Drivers & Software

[transfattyacidtrip]

Problem: Applying any number of AMD Radeon drivers (Adrenaline 19.4.1, 19.4.2, 19.4.3) appear to corrupt and crash Windows 10, causing black-screen and PC to become unresponsive (apparent boot record corruption).

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How to reliably reproduce the problem (NOTE: I worked with Microsoft Support/Tier 2 to figure out root-cause/how to reproduce - they said (without hesitation) I had to come to AMD for a solution:

- Use Windows 10 1803 (OS Build 17134.1) ISO image on USB to format C drive (boot drive, 256 GB SSD) and then load Windows 10 to it.
- Microsoft Support/Tier 2 verified I now had a clean corrupt-free load of Windows 10 1803.
- Display Adapter is set to "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter."
- Now boot to Normal Mode, Connect to internet, NO issues, you can browse the internet and execute apps WITHOUT issues. NO black screens.
- Now disconnect from internet, load latest AMD Radeon drivers from a USB (drivers acquired from "Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.4.1, 19.4.2, 19.4.3").
- Now use Device Manager, expand "Display adapters"), highlight "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter", right-click, choose "Update driver", choose "Search Local PC only"
(i.e., pull only from locally loaded AMD drivers). Drivers start to load and then computer goes to BLACK screen and unresponsive.
- A subsequent reboot yields a Windows logo, and then black-screen. Going into Advanced Options shows that boot record has been corrupted.
- Boot back to safe-mode, downgrade display adapter driver to "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter", boot to Normal Mode and even connect to internet, everything is fine again, NO issues, NO black screen.
- I am also unable to upgrade up to Windows 1809. Same black-screen, Microsoft Support/Tier 2 believes that it is issue with AMD drivers rolled up into their KB updates.

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Machine H/W and S/W Configuration:

Dell Dimension XPS 8500

Intel Core i7-3770 CPU @ 3.40GHz
Intel Core i7-3770 CPU @ 3.40GHz; Processor ID: 306A9
Processor Core Count: 4
Processor L1 Cache: 256 Kb
Processor L2 Cache: 1024 Kb
Processor L3 Cache: 8192 Kb

Installed memory (RAM): 16.0 GB

System Type: 64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor

AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series (7870); specifically, Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition
from: https://devicehunt.com/search/type/pci/vendor/any/device/6818
type: PCI
device id: 6818
PCI 1002 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] 6818 Pitcairn XT [Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition]
from examining the physical graphics card:
- manufacturer appears to be: ATI Technologies ULC.
- P/N: 7120700000G(226A1XX)

SATA Information:

SATA0/Port0: ST2000DM001-1CH164 (2000.3GB)

MSATA1/Port1: SAMSUNG SSD PM830 mSATA 25 (256.0 GB)

From "diskpart" command:
Disk 1, Volume 3 (drive letter C, SSD drive) is the boot drive.
Disk 0, Volume 1 (drive letter D, 2 Tb SATA drive).

From Aptio Setup Utility:
BIOS Revision: A09
BIOS Build Date: 09/05/2012
Secure Boot: Disabled (I've also tried it set to "Enabled")
Boot Mode: UEFI (I've also tried it set to "Legacy")

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Key error messages from bottom of AMD "installer.log":

PMJobExecuter::executer ======= Starting installation of: AMD Display Driver =======

WrapDIFx::[26-04-2019 04:40:46] Turn ON DGPU fail
PMJobExecuter::executer::[26-04-2019 04:40:46] Install Sub-Packages first for AMD Display Driver

PackageManager::[26-04-2019 04:40:46] ExeInstaller::executeProc initiating installation of C:\AMD\Win10-64Bit-Radeon-Software-Adrenalin-2019-Edition-19.4.3-Apr22\Packages\Apps\VulkanRT64\VulkanRT\VulkanRT.exe.
PackageManager::[26-04-2019 04:40:47] ExeInstaller::executeProc exit code of process returned 0.
PMJobExecuter::executer::[26-04-2019 04:40:47] : Subpakcage installed: VulkanRT

[ERROR] - ERROR_DRIVER_PACKAGE_NOT_IN_STORE::[0000005A288F8300] There does not exist an INF file in the driver store that corresponds to the INF file specified by DriverPackageInfPath.
UnCompressRSInstallExe::[26-04-2019 04:40:47] Executing ccc2_install.exe
UnCompressRSInstallExe::[26-04-2019 04:40:47] C:\AMD\WIN10-~1.3-A\Packages\Drivers\Display\WT6A_INF\B341390\ccc2_install.exe /NCRC /S -EXTRACTONLY=YES /D=C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\AMDRSInstaller
UnCompressRSInstallExe::[26-04-2019 04:40:48] Create process success
UnCompressRSInstallExe::[26-04-2019 04:41:01] ccc2_install.exe process completed
WrapDIFx::[26-04-2019 04:41:11] DiInstallDriver is Successful
WrapDIFx::[26-04-2019 04:41:11] AdapterPowerChangeRequestinPX call is failed
PMJobExecuter::executer======= AMD Display Driver installed successfully!!! =======

[pokester]

The problem is Windows, specifically Windows update. This has been an ongoing issue for over a year now. Windows update interferes with the driver installing properly. There are many, many threads about this here in these forums.

If you want to get a successful install. Do the following:

Download the AMD driver you want to load.

Download DDU form wagnardsoft_com. It includes instructions, read and follow them.

Disable hibernation/fast startup in Windows 10.

Run DDU from Safe Mode, while disconnected from the internet.

Re-Install the driver with internet disconnected. This keeps Windows update from interfering.

See if that doesn't get you going.

[transfattyacidtrip]

Thank you for your reply Pokester.

I have, in fact, tried all your recommended steps with no luck; however, I had not considered/tried disabling hibernation/fast startup.  I'll give that a try.

[pokester]

Fast startup is known to cache old driver information that conflicts when loading the new driver the first time rebooting after install.

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If that doesn't help, then try the card in another machine. If it also doesn't work there then you may just have a card that went bad. If it does work, you may have a Windows installation gone bad.

[goodplay]

Installing through device manager ?, why not do a regular install (or custom clean install)  from the downloaded driver pkg.

[transfattyacidtrip]

Pokester,

Thanks for trying to help out, but unfortunately nothing has worked out.  I don't have access to another machine, so I'm just going to have to call it as a card gone bad (although it is a bit of a shame that the AMD drivers can't provide a little bit more info/rollback gracefully instead of just black-screening and also that AMD doesn't provide a h/w level diagnostic tool).  Ordering a new card today.

[transfattyacidtrip]

Goodplay,

Sorry my original problem description/steps-to-reproduce didn't include all the subsequent trial-and-error that I have done.  Yes, I did in fact try express and also custom install from the downloaded driver pkg (first running DDU, etc.).  Just going to chalk this up as a card gone bad.  Thanks for your help.

[elstaci]

If you believe you HD7870 may be defective AND is not under Warranty, Try flashing the GPU's vBIOS again in case it has become corrupted.

You can get the HD7870 vBIOS from this Website: VGA Bios Collection | TechPowerUp . Just need to know who the manufacturer is.

But before you take such a drastic measure go to DELL Diagnostic page for your computer and run its diagnostic tests to see if it shows any hardware failing or is defective from here: Support for XPS 8500 | Diagnostics | Dell US .

EDIT: For your Dell computer there are no Windows 10 drivers. Only for Windows 7 & 8/8.1.

Try updating your BIOS to the latest version from 2018 and Dell does have a HD7870 AMD Driver but for Windows 8.1. but it several years old from here: Support for XPS 8500 | Drivers & downloads | Dell US .

I would contact Dell Support and make sure your computer is fully compatible with Windows 10 since DELL Support shows no Windows 10 drivers.

[fancyabrew]

VERY interesting I have the EXACT same issue with an HD7800, I was playing battlefield 5 and the PC crashed with a corrupt blue'ish screen.  When I rebooted I just had a black screen, so (before I found this thread) went to safe mode and picked the basic MS driver and that works, but if I try and AMD drivers I just get a black screen.  Not sure whether to get another AMD card or not as I don't really know if its HD or software so a new AMD card might do the same!

[hardcoregames_]

transfattyacidtrip wrote:

Goodplay,

Sorry my original problem description/steps-to-reproduce didn't include all the subsequent trial-and-error that I have done.  Yes, I did in fact try express and also custom install from the downloaded driver pkg (first running DDU, etc.).  Just going to chalk this up as a card gone bad.  Thanks for your help.

Before you bury the card in the graveyard, try it on another machine and see if it works better

there is abundant evidence that some machines do not do well with some models of radeon cards for some reason, its rare but extant