AMD Software Adrenalin 23.2.1 Released: Finally Updates for RX 6000 Series and Older

[Kodehawa]

As far as I've been able to read, people are complaining about bootloops after windows starts loading. DDU on Safe Mode is enough to fix it, and it could be just caused by a screwed up installer.

According to speculation/what people said, it only happened when updating from Adrenalin, standalone upgrade works (and I did it). The upgrade doesn't show in Adrenalin now. Do it manually and you're fine, otherwise just enter safe mode and DDU away.

No, nothing breaks on your PC. It's a half-way screwed up driver caused by a broken installer delivered by Adrenaline that BSODs in a loop.

 

[DemonicRyzen666]

Drivers can't make changes to the bios.
F.U.D

 

[evernessince]

From the article itself

"In response to a Twitter announcement from AMD about the newly released driver update, a few users jumped into the replies to complain that the updates kept them from booting into Windows.


While it's not unusual for a driver update to cause system issues, it is rare for a driver to actually corrupt an operating system. We haven't confirmed the driver issue ourselves yet, but the official Twitter account for frame capture tool CapFrameX tweeted out a possible cause for the issue, indicating that the driver might be making changes to the system BIOS.



CapFrameX also points to a forum post on German tech site ComputerBase about the issue, which other users on the site appear to confirm as well. TechRadar has reached out to AMD about the reports and will update this post if and when we hear back from the company."

If it's an issue only on windows 11, to me that signals it's more likely the operating system is at fault.

Windows is already notorious for auto-installing AMD GPU drivers when the end user already had drivers installed, causing various issues on the user's end.

I recently upgraded to windows 11 and I will say the OS still needs a lot more time in the oven. There are still some bugs and the new new settings app is missing a lot of options, some of them very basic like being able to set how apps are grouped on the taskbar.

Also, I'm not sure I'd qualify this as news. It's an article based on a few twitter replies. There is no journalism here, only the intent to get clicks same as the last "AMD driver IS BRICKING CARDS OMG Click NOW" debacle.

I'm going to laugh when these rumor websites are replaced by AI because gathering tweets on a particular subject and writing a summary is something that is now well within that purview.

 

[Kodehawa]

The whole rumor is indeed completely baseless. Honestly you could chuck it either to Windows Update partially replacing driver files, or the update delivered by Adrenalin being partially corrupt. Either of those doesn't screw up your system, and anyone half competent can fix it by literally just using Safe Mode.

No, windows didn't get corrupted. No, your PC didn't break. Geez.

And specially no, a driver update doesn't change your BIOS settings. That's just insanity (or maybe not)

Sure, *something* went wrong that shouldn't have gone wrong, but the theories and fearmongering about it breaking everything and corrupting windows, bricking your entire computer and even changing bios settings.

We should just wait for official word on this. It might be specific configurations or Windows settings. Might even be an issue on Windows itself for all we know.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Why then do many have no issues at all?!.

I installed last night in as simple a way as possible, download then run.

It chose a clean install, not me, I did think that odd or different at least.

Two boots later, one to remove one to reinstall and all done.

So it's not corrupted.
It's not bricking all PCs

It's possibly affecting some configs because of something, but it's not a corrupt driver or everyone would see only turd with it wouldn't they.

I'm starting to wonder WTAF IS going on though.

 

[Super Firm Tofu]

Forgive him SquadAMD, for he knows not what he's done. Please do not nuke the Swamp and Donkey.

Drivers can't make changes to the bios.
F.U.D

AMD GPU drivers (well, Adrenalin) are capable of modifying the BIOS settings for AMD CPU overclocking. There was a previous issue with the drivers that could wipe out any PBO/CO settings you had made in the BIOS when Adrenalin shit the bed.

 

[Kodehawa]

It's possibly affecting some configs because of something, but it's not a corrupt driver or everyone would see only turd with it wouldn't they.

I'm starting to wonder WTAF IS going on though.

Some people said it happened after installing it from Adrenalin the hour it released and that it worked when they used the standalone installer. But yeah, I wouldn't really say it was corrupt or anything as a fact, just less insane speculation.

