VGA Driver - Acer Support vs AMD Support

Hello!

I have an Acer Aspire TimelineX 5820TG, with VGA Ati 5650, and I have a few questions:

*There are drivers offered from AMD website, for Notebooks - ''Individual Download'' - which has a driver with +- 80MB of size (version: 11.x).
* There are drivers offered from Acer website, specified for 5820TG - which has driver with +- 250MB of size (version: 8.84.7.4)

When I install from AMD Support, there's no change (I guess) because when I go to Catalyst Control Center, I see on Driver Packaging Version that didn't change. And when I install from Acer Support, the Driver Packaging Version changes, but I don't see any improvement, because:

AMD said that 11.x drivers would correct the GPU usage bug for BFBC2 and Shift 2. I updated my drivers (that I didn't update since January) with both Support websites, but there was no change:
- BFBC2 continues to run +- 20 FPS on High Settings, with 60% of GPU usage.
- Shift 2 continues to run +- 20 FPS when the race exactly starts, on Low Settings with 60% of GPU usage.
- COD BO continues to run 15 to 70 FPS on Low Settings with 50% of GPU usage.

Strange that actual games run really bad because of low GPU usage and high CPU usage, promissed that was corrected by drivers updating (but not for me). But there are exceptions:
- Crysis 2 Advanced settings runs 30 to 40 FPS with 99% of GPU usage.
- COD Modern Warfare 2 runs 40 to 60 FPS with 99% of GPU usage.

What is the problem? Do I have to uninstall the driver before updating it? AMD Support Drivers don't have effect because my notebook has hybrid graphics?

Thanks!!!

 

Oh ya you DO have to uninstall drivers before updating! update to AMD 11.8 version see what happens

 

But do I have to install from AMD website or Acer website?

I can't understand if there are differences between them. Acer dont say this 11.x, but 8.xx.xx.x. Is there a differece between driver packaging version and this 11.x ''type'' of driver?

Sorry to ask, because I searched over the internet, but there were no clear answers.

 

I deleted the driver and CCC on Control Panel and installed again the lastest drivers from Acer and AMD website. But still no success: Shift 2 and BFBC2 still use only 55% of GPU, and uses CPU a lot, giving me above of 20 FPS

 

The latest version on Acer's site is 8.84.7.4 and the ones from AMD are 8.881.0.0. I guess you could say the whole 11.x thing is for the complete package and it's not the driver version. So driver version 8.881.0.0 comes with package 11.8.

But if you're going to install drivers from AMD's site you have to switch to "Discrete" in BIOS, otherwise the driver installer will not recognize the GPU.

Switchable graphics:
1. Make sure the graphics setting in BIOS is set to "Switchable".

2. Uninstall drivers by running "AMD Catalyst Install Manager" (choose to express uninstall all ATI software) in "Programs and Features" in Windows.

3. Once the uninstaller asks for a restart do so but enter safe mode and clear remaining driver files with Driver Sweeper.

4. Reboot (normal) into Windows.

5. Install the driver package from Acer (8.84.7.4) and reboot. This will install drivers for both Intel (8.15.10.2202) and AMD (8.84.7.4) GPUs.

6. Once you've rebooted back to your desktop, reboot once more but this time enter BIOS settings. Set graphics to "Discrete" and reboot to Windows.

7. When you're back on your desktop, install the latest driver package from AMD (version 11.8) and reboot.

8. Reboot once more and enter BIOS settings again and set the graphics to "Switchable" and load Windows.
This way you will be able to switch between GPUs and have the latest drivers for the AMD GPU.

If you only want to use the AMD GPU go to BIOS and set it to "Discrete" in step #1 and follow steps 1,2,3,4, and 7 and that's it.

I hope I didn't confuse you now.

 

I'm on Discrete with 11.8 and I get 60 fps with 99% load on GPU in BFBC 2. Follow the steps I posted and see if it helps. Also make sure you're not on Power saver.

 

Thanks for the tips Apex84. You were really clear and solved some of my doubts XD

I did all the process to install the drivers.
The positive side is that I got my driver updated with package 11.8, running in Discrete mode - now it shows 8.881.0.0 on Driver Package Version.
But the negative is that the games continues to run bad.
- I installed Dead Island and like other games mentioned before, it uses only 60% of my GPU - but I can play normally because it gives me around 35FPS with High Settings.

