Windows 10 Hanging After Driver Update

[Durvelle27]

I’m not sure what category this belongs to, but I just got a new laptop that came pre-installed with Windows 10 Home X64. It ran fine but wasn’t updated at all. So I decided to update the dGPu (HD 8790m) to the latest AMD driver and now the system hangs upon boot. How can I go about fixing this issue. I tried doing a system restore but it gave a error so it didn’t go through. Is there any other way to fix it.

It’s currently on Build 14393 Release 180329-1711; Driver version Adrenalin 18.11.2

 

[MrGenius]

Figure out how to get into safe-mode and use DDU. How did you get to system restore? Install media? Can you get into safe-mode that way? I can't remember if you can...

 

[storm-chaser]

Is there away to enable last known good config with win 10?

 

[Gorstak]

maybe your laptop just needs a bios update, video card driver isn't necesarilly the issue. Secure boot usually requires a certified driver, so if it was an original amd driver, a bios update may be all that it needs. You can also try disabling secure boot in bios, but I'm not sure if that will work. Another option is downloading the latest build of Windows and doing a clean install, it comes with certified driver.

 

[Durvelle27]

Figure out how to get into safe-mode and use DDU. How did you get to system restore? Install media? Can you get into safe-mode that way? I can't remember if you can...

In safe mode now. Going to try removing drivers.

Is there away to enable last known good config with win 10?

That’s a system restore. It didn’t work for me.

maybe your laptop just needs a bios update, video card driver isn't necesarilly the issue. Secure boot usually requires a certified driver, so if it was an original amd driver, a bios update may be all that it needs. You can also try disabling secure boot in bios, but I'm not sure if that will work. Another option is downloading the latest build of Windows and doing a clean install, it comes with certified driver.

There is a recent BIOs update but I’m not sure if the laptop has it already or not. And clean install would be the last option as I have 600GB worth of files I don’t want to have to download yet again as I’m not sure if where I am has a data cap.

 

[MrGenius]

That’s a system restore. It didn’t work for me.

Not exactly. Windows 10 doesn't have anything like it really. There's supposedly ways to add it to W8/8.1. But W7 was the last OS that had it by default.

 

[Durvelle27]

I was able to get in safe mode and use DDU to remove the AMD drivers. After removing them Windows booted just fine. I than installed the latest intel HD drivers and updated the BIOs; it still booted just just fine. Updated the AMD drivers again and boom hangs at startup.

Why would this happen only after install AMD drivers

Full specs.

Dell Latitude E6540
i5-4310m
Samsung 16GB(2x8GB) 1600
Intel HD 4600
AMD HD 8790m

 

[Gorstak]

where did you download drivers from?

You may want to run this tool. Costs nothing and usually works well

 

[Durvelle27]

Intel drivers from intel website
AMD drivers from AMDs website
BIOs of course from Dell

 

[MrGenius]

I can't think of any reasons why. But you might try earlier versions. I've occasionally ran into certain driver versions that just would not work right with my card. Lately it's been Windows 7 and my 280X. Which causes me all kinds of similar trouble with many of the latest driver versions. I'm kinda glad I've moved on to the Vega 64 now and don't have to deal with that BS anymore. Downside to that is there's no XP compatible drivers for Vega. Which sucks. But whateva. Can't win 'em all. Pardon the pun.

 

[Durvelle27]

I’m going to try 18.9.3 which is slightly earlier. Can’t really find any older drivers on AMDs site.

My GPU is a HD 8790m which is GCN1.0 so it’s pretty old. Maybe a year before thw R9 200 series dropped

But this is just bizzare to me.

Tried installing 18.9.3 and same issue. Windows failed to boot

 

[Gorstak]

try the app I linked you. Just download it, unpack the zip, run the exe inside and when presented with a choice, download indexes only...after that, just put a checkmark at video card driver and install it. You may want to update all other drivers aswell.

 

[Athlonite]

You'll need to get the drivers for you dGPU from the manufacturer of your laptop you can not use drivers directly from AMD

 

[flmatter]

As @Athlonite said try downloading drivers from Dell. See if those work. I have had issues with Dell machines before that do not like newer drivers.

 

[Durvelle27]

You'll need to get the drivers for you dGPU from the manufacturer of your laptop you can not use drivers directly from AMD

The problem with using dell drivers, they are very old. They haven’t been updated since Dec 2015. AMD has current drivers still for the HD 8790m

 

[storm-chaser]

The problem with using dell drivers, they are very old. They haven’t been updated since Dec 2015. AMD has current drivers still for the HD 8790m

So what if they are old. So long as the drivers work for your purposes I'd say just leave them be. If it isn't broken don't fix it.

 

[Durvelle27]

So what if they are old. So long as the drivers work for your purposes I'd say just leave them be. If it isn't broken don't fix it.

3 of the main games I play need driver version 17.9.2 or higher or they will not load at all
Dells driver is 15.2

 

[flmatter]

throwing darts in dark here. Have you tried uninstalling all gpu drivers, amd/intel and only installing amd ones? Just the driver package not the whole suit. It may disable the switching between igpu and dgpu. sorry trying to help, alot of rust to knock loose, not enough coffee yet

 

[Durvelle27]

throwing darts in dark here. Have you tried uninstalling all gpu drivers, amd/intel and only installing amd ones? Just the driver package not the whole suit. It may disable the switching between igpu and dgpu. sorry trying to help, alot of rust to knock loose, not enough coffee yet

I did have all GPU drivers uninstalled but didn’t try just the driver. I’ve been using the whole 303mb adrenaline suite from AMDs website

 

[Athlonite]

The problem with using dell drivers, they are very old. They haven’t been updated since Dec 2015. AMD has current drivers still for the HD 8790m

And the problem is Dell not keeping drivers upto date after the laptop was produced but not being able to use drivers from AMD because somewhere in their infinite wisdom Dell have used a custom config for the dGPU hence why the drivers from AMD do not work despite being for the dGPU you own unfortunately your only option is to contact Dell but good luck with that they don't seem to care also the reason why AMD are currently having a go at laptop manufacturers about this exact problem

 

[Durvelle27]

After constant battles

I did a clean install of Windows 10 Pro 1809 and tried installing driver again and it did it again. So I than I uninstalled it, went into device manager and made it look in the AMD folder and it forced the driver to update to the current 18.9.3 without settings app. So far it seems to be working but I haven’t tried any game yet as I’m having to redownload them all.

 

[pstasz]

Well, I am searching for the same solution, yet i have some observations. On some E6540, i was able to install latest AMD drivers from AMD site. There was only a freeze during the last phase of install but they worked fine. Now I have an 6540 which freezes entirely after updating to the latest adrenalin driver. I am wondering, if anyone was able to find out why is it so?