If you disable a video card in Device Manager...

[vipejc]

I have a very flaky HIS ATI Radeon X1650 AGP video card with the latest drivers that crashes and freezes intermittently lots when browsing the web and doing different tasks, such as scrolling a page or copying and pasting text. I need to run some tests. I'd like to try disabling the video card in Windows' Device Manager. If I do that, will the video card still be used and the fan on the card still run? Does disabling a video card this way just stop the video card drivers and use Windows' VGA graphics mode, or does Windows stop using the video card entirely?

Edited October 1, 2014 by vipejc

[Tripredacus]

I'm not sure (I can try tomorrow) but if it lets you do that... It requires a reboot and then you would have no video. Windows may consider that one of those boot-critical devices and deny you the option if it is the only video adapter in the system.

[vipejc]

I want to test the X1650 using Windows' vga.sys, which will run the system at 640 x 480 resolution in 8-bit color. But if I enable VGA mode, Windows will still use the ATI video card drivers at 640 x 480 resolution. My question is if I uninstall Catalyst Control Center and the catalyst driver, will Windows use its vga.sys driver with the X1650 so I can run the system for 45 days and see if the ATI drivers are causing the crashes, or something else like the GPU or power supply is?

Edited October 3, 2014 by vipejc

[Tripredacus]

Run OCCT on it. If that software works for your video card, it can tell you if there are errors with it. In my experience, it will reveal errors within a couple minutes.

http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/software/20-occt

[vipejc]

Run OCCT on it. If that software works for your video card, it can tell you if there are errors with it. In my experience, it will reveal errors within a couple minutes.

http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/software/20-occt

I tried another software called Video Card Stability Test, and within minutes after opening the program, the computer crashed to a Blue Screen of Death and said Windows shut down your computer to prevent damage and the problem is either a specific ATI driver or the physical video card. Do you know if you uninstall OEM video card drivers if Windows will use its vga.sys driver with the video card and not by itself so I can test if the ATI drivers are the issue?

[Ponch]

Try running DDU in SAFE MODE to remove your drivers. After reboot, Windows might even let you use the card (as "standard VGA") at higher than 800x600.