onboard discrete card (amd 7670m) shows up as microsoft basic display adapter. ATIKMPAG.sys failure

[camoPen]

Issue: laptop's on-board discrete graphics card (AMD radeon 7670m) is only detected as 'Microsoft Basic Display adapter' - attempting to install drivers prompts that windows finds the current driver is most updated, does not want to install the 7670m card drivers on Hp support site

Specs:

HP envy 6-1118tx sleekbook

i7-3517u

intel hd 4000 integrated graphics

AMD Radeon 7670m discrete graphics

Windows 8.1 updated to sometime october this year

All drivers are off of the HP support site found using my device code

Problem description:

So far, the intel hd 4000 integrated graphics works normally but the discrete graphics card is only detected as 'Microsoft basic display adapter' despite my best attempts at telling windows otherwise.

When did the problem start?

over the past 2 years I wasn't able to use this computer often, but I did update to windows 10, after which a great many things didn't work, but updates and other fixes managed to fix them - except my being able to play games that needed to switch to the discrete card. I googled a little, saw that there weren't going to be win10 supported drivers for this card, so I made the choice to downgrade to win8.1 Ever since, I haven't been able to get this card going.

Attempts to fix:

Reinstalled the whole OS, about 6 times first using HP recovery, when that didn't work, wiped everything (recovery partition and all) and got an 8.1 ISO off of the microsoft website and installed that.

All driver installations and updates work until attempting to install the driver for the discrete graphics card. Installing that promptly causes BSOD and the failure prompt for ATIKMPAG.sys.

Forced attempt [1] to install the 7670m discrete card driver:

1. extract the corresponding driver from hp Support site to a directory

2. right click 'microsoft basic display adapter' > update driver

3. Choose from ..

4. point to extracted directory, 'next'

This prompts windows to say that the microsoft basic display adapter is already the most updated version

Force attempt [2] to install the 7670m discrete card driver:

1. extract the corresponding driver from hp support site to a directory

2. run setup file in that directory

This causes the setup to execute. BUT windows doesn't seem to think that's a driver.

3. right click - update offending adapter > choose from.. > choose the installation directory of step 2.

This makes windows recognize a 'AMD 7600 series display' with a yellow ! triangle, code 43.

referencing these resources:

https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/video-tdr-failure-atikmpag-sys-windows-10-solved/

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Video-Display-and-Touch/Getting-flickering-black-screen-and-t...

I attempt to follow this 'expand' command. however, unlike the 'atikmpag.sys' mentioned in the second link above, I have:

2 of atikmpag.sy_ and 2 of atikmdag.sy_ (from different root directories) originating from one installation.

the atikmpag.sy_ is 500+ KB wheras the atikmdag.sy_ is 10+ MB.

I try following the instructions one by one.

expand.exe atikmdag.sy_ atikmpag.sys

expands into a 27MB file which I place in the system32/drivers folder and restart.

This doesn't work - doesn't throw a different error, nor does it cause a BSOD. just error code 43.

expand.exe atikmpag.sy_ atikmpag.sys

gives me a 650KB file and an error message: cannot expand atikmpag.sys onto itself.

I ignore that and put that file into system32/drivers/ and restart.

This time, it works! Sort of. the 7600m series does not show a yellow ! sign, says the device is working normally.

BUT intel hd4000 throws a code 43, yellow !.

dxdiag shows my display to be only a microsoft basic display adapter.

so no, it doesn't work.

Now, I'm at my wit's end trying to fix this. Any help would be most appreciated.

[Jeet_singh]

@camoPen,

Welcome to the HP Forums 🙂 I would like to take a moment and thank you for using this forum, it is a great place to find answers. For you to have the best experience on the HP forum, you could also visit our HP Forums Guide for First Time Here? Learn How to Post and More.

I understand you are receiving the error code 43 after installing the graphics drivers, don't worry I'll be glad to help you out.

Splendid effort and fabulous description of the issue before posting. Kudos to you on that score.  You are a valued HP customer and it is paramount to assist you here. I take it as a privilege to share this platform with you. 

To provide you with an accurate solution, I'll need a few more details:

When was the last time it worked without these issues? Have you attempted a system restore?

When does the error appear, what issues do you have due to the error?

Have you tried to run a test on the graphics card from from F2?

