Vista and 7.3 Display driver atikmdag stopped responding error

ViRGE · Apr 19, 2007, 04:53 PM

Does this lockup problem occur for everyone, or just a handful of users? I was going to try the 7.4's after skipping the 7.3's due to the reported problems, but now I'm not so sure.

Frager · Apr 19, 2007, 06:14 PM

Just to mention that I experience the same problem.
Vista 32 , x1900xtx , catalyst 7.4 ; bug occur for me when I exit supreme commander. Most of the time screen freeze(have to reboot computer) and sometime ati2kmdag recover.
No problem in win XP

the-bullet · Apr 19, 2007, 07:26 PM

The possible good news (already mentioned earlier) is that Ati are now aware of the problem http://support.ati.com/ics/support/d...estionID=27116.

hansolo77 · Apr 19, 2007, 10:36 PM

Unless you're already logged in to ATI's support site, the asp programming their server uses won't let you view the link. So here's what it says:

Knowledge Base
[COLOR=#800080]AMD Customer Care Site Map[/COLOR] > [COLOR=#800080]Radeon Support - PC[/COLOR] >

737-27116: Radeon™ Series - ATIKMDAG has stopped responding error messages

The information in this article applies to the following configuration(s):
Catalyst Display Driver 7.3

Radeon™ X1950 series

Radeon™ X1900 series

Radeon™ X1800 series

Radeon™ X1650 series

Radeon™ X1600 series

Radeon™ X1550 series

Radeon™ X1300 series

Radeon™ X1050 series

Radeon™ X850 series

Radeon™ X800 series

Radeon™ X700 series

Radeon™ X600 series

Radeon™ X550 series

Radeon™ X300 series

Radeon™ 9800 series

Radeon™ 9700 series

Radeon™ 9650 series

Radeon™ 9600 series

Radeon™ 9550 series

Radeon™ 9500 series

Windows Vista 32-bit Edition

Windows Vista 64-bit Edition

Symptoms:

When running games or full screen video, some users may be shown a message stating ATIKMDAG has stopped responding but was successfully recovered. In some cases, the system will continue to work as normal. Alternately, this error message may not result in the system being recovered and the system may need to be reset.

Solution:

Currently there is no solution.

ATI Engineering has been advised of this issue and is investigating. Any updates will be published when they become available.

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DISCLAIMER

The information presented in this document is for informational purposes only and may contain technical inaccuracies, omissions and typographical errors. AMD reserves the right to revise this information and to make changes from time to time to the content hereof without obligation of AMD to notify any person of such revisions or changes.

AMD MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS HEREOF AND ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INACCURACIES, ERRORS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS INFORMATION. AMD SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT WILL AMD BE LIABLE TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, EVEN IF AMD IS EXPRESSLY ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

zpyder · Apr 20, 2007, 02:15 PM

Just adding myself to the list of people having issues. Though I haven't seen the atikmdaq error (the screen completely locks up and I have to reboot) I'm hoping its the same, or is related. Here's hoping to a fix soon, I've just built myself a new computer that I had hoped would play current games at very high detail, and it seems it's only capable of office applications at the moment, tempted to dual boot with xp just so I can game!

I guess I should use the time not being able to game for revision(I seem to be spending my time instead trying to fix this problem!)

Indestructible · Apr 20, 2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViRGE

Does this lockup problem occur for everyone, or just a handful of users? I was going to try the 7.4's after skipping the 7.3's due to the reported problems, but now I'm not so sure.

If you didn't have this problem with any previous driver releases I think you'll be fine with the 7.4s. Seems to be affecting just a subset of users, but i think it's defenitely more than a handful. Most people if i'm not mistaken have been having this problem with every driver release since the 7.1.

The weird thing with my case, is that every reinstallation of Vista I tried and each catalyst driver release I tried is stable for 1 - 2 weeks of gaming and everything else. Then out of nowhere it hits a point that the ATIKMDAG, bsods and reboots start occuring, and after that it seems there is nothing you can do but start over again. Starting to remind me of the early Windows 95 days with the amount of times i'm reinstalling this OS.

Judas · Apr 20, 2007, 03:08 PM

aha!

I wasn't getting this error until recently when playing (so far only) Need For speed Most Wanted. If i either played the game for a long duration or left the game running on the main menu for several minutes or up to a full hour without any user interaction the game would crash with that error being stated my vista.

All other games or programs appear to work flawlessly though.

Th3_VVr41th · Apr 21, 2007, 01:39 AM

Further testing with the 7.4's have rendered the same results i had with the 7.3's.
My system is stable for hours on end as long as I keep the fan set @ 100%. Even lower percentages work fine, unless of course, the heat being generated by the GPU is sufficient enough to cause the driver to try and raise the fan speed, then I get errors.

It's definitely something within the driver to hardware access, maybe someone botched a few commands, a wrong variable set, but my problems only appear when the GPU heats up, and the driver tries to up the fan speed. ATI tool prevents it from happening, and I ALSO found that if I direct a high CFM fan onto the heatsink WITHOUT ATI tool running, and I can keep the GPU from heating up, I DON'T get the ATIKMDAG error.

So it is without a doubt something that relates to the thermal/power management of the GPU.

I don't know about anyone else, but under my power options in vista, I have a listing for ATI Powerplay, which only has one setting... "Maximum battery life".

I have a DESKTOP system, I don't run on batteries, and i certainly don't have a Mobility chip. So I don't see a reason why the drivers have the card on maximum power savings. This could be related to the whole problem, or it could just be yet another bug in the drivers. Maybe the ATI techs can look into this, for some weird reason, I have a feeling it may be related.

P.S. One more thing, has the "VPU Recover" options been removed from the Cats? I don't see it anywhere...

zpyder · Apr 21, 2007, 03:47 AM

I was going to try the ati tool hotfix, only to read the 1950pro isn't supported at current ><

hansolo77 · Apr 27, 2007, 05:23 PM

Dead thread for about a week now... any news? I, for one, am still having this problem.

silvershnoop · Apr 28, 2007, 02:57 AM

Yeah I'm still having this issue.

I've resorted to going back to the drivers before the 7.1 - (i.e. 8. whatever - bit confused by numbering). Don't think I'm having a problem with those but haven't tested for long.

ATI don't include the X1250 on the list of models with problems and I can't submit it because it's a motherboard chipset and it appears they don't give support directly to the end-user.

zpyder · Apr 28, 2007, 03:49 AM

Same here. Have an 8800GTS arriving today to make sure it's the gfx card at fault. Also found out my CPU may be overheating so as always there's something else that might be wrong if the GFX card isn't at fault...

thirtyandover · Apr 28, 2007, 11:27 AM

I'm using the 7.3's and when first installed I suffered from lots of BSOD's and freezing.
I then installed the ATI tool and tried the Fan option. Helped a lot.

Then about 1 week ago windows had an update for my monitor, and since then ATI tool won't work...
Weird thing though is, that since the update I haven't had ANY BSOD's or freezes

Wonder what that's all about!?

BrunchMonolith · May 8, 2007, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrunchMonolith

I have had this issue, or one similar, since Vista RC1.

It comprises the system locking up so hard that frequently it is unable to display even a BSOD. Running debugging tools (on the rare occasion that the system is able to write a memory dump) always points to atikmdag.sys as the culprit.

If it happens it'll happen within the first few hours of the system being on (could be 5 minutes after bootup, or 2 hours). If it "survives", it'll be rock solid from then onwards.
It usually (but not always) happens at the same time the mouse is clicked
It will occasionally happen during bootup
I also seem to have lost the VPU recover option in CCC, so when it crashes, it's gone

I have reported this issue to tech support and offered to provide minidumps but got no response. By chance I saw the AMD KB article about this. This article claims that it is due to using a mobo with a chipset that is unsupported in Vista, but offers no other information.

Pentium 4 3.2GHz with HT
Abit IS7-E2 mobo
Radeon 9700
1GB RAM
X-Fi Platinum
80GB SATA hard drive

The Intel 865PE chipset is supported in Vista by Intel and drivers are provided from both them and Abit.

I think I have a slightly different problem to what others in this thread have, as detailed above. However, I can happily say that as of 7.4 cats, the problem has totally disappeared. Whatever you guys did, you did good, and I finally have a rock solid Vista install.

hansolo77 · May 8, 2007, 08:20 PM

Not me, I'm still having this exact same issue. It's really starting to get me upset. ATI may have just recently acknowledged the problem, but it's been ongoing since Vista was launched. Some people even reported it before Vista was released to the public (RC's and stuff). Why hasn't ATI fixed this problem yet. I mean, seriously? How long does it take?

