The rigorously sequestered, rock-solid-reliable PC I exploit to check graphics playing cards turned fully and completely hosed this week. I couldn’t even get the system besides into Windows restore mode to attempt to troubleshoot it. The perpetrator? A uncommon bug in the best way Windows interacts with AMD’s newest WQHL-certified Radeon drivers, Adrenalin 23.2.2. Some fast Googling revealed that this has been taking place to a small handful of different customers since Adrenalin 23.2.1 landed in mid-February, with equally devastating results.
This expertise could be an absolute catastrophe for anybody who isn’t the chief editor of a pc publication with a deep rolodex available (although AMD representatives are very attentive to driver suggestions on social media). But thankfully, I used to be in a position to work intently with AMD on on the difficulty.
AMD engineers not solely managed to diagnose the potential root reason for this exotic bug, but in addition found a just-as-exotic troubleshooting workaround that helped revive my PC. A everlasting fix is being investigated, however affected customers can hopefully use this workaround to restore their methods with out resorting to a full-blown recent Windows set up.
Here’s what occurred, how it occurred, how one can keep away from it, and how one can fix it if the same catastrophe strikes your PC.
How AMD’s Radeon drivers broke my Windows set up
I obtained a brand new customized Radeon RX 7900 XT for testing this week, so I went about my traditional strict course of for ensuring the PC is up-to-date and able to benchmark. Before swapping in a brand new graphics card or new drivers, whereas my present secure setup is nonetheless intact, I carry out a number of steps to make the system as “like new” as potential, to keep away from potential points brought on by swapping in numerous GPUs from completely different manufacturers. (The system {hardware} stays static, with minimal software program put in past benchmarking instruments, to make sure consistency.)
Adam Patrick Murray / IDG
I already had a GeForce RTX 4070 Ti set as much as give Nvidia’s superior RTX Video Super Resolution a whirl. With it put in, I manually up to date Windows 10. Then, I powered down the system and changed the 4070 Ti with the Radeon RX 7900 XT. It booted up usually. I then used Windows 10’s Add and Remove Programs instrument to uninstall all Nvidia software program from my PC and rebooted. Standard stuff. I then used the incredible DDU Uninstaller instrument to make sure that Nvidia’s bits have been really and fully eradicated, and rebooted. Everything went high-quality.
Then the issues began.
I opened up Chrome, navigated to AMD’s web site, and downloaded the WQHL-certified Adrenalin 23.2.2 drivers that the positioning really useful for a 7900 XT. Then I put in the driver, checking the field to carry out a “factory reset” clear set up moderately than an upgrade-in-place. It seems that checking that field, achieved at the side of a silent Windows replace occurring within the background with out my data, most likely led to my rig’s downfall.
Everything went effectively—till the software program stated I wanted to reboot my PC to complete the driver set up. After restarting, my system hit the MSI BIOS splash web page like regular, however the second it tried loading Windows it instantly suffered a Blue Screen of Death, flashing the “Inaccessible Boot Device” error code proven within the picture within the tweet beneath (which is unrelated to this AMD concern). Ugh. The system then began an countless cycle of BSOD > reboot > BSOD > reboot with out kicking off computerized restore makes an attempt or presenting me the standard Windows troubleshooting choices.
I didn’t have time to troubleshoot it so I powered down the system and tried once more the subsequent day. Same deal. I yanked out the customized Radeon RX 7900 XT I would like to check and changed it with AMD’s reference Radeon RX 7900 XT. This time, after two BSOD > reboot cycles, Windows tried to robotically restore the system after the BIOS splash display. Success! …or so I assumed. But I used to be terribly, terribly unsuitable.
Instead of correcting the difficulty, choosing Startup Repair made it even worse. When it was achieved, the display went darkish and fully unresponsive (whereas nonetheless powered on). Now, every time I attempted besides the pc, I noticed the little “Windows thinking about it” circle spinning after the BIOS display for a quick second, then a return to the infinite blackness. My Windows set up was hosed so arduous that the BSOD crashes didn’t even happen anymore, and I had no likelihood to strive commonplace Windows troubleshooting efforts.
In desperation I attempted changing the Radeon RX 7900 XT with the RTX 4070 Ti and an Intel Arc A750—GPUs I’ve examined previously two weeks, that labored reliably—however to no avail.
Googling the difficulty surfaced this WCCFTech article from mid-February together with loads of different protection, citing quite a few consumer stories of Adrenalin 23.2.1 destroying their Windows installs. It is a deeply irritating expertise, and one that may be disastrous for the standard PC gamer. I tweeted about my woes and an AMD consultant emailed me inside minutes. Obviously, being the chief editor of PCWorld could fast-track me for a fast response (although once more, AMD representatives are very attentive to driver suggestions on social media). In this case, my high-profile complications managed to assist AMD probe the core concern, so I can present troubleshooting steps that labored for me and fortunately report {that a} everlasting fix is being investigated.