It's strange that the actual games are using 60% of GPU (coincidence maybe XD)

Maybe my CCC is configured in a wrong way. Cong. below:
Gaming:
* SMOOTHVISION HD: Anti Aliasing = Use application settings - Box
* SMOOTHVISION HD: Anisotropic Filtering= Use application settings
* Tessellation: AMD Optimizes
* Catalyst A.I.= Standard
* Mipmap Detail Level: Performance
* Wait for vertical refresh: Performance
* Anti-Aliasing Mode: Performance
* OpenGL Settings: Tripple buffering (checked)

Thanks

 

Do you have a Core i5 4xxM CPU? If you have a Core i3 it could be a bottleneck. Because for me with my Core i5 it's the opposite - CPU load is around 60% and GPU load 99% and I get between 50-60 fps most of the time when playing BFBC2.

 

Mine is i5 460M - 2.56 Ghz. The games use CPU a lot instead of GPU, giving me a lack of FPS.

 

The only way I managed to lower my GPU load to 60% was to go in to "Power Options" and lower the "Maximum processor state" to e.g., 20%. By doing this I also get around 20 fps. So make sure you're plugged in and your power profile is set to Balanced and that "Maximum processor state" is set to 100%.

 

Yes, it is set on High Performance, and Minimum processor state and Maximum processor state are both 100%.

I will search more over the internet. It's strange that is only happening for my notebook....

Thanks for ur help!

 

Is your CPU running at max frequency while playing?

 

You can see on the right size the CPU and GPU usage. Both are not so active

Above you can see the FPS which is really bad for LOW settings and 1280x720 resolution.

And Crysis 2

Good CPU and GPU usage..

 

Something is capping your CPU at 1200 MHz. Do you have any power management software installed like Acer ePower or something like that? You should try disabling everything non-Windows related in MSConfig then reboot and try running those games again to see if the CPU reaches 2.56 GHz.

 

OMG, I didnt see that.

After you said that, I checked other games, and all of them are running at 1200Mhz.

It is strange that Im not using any power management app (only Win7, that is 100%). And when I use programs like photoshop, or watch videos, it goes up to 2800 Mhz. But when I play games, it turns to 1200Mhz..

I will contact now the Acer support. Thanks!


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Haha, it is really strange. Acer support chat told me that the frequency changes because of CPU pressure while playing games.

Really dont know what to do -.-

 

Try using ThrottleStop to force the CPU to stay at full speed.

 

Could be throttling. Does the fan spin up when you play games? I get to 80-85 C at 2.9 GHz and on the screenshots you posted you've reached 80 C at 1.2 GHz so there seems to be something wrong with the cooling. Your GPU temp is also quite high.

 

Yeah, I created a thread some time before that I was having troubles with temp. My CPU reaches over 103 degress celsius in 2.8Ghz (LOL). I dont know if it is CPU cooling trouble or bad readings, because I cleaned my notebook, put Arctic MX-4 cooling paste, etc. But it continued to have a great temp value.

I discovered that there are some game moments that the CPU changes the frequency, from 1200 Mhz to 2800 Mhz, and comes back in a while. In that instant, the game goes over 55 FPS , and GPU usage increases too (crazy thing).

I guess you guys are right that it could be throttling trouble. But I'm confused that I'm certainly sure that the CPU was working well before doing BIOS update, because when I was using HWMonitor, the CPU temp reached over 104 celsius. Now, after update, it is reaching over 90 celsius, but the frequency is really low.

 

Gosh, now I guess it is working ''well''.

I installed Throttlestop and it is running on 2800Mhz, giving me 45FPS on Shift 2 (all low settings, but no interruption).

And GPU usage is up to 99% (sometimes goes to 80%, but I guess it is normal).

So the problem was the Throttle limit, that I really need to fix my notebook cooling = the temps reached 105 degrees celsius (limit), so I will have to check it my coolers are working well. (I put Arctic MX-4, and bought Cooler table Thermaltake Massive 23LX, but no good solutions).

Thank you Apex84 for your great attention over this problem, and .NetRolller 3D for your help too.