One of our readers asked for advice, and the editors at Tom's Hardware discovered a very unusual problem. At first glance, it is unlikely to seem serious, but the frequency of its occurrence is still somewhat annoying. After viewing several forums on the Internet regarding this problem, we came to conclusion that it is not private to our reader. This fueled interest in the issue, especially since we did not find any reasonable explanation for the problem. The problem itself is that Device Manager and Catalyst Installation Manager cannot agree whether the Northbridge driver is installed or not.

The reader has already contacted the service AMD support, but since the computer was working without any obvious problems, he received the answer that everything should be fine. But this answer did not satisfy the reader - and neither did we. We deliberately went through the process of installing Catalyst drivers on three different Windows systems 7, and were able to repeat the problem in all cases. In the end, it turned out that our reader was right.

The problem manifests itself under the following circumstances.

• Windows 7 (x64, x86);
• motherboard based on AMD chipset;
• drivers from Catalyst 10.2 to 10.5 ( latest version at the time of testing);
• installation in Custom mode (not in Express mode).

We hope that the article will be useful, because an old but very effective trick, which we will talk about a little later, turned out to be a solution to the problem. In addition, it has the potential to eliminate other pitfalls that may arise when installing AMD/ATI drivers. We'll also take a quick look at a hidden option in the Catalyst installer that may also be useful.

To eliminate all possible sources of errors, we used a "clean" Windows installation 7 with no drivers or updates installed, except for updates to Windows 7 itself.

In the Device Manager, in the System section, we selected the “AMD PCI Express (3GIO) Driver” item, in which we found the files atipcie.sys (x86) or atipcie64.sys (x64). These drivers are installed by default. We have recorded the version of the installed drivers before further installation.

Then we unpacked the current version of the Catalyst drivers (at the time of testing) into the directory we specified, and then launched the installation, leaving it at the initial stage, where the choice of installing or uninstalling drivers is made.

We selected "Uninstall" followed by "Custom Uninstall" to get a list of components that the installer recognizes. And the result confirmed the problem we identified earlier: the Catalyst installer did not recognize any installed components, although the driver was already installed in Windows 7 and updated via Windows Update.

After running the installation again, we selected "Installation" followed by "Custom Installation".

In addition to USB drivers, we now have the option to install Northbridge drivers. Interestingly, the version offered was the same as the one already installed. We chose to install the drivers anyway to avoid any confusion. The installation completed successfully.

After the mandatory reboot, we reopened the Catalyst installer to see what options appeared in the driver removal option. With the exception of USB drivers, we didn't find any other options. Then we ran the installer again to install the drivers, after which we discovered that the driver was offered to be installed again, that is, nothing said that it was already installed!

Even though this problem can only be detected in Custom installation mode (Express mode displays very little information about the installation process), we were puzzled. Well, let's identify the reason and present a possible solution.

Possible reasons

After some experimentation and direct removal (using the Cleaner utility and manually erasing entries in the registry), we came to the conclusion that the AMD Catalyst installer and drivers obtained through Windows installation and/or Windows Update do not interact with each other. Although manually installing and uninstalling the driver through Device Manager works fine, the Catalyst installer "forgets" about the installed driver, prompting you to reinstall already installed drivers that are not exclusive to AMD (that is, they are already offered by Microsoft).

At the same time, the reverse scenario is not possible, since the drivers are not detected by the installer during installation or uninstallation. Basically, only AMD can answer whether this is a consequence of the protection mechanism or an installer error in determining the drivers.

But we would like to note once again that the identified problem does not lead to any computer failures. It can be called an annoying oversight that causes confusion for those users who regularly monitor driver versions to ensure that their computer always works with the latest drivers. But our little research showed that this situation has existed for quite some time, and there has still been no explanation or fix from AMD.

The Catalyst installer begins its work by extracting files into the specified directory. We will need it to perform the trick.

We went to the directory with the unpacked files, after which we selected the "Config" subdirectory. It contains the file "InstallManager.cfg". We opened it with a suitable text editor Notepad The contents of the file are shown below.

