ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB GDDR5 - Help!!! Problem with new card and PC. Windows

[desync101]

Recently picked up a new computer from NCIX, everything was pre-assembled by NCIX.

Specs
=====
- AMD Phenom II X4 920 Quad Core AM2+ 2.8GHZ 8MB Cache
- ASUS M3A78-T ATX AM2 AMD790GX CrossFire 3PCI-E16 Motherboard
- Corsair XMS2 4GB DDR2 5-5-5-18
- Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB GDDR5 3.6GHZ Dual DVI
- Corsair 1000W Power Supply
- 19inch LCD VGA Monitor (using VGA > DVI cable to connect to card)

Problem
======
With an absolute fresh install of Windows XP Pro SP2 32bit, I setup the newest ASUS Mobo Chipset drivers, ATI Catalyst 9.4 Drivers for the Radeon. Windows seems to recognize the 4870 x2 device fine, prompting for a reboot. When rebooting, it does not boot up to windows past the Loading Screen, eventually BSOD'ing to a ati2diag.dll crash (ATI Driver Crash). The card must work fine since it works via safe mode, and without any drivers. The minute i put on any proper ATI Drivers for the card, it subsequently crashes. Won't let me get back into Windows unless i safe mode it, or sys restore to a point when i didnt have the drivers installed (ie: Standard VGA)

Action So Far
==========
- Reinstalled Windows XP (again), even tried a new Vista 32bit install, same issue.
- Upgraded my BIOS to the latest ASUS M3A78-T Version, same issue.
- Ensured that my newest Mobo Chipset drivers were installed BEFORE installing the ATI Drivers.
- Ensured the power pins were installed properly on the card. Card seated properly on PCI-E port #2
- No Red LED error lights on my card. Seems to boot properly with no errors.
- Ensured enough power is supplied to the card
- Skimmed through the BIOS, ensured PCI-E was a GPU Priority, ensured onboard GPU was disabled (renabled it just for test, same thing), generally looked through the BIOS settings to ensure there was no overclocking options done (PEG/etc). Keep in mind these are default BIOS values.
- Tried older and newer catalyst drivers
- Ensured there was no older traces of drivers, cleaned any of them using DriverSweeper (not necessary since i did these on clean installs anyway)

***Note***
When i first got the computer sent to me, the first PCI-E slot was literally bent, the video card did not work on the first PCI-E slot. Luckily i have 3 of these slots so i simply moved it into the 2nd PCI-E slot and it worked fine... i'm hoping this is just bad luck with the first PCI-E slot and has nothing to do with a bad mobo.

So with that said, what else on earth can i try? Must i assume that this is a DOA Mobo? DOA Card? If that was the case, would that be possible even if i can boot to windows and function properly without the drivers installed, using Standard VGA?

I'm absolutely stumped, I've done hundreds of computer builds and installs, never came across such an irritating Video Card Install issue. Please provide some insight.

Thank you,

Mike
desync@gmail.com

 

[desync101]

no one? :\

 

[Annisman]

I'm not gonna lie, I don't know how much help you can get here because A. it looks like you have done just about everything short of returning the card, and B. you clearly have experience with computers, so the average suggestion would probably be useless, good luck.

 

[swifty_morgan]

tough call not having the box to mess with. if new, the pci-e slot should not have been damaged.

in the asus bios, is there something that refers to pci-e1 and pci-e2 ?

and "peg" is where the pci slot should be set.

i'd reboot in safe mode and go into the device manager and uninstall the card. reboot but don't hook to the internet........... physically remove cable from computer. Re-install drivers. reboot.

and check your memory. something might be amiss keeping it from running right.

 

[desync101]

Hey swifty,

Did all that, tested another card in the PCI-E slot worked fine, so not a mobo issue. I looked around in BIOS, there was no way to set anything with PCI-E1/2, there is no way to prioritize or set something that is primary/etc.

Did the whole safemode thing, clean install of drivers after uninstalling the card.

Memory tested OK in another box.

Starting to notice more people having similar issues here at the ATI Forums: http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=260&threadid=96981&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

But hard to say if it's thats my exact problem. Don't want to RMA this thing (waste all my time) then find out it was a bad driver issue from ATI this whole time.

Not sure what else i can do, really annoying!
Please help :\

 

[topper743]

Are all of the .net MS updates installed? The ATI card needs .net 2.0 to function correctly. Try this, re-reinstall XP (LOL), then the MB drivers, get the internet working, Do all of the MS updates, All of them, then install the Video drivers from a fresh download for the correct OS and card. Load the 9.5v if you can get it and enable crossfire to allow the gpu to function fully. Before you do the format and fresh install get into the bios and flash to the newest bios, setup the bios to accept the X2 card. Post your results.

 

[topper743]

I went to the forums link that you provided. That is not your problem, he is talking about a new model card and an older driver that did not support that card. Do try the .net update.

 

[Guest]

lol i got the same problem while installing my drivers (didnt bother to read all reviews cuz i just got up so if anyone has answered this before me..sorry xD) well i fixed it just by taking the driver cd outta my dvd reader =) hope it helps good night to ya all 😉