Installing it worked fine for me, too.

Forgive him SquadAMD, for he knows not what he's done. Please do not nuke the Swamp and Donkey.



AMD GPU drivers (well, Adrenalin) are capable of modifying the BIOS settings for AMD CPU overclocking. There was a previous issue with the drivers that could wipe out any PBO/CO settings you had made in the BIOS when Adrenalin shit the bed.

That's because of Ryzen Master integration with the RM (AMDRyzenMasterDriver.sys, which controls PBO on the CPU if you set it on RM or Adrenalin) driver, though. Not directly changing BIOS settings.

It would be hilarious if THAT was the issue, but I doubt it.

 

[Super Firm Tofu]

Some people said it happened after installing it from Adrenalin the hour it released and that it worked when they used the standalone installer. But yeah, I wouldn't really say it was corrupt or anything as a fact, just less insane speculation.

Installing it worked fine for me, too.



That's because of Ryzen Master integration with the RM driver, though. Not directly changing BIOS settings.

It would be hilarious if THAT was the issue, but I doubt it.

Well, however you slice it, the default AMD drivers package has the ability to change the PBO settings in the BIOS.

I don't think there's any widespread issue either, but people need to be aware that 'software can't change bios setting from within Windows' isn't true.

 

[Frick]

Here we go with the bs claims again, just like those drivers causing GPU to explode.

That specific thing is BS, but in the past AMD drivers have effectively bricked Windows 10 systems. A friend had a AMD APU laptop which wouldn't even boot into safe mode if the GPU drivers pushed by Windows 10 were installed, which they were, unless you blocked that driver, or did what I did and just disabled the GPU and let it use a generic driver. He basically only used it for mail and he would set a weird resolution anyway so he didn't notice. And it was a driver problem because some time later it would work as normal with correct drivers.

 

[Kodehawa]

I don't think there's any widespread issue either, but people need to be aware that 'software can't change bios setting from within Windows' isn't true.

It doesn't change the values I set on the BIOS, but you're pretty much right on the latter, since UEFI implementations are wack, you could even brick a motherboard back in the day due to an oversight on systemd and the linux kernel.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Some people said it happened after installing it from Adrenalin the hour it released and that it worked when they used the standalone installer. But yeah, I wouldn't really say it was corrupt or anything as a fact, just less insane speculation.

Installing it worked fine for me, too.


That's because of Ryzen Master integration with the RM (AMDRyzenMasterDriver.sys, which controls PBO on the CPU if you set it on RM or Adrenalin) driver, though. Not directly changing BIOS settings.

It would be hilarious if THAT was the issue, but I doubt it.

That's what I did let the driver DL and update the driver exactly how AMD prepped it sorry I thought I said as much.

 

[Kodehawa]

That's what I did let the driver DL and update the driver exactly how AMD prepped it sorry I thought I said as much.

To be honest I think it could be whatever at this point. All we can really do is speculate, but its probably only on some specific scenarios.

 

[Tropick]

I updated from within Adrenalin and it went just fine, used the "factory reset" option and cleared user settings. Screen flickered a few times, restarted, booted back up and finished no problemo.

Edit: Am on Win11 22H2

 

[Xeanoa]

• Up to 19% increase in performance for F1 2022 @ 4k, using AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 23.2.1 on the Radeon ️ RX 6950XT GPU, versus the previous software driver version 22.11.2 RS-525

Has anybody tested this claim yet? Even if it's specific to a certain scene, it should have some impact on the rest of the game and the rest of AMD's lineup.
That would put the 6900 XT ahead of the 3090 Ti and make the 6950 XT a match for the 4080
Granted, AMD is underperforming a bit in this title, but 19 % is a wild claim

 

[droopyRO]

Has anybody tested this claim yet?

 

[Xeanoa]

Nice gains for 6650 XT, even at FHD. Lower power draw to top it off, very nice

 

[HD64G]

Something could have changed in the drivers from AMD website since their name now ends with "2023" after the pre-existing one. So, I wonder if that change fixes the installer problems some users reported. @W1zzard : Anyone from the staff that could upload the latest version to the TPU downloading server?

