completely randomly.

Either way, anyone receiving a TDR with the 8.1 or 8.2's and the HD3870's... my best guess would be that either there is a heat issue, overclocking to far, not enough power provided by the PSU (not stable or clean enough power), other bad software/hardware showing itself as a TDR, or possibly an unfortuneate case where the video card itself could possibly be a dud.... it happens.

One thing i definitely suggest some people do, is to completely wipe the machine, don't use any modified version of windows installation (slimmed down or slipstreamed), install windows, install the updates via the update manager, don't install ANY form of anti-virus or any other 3rd party programs including spybot or some other. Straight away make sure you download and install the latest drivers for all your hardware, and then install a few games or programs you knew you were running into problems with.. run it in this condition for a solid week or better to see if the problems show themselves. Then try trial and error until you reproduce the problem, or if the problem is emediately present, start swap memory modules around or other possibly solutions such as underclocking and whatnot until there is a definite answer.

__________________

CATALYSTCATCHER

I was wrong. Cat 7.11 and up supports 3870.

CATALYSTCATCHER

So we have 2 different point of view. Driver bug vs HW issue. (And the clear and present danger that it is a combination)

Assuming perfect hardware for both systems can you guys get together and produce a comprehensive list of the different software you prefer to use on your system. ie the TDR producing system vs the no TDR without OC system.

I am hopefull that their is a yet unknown element that is triggering the TDR event. An element that is strictly goverened by user preference.

I am aware of such possibilities. And a TDR was the end result.
See here: Guru3D.com Forums - View Single Post - RivaTuner and Battlefield 2142 PunkBuster

Sunrazor

Clean install, new motherboard, same problem as before. The driver stops responding seemingly at random. Even have a new chassis. Does not help anything I try. Sigh.

reggie14

I don't think it means much, but I've gone just over 24 hours without an error after turning off Aero. I'm not a big fan of this workaround though.

CBRacerX

Seems to imply that hardware is not the issue though. Can you still use applications (I guess games) that require serious graphics resources?

reggie14

Well, I played TF2 for about an hour tonight. That's pretty taxing. And, I've been playing high-def mpeg2, which actually uses quite a bit of power too.

I don't know what the problem is. I think this certainly implies its not a power supply issue. I think it at least suggests its not a RAM problem. I don't think it rules out a defective video card, and it certainly doesn't rule out a problem with Vista. Should I RMA the card?

I should point out, turning off Aero isn't really a good option for me. Video playback, particularly with high-def mpeg2, isn't as nice with Aero turned off. Its jerky and there seems to be deinterlacing problems. I experienced them in XP, which is why I moved to Vista. I think its either a Windows bug or a decoder bug though. A lot of nvidia users have noticed the same thing.

psies

Hi i am new here.
I am working on a technical department of an IT company for more than 8 years now. I fix pc's and stuff. i ve got a lot of experience with pc's and software and hardware problems... in think i have repaired over a 1000 pc's during the last 8 years so i have seen the stranges things.

A few weeks ago i got this pc which was running vista, radeon 2400XT and had this problem. I looked in to it and i noticed on internet that this problem is HUGE. I mean sooo many ppl suffer this problem! It's incredible.
Both ATI as Nvidia suffer this problem but it seems it happens more ofthen with ati cards.

The cause of this is very fague. ATI is saying it happens because of Heating, not compabitle hardware, bad PSU, bad memory. etc. I think it's crap. Everything!...

I recently bought a new pc: Gigabyte X38 mobo, His 3870 videocard, Antec 550W powersupply OCZ memory. All highly quality hardware stuff.
And today while i was playing C&C tiberium it crashed on me with this atikmdag error!
I can tell you, my hardware is really ok. No problems during install, benchmarking, got a dual boot with XP , no problem under XP. '

If they say that it is due to hardware malfuctioning.. i cannot believe that because soo many ppl worldwide are suffering this error, Do they all have bad hardware???
It's definitly got something to do with software drivers. Probably standard window driver and nvidia/ati driver..
But vga manufacturers always try to blame it on difffernt thinks..

I called ATI germany about this issue. And offcourse: it's the ati driver that crashes but we re not to blame. There is a incompatiblity with hardware and vista and that causes the driver to crash... YEAH RIGHT..
I see ppl with Asus motherboard, Abit, Gigabyte, Intel all different brands they all suffer this problem. So you can rule out the cause of incompatiblity of motherboard/vista.. (i mean are all motherboard not vista compatible? even the new X38 motherboard?)

With this custumor i tested with two different powersuply, fresh installed vista, different memory different videocards, with all possible different hardware configurations i stumbled upon this error message!!

What i want to say is that i really want to rule out the possibility that this error is caused by bad hardware. IT'S NOT! If you have bad hardware, like a bad powersupply or bad memory, you pc freezes, gets RANDOMLY BSOD, or resets suddenly. So if you are having this problem and for the rest your computer runs fine, dont bother changing your videocard, powersupply etc. It's not faulty!

microsoft and videocard manufacturers should come together and solve this issue. It's getting to f*king annoying and it should be solved !

reggie14

Psies,

It sounds like you've tried everything else. Why not try RMAing the card and see if that fixes it. You apparently have other video cards to tide you over.

It's perfectly reasonable to think that this error is caused by bad hardware. Maybe ATI's quality control went down the drain recently. Or, maybe cards have always been this bad and it took enabling a video card intensive user interface (Aero) to start seeing the problem.

Look at it this way, if the problem continues with the new card, that significantly bolsters your claim that its a driver/software issue.

psies

When i am at my work, i do i have other videocards avaible, not much and not so fast cards.

This is my private pc, which i just bought. The first two weeks i played under XP and there was really nothing wrong rock solid stable playing games.

Now since a few days under vista (sp1) and nearly every game i play crashes.

There is nothing wrong with my HIS 3870 IceQ 3 card. If there was, shouldn't i get errors while playing under XP?

It only cost me money to send back the card and i cannot play for a few weeks while i dont have any other card in my house.
Like it wrote before. It's NOT hardware problem. I can have this also with a 3850, 1950XT 2900XT card whatever. Sending the card back for RMA is really useless, time consuming and costs money.

I think i am going to to windows XP, because i have no problems there. Directx 10 games and vista should wait to until this problem is solved.

Oh here is my pc info:

Antec P182 (enough cooling avaible)
GIgabyte Ga-X38-DS5 mainboard
Memory: 2x2GB OCZ ReaperX PC6400
Intel E8400
2x Seagate 250GB @raid 0

Running WIndows Vista SP1
Ati Catalyst 8.2

C&C tiberium crashed totally
Cod4 Stops briefly for a second or 2 then resumes (going back to vista, it reports that atikmdag.sys has crashed and recoverd)
both games patched till latest version.

Not much running in background. Videocard stays under 65 degrees during stress whichof a 3870 is pretty good (fan is only at 70%)

I have tested my system how much is consumes during a stress test. It was 320Watt during load !!
I have a Antec Trio Power 550W (which is certified by ATI for playing with 3870 cards!)

Disableing windows AERO did not solve it.