Pay attention to the item "WorkaroundInstall". By default it is set to "false". We activated the item by setting the value to "true", and then saved the file.

We then started the installation from the directory by executing the Setup.exe file. Please note the installation options we agreed to.

The situation, as we see, has changed: now, after executing the Catalyst installer, only AMD-exclusive driver packages are saved.

Additional benefits

This trick also helps in situations where the Catalyst installer for some reason refuses to install the driver, despite the connected hardware and the old driver working perfectly. So the next time you encounter a strange installation problem, remember that the modification installation file can work a miracle. We used a similar trick when the current version of Catalyst 10.5 refused to install on systems with already installed versions 10.2 or 10.3.

As we described just above, we went to the directory with the unpacked files. Then to the "Config" directory, after which we opened "InstallManager.cfg" in Notepad/Notepad. However, in this file we also found a "Show Update" item at the bottom. By default it is set to "false". We activated this item by setting the value to "true", and then saved the file.

Then after running the installer a new option appears.

If you select the "Update" option, previously hidden, a new wizard will launch.

Here you can update individual components without having to remove them. As far as we understand, the Installation option performs only limited or no uninstallation procedures, while the Update option combines a complete uninstallation and installation of selected components in the same reboot cycle. This allows you to save on one reboot cycle, which is required when complete removal drivers. This step is also useful after removing drivers and rebooting, since Windows may automatically replace removed drivers against your will.

If you are a user of Catalyst drivers, then take the identified problem calmly. It may seem strange at first, but this problem will not lead to serious crashes. Moreover, if you know some tricks, you can solve many similar problems easier and simpler than it may seem at first.

Manual editing configuration file Catalyst can help solve similar problems to the one we described. In the article, we described in detail steps that will help inexperienced users. Perhaps AMD will react somehow. How more features contained in a software package, the more complex it becomes. And mistakes will inevitably occur. The real question is how quickly errors will be identified and corrected. All this should be taken into account when filing complaints.

The last such large-scale update was released at the end of 2016. The new version received a large number of additions and improvements, but AMD decided to keep the extremely long name unchanged.

With this release of Radeon software, AMD is trying to focus on three main priorities: functionality, performance and stability. Concerning functionality, AMD has optimized the Radeon settings interface by moving all configuration parameters into a single panel. Users will now have to make fewer clicks, and according to AMD, software also includes Switchable Graphics mode and better control over pixel format and color depth.

The latest driver can also be checked and installed using the AMD Driver Autodetect application. If necessary, you can use the official driver removal utility AMD Clean Uninstall Utility.

Radeon ReLive

Important feature latest version Radeon drivers are updated to Radeon ReLive. As we've seen over the past 6 months, the company has managed to resolve a wide range of issues related to video game streaming software. As a result, AMD has increased the maximum write speed from 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps and improved transfer stability. We've also added a transparency option for the camera so that your face doesn't block all the action on the screen.

With Radeon ReLive, AMD has worked to optimize memory during the streaming video recording process. For example, in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, frame rate losses have been reduced by 33%. In v17.7.1 the loss reached 6.3 frames per second, but with the new Radeon drivers it was only 4.2 frames per second. This essentially means that AMD has reduced the number of extra frames required to render overlays while maintaining output at a constant frame rate.

In other Radeon ReLive improvements, AMD has improved the notification system, such as adding an Instant Replay Saving card, a card for network connectivity issues, and more. Additionally, enhanced audio controls have been added that include adjustable microphone and volume levels, push-to-talk function, which can be controlled by mouse or keyboard, and a volume boost function.

Radeon WattMan

When installing new Radeon ReLive drivers, users receive an updated Radeon WattMan utility. Options are now available to increase (or decrease) the memory timings installed on Radeon video cards to safely overclock the processor without affecting the stability and overall power consumption of the PC. Radeon WattMan also provides options to control power state GPU for maximum performance or maximum savings energy.

