AMDAGP.SYS & Windows XP startup

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: ComputerWobbler (ComputerWobbler_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 12/10/04 

Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 21:09:04 -0800

Recently, I upgraded my motherboard (ASRock K7VT4A+) and processor (AMD
Sempron 2400+ 1.6Ghz). I performed the Windows XP Re-Install for the
upgrade, so I still have the same operating system. However, for the
re-install, the XP Home disk is a SP1 edition.

When I performed the upgrade and reinstall back into SP1 everything was OK,
or at least seemed to be. I shut down the PC, and restarted it with no
problems whatsoever. Then I upgraded into SP2, re-activated XP, shutdown and
tried to restart the PC.

Well, the PC starts up OK, but when Windows XP begins to load it halts on
AMDAGP.SYS, and even does this in Safe Mode, and reverting to 'Last Settings
That Worked' - doesn't work.

The only way I can get my system to restart is to unplug the power lead from
the PSU for >>8 hours minimum<<, then plug it pack in, and fire up the PC.
Then, as Windows XP is loading it will process the AMDAGP.SYS file very
s..l..o..w..l..y.. indeed.

So, I have done what everyone normal would do - that is search all over the
web for the same, or similar problem...
Google -->
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=AMDAGP.SYS+windows+XP+problem&meta=

...and, when there I find it's quite a big problem, ie. it's not just my
machine.

This is where I started my search --> AMD Forums -->
http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=14341&st=0&#entry283661

Albeit, the same thing happened to a bloke on the AMD forums, who's got a K7
motherboard, so I naturally thought 'perhaps it is an AMD thing, especially
because the file in question mentions AMD ---> AMDAGP.SYS' So, I updated
the AMDAGP.SYS to the one released by AMD... which is, AMDAGPXP.SYS --->
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_2336~4233,00.html

But, I also found that this AMDAGP.SYS thing is happening on other type
machines... although, the common thing here is that the motherboard is an
AMD... HP -->
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=716493758+1102653552811+28353475&threadId=183351

Is there a problem with the AMDAGP.SYS file?

Well, I performed the upgrade as suggested on the AMD Forums, which was to
replace the (Microsoft 2002 version) AMDAGP.SYS with the (AMD 2004 version)
AMDAGPXP.SYS, by renaming the later file to the previous, and the previous to
a .old convention.

So, basically I have the AMD 2004 version file running on the PC, yet the
system is still halting on startup.!

So, surely it isn't the AMDAGP.SYS, or AMDAGPXP.SYS file that's the problem,
but could it be something conflicting?

I am running SP2 now, and as I mentioned before, the system appeared to run
smoothly when it only had SP1 installed.

I've been advised to uninstall the SP2 and revert back to SP1 just to test
if SP2 is a problem. But, my thinking with this is that if my system
requires 8 hours minimum (any less and it won't start) - this must mean there
is something counting the minutes and hours until the switch on happens
again.!

You see, the re-start problem doesn't happen to the computer itself. It is
Windows that stops running when loading the file AMDAGP.SYS

Any thoughts, or advice?

just in case someone wants to know... my parts are:
motherboard = K7VT4A+ (ASRock)
processor = AMD Sempron 2400+
memory = 512Mb (1 strip - 166mhz [PC333] - or the other way round - not sure!)
sound = C-Media AC'97 Audio Device (on motherboard)
graphics = NVidia GeForce FX 5200 (128Mb)
CD/DVD = TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H522B (sony - I think)
TV/VIdeo = Pinnacle PCTV Rave

Other than that.. there's nothing inside the tower, other than a caveman
with a flint chisel and a slab of stone.

Thanks in advance...

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