Graphics diagnostics or such software?

[sastusbulbas]

Hi all,

I was wondering if teher are any free programs which work along teh lines of HD Tune, and check your graphics card for faults?

I am concerned that ever since buying my HIS 3850 IceQ AGP card, I have never had a Windows verified driver, and they always seem to disappear. The last two days as examples, I have had to re-install my ATI drivers as they don't show and the computer graphics are as if there is no card present.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Big.Wayne]

Hey sastusbulbas!

wtf

I had to read that a few times to make sense of it!

So your saying that the ATI Catalyst Control Centre (CCC) keeps disappearing or everything including the device drivers? i.e when you boot up windows a found new hardware wizard pops up?

Bit confusing tbh? . . . is the computer stable apart from that? hmm almost sounds like a possible bOrked Windows or perhaps a corrupted hard-disk

Can't think of any GPU diagnostics per se but I would have thought running loops of 3Dmark or the like would be a decent stress test?

 

[sastusbulbas]

Hi,

Every so often I switch the computer on and the resolution is skewed at 1400 + 1080, colours are a little whitewashed.

I have not done the following procedure for a while but if I remember correctly, when I right click on the desktop and click on any of the ATI devices they do not respond and I get a please install hardware or something notice?

It is as if the computer has no graphics card or CCC or ATI drivers installed, and I usually just click on the AGP hotfix drivers and re-install and it goes away again for a bit, though the last two mornings it has done it.

Graphics card is a HIS ATI Radeon HD 3850 Pro Turbo 512MB AGP bought last may. And this problem has occurred on and off since getting the card.

It has never worked as digitally signed with any of the ATI drivers (now on 9.2). But is working properly according to Windows Device Manager.

Motherboard is a Gigabyte 7VM400AM-RZ
Memory is Corsair XMS Pro PC3500 2 gb.
Windows XP Pro Service Pack 3

Hard Drive is a lowly Hitachi which shows up fine with HD Tune.
Hyper PSU, 550w modular one with a six pin connector going to the HIS.

The hardware wizard does not pop up when this problem occurs.

 

[Big.Wayne]

Well assuming the hardware is ok for the moment have you tried removing the ATI drivers and installing a fresh set?

Use the windows Add/Remove Programs first to uninstall the ATI drivers and after a reboot give this tool a try . . .

Driver Cleaner Professional

That should clear away any last bits of old drivers ready for you to start again. If you are installing CCC makes sure you have Microsoft .NET 2.0 on your system before installing the full Catalyst™ Driver package!

Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1

ATI Radeon™ Drivers and Support

If its a driver related problem then the steps above should see you good, give it a try and get back to us ta!

[edit] oops looks like they started charging now for DCP, scrap that!

 

[sastusbulbas]

Driver Cleaner Pro is not free no more.

My computer programs have Net 1, Net 1.1, Net 2, and Net 3 listed? Which one is running?

I have most of the drivers for the card in a folder.

In the past I have used advance search to look for the relevant files for the GPU, usually all that is left is empty folders. Do you need DCP?

 

[sastusbulbas]

I am hoping to get another build put together, was supposed to be today but DHL have my Mobo still.

Will probably have to see how things go with the new build.

When I installed this card I had no drivers on this computer, so I am unsure what benefit removing and re-installing drivers will make, and I am sure I may have tried to find (using advanced search) all relevant ATI/CCC files before and manually delete them due to this problem.

 

[Bizarre]

Try Guru 3D's Driver Sweeper, it's just as good if not better than DC pro.

http://www.guru3d.com/category/driversweeper/

 

[Bizarre]

When I installed this card I had no drivers on this computer, so I am unsure what benefit removing and re-installing drivers will make

Because your current driver install might be corrupted, especially if you've been deleting ATI related files willy nilly.

I am sure I may have tried to find (using advanced search) all relevant ATI/CCC files before and manually delete them due to this problem.

You won't of got rid of all the leftover registry entries though.

Give this a try...

1: Uninstall ATI drivers

2: Reboot into safe mode (press F8 at start up)

3: Run Driver Sweeper

4: Reboot

5: Download the the latest Catalyst drivers via the page Wayne linked above.

6: Install Drivers

 

[sastusbulbas]

Because your current driver install might be corrupted, especially if you've been deleting ATI related files willy nilly.

You won't of got rid of all the leftover registry entries though.

LOL

Willy Nilly, as in no graphics cad installed, buy new graphics card, install driver, find it is not digitally signed.

Have problems.

Update, as told by ATI.

Remove the card, remove the drivers and such, clean the registry of unnecessary entries, use search to find any ATI files that need deleted and make sure all is gone.

Re-install drivers.

Still get same problems whether I do a normal removal, or load on top.

But using third party software will help me and be better than using my own willy nilly method with ATI's willy nilly drivers which are never digitally signed?

Well I will download it and give it a try.

 

[sastusbulbas]

Just a thought, but could Windows ne ignoring them every so often due to some update or such, seeing as the drivers are not digitally signed for use with Windows?

 

[Bizarre]

Your os sounds borked tbh (probably down to the fact that you've been deleting files willy nilly! )

Seriously though, Windows shouldn't be throwing up those error messages with every whql that you install/try to install. Have you disabled any xp Services at all? Maybe your willy nilly syndrome has made you disable a critical one? I'm shooting in the dark here, but if uninstalling sp3 is an option to you, then it might be worth a shot (go to the control panel, click add/remove programs, ensure that show updates is ticked at the top of the page and scroll down to sp3). Failing that (lazy advice here) I'd reinstall the os from scratch. GL