UPDATE: That filename doesn't exist now, they should have updated the initial one with the latest. Still, the download server might need to have the latest existing one.

 

[W1zzard]

Something could have changed in the drivers from AMD website since their name now ends with "2023" after the pre-existing one.

?

the downloaded file is whql-amd-software-adrenalin-edition-23.2.1-win10-win11-feb14.exe

https://www.amd.com/en/support/graphics/amd-radeon-rx-7000-series/amd-radeon-rx-7900-series/amd-radeon-rx-7900xtx

 

[StefanM]

?

the downloaded file is whql-amd-software-adrenalin-edition-23.2.1-win10-win11-feb14.exe

ComputerBase explains:

AMD Adrenalin Radeon-Treiber Download

AMD Adrenalin (ehemals Crimson bzw. Catalyst) ist der Treiber für alle Radeon-Grafikkarten. Deutsch, Freeware, kostenloser Download!

www.computerbase.de

 

[Drash]

ComputerBase explains:

AMD Adrenalin Radeon-Treiber Download

AMD Adrenalin (ehemals Crimson bzw. Catalyst) ist der Treiber für alle Radeon-Grafikkarten. Deutsch, Freeware, kostenloser Download!

www.computerbase.de

Which in English says the only difference is that "reset to default" was, then wasn't checked, nothing else

 

[BlaezaLite]

Go and rerun your speedway/port royal benches! MOAR POINTZ!

 

[sam_86314]

Yep, upgraded from Nimez 23.1.2 to this driver, and it corrupted my Windows install.

Fun stuff, using Macrium Recovery as I type this to try and fix it.

Worst case scenario, I can recover from my weekly backups (latest one is 6 days old).

EDIT: And, Macrium didn't work. Thanks AMD! This is why backups are important.

EDIT 2: Retrying with Fast Boot disabled. This still seems like an unacceptable issue to me.

EDIT 3: Still doesn't work.

Alright, so I've learned a lesson to enable restore points I guess.

Restoring from my February 12th backup and will be staying on the latest NimeZ driver. I was wondering why they hadn't done 23.2.1 yet; guess this is why.

EDIT 4: Restored from the backup and everything is working now. Probably lost my BG3 save, but whatever.

I will not be using the official drivers in the future. NimeZ for the win.

I also cannot stress the importance of regular backups enough.

EDIT 5: Added picture of the recovery screen error code.

 

[Mussels]

Fast Boot is notoriously buggy, causes all sorts of issues at work because windows 10 does NOT like going 7+ days without a reboot

Restarting bypasses/resets fast boot and is normally all that's needed to fix any issues there


Otherwise i've found going into safe mode and leaving it, a method to get out of any fast boot related hiccups - even letting you do things like change between IDE/RAID/AHCI mode on older platforms if needed

 

[kane nas]

Yep, upgraded from Nimez 23.1.2 to this driver, and it corrupted my Windows install.

Fun stuff, using Macrium Recovery as I type this to try and fix it.

Worst case scenario, I can recover from my weekly backups (latest one is 6 days old).

EDIT: And, Macrium didn't work. Thanks AMD! This is why backups are important.

EDIT 2: Retrying with Fast Boot disabled. This still seems like an unacceptable issue to me.

EDIT 3: Still doesn't work.

Alright, so I've learned a lesson to enable restore points I guess.

Restoring from my February 12th backup and will be staying on the latest NimeZ driver. I was wondering why they hadn't done 23.2.1 yet; guess this is why.

EDIT 4: Restored from the backup and everything is working now. Probably lost my BG3 save, but whatever.

I will not be using the official drivers in the future. NimeZ for the win.

I also cannot stress the importance of regular backups enough.

EDIT 5: Added picture of the recovery screen error code.

Do yourself a favor and don't use NimeZ drivers unless you have an older card, e.g. 5700, the only good thing it has is that the tessellation is disabled in the registry (off) and you can even run 3dmark without it considering the test invalid, that's where the performance increase comes from.

 

[Dr. Dro]

I can't possibly fathom how some people believe piously in those modded drivers... and blames AMD(!) for the issues it causes.