FYI...Cat 11.11 WSQL available

it just seems like i installed the 11.10's just a few weeks ago...11.11's already up.

11.11 WHQL x64 Win 7 / Vista

11.11 WHQL x86 Win7 / Vista

CAPs: 11.11 CAP1

It is suppose to include better Skyrim xfire scaling and a few OpenGL improvements. I'll update when release notes are available

 

Thank you, + rep! I'm going to test them in half an hour

Edit: i believe you meant whql

 

whatttttttttttttttt it's out already?

"NVIDIA just released its latest GeForce graphics driver so AMD customers may be wondering where their update is.
It so happens that Catalyst 11.11 is not far indeed, just a few days away in fact.

The driver will be launched next week and, at long last, will solve all those Rage issues that made a long-awaited game look like in the picture above.

AMD promises that Rage will no longer induce rage by failing to draw textures or tripping over any other graphics issues.

The company is actually preparing a new performance driver that is bound to benefit other games as well.

Of course, AMD graphics card owners will have to wait and see if Catalyst 11.11 really solves their problems, since this isn't the first time AMD releases a driver that is supposed to address the glitches.
"

source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/AMD-Catalyst-11-11-Brings-Your-Rage-Fix-Next-Week-233839.shtml

 

Ooops lol, yes WHQL is what i meant lol

 

Interesting:

during installation when you chose to go custom, it has now a voice that can be selected that ask for "Application Profile" installation.

I'll try them without installing cap4 from 11.9 and see

 

Is the CAP 1 out for it?

 

Hmm, looking forward to the new drivers. Man sometimes these things are hard to keep up with.

Reminds, me. I need to make an image backup soon. Maybe I'll set it up to do tonight. Gotta image my OS/Apps drive, gaming drive, and 1TB storage drive. Then I can rest easy. Maybe even image my image drive...seriously. Then I'll try the drivers. Everything is working so well now, I don't want to take a risk. I'm sure it will update just fine though.

 

Drivers bsod on me badly, can't get past the login in win and bsod. Reverted to 11.10 for the moment

 

originally posted by Star Forge,

" got a better solution to install drivers on a m17x-R3 with the 6990M. Quadzilla told me this method and it can be done without any BSODing. The only downside to this method is your Catalyst Control Center will be a slightly older revision.

I can write a full guide with details later on but the gist is this.

1. Install these drivers that was originally released for the m17x-R3 and the 6970M. (Drivers and Downloads).

2. Install them after removing any drivers you installed on your system (ATI Uninstaller and complete removal of Intel IGP and 6990M drivers via Device Manager). You should install these under the VGA Compatibility mode.

3. Don't reboot after installation and get the Catalyst 11.10 Drivers (I recommend WHQL).

4. Unzip the driver package but DON'T run the setup.

5. Go to Device Manager and right-click on the 6970M option and click on update drivers.

6. Now select the looking though the list option and then click on I have a disk.

7. Search for the 11.10 driver though the unzipped folders. They should be located in the packages subfolder.

8. Let them execute and then select the first 6990M option when requested.

9. Finish and reboot.

10. You should be on 11.10 but running on the Dell CCC for Switchables.

I might write a more complete guide later on with screenshots but this works without any BSODS. The 8.851 for the 6990M will cause BSODS in any method, but by using slightly older drivers, the 11.10 driver can be installed without hitches via this method."

 

Same. Had to revert to 11.10 because of BSOD. Tried to reinstall 11.11 after restore and CCC still claims that it's 11.10, even with the restart. I'd also like to mention that the 11.12EB drivers do the same thing for anyone frantically searching for a solution to the Skyrim performance issues :/

 

Editted...added new caps

 

looks like there is no way for me to make them work... wierd is the first time ever than i'm struggling to make a driver set to work...

 

I'm gonna try this when i get home later and report back. Up to this point, I've updated drivers trouble free (knock on wood)

 

Same here.

 

When installed over the existing drivers in my M15x w/ 6970M, CCC would not open until I did a clean install of the 11.11's. After that, installed smoothly and working as expected.

