Dv6t-6xxx Graphics Driver question

Hey guys,

I have a dv6t-6xxx arriving soon. Before it arrives I have been researching which drivers to update and other things I can change about the stock configuration. I am confused about the graphics driver.

The amd website here ATI Catalyst? Mobility Display Driver shows that the latest release of catalyst control center for the 6770m was 5/9/2011.

The HP website here AMD High-Definition Graphics Driver HP Pavilion dv6t-6000 CTO Quad Edition Entertainment Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English) though shows the latest versions as being released 2/11/2011.

The drivers and catalyst on the amd site are obviously newer. Should one upgrade from the amd website? Or is there somethhing unique about the drivers on the HP site that is needed for this specific system?

 

If you actually the requirements, it states it does not support models with Switchable Graphics with Intel.

Also, the HP web downloads isn't up to date with their drivers (Currently 11.2), and they tend to forget to.

Windows Updates provides the 11.4 HP AMD Drivers, if you read the subsystem hex ID is 103C (HP).

HP AMD Drivers are special, cause they provide the switchable graphic support with Intel.

 

I've had bad experiences downloading HP system updates from Windows. I always assumed that the ones from HP themselves were the best. So you are saying that any update that is HP relevant that I get from windows update was given to microsoft by HP?

 

Pretty much, you can manually download them off the Windows Update Catalog... just much sure you check the OEM vender and hardware ID to match against yours.


But check your current version is stable for you. Don't Fix that ain't Broken.

 

My dv6tqe came preinstalled with the HP dv6 AMD 11.2 drivers. I installed the 11.5 off the AMD drivers page. Performance is a little better with the newer drivers (don't have bench numbers, sorry). Switching still works fine. I checked the AMD control panel, and it DOES list the current driver as 11.5 (as does GPU-Z).

Don't worry. The AMD 11.5 drivers will work with your dv6!

HP dv6tqe | i7-2630QM | 8GB DDR3 | 1GB Radeon HD 6770M | 1TB 5.4k | Win 7 Home Premium x64 | 3DMark Vantage: P6530 (Stock), P7300 (Overclocked)

 

Could you provide a link of the drivers you downloaded ?

 

Right off AMD's driver page.

AMD Mobility Radeon 6xxxM 11.5 Win 7 x64

Tab over to Individual Downloads

Download Catalyst Control Center 11.5

I didn't even uninstall HP/AMD 11.2 beforehand...

Everything works fine.

 

Uhh.. that only updates the CCC, not the driver.

11.5 Driver Version prefix is 8.85 Generic or 8.84 for HP OEM

 

Just remember Tab over to Individual Downloads.

The Package tab has the .exe 1MB download. Skip this tab!

The .exe runs an installer downloader that is clunky.

 

No, CCC and the DRIVER will come with the 79.7MB download. This is what I'm using now.

 

even if the AMD drivers didnt support graphic switching, if in the future an AMD driver comes out thats really good, could we still use it and just not be able to switch to the intel graphics? because i don't really care for it

 

Go type dxdiag, and give me your driver version for the AMD.

I'm pretty sure you got either 8.81 or 8.83.

The CCC Individual, does not contain certain file set that are typically found in a AMD Driver Package.
I just went through it.

@dwalk.. The only way i could think of doing that without something fancy is to complete remove all amd references and install the AMD driver from Windows Update first.

This would disable the switching capability.

Or... You could wait till AMD release their Dynamic Switching Technology. That time is when they would support switching with intel.

 

Hey, can u tell me how graphics switching works? I have not received my system yet. I called Customer Service and they said the only way to get it to switch is to unplug. I am hoping though that there is a way to keep it plugged in and just turn the card off via CCC or something.

 

For HP Models,

You can right click on desktop, configure switching.

Or open up CCC and select configure switching.

Note, there is a warning about closing all open applications prior before switching.
Take heed of it.

You could get around it by permanently disabling any 3D hardware acceleration in your apps.

 

doesnt sound too hard

 

I installed the 11.5a drivers and it worked just fine:

Looks like they are 11.5b now:
AMD Catalyst? 11.5b hotfix

 

And what exactly does "configure switching" do. Can u just switch right there? Also, do you need a certain driver version for it to work like that?

 

You're right. I only updated CCC.

 

Configure switching graphic option allows to switch between the Intel IGP and the AMD Graphic by demand of the user.

It also to provide the option to enable switch automatically when it detects if it is run by battery or AC.

The driver requirement to switch between Intel and AMD for HP model is an switching aware driver with CCC. Which leave you pretty much OEM dependent for stability and functionality.

You could install the official driver from AMD but at a risk. We have mixed results with it, some reported higher temps, lost of OEM features, video glitches, BSOD ... some who don't care .... some reported success.

 

Exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks!