Windows 7 User Submissions

Radeon 4350

by MikeT
(Kent, UK)

I run the Radeon HD4350 passive card. No problems with Ubuntu 8.04, 9.04, Windows XP Pro x64/x32, Windows Server 2003/8 x64/x32 or Vista Ultimate x32.

To answer the question, I test O/S systems on behalf of clients.

With Windows 7 RC x32/x64 both give me identical problems.

Anywhere between 2 minutes and 3 hours from start up the machine will lock up without warning with either BSOD indicating a graphics problem and reboot or freeze completely with either a stuck screen or a screen changing to some random single colour and then freezing.

I started to keep a log of all failures but gave up as there did not seem to be any pattern of actions that caused the lockup/freezing.

MS action app has confirmed I have a graphics problem on each occasion. I have downloaded the ATI latest drivers, including each Catalyst update but the problem remains.

I liked Server 2008's speed and knowing that Windows 7 was using much the same engine was keen to try it.

Windows 7 is faster than XP of that I am sure. The fancy graphics I can do without.

I like Windows 7 for one reason only, its speed. Beyond that it offers me nothing extra to XP.

I continue to use XP x64 as it can access my 4Gb memory and, in all honesty, I have yet to experience a crash that I could not blame myself from causing.

I recall some years ago an Apple fan telling me his machine was uncrashable.

He knew I had a reputation for being able to cause havoc with most machines and challenged me to crash it.

10 minutes later he was regretting his challenge. Come on ATI amd MS, rise to the bait, produce a graphic driver that does not crash my machine.

I can do that already without your help!

More importantly I will have a solid reason for saying that W7 is a real improvement on XP.