Ok I installed the new ATI drivers on my ohter HDD. Now when I boot I can not get into my desktop. I get a pop up error just about the same time my LOGIN shows up on the screen. It babbles something like "cannot save info to c:$mft" or something on the sort. Then I click OK and another "can not save info to c:blah blah blah". Obviously this error had to do something with trying to install those ATI drivers but now I can not even get into my desktop to do a system restore. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated gents and I thank you so much if you can help.

Have you tried to get into Windows Safe Mode? Reboot, and press F5 while the system comes up. Follow the prompts.Hope this helps,

There has been much written about this "problem" with ATI drivers and delayed write errors with WinXP. A Google search will get you a lot more information. The convential wisdom seems to say that it mainly occcurs on system where the Large System Cache has been enabled and/or custom virtual memory settings are used. The exact cause is, however, still not defined even after many months of problem reporting. If you can get into Safe Mode (via F8 at POST) you can uninstall the ATI drivers and control panel and then right-click on My ComputerPropertiesAdvancedSettingsAdvanced and be sure the Memory Useage is set to Programs (not System Cache). Also, be sure the virtual memory is set to System Managed Size. If you can't get into Safe Mode (due to the write problem with the MFT - Master File Table) try a repair install of WinXP from the installation CD. The repair sometimes works temporarily and, if so, it will at least get you back to the point where you can boot into Windows and do some diagnostics. (Note, though, that this problem can occur with any version of ATI drivers, not just the most recent.) All else failing, a complete reformat and reinstall is going to be needed to get things back to a clean state. Doug

W2DR:Thank you sir. I had JUST changed the system memeory from Programs to System Cache (someone had JUST made a post in the PMDG forum, i think, about better performance from usuing systme cache). I guess it isnt a performace tweak. Well back to program settings and lets see how that works. Once again Thx.

I have Cat 3.10 installed and after I shut down pc for a while, and then turned it on my videcocard would turn off when it would start to load the login screen for WinXP. I restarted and went into safe mode w/ network allowing me to access the internet. I ran windows update and got what updates were out, 3 plus an ATI update from Sept. 12th. After installing them I was able to restart and my videocard worked fine. But by installing te ATI update it put the drivers as 3.8 so I went into my ATI folder in my C:, found the driver folder and ran Cat 3.10 again. Everything works fine now.

Sorry to hear about your luck but ... if I told you to jump out a window, would you?ALWAYS ASSUME YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT SOMETHING THEN THE PERSON POSTING IT WHEN READING INFORMATION ABOUT TWEAKING SYSTEM SETTINGS.