ATI WDM Rage Theater Video & Yellow Exclamination Point in XP's Device Manager

[ANTant]

Hello!

After Windows XP Professional SP1 (all updates) boots up and I log in,
once in a while ATI WDM Rage Theater Video (8/6/2003; v6.14.10.6217)
has a yellow exclamination point. ATI's TV program v8.6 fails to work
(forgot the error message) when this happens. I have to reboot my
computer to fix this and to make the device manager not show the
problem. Only once I was able to disable it and re-enable it via Device
Manager without rebooting.

When I don't have this problem, then I have no problems with the TV
program.

Is this a common problem? Windows XP's Event Log doesn't show anything
interesting. Any ideas why I get this once in a while? I have the
newest drivers from ATI. You can see my computer configuration on
http://alpha.zimage.com/~ant/antfarm/about/computers.txt ...

Thank you in advance.
--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

 

[patrickp]

Hello!

After Windows XP Professional SP1 (all updates) boots up and I log in,
once in a while ATI WDM Rage Theater Video (8/6/2003; v6.14.10.6217)
has a yellow exclamination point. ATI's TV program v8.6 fails to work
(forgot the error message) when this happens. I have to reboot my
computer to fix this and to make the device manager not show the
problem. Only once I was able to disable it and re-enable it via Device
Manager without rebooting.

When I don't have this problem, then I have no problems with the TV
program.

Is this a common problem? Windows XP's Event Log doesn't show anything
interesting. Any ideas why I get this once in a while? I have the
newest drivers from ATI. You can see my computer configuration on
http://alpha.zimage.com/~ant/antfarm/about/computers.txt ...

Thank you in advance.
--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

Ant, did you perchance install the all-in-one Cat 3.7 driver? People seem
to have been having problems with this not installing the capture drivers
properly - it's a problematic capture driver installation that causes ATI
WDM Rage Theater Video to show with a yellow warning.

If you did, try uninstalling the all-in-one driver , preferably have a good
system clearout, and reinstall the separate drivers. The old capture -
don't reboot- display- reboot - control panel - reboot order seems to work
better than ATi's new recommendation of display - reboot - control panel -
reboot - capture - reboot.

It might also be a good idea, after you've uninstalled the old driver and
before you install the new, to have a look in Device Manager in Safe Mode (I
think there's some sort of show all mode in XP?) and remove any instances of
ATI WDM Rage Theater Video and Specialized MVD WDM VBI Codec, particularly
if there are multiple instances. It means your system will try to reinstall
them on every boot and you'll have to cancel out, but it prevents problems
with more than one instance of each being installed - which is one possible
reason for your problem.

HTH patrickp

 

[ANTant]

Ant, did you perchance install the all-in-one Cat 3.7 driver? People seem
to have been having problems with this not installing the capture drivers
properly - it's a problematic capture driver installation that causes ATI
WDM Rage Theater Video to show with a yellow warning.

Um, I don't remember the version number, but it was the latest one from ATI's
Web site. I did not use the driver CD (always outdated). And also please note
that I don't always get the yellow warning at every reboot. Just once in a
while.

If you did, try uninstalling the all-in-one driver , preferably have a good
system clearout, and reinstall the separate drivers. The old capture -
don't reboot- display- reboot - control panel - reboot order seems to work
better than ATi's new recommendation of display - reboot - control panel -
reboot - capture - reboot.

It might also be a good idea, after you've uninstalled the old driver and
before you install the new, to have a look in Device Manager in Safe Mode (I
think there's some sort of show all mode in XP?) and remove any instances of
ATI WDM Rage Theater Video and Specialized MVD WDM VBI Codec, particularly
if there are multiple instances. It means your system will try to reinstall
them on every boot and you'll have to cancel out, but it prevents problems
with more than one instance of each being installed - which is one possible
reason for your problem.

OK. I will try that if I need to.
--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

 

[patrickp]

Um, I don't remember the version number, but it was the latest one from ATI's
Web site. I did not use the driver CD (always outdated). And also please note
that I don't always get the yellow warning at every reboot. Just once in a
while.

What I mean is, Ant, did you install the all-in-one version of the latest
driver (which is the Catalyst 3.7, but not, apparently for long) or the
separate capture/display/control panel modules for the same Cat 3.7?

It seems to be the all-in-one version as opposed to the separate modules
that's the problematic one.

patrickp

 

[ANTant]

After Windows XP Professional SP1 (all updates) boots up and I log in,

What I mean is, Ant, did you install the all-in-one version of the latest
driver (which is the Catalyst 3.7, but not, apparently for long) or the
separate capture/display/control panel modules for the same Cat 3.7?

I am pretty sure it was one package:
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/wxp-w2k-catalyst-7-93-030812a1-010735c-efg.exe
Is there a way to check?

It seems to be the all-in-one version as opposed to the separate modules
that's the problematic one.

Aren't the separated package and combined packages the same? What's wrong
with the all-in-one package version?

