How to troubleshoot “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered”, ATIKMDAG.sys type errors 

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:

• ATIKMDAG.sys
• ATI2DVAG.sys
• ATI2CQAG.dll
• ATIVPK.sys
• AMD2DVAG.sys
• AMDKMDAG.sys
• 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.

• If the issue occurs only when using a specific application, it may have known issues or corrupt files
  
  
• Contact the application’s manufacturer for further information or for possible software patches
  
  
• Perform a clean installation of the application
  
  
  
• Microsoft DirectX® files may be outdated or corrupt
  
  
• Reinstall Microsoft DirectX or install the latest version
  
  
• Microsoft Article 179113 provides instructions for downloading /installing the latest Microsoft DirectX version
  
  
  
• The motherboard’s BIOS / chipset drivers may be outdated
  
  
• Check the motherboard manufacturer’s website for available BIOS / chipset driver updates
  
  
• Refer to the update’s release notes to determine if it has a fix for your specific issue
  
  
  
• The operating system may require a service pack update
  
  
• Refer to the following Microsoft pages for instructions on downloading / installing the latest service packs:
  
  
• Windows Vista: Microsoft Article 935791
  
  
• Windows 7: Windows 7 Updates
  
  
  
• Several known issues in Windows Vista may be related to the issue
  
  
• Refer to the applicable Microsoft article(s) to obtain any necessary hotfix downloads:
  
  
• The Flight Simulator X game display flickers and become corrupted on a Windows Vista-based computer that is connected to more than one monitor
  
  
• The enhanced video renderer (EVR) sends the EC_DISPLAY_CHANGED event when you play a video stream in Windows Vista
  
  
• An update is available that improves the compatibility and reliability of Windows Vista
  
  
• Virtual address space usage in Windows Vista game development
  
  
• Error message is displayed when installing a new hardware device on a system running Windows Vista
  
  
• Graphics performance can be improved in certain multiple-GPU scenarios on a Windows Vista-based computer
  
  
• A WHQL test does not finish successfully on a Windows Vista-based computer that has multiple display adapters in an LDA configuration
  
  
• A reliability and performance update is available for Windows Vista SP1-based computers
  
  
• You receive a "STOP 0x0000010E" or "STOP 0x000000C1" error message on a Windows Vista-based computer or on a Windows Server 2008-based computer
  
  
• Description of the Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 hotfix that resolves certain system and application crashes on computers that have multi-core processors
  
  
• A graphics card is not removed from the display settings on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista SP1 if you unplug the card while the computer is asleep or in hibernation
  
  
• Stop error on a Windows Vista Service Pack 1-based or Windows Server 2008-based computer that has an integrated graphics adapter and a discrete graphics adapter: "Stop 0x00000018"
  
  
  
• The operating system may have corrupt system / registry files
  
  
• Try cleaning the operating system’s registry
  
  
  
• Perform a clean install of the operating system
  
  
• 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
  
  
  
• The graphics card drivers may have known issues or corrupt files
  
  
• Refer to Article 20870 for instructions on downloading / installing the latest drivers for your graphics card
  
  
• Refer to the drivers release notes to determine if there is a fix for your specific issue
  
  
  
• An overclocked processor (CPU), graphics card or memory can cause system instability
  
  
• Run all hardware components at their default settings
  
  
• Refer to the motherboard’s manual for instructions on how to set hardware to default settings
  
  
  
• An inadequate or defective power supply (PSU) can prevent the processor / graphics card from functioning properly
  
  
• Refer to Article GPU-104 for instructions on how to determine if the PSU is inadequate or defective
  
  
  
• The CPU and / or GPU may be overheating
  
  
• Check the operating temperature of the CPU or GPU through the motherboard’s BIOS
  
  
• Refer to the motherboard manual for instructions
  
  
• Ensure the temperature does not exceed the maximum operating temperature of the product
  
  
• Refer to the AMD Products Resource Center to determine the maximum operating temperature of any AMD CPU
  
  
• Contact the graphics card manufacturer to determine the maximum operating temperature of the GPU
  
  
• AMD Partners
  
  
  
• If the hardware is above its maximum operating temperature:
  
  
• Ensure an AMD approved heatsink/fan (HSF) is being used with the processor
  
  
• Ensure the HSF unit is properly installed on the processor
  
  
• Ensure the bottom of the HSF is leveled on the top of the processor
  
  
• Ensure a proper amount of thermal grease is installed between the HSF and processor
  
  
• 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
  
  
• Check whether there are any loose cables stopping the fan(s) from spinning or blocking the air flow within the system case
  
  
• Verify that the airflow within the system case is circulating correctly
  
  
• Air should flow in from the front of the case and out through the back of the case
  
  
  
• Failing Hardware (processor, graphics card, motherboard and / or memory) can cause system instability
  
  
• If possible, try testing the hardware in another system to determine if the issue follows the hardware
  
  
• Run a memory test to determine the stability of the memory
  
  
• The following third party utility will test your memory for errors: Memtest86
  
  
• If using multiple memory modules
  
  
• 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
  
  
• Verify that each module is identified at the correct size and speed
  
  
• Contact the memory and / or motherboard manufacturer for more comprehensive troubleshooting instructions
  
  
• Replace the hardware

Related Topics

• AMD Certified Power Supplies
• AMD Game Forum Thread: ATIKMDAG.sys problems and TDR FAQ