Solution: Vista x64 won't boot after installing Jan '09 updates
Khaos
New Hampshire
If you are like me, running Vista x64 with an ATI Radeon 4800 Series graphics card, the latest round of updates may have caused your computer to stop functioning normally. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Indications:
- You are running Windows Vista x64.
- Windows Update ran on or about 1/29/2009 and installed critical updates.
- You have a Radeon 4800 Series video card. My video card is a Sapphire 4870 1GB model.
- You are running Catalyst 8.56.xx driver.
- You lose your display after the Vista loading progress bar on start-up. This is when Vista switches from its software SVGA renderer to accelerated display using the graphics driver.
- Your computer functions normally when you start Windows in Safe Mode, which does not use the graphics driver but instead runs Windows using the software renderer only.
Solution:
- Start Windows in Safe Mode.
- Open your Device Manager which can be found in Control Panel -> System.
- Expand the Display Adapters node and select your Radeon video card.
- Right click and select Uninstall from the context menu.
- Check the box that says, "Delete driver information..." or something to that effect.
- Restart Windows and boot up in Normal Mode. This should now function fine as without the graphics driver installed Windows will use the software renderer like it does in Safe Mode.
- Download Catalyst 9.1, or go to the ATI support site and download it from there.
- Install the new drivers and restart Windows.
- Reconfigure your Display Settings.
All better!
NOTE: You MUST uninstall the driver in Safe Mode and you MUST install the new driver in Normal Mode or the installation will fail because ATI's installer cannot load its hardware detection driver under Safe Mode.
Indications:
- You are running Windows Vista x64.
- Windows Update ran on or about 1/29/2009 and installed critical updates.
- You have a Radeon 4800 Series video card. My video card is a Sapphire 4870 1GB model.
- You are running Catalyst 8.56.xx driver.
- You lose your display after the Vista loading progress bar on start-up. This is when Vista switches from its software SVGA renderer to accelerated display using the graphics driver.
- Your computer functions normally when you start Windows in Safe Mode, which does not use the graphics driver but instead runs Windows using the software renderer only.
Solution:
- Start Windows in Safe Mode.
- Open your Device Manager which can be found in Control Panel -> System.
- Expand the Display Adapters node and select your Radeon video card.
- Right click and select Uninstall from the context menu.
- Check the box that says, "Delete driver information..." or something to that effect.
- Restart Windows and boot up in Normal Mode. This should now function fine as without the graphics driver installed Windows will use the software renderer like it does in Safe Mode.
- Download Catalyst 9.1, or go to the ATI support site and download it from there.
- Install the new drivers and restart Windows.
- Reconfigure your Display Settings.
All better!
NOTE: You MUST uninstall the driver in Safe Mode and you MUST install the new driver in Normal Mode or the installation will fail because ATI's installer cannot load its hardware detection driver under Safe Mode.
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