LioCraft · May 9, 2007, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrunchMonolith

I think I have a slightly different problem to what others in this thread have, as detailed above. However, I can happily say that as of 7.4 cats, the problem has totally disappeared. Whatever you guys did, you did good, and I finally have a rock solid Vista install.

Hi there,
My problem seems to be more like yours, which to me, happens to be the exact same thing, but with a different timing and/or trigger.
In my case, it even may produce distorted image right after boot up, leading finally to a complete lock.
The whole system is new, so I may finally end up installing XP again, but it sure isn't the correct way to solve a problem, in fact it's just avoiding it.
I think that if we have a decent or more than decent software, we should be able to run a decent OS in a decent way.
Does any of the Ati involved members here knows about at least any kind of approximation to the solution?, Is Ati getting closer to it?.
Thank you,

Th3_VVr41th · May 10, 2007, 07:03 PM

My issues remain the same. I would have thought ATI would have figured out the problem by now.

I still get the atikmdag stop error if I don't use ati tool. It's definitely something to do with the fan/thermal control of the card. My fan never spins up, regardless of temp of the gpu. I just get the damn stop error as soon as the card/driver attempts to change the fan speed. How do I know? I used an install of XP, and monitored the gpu temps at which the fan speed is increased. As long as I either keep the temp low enough on the gpu, preventing the driver from trying to up the fan speed, OR, I use ATI Tool to set the fan speed to 100%, I can play any game I throw at it for hours without a glitch or hiccup. except one game.

STALKER seems to just drop out to the desktop wothout any warnings or errors. It just stops and exits with a flash on the screen. It may be the drivers, it may be the game itself seeing it can be fine for hours, and then *poof*, it's back to the desktop, no reason why.

Ati needs to fix this issue, I am not the only one in the house who uses this computer for gaming, and if anyone else forgets to start up ATI tool for some reason, (ati tool refuses to start automatically under vista, stupid user account control, yes I could disable it, but then it defeats the purpose.) there is a chance my card will burn up/overheat, and be damaged since the fan isn't working automatically as it is SUPPOSED to. I know it's not the card, works flawless with XP pro. I doubt ATI will replace the card if it does burn up due to the driver failure. So they need to address this!

Come on ATI, I shouldn't need to depend on third party software to get/keep my graphics card running the way it should, and I'd like to get a real answer to the problem, rather then the typical/usual "we are aware of the problem and are working on it" response.

Frager · May 30, 2007, 12:11 PM

Just to mention that I found what is exactly the problem and I solve it for my system.
I was having a ati recover sometime when I exit supreme commander and most of the time the computer stop responding and does not even recover.

I found that the problem is with card that have a 2d and 3d clock.

(I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THIS SO DONT HELD ME REPONSIBLE IF YOU TRY THAT)
So what I did is backup my video card bios , and setting the default and 2d clock and voltage identical to the 3d one and then flashed my video card. so my card now never modify its clock when im in 2d and 3d and is constantly running at its full rated 3d clock and this resolved my problem.

Hope it can help you guys enginered at ATI if the problem wasnt solve already for catalyst 7.5

Thank for hearing.

Ism2023 · May 31, 2007, 06:02 AM

aside from trying the scary volt mod (o.0) it doesn't look like its fixed with the 7.5s

Im testing the RC7 ones and i get the same amount of black screens and frozen mpeg2 streams on my HTPC (oddly it only seems to happen when playing mpeg2. mp4, x264/h264 all seem fine)

hansolo77 · May 31, 2007, 08:10 PM

I confirm Ism's findings... Catalyst 7.5 has NOT fixed the problem. I'm really starting to get pissed now. For what, 4 months now, we've been waiting for this problem to be fixed? I say 4 months because I've had this problem since Vista was released, regardless of the Catalyst version. ATI needs to look at the bigger picture and fix their fundamental drivers before trying to make tweaks. Looking at the release notes to this driver, it seems like it's just a TWEAK driver. Some features that were disabled are now available, lots of things work now in big games, even video DRM now. Wow, big jump. I can hardly hold my breath with this one. When is ATI going to get to the root of the problem and fix the functionality of the card? I mean, I can even have my computer on for 5 minutes before I get this blasted "ATIKMDAG stopped responding" error. Unfortunately, I don't have the $700 bucks to break down and buy an nVidia card. Not to mention everything everybody's working these days is PCIe and all I have is 8xAGP. I'm not going to go out and buy all new hardware to solve this problem.

