I just finished a system build, and having installed Win 7 64bit Professional, one of the first things I did was download and install the latest ATI drivers from ATI's website for my Powercolor ATI HD5970 graphics card. One of the ATI files caused a BSoD, so in safe mode I uninstalled the drivers and sweeped everthing ATI off my computer.

I thought that maybe I had downloaded a corrupt set, so this time I downloaded the drivers from Powercolor's website; BSoD again; driver swipe again.

So now I thought that the newest drivers, which were only a few days old at that point, weren't "right", so I tried installing the previous version (10.7); BSoD yet again; driver swipe again.

I contacted ATI, and after asking about my BIOS update (it's updated) and my Motherboard Driver updates (they're updated), the ATI tech guy told me it was basically my problem to fix with the manufacturer.

I would send in the card for an RMA, but I removed the fan it came with and installed an aftermarket cooling block, voiding the warranty in the process. So I really need this to be a software issue and not a hardware problem.

Any help?

Here's the new system specs:

OS: Windows 7 64bit Professional
Proc: Intel Core I7 930 2.8GHz stock speed
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 1366 rev1.0 bios"F6"
Memory: Crucial 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600)
Hard Drive (OS): RAID 0 - 2x Crucial CT64M225 2.5" 64GB SATA II SSD
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache
Video: PowerColor AX5970 2GBD5-MD Radeon HD 5970 (Hemlock) 2GB 512 (256 x 2)-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP
Power Supply: BFG Tech EX-1200 1200W Continuous Rated at 40°C ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified
Case: Cooler Master COSMOS S

nice system

install your previous OS (I presume that you have winxp CD) and check the card in it - you will immediately see if the card is ok or not. if it installs fine in winXP, install MSI afterburner and check cards stability with its benchmark tool (http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/benchmark.htm) - monitor temperatures closely.


furthermore, you did not void the warranty (I've never seen a warranty sticker which goes over factory heat sink....), recheck your installation of after-market cooling solution...., if it BSOD's in WinXP with your after-market cooling solution, mount factory heatsink and try again with it.... - if it BSOD's with factory cooling take it to RMA (remove traces of thermal paste you installed on all surfaces and remount factory cooling securely first)


cheers and good luck