I'm scared to update my AMD driver...

I think I may need some help here. So I tried installing the 12.11 beta drivers a few days ago and my machine got BSOD (first one ever). Had to restart in safe mode and put the stock ones on that I have been rolling with since Sept. Is there some BIOS update I MUST do before getting these beta drivers?

system in the sig

 

BIOS update shouldn't fix anything in this case.
I had numerous BSODs when instaling 11.11a, b + c beta drivers last year with my 6970Ms so it does not surprise me AMD follows its pattern. Better get used to BSODs, they aren't really that bad. Just wait for the next driver (13.1 most likely) and it should not BSOD upon install.

 

The beta11 and 12.11P drivers are much more stable than the earlier 12.11 drivers. I've only had 1 BSOD since switching to beta11 on December 3rd.

 

You should try to install the display driver only. Do a custom install and uncheck everything, most of the time it's the new CCC the issue.

Once you found a way to bypass the bsod I found the driver rock solid. Nothing to complaint about.

 

If you're unsure of how to do a custom install, then first uninstall the current driver using DriverSweeper or Revo Uninstaller. Then boot into Safe Mode, go to Device Manager, right click on device > update driver software > browse my computer, then locate the driver and let Windows copy the cab file(s). Once you've done that, test it, and if it works, you can install the utility over it afterwards in a normal boot.

 

If you do that you will have to run an older version of the driver and get a version of CCC running as driver sweeper is likely to kill it

 

Please as a reseller don't recommend to anyone to use registry cleaners for uninstalling drivers. Just do it as AMD recommends. If you use Driver Sweeper or Revo Uninstaller, you'll like get the atidxx32.dll error later. That error is popping up among some AMD users and it doesn't go away easily, especially on the newer GCN switchables. Just avoid it.

Please please, just accept leftover registry entries are just the way Windows is. If you actually needed to clean registry, MS would provide you the tools to do that safely, but they don't. Registry cleaners were only popular years ago when software had improper uninstallers. Today, uninstallers are much better and no longer require registry cleaning.

So please, if you are reseller, don't recommend Driver Sweeper, Driver Fusion or Driver Cleaner. They will do more damage than good and usually only way to fix the problem is to format and reinstall Windows.

Installing drivers for AMD switchables is easy and simple. Don't do custom installs. Don't use Driver Sweeper or others like it. Don't use custom AMD uninstallers. Don't use Leshcat.

Uninstall using the official uninstaller from AMD and Intel.
Restart.
Install latest Intel HD drivers.
Restart
Install latest AMD
Restart.

Done.

I've noticed on Guru3D and NBR, the people who complain about drivers are often the same people who recommend using these custom installs, and custom uninstallers which just wreck your OS and wreck the registry. Just don't do it. If it was necessary, intel, AMD and MS wouldn't say, don't do it. Yeah, no one who actually has any knowledge of building drivers, not modding an INF file, but actual driver coding, does not recommend these custom methods.

 

what if i keep getting BSOD every time i try to install the 12.11 driver? I would really like the update but if it's just gonna keep doing this i'll play the waiting game until AMD actualy releases it.

 

Then try it again, as I wrote it. You have to uninstall everything, and then install Intel first, restart, then install AMD. If you have Afterburner to run at startup, that will affect it also. But if you messed it previously with registry cleaners, may have to just reinstall Windows.

 

Yes I'm getting BSOD with this method too. Just do a custom install to keep to stock CCC. When the driver ask you between full install or custom, choose custom and uncheck everything beside display driver.

hulawafu77 you really need to understand, that the "normal method" don't work for everyone. At this point i'm pretty sure everyone tried the "normal method" at least the first time. And for following this issue from the start you should know that.

BTW nothing wrong with the old CCC (simple with less gimmick options), and I'm really happy with the performence of the lastest beta right now.

 

Damn, cant customers just enjoy their machines with hitch-free operation? Or do the BSODs now come as standart package nowadays......

 

No BSODs with the Sager drivers. All drivers directly from AMD are not officially recommended for our laptops. Now, if Sager releases another driver and that one causes BSODs, then there would be an issue.

 

You need to understand that nearly all driver issues I see are from people who wreck their computers by these custom methods. They only lead to problems, not fix problems.

And pretty sure people don't. They probably go to forums thinking, how do I get rid of drivers cleanly and see all this BS and then their machine is fubar until they reformat and reinstall Windows. But whatever, you're the one who is getting BSOD with your custom methods. Proves my point.

 

You mean i'm the one getting BSOD with the normal method, then fix them with the custom method.

 

No registry cleaners ever used on this pc.. With that being said whats the name of the intel driver I have to install? could you give me the links to them both so I don't screw up again? I have a P170EM clevo machine running Win 7 64 bit.

 

Just get them from Clevo. They have updated their drivers

AMD 12.11

Intel 2875

Even though these say Win8, they work for Win7 also. Intel/AMD package both Win7 and Win8 together.

 

Not labeled for Windows 7. Not on the Sager website yet either. The guy that tried it said other problems came up anyway.

 

well i installed both with no problems, and no blue screens either, so overall i'd say it was a success! thanks for your help man, gonna go test it out

 

ese

If nothing else works you can avoid BSODs completely using two methods:

1) reboot/start unplugged.
2) before shutting of or restarting set powerplay to max battery plugged in, in CCC. Just remember setting it back to max performance before playing a game or a graphic demanding task.

these are just shortcuts, but if you are not in the mood to keep on messing with drivers you might give it a try.

also i think win8 is a lot more stable for the new drivers.

 

well, everything is a go except far cry 3 keeps crashing on me now as soon as i try to load my single player game