PC Drivers & Software

[hubwood]

This information will be posted to MSI and AMD.

Today I recieved a brand new MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz Monitor) with a RX5500m.
When trying to update the Display driver to the newest version available from AMD (after running all windows updates first), the Laptop didn't boot into windows anymore, and the only thing that helped was to FACTORY reset it!
Not even using the automatically created restored point worked anymore.

After that I tried to install the new drivers BEFORE updating windows. Same result. But this time, I made a manual restore point which I could succesfully use after it didn't boot up into windows anymore. (Causes Blue Screens of Death)

Version I tried to install: Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.12.1 from ( released 02. December / 2019).
Version it says is installed: 19.30.31.01 (sounds higher than the one I downloaded, I know... ?)

Just wanted to inform you and see if others have the same problem.
I mean, this is the ONLY available laptop with a rx5500m as of today.

[kintan007]

Yup i had a conversation with them since these old drivers are outdated and system freezes with hardware acceleration .Also after updating check your dragon center it will not recognize this driver as installed

[aane11]

I have been using the new driver for some time. Works fine. Did not face any issue. The only issue I still face is the mouse lag or stutter. Other than that, I think its fine. Haven't faced any bsod issue or any issue in a while.

[alexrivus]

Does your laptop have 8gb of ram or 16gb? 

[aane11]

I have 16gb ram.

[alexrivus]

I had this on my 8gb but after I updated it to 16 it just got lost. Did you updated your BIOS and VBIOS?

[aane11]

I haven't yet. I am still on 10C.

[pseudo555]

Since i upgrade amd driver to the last one proposed by msi, i got some bsod about "irq not less or equal". 

That's a new one for me.

Do you also got it ?

[alexrivus]

I didn't have anything like it. Try to make a "clean" installation and reinstall the "dragon center".

[mtahabal]

Hey, 

I have MSI Alpha 15 A3DD, I have been using it since December 2019 without problem. But today when I click Dragon Center's minimal icon from Windows Taskbar. My laptop froze. But still playing a song from YouTube in the background. I could stop the song and start it by pressing the space key and mouse left click when screen froze. Recently, I updated Windows 10. And Dragon Center doesn't work as before. Also, while watching something on YouTube today, the screen froze a few more times.

- Sometimes, returns to normal when I turn the screen off and then on but sometimes restarts.

[kintan007]

Follow this step:

1.Download DDU from Google and latest vga drivers from msi website 

2.Now go to safe mode

3.Run the DDU ->Select GPu->Amd->Uninstall and restart 

4.Install the latest radeon drivers which you downloaded from msi website.

5.Now Uninstall the Dragon Center

6.Control Panel->Uninstall Program->Uninstall the msi sdk

7.Open Ms Store ->MSI Dragon Center and then install the Dragon Center

8.Download the latest SDK and follow as instructed by the software.

9.Reboot the system once after all done

You can refer this Video Clip: How to Clean Install VGA Drivers

[mtahabal]

Firstly thanks. I did all the steps. Dragon Center is working fine right now and I have never experienced freezing. But the person in the video you mentioned is runing "AMD Cleanup Utility" from Local Disk C: Program Files after DDU steps. However after the DDU steps, there was no AMD folder in the Program Files. And I downloaded "AMD Cleanup Utility" manually. And I ran it. I hope I don't have a problem. Thanks again.

[kintan007]

What is Display Overdrive in msi dragon center?

[aane11]

No idea. Can you send me a screenshot showing the display overdrive option in the dragon centre?

[mtahabal]

[alexrivus]

Hey Alpha 15 owners, I've found a way to reduce the usage of RAM by the APU from 2gb to 512. Works just fine and now I have 1.5gb more that by default. Long story short you need to go into advanced BIOS settings (right shift+right control+left alt+f2) and find the the GFX settings, pick "force" and pick 512.

[alexrivus]

I can give more explanation and instructions if needed. 

[kintan007]

16gb is enough for me and i guess for everyone.Vga also need some ram for proper performance.

[alexrivus]

And you actually don't have 16. It's 13.9, check it if you want via Task Manager. 512 is more than enough for APU since all heavy things are being taken care of by the main GPU.

[kintan007]

Bro you are right but the radeon lite driver is not capable enough for performance since most of the major task are used by vga.We can give a suggestion to them if possible 

[kintan007]

I gave a shot and here's what i found in advance option under the BIOS settings.My Bios version is 10F

[alexrivus]

Here's how to find it.
1) Press Right Shift+Right Ctrl+Left Alt+F2 and you'll see "hidden settings"
2) Open "Advanced" tab  and go for AMD CBS ---> NBIO Common Options ---> GFX Configuration 
3) Put the settings like this:

Integrated Graphics Controller                           [Force]

UMA Mode                                                         [UMA_SPECIFIED]

UMA Version                                                      [Auto]

UMA Frame buffer Size                                      [amount of RAM you want for APU] I recommend 512mb to 1gb.

UMA Above 4G                                                   [Disabled] or [Auto] I chose to disable it. Up to you what to do here.

NB Azalia                                                            [Auto]

With those setting it works like a charm and now I have 1.5gb more.

[pseudo555]

Did the same, so far, so good.

I hesitate to select disabled as i didn't bought this laptop for the autonomy.

[pseudo555]

Nice find ! 

I'll try that too next time i reboot the laptop (mine is also the 8Gb).