Radeon Chill

Radeon Chill is a power-saving feature that allows you to dynamically adjust the frame rate in games based on the built-in motor mechanics. Radeon Chill now supports game profiles. This feature is currently supported by more than 30 PC games and provides an average of 31% reduction in power consumption when playing World of Warcraft and a 13% reduction in graphics card operating temperatures in the same game. Other supported games include Prey, Quake Champions, Battlefield 1, Mass Effect: Andromeda and Resident Evil 7.

An even more important improvement is support for Radeon Chill to work with systems with multiple graphics processors (multi-GPU). The technology allows for 29% energy savings in Overwatch. In addition, the feature supports external graphics cards that support Radeon XConnect technology, as well as integrated and discrete cards in laptops. According to AMD statistics, this feature extends laptop battery life by 30% when playing League of Legends at 1080p resolution.

Another power optimization feature, Frame Rate Target Control, promises power savings of up to 26% in Battlefield 1 with DirectX 12 enabled. With the feature enabled, the game can still deliver 60 frames per second, while the GPU only consumes 150 watts of power. With the feature disabled, the GPU consumes 203 Watts.

Advanced Sync

This new feature is not intended to replace AMD FreeSync technology, but provides a better viewing experience for users of unsupported monitors. Enhanced Sync sits between VSync and FreeSync and provides stutter reduction at 60fps on a 144Hz monitor. The feature also provides low latency with minimal tearing at 150 frames per second or more.

For example, with VSync enabled, the response time can be around 128.8 milliseconds while the frame rate is higher than the panel refresh rate, resulting in minimal screen tearing. With Enhanced Sync, this response time is reduced to 84.7 milliseconds while maintaining minimal screen tearing. If you disable VSync, the response time drops to 72.7 milliseconds, but you'll see a lot of annoying screen tearing. Enhanced Screen delivers a stable picture with little tearing when the frame rate drops below the monitor's refresh rate. If VSync is enabled, tearing can be very noticeable.

Internal changes

Finally, AMD has also been working hard on the internal platform. The company has increased the performance of Radeon driver updates since the launch of Crimson ReLive Edition and increased performance in a number of games such as Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Metro Last Light Redux running on Linux. AMD has also developed a way to speed up boot times for older PC games such as StarCraft 2 and reduce driver warm-up time between commands. central processor draw the frame, and the final rendering of the frame by the GPU.

AMD reports that moving the mouse in Prey and seeing the resulting action on screen takes just 100 milliseconds, compared to 111 milliseconds using Radeon v17.7 drivers. In Mass Effect: Andromeda, the same figure is now 114 milliseconds (compared to 131 milliseconds), in Tom Clancy's The Division- 112 milliseconds, (compared to 162 milliseconds), and in Honor - 130 milliseconds (compared to 146 milliseconds).

Another notable feature of AMD's new Radeon driver update is a developer tool called Radeon GPU Profiler. This tool provides low-level, native hardware thread tracing that was previously only available to AMD console developers. This is good news for PC gamers because developers can now trace their code back to specific hardware events to eliminate potential artifacts and optimize performance. Developers get a clear visualization of ongoing processes using wave graphs.

Whatever technical characteristics and the video card installed in the PC or laptop did not have the power, its performance and demonstrated performance indicators directly depend on some of the most important software components any system - drivers. For graphics adapters manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices Inc. the most correct and effective method The solution to all driver issues is to use AMD Radeon Software Crimson.

Download and update AMD drivers via Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition

Actually, keeping video adapter drivers up to date is the primary task assigned to the AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition software package by the developers.

Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition— the name of the software that replaced it Radeon Software Crimson. This is the same application, but of a different generation. The Crimson driver is no longer relevant!

Automatic installation

The easiest and most correct way to get the latest driver for an AMD video card is to install the manufacturer’s proprietary software into the system. AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition contains the necessary components of the latest version at the time of download from the official website, so in order for the current graphics adapter driver to be installed, just follow a few simple steps.