How to fix Radeon drivers breaking your Windows set up
I may’ve merely slapped in a brand new SSD with a clear Windows set up, however we spent two days going by numerous troubleshooting fixes whereas AMD engineers tried reproducing and diagnosing the issue. Swapping GPUs, making an attempt new displays, yanking the show cable out at completely different occasions, clearing the CMOS, and guaranteeing UEFI was chosen as a substitute of CSM within the BIOS (it was!) all proved fruitless.
But this morning, AMD’s workforce bought again to me with one other suggestion: When the BIOS splash display is up proper after turning on the PC, slam the ability button to attempt to coax Windows into forcing an computerized restoration try. I attempted it 4 occasions to no avail. I used to be informed to stick with it, that it would work ultimately. And after fifteen complete tries, it did!
I’m unsure what triggered it to lastly catch, however timing appeared to play an element in it. Hitting the ability button whereas the BIOS keypress choices have been up merely turned off my PC instantly. Hitting it as soon as the spinning “Windows thinking” icon appeared saved the PC on, however did nothing—my system merely black-screened once more. Eventually, I managed to hit the ability button within the cut up second between the BIOS choices disappearing and the Windows circle showing, and that managed to kickstart an computerized restoration try.
IDG
Success!
After Windows did its factor for a bit, I finally wound up within the Windows restoration instruments menu, in a position to restart my PC or choose superior choices. I went into the superior choices’ troubleshooting menu and chosen System Restore, since Startup Repair hosed my PC even worse earlier than. I chosen a restore level from mid-February, loaded it up, and after two agonizingly irritating days, my check rig was again in motion.
If you’ve suffered from the latest Adrenalin drivers corrupting your Windows set up, do this course of to hopefully get again in your toes. You also needs to making an attempt the standard arcane technique for summoning the Windows restoration instrument, discovered within the “Use the Startup Repair function” part right here. (Don’t use Startup Repair although! Use a restore level! Just use this course of to get you to the menu with each choices.)
But how did this occur, and how are you going to forestall it from taking place to you?
How to keep away from Radeon drivers breaking your Windows set up
AMD tells me it took dozens of makes an attempt to recreate the difficulty of their labs because of its excessive rarity. On a name, one consultant truly known as me “patient zero.” The firm offered me with the next assertion whereas its investigation is ongoing:
“We have reproduced an issue that can occur in an extremely small number of instances if a PC update occurs during the installation of AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, and we are actively investigating. We recommend users ensure all system updates are applied or paused before installing the driver, and that the “Factory Reset” possibility is unchecked through the AMD driver set up course of. We are dedicated to resolve points as rapidly as potential and strongly encourage customers to submit points with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition through the Bug Report Tool.”
It’s price noting that my model of Windows 10 was up to date previous to making an attempt the Adrenalin Software set up, however the Game Bar or another a part of Windows could have been silently updating within the background to kickstart this catastrophe.
As a workaround, merely don’t test that manufacturing unit reset field if you happen to’re putting in new Radeon drivers. There’s no purpose to take action if you happen to’ve already bought a working Radeon GPU arrange and are merely updating to the most recent drivers anyway. Simple as that. It labored for me after my check system was revived and I now have Adrenalin 23.2.2 put in and dealing like a appeal.
A damned disgrace
It’s a damned disgrace this occurred. Most excruciatingly for myself and different players who had their Windows set up deeply damaged, after all, but in addition for AMD.
I’ve been a vocal advocate for the intense driver and software program enhancements AMD has been making over the past half-decade or so. People slammed the iffy state of Radeon drivers for years. AMD listened and poured great funding and energy into sharpening them up. Now, Team Red’s drivers are even higher than Nvidia’s well-liked Game Ready drivers in some ways, and in June 2022 AMD felt assured sufficient about its software program to declare that it affords “industry-leading stability” with “99.95% of users experiencing no crashes when AMD Software is installed.”
There’s little question that AMD’s driver stability and general stability are actually proper up there with the most effective of them after years of intense refinement. This is an especially uncommon edge case. It certain sucks being in that 0.05%! But points this catastrophic harm the trigger to rebuild Radeon software program’s picture, regardless of how uncommon they’re. Regardless of whether or not Windows or AMD is accountable ultimately, this expertise is the kind of factor that may instantly make many PC players swear off Radeon GPUs ceaselessly, and inform all their mates why. And that’s a disgrace.
Several Radeon GPUs maintain spots in our roundup of the most effective graphics playing cards. I’m not going to take away them regardless of my private catastrophe. This extreme concern isn’t widespread, solely occurring in ultra-rare circumstances, whereas AMD affords really compelling worth up and down the stack with Nvidia mountain climbing GeForce costs by the roof. And sure, AMD’s drivers are certainly rock-solid the huge majority of the time. This specific situation may have been catastrophic with out AMD’s direct assist, however no software program is good—particularly within the advanced PC ecosystem—and whereas I bought caught in a deeply irritating scenario, there’s solely a microscopic likelihood of it affecting you. (And hopefully this text might help you if it does.)
Most individuals don’t test the manufacturing unit set up field anyway. Just make certain you don’t both till a everlasting fix is launched.
…. to be continued
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