 

Mine installed fine, and are running...ok...but I also BSODed while playing Crysis 2. Maybe just a one time event however. I can get into windows without any problem,and the install went fine, but now I'm curious about the games.

Hmmm...luckily I just did a full image two days ago, so I can revert if necessary.

 

increase in performance: @stock clocks


Mild boost in 3d mark 11

11.10
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2194983?show_ads=true&page=/3dm11/2194983?key=Pc9pXyNxz8sWoOKAE_8f-g

11.11
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2200429?show_ads=true&page=/3dm11/2200429?key=S0dYAC1ck4y_oakIVZy5iw

Vantage

11.11
http://3dmark.com/3dmv/3654458?show_ads=true&page=/3dmv/3654458?key=8FnTyB3gYwM9gZux11tUcQ

 

I am getting Blue Screen every time I install this?? I have done a clean install, even with Driver Sweeper in safe mod? What is the deal?

 

I installed it on top of my 11.10 driver and it installed fine.

I left the CCC out. Still using Dell CCC.

 

I think there is a issue with the 5870 cards, I tried everything, I went back to the 11.10

 

In some forum people said that the package is missing some important inf and thus the bsod many people are experiencing. Let see in the next day if amd will come with an hotfix or something. Meanwhile i will stick with 11.10

 

It didn't worked in mine(5870M CFX) either.
BSOD one after another.

 

I love my M17X R2, but I ready wish it had Nvidia

 

Well i'm glad they released a new driver that BSOD every time i try to log into Windows.. *sigh*

 

CAP1 = Is that the new catalyst profile?
Does anyone have a "fix list" for all changes that has been done, both for the CAP and the driver revision?

Cheers!
- Scott.

 

Man. It's so tough keeping everything up to date. These 11.11s have come out way fast, WHQL for 11.10 was only a couple of weeks ago. Just when you feel happy that you have the latest and greatest drivers & can relax another release hits us. I wouldn't mind if installing the drivers was a simple process but as it is heart in mouth stuff everytime it happens I approach every update with trepidation. Plus then need to spend a good couple hours testing the system afterwards to ensure things run as they should!

 

boys in the m18 section are having it tough.....BSOD's and what not's... specifically the 6970 CF guys

mates...dont upgrade yet

 

tested the 11.10 when it was released and found that in games 11.9 performed better, so I'm still on 11.9+CAP4.

when 11.11 was released I had no feeling that I wanted to update.. and now see that people have troubles with them.. better to wait

 

Hey guys a little off topic but you guys seem to be driver experts. I got my R3 back in March and haven't updated hte drivers since. They system has been nice and stable so I haven't wanted to fiddle. Am I missing out on major performance improvements? Should I be trying to update to these drivers?

thanks in advance.

 

Although I am being slightly hypocritical here because I tend to always update mine. I would say if it ain't broke don't fix it. If all your games run ok then there is no need to. Maybe at some point a game like Rage or Battlefield 3 if you own them (I don't) might require it but until you see a problem I wouldn't put yourself through the stress of it.

To be honest I have updated from Dell stock to 11.5 right through to 11.10 & with each version I have seen very little difference in performance. Maybe on the very latest games the newer versions make a small difference but often it gains a few frames. Some people think they can tell the difference but I can't tell the difference visually between 30 fps and 60 fps. So a gain of a few fps here and there is not really perceptible.

 

Stock dell drivers performs pretty well in gaming, but not so much in synthetic benchmarks.

If you're not a benchmarker, I'd say stick to the stock dell drivers. I found out that battlefield 3 performs really well on stock drivers, maybe one or two fps less than newer amd drivers. Despite having a couple of fps lower, it performs very smoothly and no stuttering.

Some features of gaming graphics maybe missing i.e particle effects and a few others. I don't think you would even notice some of those.

 

thanks guys I'll stay stock for now.

 

i'm loving this driver...

AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2630QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P14195 3DMarks

 

Darnit! Why did you have to show me this. I was holding off the install, but now i'm going to have to install this driver!