In the meantime, let's try these steps here: 

Let's start off by performing a Hard reset on the notebook: 

Before power resetting your computer, do the following:

1. Disconnect or remove all peripheral devices. Start up the laptop and test the computer by itself, and then reconnect one peripheral device at a time.

2. Turn over the computer and look for a battery compartment door.

   • If there is a battery compartment, use the steps in Reset a laptop with a removable battery.

   • If there is no battery compartment, use the steps in Reset a laptop with a sealed or non-removable battery.

 I recommend to restore the BIOS defaults.You could restore the BIOS with this document selecting the reloading the BIOS default settings. That way it will look at the Hardware installed on the Notebook.

Once done, restart the computer and check.

If the issue persists, I would suggest here is to uninstall the display drivers on your PC from device manager.

Right-Click on start button> click device manager> expand display adapters>then select the display drivers that are listed and right-click on it and uninstall the drivers.

Check the box that states delete the software for this device.

Now restart the computer and then update the Bios, Chipset and graphics card drivers on your PC from our HP support website, using this link.

Also, download and install HP support assistant on your PC. It should automatically download and install the latest updates and drivers for your PC.

Refer this link to know how to use HP support assistant.

You could also try using the Windows Update Troubleshooting tool to fix any updates that have not come through for Windows 10.  Please restart the Notebook twice to make sure all update have been completed.

For more details, please go through this link: HP PCs - Device Manager Information (Windows 10, 😎

If the issue persists, I would suggest here is to run a test on the graphics card from F2(Please capture the failure ID for further assistance).

Please let me know if this resolves the issue, or if you require further assistance!

Eagerly waiting for your response!

that said, If the information I've provided was helpful, 

give us some reinforcement by clicking the solution and kudos buttons, 

that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Good Luck.

[camoPen]

Thank you, Jeet.

I'll go through the steps you've laid out for me - thanks for all the links, they're really helpful.

The card check might reveal some things. I don't remember doing it.

Also, please note I'm running windows 8.1 right now.

I'll also do the hard-reset and report back (non-removable battery, will follow the steps in the links you've given)

I'll follow that up with the bios reset and see what happens.

I'll document what happens at each stage.

[Jeet_singh]

@camoPen,

Thank you for replying,
Please take your time and get back to me with the results,
 
I'll be awaiting your response and would be glad to help.
 
Feel free to post your query for any other assistance as well,
It's been a pleasure interacting with you and I hope you have a good day ahead.
 
If you wish to show appreciation for my efforts, mark my post as Accepted Solution.
And click on the Purple Thumbs up icon at the bottom of my comment. 

Regards,

[camoPen]

So I'm back, I did more testing. I've pasted your helpful message in its entirety to reply to it in sections.

To provide you with an accurate solution, I'll need a few more details:

When was the last time it worked without these issues? Have you attempted a system restore?

Last time it worked properly (switchable graphics and all) would'be been just prior to the windows 10 update rollout that was given out to all windows 8/8.1 users. I hopped on, but shortly after upgrading to Windows 10, the problems started first through throwing the VIDEO_TDR failure : atikmpag.sys whenever the discrete graphics card was to be engaged.

When does the error appear, what issues do you have due to the error?

Error now appears whenever I try to force the discretee graphics card driver to work. Simply installing the driver causes one of these:

1. Windows does not recognize driver/hardware and identifies only [microsoft basic display adapter]

2. Forcing driver install path to point to the installation (not extract) directory of the driver downloaded from the hp support site does induce installation of the driver, causes windows to identify discrete card as [AMD Radeon HD 7600m series] - when it worked properly, it properly identified as 7670m.

Have you tried to run a test on the graphics card from from F2?

Yes, press F2 during start sequence to go into EFI diagnostics, choose video > video test > Single test

Test completes in ~3 minutes with no problems identified. I'm thinking this may be because the computer does not recognize the discrete card and defaults to running all video (video test from EFI included) off of the integrated intel HD 4000.

I have also done a memtest, no issues found.

In the meantime, let's try these steps here: 

Let's start off by performing a Hard reset on the notebook: 

Before power resetting your computer, do the following:

1. Disconnect or remove all peripheral devices. Start up the laptop and test the computer by itself, and then reconnect one peripheral device at a time.

2. Turn over the computer and look for a battery compartment door.

   • If there is a battery compartment, use the steps in Reset a laptop with a removable battery.

