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PC Drivers & Software

abeltensor
Newcomer
‎03-05-2020 12:24 PM

Windows 10 randomly showing me error 186 screen even thought updates are turned off and drivers are already up to date.

This has happpened a few times.

I leave my computer turned on and randomly in the morning I will see a AMD installation box saying that it failed to install the drivers with an error code of 168.   Thing is, I've already manually installed the latest drivers for my RX590 and Driver updates are turned off on Windows 10.  I am not sure what the system is trying to install and why it keeps failing.  I've attached the error log for the latest such event.  

Install.log.zip
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3 Replies
elstaci
MVP
‎03-05-2020 04:06 PM

This is AMD explanation and troubleshooting steps for Error 186: https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/faq/gpu-kb186 

I suggest you download the latest RX 590 AMD Driver and save it from here: https://www.amd.com/en/support/graphics/radeon-500-series/radeon-rx-500-series/radeon-rx-590 

download free program called DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) and run it in Safe Mode with the internet disconnected. Once it finishes removing all traces of the AMD Driver on your computer and boots back to Windows Desktop with the internet still disconnected. Go to the Root Directory and check to see if you have a folder called C:\AMD. If the AMD Installation folder was generated delete the entire folder BEFORE installing the new AMD Driver package. This will prevent your current AMD installation from being corrupted while being installed and with the Internet disconnected prevents Windows Update from downloading and installing a different AMD driver before you have a chance to install the new driver.

Now run the AMD Driver package you downloaded. Once it installs correctly then you can now reconnect to the internet and again delete the newly created C:\AMD folder in the Root Directory.

You shouldn't be getting any more AMD installation error 186 since you did a clean AMD driver installation.

abeltensor
In response to elstaci
Newcomer
‎03-05-2020 10:19 PM

Already used DDU to remove everything and reinstall.  I did that after the first time (which happened about a month ago).  Also went to the trouble of disabling windows driver updates to make sure that it wouldn't try to break my drivers when I did a clean install. What seems to be happening here based on my logs is that the AMD auto-updater is attempting to downgrade my drivers for some reason. 

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elstaci
In response to abeltensor
MVP
‎03-06-2020 06:49 AM

Also make sure Windows Update is not the one updating the driver. On my Windows 10 Pro I needed to use Group Policy to disable Windows Driver updates. All other methods using Windows didn't work for me.

Look under Windows Task Scheduler and see if you see any entries for AMD Auto Updater or something similar. If there is an entry disable the task and see if AMD keeps trying to update your driver automatically.

Also download and use this small program called Autoruns. There you can also disable any AMD entry that will run in Windows.

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