[AH1]

Hello all,

I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit on a machine with an AMD Phenom II X6 3.2ghz process, 2tb hard drive, 16gb DDR3 RAM, and a 1000w Kingwin modular PSU.

After my old card died, I was forced to install a new card without having the opportunity to uninstall the old drivers. The old card was a Radeon HD 5670, and the new one is a HD 7850 4GB manufactured by HIS. Windows did it's thing, automatically installing the new drivers, and not even a minute after, the screen wigged out and froze up.

I did a hard reboot of the machine, and then Windows wouldn't load at all. It freezes on the "Starting Windows" screen, forcing me to yet again do a hard reboot.

I CAN start safe mode just fine. I already ran CCleaner AND Driver Fusion (the successor to Driver Sweeper) to clean everything with an ATI signature off my machine. I try to uninstall Catalyst, but it will not allow me to uninstall it in safe mode because the drivers in question are not loaded.

When I do this, Windows WILL boot with basic VGA drivers. But when I install the new drivers and reboot, I once again get locked on the "Starting Windows" screen, forcing me to start the process over.

Beyond that, I'm not having any real issues. Everything else during the hardware installation went fine so far as I can tell. My power source is sufficient, my connectors are all correct and secure, and everything is compatible. So I've more or less ruled out hardware troubles at this point. I'm almost certain it is the drivers, but I don't know what to do.

Please help. I've tried everything I can think of. My gut tells me this is probably something simple I'm overlooking, but I really could use some other perspectives.

UPDATE: I disabled Windows automatic driver updates, but it still installs them anyway. I figured I might as well just let it do it and see what happens. This time on restart, I get a black screen instead of getting stuck on the Windows loading screen. That is a new development, although I'm still at a loss as to what to do now.

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Please excuse the double post.

I've continued working on the problem for the past few hours and I still haven't figured it out. I tried downloading the drivers from the manufacturer's website, although they are just a repackaging of the drivers from the ATI site.

I CAN boot with "Load Windows with Last Good Configuration (Advanced)" option, which essentially loads the OS with the general VGA driver and not the specific ATI 7800 driver, and under this condition I CAN watch videos and do most "normal" things, although the system does not yet recognize I have two monitors or load any advanced graphic settings such as specific resolution control or Windows UI themes.

It seems to me that this seems to mean the drivers and not the card are the problem. But I'm not entirely sure. Is it safe yet to rule out hardware defectiveness?

[AH1]

Please excuse the double post.

I've continued working on the problem for the past few hours and I still haven't figured it out. I tried downloading the drivers from the manufacturer's website, although they are just a repackaging of the drivers from the ATI site.

I CAN boot with "Load Windows with Last Good Configuration (Advanced)" option, which essentially loads the OS with the general VGA driver and not the specific ATI 7800 driver, and under this condition I CAN watch videos and do most "normal" things, although the system does not yet recognize I have two monitors or load any advanced graphic settings such as specific resolution control or Windows UI themes.

It seems to me that this seems to mean the drivers and not the card are the problem. But I'm not entirely sure. Is it safe yet to rule out hardware defectiveness?

[phillpower2]

Hello AH1

Please Run the PCPitstop.com OverDrive Full Tests

Here's how:

You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others). If your machine is running Vista or Windows 7, you must Select IE to “Run as Administrator”. After completing PCPitstop OverDrive you can close your IE browser and re-open it Normally so that you are no longer running as administrator.

Go to: http://www.pcpitstop...pit/default.asp
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)

Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.
It is safe and does not compromise your privacy.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the ActiveX and to allow the Full Tests to be run on your machine.

The Full Tests take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on most machines.
When complete, a Results - Summary - Recommended Fixes will be displayed.

Please post the URL internet address, from your Results, back here into this Topic Thread so that we can review the configuration and present performance levels of your machine.

Note: During the graphics 2D and graphics 3D testing, your screen will display some rapidly moving objects.
If you are sensitive to visual flashing, it may cause dizziness. Therefore, look away from the screen during that portion of the testing.

After reviewing the results we will be more informed and may be able to provide better recommendations for you to work towards improving your machine's performance.

While PCPitstop does offer a variety of Paid Products, the PCPitstop OverDrive testing is FREE. Please ignore the references to Paid Products. We prefer to provide manual solution instructions that you can apply directly to your machine.

Thanks to rshaffer61 for the PCPitstop information

NB: An example of the url that we require and the information that it leads to http://www.pcpitstop...?conid=25271813

[AH1]

I actually did a clean install of Windows on another HD, and tested the card there. This time I received a BSOD with an error stating that the driver could not access the card and so the system was restarting. After all the tests and hoops I jumped through to get to that point, I decided that the card itself is most likely defective. I RMA'd it. Right now I am actually on the PC in question. I put an old card back in, and it is working fine. Hopefully the next card they send me isn't defective.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update and best of luck with the new card