AMD driver

In the last week my laptop has, after running for an hour or maybe more, been shutting down on its own , the screen just goes black, but the lights indicating the thing is running remain illuminated.
Only way to get it back seems to be to hold down the switch that starts it up, in order to turn it off, and then go through the process of starting it all up again.

Tonight it did the same, it shut itself down, I restarted it and after a few minutes the screen momentarily when black, but then came back on.
It had a message on the screen saying.

Display driver AMD driver stopped responding but has recovered.

Any ideas as to what is going on??

The label on the lap top mentions AMD radeon HD 8330.

 

Two things come to mind, first has someone / thing changed the Power Savings Settings in the Control Panel; sounds like it might be going in to hibernate mode or similar.

The other is to reload the graphics card driver, as this post suggests ..
How to install AMD Radeon HD 8330 graphics drivers

Do you have a System Image backup on a USB drive you can restore from ?

 

Thank Ricky, not that well up on this kind of stuff so I'm not about to delete anything until I'm sure I know what I'm up to.

Dont think I have a System Image backup anywhere.

I did come across this Download Drivers
Do you think it might be worth trying, or am I likely to mess up the whole system.

 

Am no expert either, but doing that auto detect download from AMD sounds right.

However its always best to do a system backup or restore point before doing any system changes.

Do not know which windows you are using 7/8/10 but some do have a built in backup program that you can take a full image of C: and store it on, ideally an external usb drive or drive D etc if you have enough space.
I've used this popular free backup /restore program for several years and know it works well, got me out of trouble a few times.
Macrium Reflect Free | Macrium Software
Ideally you run it weekly or monthly so you always have a recent backup to go back to.

Put another way, if you are unlucky and get a ransomware screen , what do you do ?
If you have a C: backup image you just restore it and you are back to normal a few minutes later !

Do first have a look at your control panel, Power Options to see if any of its setting have been changed.

Also, as you are a laptop, are you uing it on a hard surface so the air can circulate.
If its fan inlet or outlet are blocked or full of dust etc then you could be getting thermal safety shutdowns .
Are you aware of the fan running /can you feel warm air coming from the fans vent ?

 

Some good points there, first of all I did wonder if it was overheating, it's on my lap, it is a LAP top afterall.
But I see your point.

I'll need to check out the settings, not something I meddle with and only I have access to this pc.

 

Well before I do anything drastic I'm going to see if and when it shuts down again.
The fan does appear to be running a lot of the time.

 

Should use something hi tech like this to help avoid that problem.
ANTI NON SLIP PLASTIC FOOD TRAY GRIP RUBBER SURFACE SERVING LAP DINNER BAR PUB | eBay

 

So, how about you place it on a LAP tray?

I'm with FC on this one: I think you may be having a fan issue (happens with all computers: laptops/desktops - fluff/dust doesn't discriminate ).

Hang on a minute ...

... you use it placed on your "lap", yes?

... it *may* be a fluff issue ...

... fan running most of the time ...


... how clear is your belly button lately?

 

I've got it on top of a hardback book now.

 

If it is fluff, do I take the back off and vacuum it?

 

You see, this is where men and women have communication issues: I suggest a lap tray and *you* come back with a "hard backed book"

You can buy cans of "compressed air" to clean out the vents of your laptop.
Personally, I wouldn't take the back off, I would have a go with a vac to suck out anything there; that is if you have a strong suction on your vac. But, having said that, those cans of compressed air are meant to blow out offending dust/fluff from your vents.

So, the choice is yours: a good blow job with a can of compressed air vs a good suction job with a vac. Take your pic

 

I'm ignoring the last line @"M"
Although I'm sure you mean well
Like you say, sometimes we have communication "issues".
Is that take your pic, or take your pick?

 

My laptop was knocking itself off with lights still on, mine was a battery/overheating problem.

I couldn't be arsed to potch about with new batteries or cleaning fluff out so bought a b***ard chromebook, I have days where I think I'd rather put up with the old laptop than this piece of dung. Moan over