1. Download from the site technical support Advanced Micro Devices installer Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition by selecting the type and model line of the GPU on which the video card is based in the drop-down lists.

   

   Find your version and bitness operating system and expand the tab to the plus sign.

   In the list of suggested software, find Radeon Software, click "Download". In some cases, there are 2 such files - based on the application revision number and release date. A newer driver may be unstable on some PCs, for this reason the service offers a previous version that you can roll back to if problems arise.



2. Let's launch the installer. It will immediately begin automatically scanning your system hardware components for the presence of an AMD GPU-based video card.



3. After identifying the video card, if the components necessary for normal operation are missing

   

   or the possibility of updating them, a corresponding message will be displayed.



4. Press the button "Express installation" and watch the installation process of all necessary components.



During the installation of Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition, the screen may go dark several times. Don't worry - this is how the graphics adapter is initialized with the new driver.

5. The final stage of installing AMD Radeon Adrenalin Edition, and therefore all the necessary components for the graphics adapter to work, is to reboot the system. Press the button "Reboot Now".



6. After the reboot we get a video card with installed driver newest version.

Driver Update

Over time, any software becomes outdated and requires updating. With AMD Radeon Software Crimson, updating the system components necessary for the proper functioning of the graphics adapter is very simple, because the developers have provided all the options.

Reinstalling the AMD driver, rolling back the version

If there is a need to reinstall AMD video card drivers, removing all previously installed components and clearing the system of data accumulated during the operation of Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition, you will need the application installer. Alternatively, by following the steps below, you can return to previous version drivers, if the updated one does not work correctly. There is no need to remove already installed software and drivers before reinstalling! The installer will do this automatically.

Thus, we can state that all issues with drivers of modern AMD video cards are quite easily resolved using the manufacturer’s proprietary software. The processes of installing, updating and reinstalling Advanced Micro Devices graphics adapter drivers are almost completely automated, which gives the user the opportunity not to waste time and effort searching for the right solution.

Details Category: Settings Views: 6308

Greetings to all users and guests "Computer literacy schools". This is the second time I have encountered the problem of translating the AMD video card driver interface. Google search it turned out to be not so easy to find a solution to the problem, so I decided to document it in an article "How to change the AMD Crimson interface language?"

There are no standard means to change the language in the settings; you will have to go into the registry. I will describe all the steps in detail so that you do not have any questions.

1. Launch the registry editor (Win + R and type “regedit” into the field without quotes)

2. Then in the registry tree we find the following path

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\AMD\CN

3. In order to change the interface language to English, you just need to delete

LastUsedQmFileName

4. In order to change the language to Russian, set the parameter LastUsedQmFileName value CNext_ru_RU.qm

5. For other languages, you first need to find the name of the language, to do this, go to the Program Files\AMD\CNext\CNext\Localisation folder and look for it, then perform step 4

AMD introduced the next generation Radeon software, which features new features, high performance, as well as the level of stability. The new Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition includes energy-efficient graphics performance thanks to Radeon Chill technology, as well as a tool for recording and streaming using Radeon ReLive

System requirements:
Windows® 10 (32 & 64-bit version)
Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit version with SP1 or higher)
Windows 8.1 support has been completely discontinued.

Torrent Driver - AMD Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition 17.7.2 DC 07/27/2017 WHQL details:
Radeon Software ReLive Edition offers the following:
· Radeon ReLive is a tool for video recording and online broadcasting with a control panel right in the game. Settings allow you to quickly select the scene recording format and much more;
· Radeon Chill is an energy-efficient frame rate control system for Radeon video cards. It dynamically adjusts the framerate and thus maintains graphics quality while reducing system temperature and noise;
AMD LiquidVR technology - a set of technologies for high-quality virtual reality, which includes MultiView, MultiRes and Asynchronous Space Warp for Oculus Rift;
Improved synchronization technology for Radeon FreeSync displays;

Supported video cards:

Notes:
During installation, you can find various hieroglyphs instead of Russian. After installation everything will be fine.

Digital signature: