iMac 2011 getting BSOD in Bootcamp

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iMac 2011 getting BSOD in Bootcamp

Hello all.

I installed Bootcamp on my new iMac (2011) and installed Windows 7 SP1. I downloaded the iMac drivers to a CD via Bootcamp, and installed this.

When I run Dawn of War 2 in Windows, I get the dreaded blue screen error with a "atikmpag.sys" error.

Now, I get that this has something to do with the Apple-drivers and the ATI-graphics, but what can I do about it?

I tried installing the ATI drivers from their web-site, but it says that my card is not supported.

How do I replace the Apple-drivers in Windows 7 with, say, ATI's own driver?

Thanks in advance.

iMac, Windows 7, Imac 2011, Bootcamp, Windows 7

Posted on Jul 30, 2011 6:16 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 30, 2011 6:26 AM in response to phatosen

I'd first try running the Apple Software Update that should have been installed as part of the Boot Camp Drivers install. Maybe there is an updated version of the Boot Camp software that can be installed.

Failing the above, you might get some joy with plain ol' Windows Update.

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Answer 2

Jul 30, 2011 6:28 AM in response to phatosen

Incidentally, I'm using Boot Camp with Windows 7 (64-Bit Edition) on a late 2009 iMac to play Dawn Of War 2. So far I haven't encountered a BSOD, although I used to get them on my old MacBook Pro with Dawn Of War 1.

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Answer 3

phatosen Author

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Jul 30, 2011 6:54 AM in response to Marcus Peaston

I seem to have it working now. After some extensive rebooting, fiddling with uninstalling previous driver programs, more rebooting and such, I seem to have it working. Got the ATI driver installed at least, and played through a level that caused BSOD earlier. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for your help though, Marcus. Will keep that in mind if this drivers starts blue-screening on me too.

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Answer 4

Jul 30, 2011 7:09 AM in response to phatosen

Any idea where the ATI driver that is installed now came from (Apple, Microsoft, ATI, or Other)?

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Answer 5

phatosen Author

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Jul 31, 2011 6:14 AM in response to Marcus Peaston

It is an ATI driver, this is the info from Display Adapters under Device Manager:

Driver Provider: ATI Technologies Inc.

Driver Date: 07-07-2011

Driver Version: 8.872.0.0

Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher

However, I did not download it from the ATI site. If I go to the ATI site and download the driver from there (after entering my hardware and OS info) it wont install. Says I don't have the proper hardware.

Instead, I downloaded the driver from here: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/mobility-radeon-drivers-support/206549-ati-mobilit y-catalyst-11-7-display-drivers-notebooks-27-07-2011-a.html

However, the issue is BACK! I played through several (10+) levels in DoW2 without any issues and exceptional performance, but then the game started freezing for several seconds, the screen turned either black or gray, and then the game went on - but just had a blue screen again.

Sorting the driver was my last idea, I am fresh out now.

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Answer 6

phatosen Author

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Jul 31, 2011 6:27 AM in response to phatosen

Just to add: I only have Dawn of War 2 installed, will try to install some different game, just to see if it's an error with that particular game, or if it's a general issue.

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Answer 7

Jul 31, 2011 6:37 AM in response to phatosen

I wonder whether overheating might be the problem. I used to have the problem with my old MacBook Pro (ATI X1600) that it would overheat under Boot Camp because Windows didn't seem to run the fans to keep things cool so it would crash after a period of gaming (no issues under the Mac OS, however, with World Of Warcraft). You could try using smcFanControl (http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23049/smcfancontrol) which, appears to be Lion-compatible, to increase the fan speeds before rebooting to Boot Camp.

It's worth a try.

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Answer 8

phatosen Author

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Aug 1, 2011 1:16 AM in response to Marcus Peaston

At first I didn't think this would be the problem. As mentioned, I played through 10+ levels in DoW2 without any issues whatsoever, but suddently it came back.

I installed smcFanControl however, and cranked up the speed on all available fans, so now my iMac is lovely noisy. 😝 I played through a level on low graphics settings just to see if it had helped. Nothing. So I turned up the settings to Ultra, and have now played through several levels without any issues. Either the fan control was the problem, as you say, or this problem is very random.

Luckily I play with headphones, 'cause the fans are very noisy, but I'm not going to jeopardize any hardware here...A noisy computer is a healthy computer. I hope. 🙂

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