It would be even better if there was a way to completely disable the vega embedded in CPU and only use the navi one (5500m).

[kintan007]

It's good to have more memory for your usage but keep in that if you completely relay on the GPU then your battery will drain a lot in day to day usage.They have probably made those implementation for stability and performance.Currently the latest drivers for rx5500m are not upto mark,if you have doubts you can use after burner+rivatuner to check the FPS and other stuff and compare them with online video on YouTube where they have been using Generic drivers

[alexrivus]

The funny things is that the laptop runs better on Ubuntu than on Windows. Wierd...

[pseudo555]

Maybe because all MSI bugged applications are not installed ?

Which make me wonders: Do you receive this laptop with windows preinstalled on it or did you install it yourself ?

I'm thinking that only alpha 15 with win10 preinstalled by MSI have/had this issue...

I might try to format and install windows from scratch when win 10 20h1 will be officially available and amd provide a wdm 2.7 compatible driver.

ut for the time left, i won't touch anything as last bsod was almost one month ago.

[alexrivus]

Mine was with "free dos" and I installed Windows 10 with Ubuntu 20.04 as dual-boot. I had two clear Windows installations and nothing changed. 

[pseudo555]

Ok, so there might not be entierely MSI fault.

[alexrivus]

Nah, everything is fine overall. What I mean is that Ubuntu runs better without any drivers, dragon centers, and BSODs on particular driver versions. I mean...C'mon Linux did a better job with that than MSI and AMD? That what is weird. 

[kintan007]

Guys can anyone just clean install the dragaon center and check whether you are able to login again .

[alexrivus]

I did it a couple of days ago. Yep, logined just fine.

[alexrivus]

Hey guys there's a new BIOS update on MSI's website. Have some of you tried the new  E16U6AMS.10F. ???

[pseudo555]

Not sure it's all new, as some other users already had a 10f.

In my case, i'm still on 10e, and don't plan to change it for the moment as i didn't get any new bsod.

According to changelog :

New BIOS : E16U6AMS.10F
Release Date : 2020/05/22

1. Update EC to ver. 104.

2. Add "SVM Mode" & "IOMMU" item in BIOS setup menu.

If by EC they mean EC firmware, i already did it. But be warn of Ec Firmware 104 changes :

1. Under AC mode, set the lowest cpu fan speed to 2700RPM(45%) except silent mode.
2. Set DGPU software shutdown temperature to 108'C.

This make the computer a little bit noiser when in AC mode

IOMMU & SVM mode items are for virtualisation : 

* Input–output memory management unit - Wikipedia 

* x86 virtualization - Wikipedia 

So i guess MSI provide us a way to customize those a little more.

[pseudo555]

Now that win 10 2004 and catalyst 2020.5.1 are both available, who has tried to upgrade this laptop (with one, the other or both) ?

[pseudo555]

Fyi, my laptop force itself to install the new win10 20h1 version (all others computers i have acces to doesn't even propose me to download it).

Anyhow, i let it do the install.

No bsod during the install, gpu driver was not updated, so far so good.

Edit:

After upgrade, i redo a windows update. When windows resart, i got a red message telling me firmware update is in progress, even if i didn't ask for it.

Now, my bios is 10f.

[alexrivus]

Could you tell me your AMD driver version? 

[pseudo555]

19.30.31.24.

the one provided on msi spport page for my laptop.

I was worried the 20h1 would install the catalyst 2020.5.1 due to wlm 2.7 driver, but it didn't.

[aane11]

So I have been using the latest amd drivers (20.5.1) for over a week now. The results are okay. I have not updated my laptop yet to the 20h1 version yet and the bios is still on 10C. The good news is that I have not faced a single BSOD issue yet. The cursor though, gets stuck at times (not often) when I right click the mouse. Also, I have faced my screen going all black once while i was in chrome playing some video. The reason behind it most probably was that my hardware acceleration was on. After turning it off, I have had no black screens till now. The videos played smoothly and there was no audio issue as well. 20.5.1 allows you to play the games with vulkan API without any issue (I wasn't able to play rainbow six siege on vulkan at its best optimization with the drivers from amd support site). The overall performance in gaming (comparing non vulkan games) is however, not much. The performance pretty much remains the same (maybe better consistency on fps) but there is hardly any difference.

[pseudo555]

note: i just got a bios upgrade by windows update to .110

I don't know what have changed.

This upgrade also restore the 2Gb reservation for the integrated gpu. I change it back to 512Mb and it still runs fine.

[pseudo555]

Changelog of  bios .110 is now released :

Model : MS-16U6
MKT Name : Alpha 15 A3DDK/Alpha 15 A3DD/Alpha 15 A3DCK/Alpha 15 A3DC

;****************************************************************************;
New BIOS : E16U6AMS.110
ROM CheckSum : D6A42EE1
Release Date : 2020/07/23

;--------------------------- Description ------------------------------------;

1. Improve system stability.

;****************************************************************************;

Still haven't try 2020.5 and 2020.7 drivers as i seem to have no longer stability issue.

Note:

Chipset driver update is available (since july 16th) : 2.06.12.340

GPU driver as well: 27.20.1023.1001 (seems to be radeon pro 20q2 which are NOT adrenalin 2020 compliant)

I may try them both later.

edit: installed. Gpu driver is not radeon pro 2020q2, but is a derivate rom adrenalin 2020.