Ati2mtag causing crashes...is there a fix or just ditch ATI forever?

[skeedo]

Portal 2 crashed on me 4 times tonight, and I have been having problems with newer games freezing up as well. Each time Portal 2 crashes (drops directly to desktop, no error message or anything), I have exactly 6 entries in Event Viewer under System from ati2mtag 'UVD Information' each time the game crashed. And it is only Information type, not an error.

Looking under ACEEventlog, there are also Information logs, but 17 entries per crash. Various entries include:

0000000177: 2011-04-20 01:03:03:421     FAILED:ADL_Display_Modes_Get with status:-1For Adapter Index :5
 Error      Called by: ATI.ACE.CLI.Caste.Graphics.Runtime.RT_GraphicsAdapter::GetADLModeArray                           processID:03660 threadID:(                ) domainName:(ccc.exe                    ) assemblyName:(CLI.Caste.Graphics.Runtime, Version=2.0.4021.38964, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=90ba9c70f846762e)

0000000179: 2011-04-20 01:03:03:421    Exception: No value exists with that name.
 Exception  Called by: ATI.ACE.LOG.Foundation.Implementation.Setting::DeleteRegistry                                    processID:03660 threadID:(                ) domainName:(ccc.exe                    ) assemblyName:(LOG.Foundation.Implementation, Version=2.0.4021.39089, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=90ba9c70f846762e)

0000000188: 2011-04-20 01:03:03:421    RT_MMVideo::InitializeInternetVideo GetMMVideoAdjustInfoItem Pulldown FAILED
 Error      Called by: ATI.ACE.CLI.Aspect.MMVideo.Graphics.Runtime.RT_MMVideo::InitializeInternetVideo                  processID:03660 threadID:(                ) domainName:(ccc.exe                    ) assemblyName:(CLI.Aspect.MMVideo.Graphics.Runtime, Version=2.0.4021.39032, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=90ba9c70f846762e)

0000000190: 2011-04-20 01:03:03:609    FAILED: ADL.ADL.ADL_DFP_AllowOnlyCETimings_Get
 Error      Called by: ATI.ACE.CLI.Aspect.DeviceDFP.Graphics.Runtime.RT_DeviceDFP::Parse                                processID:03660 threadID:(                ) domainName:(ccc.exe                    ) assemblyName:(CLI.Aspect.DeviceDFP.Graphics.Runtime, Version=2.0.4021.39031, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=90ba9c70f846762e)

I've scoured google and can't seem to find any solution to this other than turning off the log reporting, but I really don't think that turning off logging is going to prevent crashing. Then again, the logs are only of Information type and not Error type.

Radeon 5850 w/ XP SP3 and Catalyst 10.1. I've been regularly upgrading my drivers and still having same problem. My card is quite new as I RMA'd the old one due to a failing fan. Of course never ran into this when I had Nvidia card installed, its getting annoying to the point where I just want to never touch an ATI card again, because they don't seem to be offering any kind of fix for it as I've been reading this has been going on for quite some time.

Has anyone encountered this issue before/ have any solutions? AMD forums seem to be of no help.

 

[Mistwalker]

Radeon 5850 w/ XP SP3 and Catalyst 10.1. I've been regularly upgrading my drivers and still having same problem.

I just want to clarify before the point is made by someone else, is the 10 in your 10.1 a typo? Do you mean 11.1? Because 10.1 drivers are almost a year and a half old...

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Return your overclock back to stock on the card; for some reason I've experienced Source games being susceptible to crashing when overclocked even when other, just as or more demanding, games don't crash.

I've had the display driver reset twice on me in Portal 2. I've lowered my overclock, and so far it hasn't "crashed" again. I've also had the problem in Left 4 Dead, and returning my card to fully stock solved the crashing.

I'd also make sure your processor overclock is still stable, and not overheating either.

 

[skeedo]

I just want to clarify before the point is made by someone else, is the 10 in your 10.1 a typo? Do you mean 11.1? Because 10.1 drivers are almost a year and a half old...

Whoa, CCC definitely IS reporting 10.1, and apparently the last version I installed was 11.1.
Looks like I'm going to need some type of driver cleaner, can anybody recommend one? Apparently you're not supposed to use the Guru3D Driver Sweeper as it can cause issues.

Card isn't OC'd anymore, thats not the issue its definitely somethin up with drivers.

 

[Mistwalker]

Whoa, CCC definitely IS reporting 10.1, and apparently the last version I installed was 11.1.
Looks like I'm going to need some type of driver cleaner, can anybody recommend one? Apparently you're not supposed to use the Guru3D Driver Sweeper as it can cause issues.

The issue with Driver Sweeper removing too many files was fixed a couple revisions ago, I would recommend using it (do the uninstall > Safe Mode Driver Sweeper > reboot > install > reboot dance) and installing the 11.3 or 11.4 preview driver release.

Seems pretty clear something was not properly updated somewhere along the way if the CCC is reporting 10.1.