This article provides information on the possible causes an ATIKMDAG.sys type error may occur and how to troubleshoot the system to prevent the error from reoccurring.
Issue Description:
During startup or use of an application, (most commonly a game / video application) the system or application will freeze, crash or exit to the desktop / a blue screen (BSOD). Additionally, an error message appears stating that the “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered” and may reference one of the following driver files:
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ATIKMDAG.sys
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ATI2DVAG.sys
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ATI2CQAG.dll
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ATIVPK.sys
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AMD2DVAG.sys
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AMDKMDAG.sys
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AMDVPK.sys
Issue Cause:
The issue occurs when the Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) feature available in Windows Vista® and Windows 7 detects that the graphics card (GPU) has not responded within a predetermined period of time and reinitializes it with the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) to prevent the need to reboot. There is no single cause for a TDR event to be triggered.
Additional Details about TDR events can be found on Microsoft’s website.
Troubleshooting:
There are several factors that can cause the TDR event to be triggered. The following troubleshooting steps can help rule out / resolve the cause of the issue:
Note! If you do not feel comfortable performing any of the steps provided in these instructions, you should have your system checked by an expert.
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If the issue occurs only when using a specific application, it may have known issues or corrupt files
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Contact the application’s manufacturer for further information or for possible software patches
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Perform a clean installation of the application
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Microsoft DirectX® files may be outdated or corrupt
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Reinstall Microsoft DirectX or install the latest version
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Microsoft Article 179113 provides instructions for downloading /installing the latest Microsoft DirectX version
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The motherboard’s BIOS / chipset drivers may be outdated
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Check the motherboard manufacturer’s website for available BIOS / chipset driver updates
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Refer to the update’s release notes to determine if it has a fix for your specific issue
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The operating system may require a service pack update
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Refer to the following Microsoft pages for instructions on downloading / installing the latest service packs:
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Several known issues in Windows Vista may be related to the issue
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Refer to the applicable Microsoft article(s) to obtain any necessary hotfix downloads:
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The operating system may have corrupt system / registry files
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Try cleaning the operating system’s registry
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Perform a clean install of the operating system
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Note! Performing a clean installation of the operating system will erase all data on the hard drive. Ensure all important data is backed up before performing this action
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The graphics card drivers may have known issues or corrupt files
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Refer to Article 20870 for instructions on downloading / installing the latest drivers for your graphics card
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Refer to the drivers release notes to determine if there is a fix for your specific issue
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An overclocked processor (CPU), graphics card or memory can cause system instability
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Run all hardware components at their default settings
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Refer to the motherboard’s manual for instructions on how to set hardware to default settings
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An inadequate or defective power supply (PSU) can prevent the processor / graphics card from functioning properly
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Refer to Article GPU-104 for instructions on how to determine if the PSU is inadequate or defective
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The CPU and / or GPU may be overheating
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Check the operating temperature of the CPU or GPU through the motherboard’s BIOS
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Refer to the motherboard manual for instructions
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Ensure the temperature does not exceed the maximum operating temperature of the product
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Refer to the AMD Products Resource Center to determine the maximum operating temperature of any AMD CPU
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Contact the graphics card manufacturer to determine the maximum operating temperature of the GPU
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If the hardware is above its maximum operating temperature:
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Ensure an AMD approved heatsink/fan (HSF) is being used with the processor
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Ensure the HSF unit is properly installed on the processor
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Ensure the bottom of the HSF is leveled on the top of the processor
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Ensure a proper amount of thermal grease is installed between the HSF and processor
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Ensure that the fan on the graphics card and processor’s heat sink is connected correctly and that it is spinning when the system is powered on
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Check whether there are any loose cables stopping the fan(s) from spinning or blocking the air flow within the system case
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Verify that the airflow within the system case is circulating correctly
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Air should flow in from the front of the case and out through the back of the case
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Failing Hardware (processor, graphics card, motherboard and / or memory) can cause system instability
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If possible, try testing the hardware in another system to determine if the issue follows the hardware
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Run a memory test to determine the stability of the memory
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The following third party utility will test your memory for errors: Memtest86
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If using multiple memory modules
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Test each memory module individually in the system, referring to the motherboard’s manual to determine which slot(s) can be used for single memory setup
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Verify that each module is identified at the correct size and speed
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Contact the memory and / or motherboard manufacturer for more comprehensive troubleshooting instructions
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Replace the hardware
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