"Display driver AMD driver has stopped responding" error?!

[Sm00thSm0k3]

Hi all,

So my new build has been running rock solid for almost 2 weeks....until yesterday.
Was playing Bioshock Infinite in the afternoon and out of nowhere the game crashes and I get the dreaded "Display driver AMD driver has stopped working and has successfully recovered" error message?!

Long story short, I now seem to be getting this error randomly across all the games after almost 2 weeks of non-issues. Tried re-installing the GFX drivers but to no avail.

My build is as follows:

3770K @ 4.2 GHz
ASRock Z77 OC Formula
8GB GSkill Ripjaws Z
7950 (running at stock)
Vantec Ion 2+ 700A PSU
Windows 7 Ultimate

My google-fu has not proven useful either as I cannot seem to find a proper fix.

Most sites point to it being driver issues or temperature related. Some people reckon it could also be a PSU problem as the error occurs only in games when the GPU is under load.

First off the temps, according to my knowledge look fine. GFX sitting between 68 and 70 degrees on full load. CPU maxing at 60 degrees. I also doubt that it's driver related as it's a relatively fresh Windows install with the latest Catalyst drivers (13.9).

The PSU is probably between 4 and 5 years old now but has served me extremely well and is very underrated (was running Crossfire 5870's and more recently 560Ti SLI on this PSU with no issues). My previous rig was a 950/X58 build with the 560Ti SLI so I'm pretty sure the new build is less power hungry so I'd be surprised if the PSU was the culprit. Then again, given the PSU's age and the fact that it's done it's fair share of hard work, I guess it could be on it's way out?

Any ideas how I can try to fix this? This is frustrating as hell!

 

[Flidiot]

I had this problem a while ago on my laptop. I also searched for hours and hours without much luck, think I eventually found the solution on a Whirlpool thread.

In my case I downloaded the latest installation package as well as Driver Sweeper (Now Driver Fusion: http://treexy.com/products/driver-fusion).

The steps after downloading the files, IIRC were as follows:
1. Disconnect from net (In case windows tries to download drivers for you later)
2. Install Driver Fusion
3. Navigate to Display - AMD and then run the removal process.
4. Restart (I somehow think into Safe Mode)
5. Run a cleanup again, just to be sure
6. Restart (Normal mode)
7. Install newly downloaded driver - running as admin
8. Restart
9. Success
10. Still success - I just don't like an odd number of steps.... :erm:

Hope this helps or at least points you in the right direction.

 

[Raumas]

I had this issue for a few weeks earlier this year. Tried everything from new/old drivers, reinstalling windows to decreasing the voltage on the GFX card and increasing the fan speed. No joy.

Eventually in desperation, I removed the card from my machine and thoroughly cleaned all the dust off the card with compressed air. Working 100% since.

 

[chrisc]

Have you tried a different driver? My card did a similar trick and after speaking to it nicely without effect, I googled the problem and about 2 million other users had the same. A different driver (I cannot tell whether it was newer of older) did the trick

 

[Sm00thSm0k3]

.
The steps after downloading the files, IIRC were as follows:
1. Disconnect from net (In case windows tries to download drivers for you later)
2. Install Driver Fusion
3. Navigate to Display - AMD and then run the removal process.
4. Restart (I somehow think into Safe Mode)
5. Run a cleanup again, just to be sure
6. Restart (Normal mode)
7. Install newly downloaded driver - running as admin
8. Restart
9. Success
10. Still success - I just don't like an odd number of steps.... :erm:

Basically the same re-installation process I use and still no joy.

Thanks for the inputs all.

Will try using an alternate driver.

My brother-in-law suggested that I increase the volts to the card by .25mv. He had the same problem a while back and this worked for him.

 

[killadoob]

Download the amd latest beta drivers if you haven't already. 60 degrees seems high for the cpu not sure if that is causing the crash though but open your box, put a fan there and test your games. That should rule out any heat issues. then you need to test your hardware or you could reload your system fresh first, i tend to reload fresh before i test for hardware issues.

Download driver sweeper and remove all drivers, install latest beta amd driver. Run prime95 and max your cpu and see what happens but i don't think your cpu is the issue. I would also reset the bios and run everything stock. http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/tophddiag.htm choose your program for HDD testing and lastly download memtest to ensure your memory is fine.

Download 3dmark and pcmark, run both and see if anything crashes. If all of that passes try a fresh install.

 

[Sm00thSm0k3]

Download the amd latest beta drivers if you haven't already. 60 degrees seems high for the cpu not sure if that is causing the crash though but open your box, put a fan there and test your games. That should rule out any heat issues. then you need to test your hardware or you could reload your system fresh first, i tend to reload fresh before i test for hardware issues.

Download driver sweeper and remove all drivers, install latest beta amd driver. Run prime95 and max your cpu and see what happens but i don't think your cpu is the issue. I would also reset the bios and run everything stock. http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/tophddiag.htm choose your program for HDD testing and lastly download memtest to ensure your memory is fine.

Download 3dmark and pcmark, run both and see if anything crashes. If all of that passes try a fresh install.

Yeah I doubt it's the CPU because at 60 degrees it's still well within spec.
Well considering the install is less than two weeks old I doubt a fresh install will do the trick but I guess anything is worth a try at this point.

Will try the beta drivers first and see how that pans out.

 

[grim]

Try upping the Power Control under AMD Overdrive in your CCC, might be that the card isn't getting enough power.

The power control adjusts the allowed power draw from the card not the voltage and the card will only draw the extra power when needed not all the time so it's safe to up it.

 

[killadoob]

Yeah I doubt it's the CPU because at 60 degrees it's still well within spec.
Well considering the install is less than two weeks old I doubt a fresh install will do the trick but I guess anything is worth a try at this point.

Will try the beta drivers first and see how that pans out.

Well i always go for the fresh install but then again i make an image of a fresh install once all my stuff is loaded, so it's literally 20 minutes and i am freshened

I find eliminating software upfront can only mean hardware fault. Where as testing hardware first more often than not ends up in wasted time because it was actually software related and searching for software issues is a nightmare, so i remove all that with a fresh install. When i ran my pc company that is how i worked, i would image the drives and then do a fresh install, if the problem persisted i imaged the old stuff back and went on the hardware hunt.

I am not saying that is the correct way though it's just how i do it and it may be the wrong way.

 

[Rickster]

700A PSU

Geezus....

 

[Sm00thSm0k3]

Geezus....

Haha

That's just the model number.

 

[Rickster]

2 Week old GPU has issues? Send it for testing.

Any Matrix WH will test that GPU for you to find the fault.

 

[killadoob]

Basically the same re-installation process I use and still no joy.

Thanks for the inputs all.

Will try using an alternate driver.

My brother-in-law suggested that I increase the volts to the card by .25mv. He had the same problem a while back and this worked for him.

Well if you suspect the card go to your brother and test it on his system if possible.

Rickster i am wondering, you were saying amd has issues but check this http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=368654

Similar system, same error. Prepare yourself rickster before you open that link. I have a feeling you are in for a shock .

 

[sajunky]

I'm pretty sure the new build is less power hungry so I'd be surprised if the PSU was the culprit. Then again, given the PSU's age and the fact that it's done it's fair share of hard work, I guess it could be on it's way out?

It is possible. When temperature inside PC increase (summer is coming) some dried-out capacitors can deteriorate quicker giving extensive noise on the high load. It is why problem didn't show up immediately, but after a week or so.

 

[Rickster]

Similar system, same error. Prepare yourself rickster before you open that link. I have a feeling you are in for a shock .

Im not saying that nVidia have 0 issues with their drivers, some did turn out to be bad, really bad. But ive seen a lot of problems with AMD these days.

 

[Rickster]

Similar system, same error. Prepare yourself rickster before you open that link. I have a feeling you are in for a shock .

Im not saying that nVidia have 0 issues with their drivers, some did turn out to be bad, really bad. But ive seen a lot of problems with AMD these days.