Massive issue following AMD driver update on Win10 RX590
Massive issue following AMD driver update on Win10 RX590
March 2019 the system operated smoothly for years. It handled every Windows 10 update without issues and never displayed a blue screen. The baby ran at full capacity. Until recently, everything changed. One morning, AMD Adrenaline software refused to launch, displaying an error about driver incompatibility. This was unexpected since I relied on it daily for temperature checks, game logs, monitor settings, etc. It seemed like a new, unsupported driver had been installed—possibly silently during a background update. I hadn’t noticed any card driver changes since disabling auto-updates in 2019. I manually checked for updates in Windows 10 and even used an AMD tool to install the best driver for my RX590 Sapphire card, keeping my custom settings intact. After reinstalling, everything worked perfectly—smooth performance all month long.
Then last night, I played World of Warcraft until 3 a.m., shut down the PC, and slept. The next morning at 9 a.m., it refused to open again, insisting it was unsupported. I tried reinstalling the auto-driver tool from AMD’s site, which searched for the optimal driver automatically. I selected the clean install option, removed old versions, and kept my personal settings intact. It felt like reconfiguring dozens of add-ons at once.
Eventually, after a long struggle, I restored my computer. It booted normally again. Still puzzled—why would Windows treat this card as broken? Was it a hidden update or a flaw in the driver detection process? I wondered if it was trying to install a newer GPU driver while I was asleep, but never saw any changes.
I considered visiting AMD’s support site and reinstalling the auto-finder tool, hoping it would fix the issue. That attempt also failed. Now I’m left with uncertainty: how could this happen? Was there a silent update or a system glitch that affected my setup? I’m determined to get back to a stable desktop and prevent this from happening again.
Hello, thank you for your message. It's been quite challenging trying to resolve this issue while working alone. The computer ran smoothly until recently. Since April 28, 2022, I've been using the "Amd Software: Adrenalin Edition" version 22.5.1 without any problems. Until this morning, everything functioned properly. After turning it on, the software failed to launch despite no apparent changes. I'm unsure why the graphics driver wouldn't recognize it, so I checked AMD's support site for updates. The installation process completed normally, but then I encountered a blue screen and automatic restart, followed by a message stating it couldn't boot. I've been watching YouTube tutorials on restoring the system via USB, but nothing has resolved the problem. I might need to purchase a new SSD and reinstall Windows 10. I was worried about losing my photos and documents during the update, but now I understand the warning about the disk's MBR partition.
Your previous setup used the old MBR while your USB flash drive was made with the newer EFI format. Your Windows USB should support booting from either MBR or EFI. If you need to protect important files, consider replacing the old drive with a fresh one and installing a clean Windows there, preserving what’s on the current drive. You might also try using system restore to revert to a previous state.
Create a backup of your crucial documents by launching any kind of "Live OS" on a USB drive. This lets you test the system and transfer files without installing anything. For drives under 2TB, if UEFI warns about MBR installation, adjust the BIOS settings—choose Legacy or UEFI depending on your options.
Ensure Auto-Updates are disabled across all programs, particularly for GPUs—newest versions aren't always best. Avoid replacing drivers randomly; fix corrupt ones instead. When uninstalling, be sure to check model numbers precisely and use DDU in Safe Mode to remove the old driver.
I'm just starting out on this forum, but I really hope you both got my name right. Thank you all so much. What kept me from getting upset was seeing a few people who took the time to read through my messy situation and still offered assistance. Until you responded, I missed the point about picking between MBR/EFI during the SSD-to-USB switch. It seems like choosing the right option would have let me format the 400GB drive and install Windows 10 properly. I need to keep this in mind moving forward... But before I even try, I went back to the Repair options after selecting the correct boot choice. I believe that was the one labeled "Repair Startup" that resolved the issue. It performed a disk check and other tasks but gave the impression it couldn't fix the problem—until the system restarted and opened Windows 10. I’m not sure how or why it worked this time, but it functioned after what felt like another failure. I also noticed the fans on my rx590 weren’t spinning, the NZXT Cam software didn’t display temperature or clock data, and Sapphire Trixx couldn’t access its settings. The Overclock options were disabled, which made me think the card wasn’t properly connected. I was concerned it might have failed despite not being overworked. You suggested using DDU and safe mode, but I’d never tried that before. I was nervous about restarting or entering safe mode. Instead of relying on the automatic tools, I manually checked the list and installed version 22.11.2 from November 30th. My previous driver (from April 2022) didn’t have any updates listed, but this newer version matched what my system recognized. It worked without issues after a restart, and the GPU was detected by monitoring software again—fans started spinning. Now I’m just worried it could happen again since I don’t know what caused the driver or the Adrenalin software changes. So far, I’ve created a manual restore point. Earlier attempts failed because the recovery option required my Microsoft account password, which I couldn’t authenticate. Now I’ve enabled the hidden admin user, which appears on the login screen. I’m hoping this helps if I ever get stuck in a restart or boot loop again. I’m also thinking about backing up my files and photos just in case. Windows update shows it was last updated on November 21st, so I’m not convinced that’s the problem. I’m unsure if my graphics card or SSD is failing, or if Windows 10 got corrupted—though I don’t do much gaming or heavy browsing. (I rarely install anything). Still, I’ll start looking for a job and saving money just in case. Any tips on checks, setups, or steps to take before assuming everything’s fixed would be appreciated. Thanks again—really appreciate your help getting me back into the system. I’d hate to waste another 11 hours of trial and error. If deleting the 400GB partition and failing to reinstall Windows 10 had been possible, I wouldn’t even consider it now.**
You can always Run as Administrator the Command Prompt, then use SFC /SCANNOW if you suspect windows corruption. 2 Things to check for on drivers 1) That it's WHQL signed; 2) That it's NOT a BETA or some other "evaluation" or testing version. (Though some argue that most are anyways.) Startup repair is always a go to, as it cannot harm anything. As for having an old system, I have a 2014 system I built new in 2018 and play games on it still. I've only had video card fans die on me once (Asus Strix RX-570). Replaced with OEM version that pushes more air, much cooler than stock. Oddly enough my best compatible drivers were 18.6.1 but I can run 22.6.1 now. To get to safe mode you press F8 after the post screen and before the windows logo or you missed it and need to restart (software). Safe mode is the Same Windows, minus the drivers and startup apps.. There is no way to damage anything in the system by loading LESS.
The scan indicated corrupt files on the Windows system and they were fixed. After restarting, everything functions properly—no lag, no crashes, no blue screens. It feels great now, though things still seem a bit off compared to before. I’ve run Samsung Magician on my SSD, which shows it’s healthy. I also used the recovery tool on the USB drive I had, removing the Windows 10 installer. That should help if similar issues arise later. Thank you for sharing the driver info and safe mode tips; they’re really helpful. I’m relieved to hear about your graphics card fans—my concern is always there, but I’m glad I can fix things myself. Repairing seems more complicated than replacing parts, especially since my old system froze after removing the 750ti. It’s frustrating, but I’m trying to stay positive. My last computer had a major problem until I upgraded, so I understand what happened. If you need more guidance, feel free to ask.