   • If there is no battery compartment, use the steps in Reset a laptop with a sealed or non-removable battery.

 I recommend to restore the BIOS defaults.You could restore the BIOS with this document selecting the reloading the BIOS default settings. That way it will look at the Hardware installed on the Notebook.

Once done, restart the computer and check.

I have done the hard reset as instructed, re-installed the drivers, reset bios. This threw a problem: When I re-installed into windows 8.1, I could only get it to work via booting from legacy OS mode. the UEFI mode would not recognize C:\ for booting, for whatever reason. So apart from changing the bios startup sequence to legacy OS, all bios settings are now default mode.

After the hard reset (non-removable battery method) and bios reset, I re-installed the drivers and got this far:

The drivers for both intel HD4000 and discrete 7600m throw a code 22. Enabling the 7600m causes a BSOD : VIDEO_TDR failure (atikmpag.sys) and causes windows to reboot, upon which a yellow ! triangle is shown on the 7600m entry, citing error 43.

Enabling the intel hd 4000 causes no problems, and computer runs normally (minus the no discrete card bit)

If the issue persists, I would suggest here is to uninstall the display drivers on your PC from device manager.

Right-Click on start button> click device manager> expand display adapters>then select the display drivers that are listed and right-click on it and uninstall the drivers.

Check the box that states delete the software for this device.

Now restart the computer and then update the Bios, Chipset and graphics card drivers on your PC from our HP support website, using this link.

I have tried this method several times - with the same results each time. I have used Drivereasy, Display driver cleaner, done it through windows, done it through command-line. For each method, I tried both system restore (that goes back to a state where only intel hd4000 works and the other is microsoft basic display adapter) AND did a complete re-install of windows 8.1 from scratch. Formatted C:\, deleted all drive partitions, recreated drive partitions, the works.

Yes, HP recover drive from factory settings doesn't exist anymore. Using HP recovery was the first thing I tried, I tried it twice actually. It however didn't play nice with the windows 10 update that was in at the time and caused a boot loop amongst a whole host of other problems. So I did away with it.

Also, download and install HP support assistant on your PC. It should automatically download and install the latest updates and drivers for your PC.

Refer this link to know how to use HP support assistant.

I've tried HP support assistant as well, during my windows-reinstallation-spree. It did not recognize the existence of a problem, the same what it is now, thinking that it has installed everything necessary for a intel hd 4000 integrated graphics and another display hardware by the name of 'microsoft basic display adapter'.

In fact, a pet theory of mine right now is that the computer recognizes the existence of another display capable hardware, but does not know what it is. This is because the HP support driver for 7670m is indeed a 7600m series graphics driver. So far, the only way I've gotten it to install the graphics driver is to download the exe, extract it, install it manually (running the setup.exe) then pointing the device manager's manual update to that installed directory. Otherwise, windows device manager does not recognize what hardware the discrete card is, causing it to not know what drivers to look for, therefore defaulting to the microsoft basic display adapter.

Here, I want to ask, if there is a reliable diagnostic method to rule out, or narrow it down to, a hardware fault - did the card somehow get unseated a little? Heatsink issues? hardware failure?

You could also try using the Windows Update Troubleshooting tool to fix any updates that have not come through for Windows 10 (it's windows 8.1 right now).  Please restart the Notebook twice to make sure all update have been completed.

My next lead to follow is downgrading to windows 8 (not 8.1) but I can't seem to find an iso download link on the Microsoft website nor HP support. Some other people on the internet report having solved similar problems by downgrading and solvin the problem, then updating windows to 8.1 or whatever their desired OS is. I'd appreciate it if you could point me to a link to get a working windows 8 (NOT 8.1) iso from an official source of some kind.

For more details, please go through this link: HP PCs - Device Manager Information (Windows 10, 😎

If the issue persists, I would suggest here is to run a test on the graphics card from F2(Please capture the failure ID for further assistance).

[Jeet_singh]

@camoPen,

Thank you for replying, 

After reviewing your post thoroughly, I see that you have exhausted all possible troubleshootings as well as you have already tried multiple instances to reinstall the Operating system and unfortunately nothing has helped to resolve this issue. Most likely this looks to be a possible hardware issue. 

In this scenario, I will share you a private message with details. Please watch your inbox for more information.

Let me know if this helps!

Have a great day ahead! 🙂