Startup issue - Windows 7

[savage1987]

Having a new problem with the AMD PC. This thing is pretty touchy when it comes to stupid random problems like this, it's starting to get downright bloody annoying.

This time it won't boot into Windows. Here's what happens:

"starting Windows" screen all goes by normally, possibly a little slow.
"welcome" screen goes ok
screen fades to black, a dialogue box tells me to activate Windows, and that my "activation period has expired". I click "OK".
A second dialogue box tells me "It's important to use genuine Microsoft software". I click "OK".
There is a blue artifact-ish flicker along the top edge of the monitor, then it fades ALL the way to black. Like, turning the monitor off sort of black. Only option from here has been to restart.



In Safe Mode:
in the driver loading list, C:\windows\system32\CLASSPNP.SYS takes AGES to load (~20sec)
boots to desktop OK
Uninstalled Performance Monitor v4 which I installed very recently and didn't quite work properly..
system restored to two days ago. Boot up outside of safe mode still fails the same way.

Tried Safe Mode with networking
Boots to desktop Ok with the same lag on CLASSPNP.SYS



Please give me some suggestions of where to go from here.
Sam

[savage1987]

Graphics drivers to blame

have had nothing but trouble with the crossfired 6870s. Official drivers refuse to work properly, they are glitchy as anything. It's a real problem and I'm not sure there is a solution

That was the latest release Catalyst series 11.5 drivers from AMD's website that caused this problem!

[NV-MY-VT]

Graphics drivers to blame

have had nothing but trouble with the crossfired 6870s. Official drivers refuse to work properly, they are glitchy as anything. It's a real problem and I'm not sure there is a solution

That was the latest release Catalyst series 11.5 drivers from AMD's website that caused this problem!

I try to avoid being a fanboy, but I've had really bad experiences with AMD cards for exactly that reason. There is an age old credo about those cards:

AMD cards are like London Busses - They are Big, Red, Loud and have really shitty drivers

I just keep that in mind and buy Nvidia mostly.

[savage1987]

haha London buses - I like that.

Will keep in mind for future. Shame this Formula IV motherboard is geared towards ATI..

[dijm8]

did you get the 11.5 or 11.5a driver? 11.5a is the good 1

[dijm8]

catalyst 11.5b just found out the a new hotfix came out if u had problems with the 11.5/a

i had problems with 11.5 but not with 11.5a will skip on the b tho

[savage1987]

I wiped all traces last night with Driver Sweeper, installed hotfix 11.5b and ended up with the same problem outlined in post #1.

This is becoming really useless as a gaming pc. I have to run it on whatever rubbish drivers Windows7 installs for the cards.

The only way to recover from the failure to boot to desktop outlined in post#1 is to force a restart, boot into safe mode, disable display adaptors in Device Manager and wipe all drivers over the process of a couple of restarts.

[dijm8]

have u tried the older drivers? what about the 1's that came with the cards?

[footy]

do you have a sufficient power supply? ~ decent 750w psu for xfire
are both cards seated correctly?
is your ram seated correctly?
are the cards running hot? / decent airflow around the case?

edit: are you getting these issues after a fresh format?

[savage1987]

I am about to try CCC 10.12; a couple of guys from overclock.net seem to have a similar problem and 10.12 is the latest version that works for them.

I will try the ones that came with the card if I don't get anywhere with that.



When I have had this system running with older drivers in the past I have had trouble gaming.. screen does all sorts of retarded shit. It's like the computer can't work out how to crossfire the cards properly! And a second monitor? Well plugging in the TV via HDMI was a short road to PC suicide.