 

Run it when the system is cool. I benchmark usually after going home from work (when the system has been shutdown for hours). Benchmarks just run better then.

Post your scores aswell, we can do some good comparo. Stock clocks please.

 

nayilalien, do you have results on previous drivers to compare with your latest score? Is there a significant boost in GPU score?

 

Previously I would struggle to get a score like this....

AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2630QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P14036 3DMarks

PS: This is not my machine, but close to mine. I posted it just to show what score I was getting. My GPU scores would actually come less than this link.

Just shows that if you can properly install AMD drivers, you get to see some positive results.

 

hehehe...why always stock? pump that up a little and see what that baby can do!

 

I need a proper cooling guide 1st.

I don't want to push my card with stock paste. Plus I've never opened up a laptop gpu before for re-pasting. Don't even know what paste to get.

I'm a nOObster.

 

Check your temps, chances are you don't even need to repaste. Some of us were on a conferance call yesterday with the Alienware Graphics engineer, and were told with referance to stock paste, dell uses a TIM set that is designed for longevity. It's ideal for 99.9% of users and isn't cheap stuff. Overtime it softens where as regular paste will dry out. The stuff Dell uses is like a thick square that overtime, if I understand correctly will soften. My guess is the more use it sees, the better it gets through curing. But it's designed with the idea in mind that 99% of users are not going to replace the paste within the lifetime of the system. That said I've repasted my R2, but other dell systems I have I've never replaced the paste.

Since your not increasing the voltage on the GPU (no possible without a hard wire mod) you won't be increasing heat much. Proping up the back of the system to allow increased airflow will help reduce temps.

Basically check your temps. They are most likely pretty decent to allow overclocking. Check temps before and after overclocking.

 

DR650: We're pretty close to each other. I live in woodbridge VA .

Good info mate. Holler at me when you guys go to some gaming convention.

 

Will do, though I've never been to one, we gotta setup a LAN party at some point. I know Scook9 lives in Fairfax, though he's in some training I guess and been MIA for a while. I'm working at Quantico and living in Stafford, about 2 min off 95. Would love to talk smack and game on some BF3 peeps.

 

nayilalien, i suggest that you do a paste job. EVenthough you might or might not need it as DR650 mentioned, the stock paste jobs that i have seen have been completely butchered. If you need help we'll all help you through it. A novice will do it in 30 mins. The only way to really get the fear out of your system is to jump into the cold water! Then you will be fine

You can refer to this guide as a start:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/561599-m17x-r3-cpu-gpu-re-pasting-guide-w-pics.html

You can also use my CPU replacement guide in my sig...i talk about repasting too

Oh and all this talk about replacing the stock pads is not required. Just the paste

 

if this stuff is so effective, why do I reach up to 106C in games and have to stop Furmark on 3rd minute because it comes to 110

 

BEcause the stock paste is sh*t...and to make matters worse, the stock paste job is terrible. They just slap that goo on there. My mom could probably do a better job. On my laptop, the paste job was so bad, there was stock goo all over the vid card. They put so much paste on, it was oozing off the CPU/GPU dies all over my card and CPU.

check out the pics on this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...placing-thermal-paste-m15x-why-its-worth.html

 

haha...would be great to have a BF3 party! I'm like 2 mins from the occoquan exit. Just give a shout and I'll be there with RPGs and some tank fixing tools.

Thanks a bunch slick... my next project for sure!

You guys have literally turned this mobile unit into desktops. I called Dell the other day, and they say my CPU is not upgradable. I thought you just plug and play the CPU. That's how I read it on your post. Don't know if i'm missing something.

 

lol...of course its upgradable! IT IS COMPLETELY PLUG AND PLAY lol

There is nothing to it! I swear!

My computer has been almost completely changed lol...the only thing not touched is the LCD and vid card. Vid card will be next when the next gen arrives lol

 

Awesome, your probably less than 20 min away from me. Exit 143 We have to find a way to get it orgainized.

 

yea, that is a pity. I must solve it somehow.

 

I'm BSODing on these with my dual 5870's