[COLOR=red]WAKE UP ATI[/COLOR]

Indestructible · Jun 1, 2007, 11:15 AM

I haven't done any extensive testing with the 7.5s yet, but they seem to be working for me so far in the games i've tried. I can play for an extended period with out the error and when the fan spins down upon quitting it doesn't cause the error. Granted this is a brand new installation of Vista again, the old drivers seemed to work for a couple reboots before they went bad. Going to pick up Halo 2 PC to do some more testing.

Th3_VVr41th · Jun 7, 2007, 01:35 AM

7.5's have exactly the same problem as the previous drivers...

I would have though ATI would have gotten this figured out already...
I guess being bought out by AMD has caught up to ATI's r&d/support dept.

Problems used to get solved within a single cat. release... Now it's already 4 iterations later and we are still plagued with the same problems...

I *was* going to be buying the newest ATI card, but since I've seen no resolution to
the current problems, I don't think thats going to happen now...

May be time to move to Nv, I'm half way there already...

Th3_VVr41th · Jun 8, 2007, 06:46 AM

After checking the 7.5's out fully, I've found them to be WORSE than the rest as far as my problem is concerned.

What makes them worse is the fact that, not only is the original problem I've been experiencing still present, but now a new problem consisting of my fan shutting OFF after approx. 10 Min's of being idle, and allowing my GPU to reach temps of 80c + is present!!!

I found this out completely by accident. I did all my tests, same as usual, then I rebooted my system, and figured since I wasn't going to be loading up and running any more 3d apps/games, I won't start up ATI Tool.

Normally, this was NEVER a problem as the fan on my card always kept the GPU cool enough at idle, as well as kept a constant speed. Well the wonderful "Catalyst" team has broken yet another part of the drivers somehow with the 7.5's. Not only is this ridiculous, but it is also now UNSAFE!

As i said, I rebooted my system, and I went to run a few errands. I come back 20 Min's later to find the temp. probe I have set up for the GPU going nuts and beeping like mad!!! I look at the temp on the probe...75c... in the CCP 80c IDLE!?!?! My gpu temps don't even go that high while I'm gaming! (I usually see no higher than 65c full load due to the ambient temps and fan @ 100%)

I look at the card to see the fan is OFF! I immediately started up ATI tool and the fan kicked on and thankfully cooled the GPU down quick.

For the GPU to be at 80c idle in a room that is kept at 25c ambient 24-7, that was pretty hot, I believe if the room temp were any higher, the card would have fried. Thankfully I wasn't gone long enough.

Needless to say, after this, I wanted to see if i could duplicate what happened, and sure enough, I did. Upon a reboot, I allowed the system to sit idle. about 10 Min's. later, the fan on the card CUT OFF, and the temps gradually started to rise. I did this several times, same thing. Definitely ANOTHER problem with the 7.5 drivers since the 7.4's don't do this.

I'm fed up with the quality of the drivers ATI has been delivering lately. I'm also fed up with their complete lack of response to my problem, and dropping my trouble tickets as solved, when they haven't solved anything... WTF is going on with them lately?

I stopped buying AMD products years ago due to the sub-standard crap the company put out and lack of proper support. Apparently now that they own ATI, look as though they are going to run them into the ground with the same practices... what a shame...

hansolo77 · Jun 13, 2007, 08:42 PM

Just to add more gas to the fire... this all goes back to my original findings with the ATI TOOL. As I stated previously in this very thread, even using the tool doesn't solve the problem with the crashing. However, I have noticed that when it does, the fan completely cuts off until I restart ATI Tool. The problem we're all facing has GOT to be related heat and the driver's inability to compensate. Whenever anything is running, it geneates heat. Some things more than others. But, like in "Th3 Wr41th"s case, even sitting idle the temperature becomes the issue. ATI has got to realize that having shiny water effects, or a 3fps increase in the absolute newest games is not the most important. It's so typical of a company to just ignore things like quality and stability, while a more profitable solution is to add more features. It just really pisses me off. Why do they do these things to their customers. I'm about to leave ATI and AMD for good. I've always enjoyed their products in the past, but as of late, it's become more trouble than it's worth. I'll give them at most 2 more driver updates, then it's back to Intel and nVidia.