Using official AMD graphics drivers on Boot Camp

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Using official AMD graphics drivers on Boot Camp

Is it really advisable to use them to update the graphics card drivers on Boot Camp? I'm talking about the ones you can find on AMDs website, under MAC Graphics/Boot Camp etc when searching for them, to replace and update the ones provided by Apple through the Boot Camp Assistant. I'm using a Mac Pro 5,1 with Windows 8.1 Pro with a Radeon HD 5870. Currently, I'm getting the "AMD Catalyst Control Center cannot be opened. There are no settings... " error message, and planning to completely reinstall Windows after trying to clean remove and reinstall graphics drivers about 3 times in a row.

How should the video drivers be clean installed on Boot Camp install without breaking or removing essential stuff to avoid the problem mentioned above? Should I just stick with the Apple drivers instead?

Mac Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.6), Boot Camp Windows 8.1 Pro

Posted on Apr 4, 2018 9:14 AM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 6, 2018 10:08 AM in response to Adamant Awe

Can you fall back to generic VGA driver and use Official Display Driver Uninstaller DDU Download to remove the currently installed AMD drivers and then re-install the BC drivers?

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 6, 2018 3:27 AM in response to Adamant Awe

On a MP 5,1 (2012), you may be able to get to 15.x. What is the current installed version? AMD GPUs are specialized Apple versions of generic AMD GPUs, so version numbering can be a misnomer. If you do not have any issues with what is currently installed, be careful with the quest to get to later drivers.

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Answer 3

Adamant Awe Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 7, 2018 12:00 PM in response to Loner T

Installed by default with the BC Support Software. Even using the "3rd party" drivers from "bootcampdrivers.com" I was able to update to those hacked versions and get the most modern version of Radeon Software. I suspect the Radeon Uninstall Utility must be removing something that should not be removed and using only DDU must be the solution. I'll test later.

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Answer 4

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 4, 2018 6:41 PM in response to Adamant Awe

The AMD version numbers are clearly listed at Apple Boot Camp Software Graphics Drivers . You can also check the same in Bootcamp.xml when you download BC drivers using Bootcamp Assistant -> Action -> Download.

Can you describe the specific issues you are trying to address?

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 4, 2018 2:29 PM in response to Adamant Awe

The BC drivers and the drivers from AMD should be the same. There is no specific advantage of using the AMD/BC drivers.

However, if you use bootcampdrivers.com, you may get more recent AMD drivers.

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Answer 6

Adamant Awe Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 4, 2018 3:45 PM in response to Loner T

So the ones on the AMD website are the exact same as the ones bundled on the Boot Camp Assistant download? How can one check the version numbers or something? Are there any other considerations when clean installing video drivers on BC, or are they the same as the general tips going around on the internet?

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Answer 7

Adamant Awe Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 6, 2018 7:59 AM in response to Loner T

I tried (and failed, apparently) to install the 15.201 driver, released on sept 21 2015 on AMDs site. I had already managed to install it, and have CCC work correctly, on a previous installation, but it just doesn't work this time around.

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Answer 8

Adamant Awe Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 6, 2018 3:56 PM in response to Loner T

So use Safe Boot with Base Video enabled, uninstall with DDU, repair with BCS and then what? How can I update without losing CCC?

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 6, 2018 5:18 PM in response to Adamant Awe

How was CCC installed originally?

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Answer 10

Adamant Awe Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 5, 2018 8:34 PM in response to Loner T

I'm trying to update the video drivers to the latest (last) version provided on the AMD website. The ones on the Boot Camp Support Software are from 2013, and the ones from AMD from much later. I already tried it today, on a fresh Windows 8.1 install, and after following AMDs instructions on how to do a clean installation, I got no CCC again. I think AMDs excuse is that you need to have absolutely every Windows update provided by MS, and then install the drivers, but I was only going to install the security patches, as detailed here: Topic: 2000003: Ongoing list of "Group B" monthly updates for Win7 and 8.1 @ AskWoody

The only Optional install I tried so far is the 4.7.1 .NET Framework update, but that's it, and it didn't work. I seriously don't know what I'm missing. I'm going to try and look through every KB update and see if there's any updates related to video.

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Using official AMD graphics drivers on Boot Camp

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