--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

 

[patrickp]

I am pretty sure it was one package:
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/wxp-w2k-catalyst-7-93-030812a1-010735c-efg.exe
Is there a way to check?



Aren't the separated package and combined packages the same? What's wrong
with the all-in-one package version?

<snip>

--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

Theoretically, yes, Ant, the all-in-one driver should be exactly the same as
the three modules combined. However, when you install any or all of these
items, the installer has a lot of choices to make around your OS, videocard,
other software/hardware and probably a lot of other things in your system
environment too. The process is not always perfect - there are a _lot_ of
different possibilities it has to choose from to determine the optimum
install, even when you install each module separately. When you install the
all-in-one package, it has to make a lot more choices from a lot more
parameters all in one go, so the process is more likely to go wrong
somewhere.

This, of course gets more complicated if you do things like installing
straight over previous drivers, upgrading without uninstalling your MMC
software, or upgrading with all the other processes on your PC, particularly
virus checkers, firewalls etc. running. To get the best result, you want to
make it as easy as possible for that poor little installer. I always
precede an upgrade by uninstalling the MMC software, the control panel and
the display driver, using a good system tool like the registry tool of jv16
Power Tools suite to remove all the registry entries that ATi's somewhat
inadequate uninstall routines (if their uninstall routines are patently so
bad, why expect more of their install routines?) fails to remove, and
deleting all ATi files off my system. Oh, and I usually remove ATI WDM Rage
Theater Video and Specialized MVD WDM VBI Codec entries in Device Manager
for good measure - they're usually replaced, but sometimes get duplicated.

It may sound complicated, but once you get your routine down, it doesn't
take long, and it prevents a lot of problems before they can occur. I know
that a lot of people just install straight over their old drivers every
time, and say they have no problems, but I have to wonder how much better
their systems would be running if they _did_ take a little more trouble over
their upgrades.

The bottom line for you is that ATi's all-in-one drivers usually do seem to
throw up problems that the separate ones avoid, and I have seen mention of
people who've installed the all-in-one Catalyst 3.7 (which was the latest
when you posted; Cat 3.8s are out now) driver having problems with the
devices that the capture driver manages. Think about it.

patrickp

 

[ANTant]

Theoretically, yes, Ant, the all-in-one driver should be exactly the same as

the three modules combined. However, when you install any or all of these
items, the installer has a lot of choices to make around your OS, videocard,
other software/hardware and probably a lot of other things in your system
environment too. The process is not always perfect - there are a _lot_ of
different possibilities it has to choose from to determine the optimum
install, even when you install each module separately. When you install the
all-in-one package, it has to make a lot more choices from a lot more
parameters all in one go, so the process is more likely to go wrong
somewhere.

This, of course gets more complicated if you do things like installing
straight over previous drivers, upgrading without uninstalling your MMC
software, or upgrading with all the other processes on your PC, particularly
virus checkers, firewalls etc. running. To get the best result, you want to
make it as easy as possible for that poor little installer. I always
precede an upgrade by uninstalling the MMC software, the control panel and
the display driver, using a good system tool like the registry tool of jv16
Power Tools suite to remove all the registry entries that ATi's somewhat
inadequate uninstall routines (if their uninstall routines are patently so
bad, why expect more of their install routines?) fails to remove, and
deleting all ATi files off my system. Oh, and I usually remove ATI WDM Rage
Theater Video and Specialized MVD WDM VBI Codec entries in Device Manager
for good measure - they're usually replaced, but sometimes get duplicated.

It may sound complicated, but once you get your routine down, it doesn't
take long, and it prevents a lot of problems before they can occur. I know
that a lot of people just install straight over their old drivers every
time, and say they have no problems, but I have to wonder how much better
their systems would be running if they _did_ take a little more trouble over
their upgrades.

The bottom line for you is that ATi's all-in-one drivers usually do seem to
throw up problems that the separate ones avoid, and I have seen mention of
people who've installed the all-in-one Catalyst 3.7 (which was the latest
when you posted; Cat 3.8s are out now) driver having problems with the
devices that the capture driver manages. Think about it.

Thanks. I am going to uninstall ATI drivers and stuff tonight. There's
a new version (yay!). I will try one package first. If I still get
the problem, then I will try individual packages.
--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

 

[patrickp]

Thanks. I am going to uninstall ATI drivers and stuff tonight. There's
a new version (yay!). I will try one package first. If I still get
the problem, then I will try individual packages.
--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

Cool! Don't forget to at least uninstall the old stuff before installing
the new. There's also a new MMC out, too.

Good luck! patrickp

 

[ANTant]

Cool! Don't forget to at least uninstall the old stuff before installing
the new. There's also a new MMC out, too.

Good luck! patrickp

All installed. Yes, I uninstalled. So far, so good! If I see it again,
then I will follow-up.
--
"PLEASE tell your aardvark that I'm NOT an anthill!" --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )