Solved Win 8 AMD Switchable Graphics FAQ

[alphastar]

Added Jarred Walton (AnandTech)'s articles on AMD's Enduro and future Switchable Graphics support in the More Info section - see first post.

 

[Wrakor]

Hi, just wanna thank you for this thread Alphastar, helped me a lot. Thanks to you I got working drivers in my Windows 8

 

[alphastar]

Hi, just wanna thank you for this thread Alphastar, helped me a lot. Thanks to you I got working drivers in my Windows 8

Thanks! HTH...

 

[HOODY]

Read something about this PowerExpress stuff ie Switchable Graphics, seem's per this Walton guy,that only those with PE4 will be supported with these Enduro drivers (btw Enduro as I was told by AMD is not the driver, but the name now of this switchable thing) and that those with PE3 will not be, the only thing they may get is a one time updated W8 driver. I assume my dv7t-6c00 I just got in July is the PE4 type, I don't know as I don't know where it tells me what PE is installed. But I can go to my BIOS and set it from Dynamic to Fixed and back, so I assume its PE4.

Btw I also posted several items on leshcat's blog, I think you seen me there.

 

[alphastar]

Hey Hoody,

I've seen you around, for sure! Thank you for your part in the efforts to press Intel/AMD/HP/etc. towards an more acceptable solution for Windows 8 AMD Switchable Graphics driver support!

So, according to the AMD Press Releases and Radeon Product Pages, PowerXpress or PX refers to their switchable graphics technologies. AMD 6000 Series cards are either PX 3.0 or PX 4.0 AFAIK (see here), and according to this AnandTech article, the same PX technology - [PowerXpress/Switchable Graphics/Enduro] are just different names for different versions. I am assuming that the Enduro version number (5.5) makes it PX 5.x.

However, AMD Enduro technology is featured on the 7700M, 7800M, and 7900M Series Radeon HDs ONLY. The only question now is whether the new Enduro 5.5 drivers will include/enable support for other Switchable Graphics Radeon HDs below (read: lower or older than) the 7700Ms (i.e. the 6000M Series). Reportedly, the Catalyst 12.9 Beta driver identifies and includes the appropriate Switchable Graphics or Enduro sections natively in CCC (Catalyst Control Center).

I guess to confirm which PX is supported by your HP Pavilion dv7t-6c00, we'll have to wait until the final release of AMD's Enduro 5.5 patched drivers for PX (expected soon, see from Post #227 onwards here) to see what your CCC tells you. I understand we're not the only ones with our fingers crossed, hoping that AMD includes native (single driver) switchable graphics driver support for their Radeon/OEM/HP GPUs in the next AMD Catalyst (Mobility) release...

Otherwise, back to Leshcat's we go!

 

[Redsand]

Leshcat's latest driver has been working great for me in Win8, hd5450/intel 1st gen

 

[alphastar]

Me too - see the end of my first post.

Bear in mind that Leshcat (usually) starts with the latest/best AMD drivers, then add mods and packaging to enable Switchable Graphics support, so better AMD = better Leshcat.

 

[HOODY]

Well I have this 7690M XT so as per AMD I'm OK with the level, besides I was actually told in a AMD email reply that my card IS supported, it was like pullin teeth out of a chicken to just get that, as for the other questions I continue to hit them with they are still dancin on the head of that pin and can't answer me directly.

Here are my comments on this on these

AnandTech - AMD

AMD 7000m Enduro Utilization Awareness | Facebook

What I'm looking /hoping for is to be able to download updated drivers directly from the AMD download page like those with this Optimus stuff on Gforce cards, they can download the NVIDIA drivers right from NVIDIA as updated on their "switchable" setup ( had a buddy with this setup do just that). Not have to depend on HP or whatever manufacturer for a driver, which comes along once a year if at all. My OEM driver now is dated at Nov 2011.

 

[alphastar]

Good news!

According to Ryan Smith, we should expect to see the new AMD Enduro Hotfix drivers later today: AnandTech - AMD's Holiday Plans: Catalyst 12.11 Performance Driver & New Holiday Game Bundle

 

[Rosterbyte]

Hi ! I have a Notebook HP Pavilion g6-1111el, i5 with intel 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6470M switchable graphics.
I have installed windows 8 and the latest amd 12.9 beta drivers. Now i can open the Catalyst Control Center but i can't set it to use the discrete or integrate card with the individual program as i did with Windows 7.
How can I solve this problem? Thanks, and sorry for my English XD

 

[HOODY]

Good news!

According to Ryan Smith, we should expect to see the new AMD Enduro Hotfix drivers later today: AnandTech - AMD's Holiday Plans: Catalyst 12.11 Performance Driver & New Holiday Game Bundle

HY sup homes

Well I read the article, and I didn't really see any reference to cards like the 76xx ie 7690M XT, it mainly keeps talkin about that 7970, I did see one response that it was for ALL cards though, so who knows. So it will be another crap shoot, but maybe a step closer I dono. I'm gona be lookin hard at this cause if its not what were looking for I'll be sure to contact Marc at AMD and let him know.....................!

For some reson AMD just won't admit they are th ones that "provide" the intel driver part too, check your Intel driver in Device Manager properties, it clearly says provided by AMD.

 

[alphastar]

Hi ! I have a Notebook HP Pavilion g6-1111el, i5 with intel 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6470M switchable graphics.
I have installed windows 8 and the latest amd 12.9 beta drivers. Now i can open the Catalyst Control Center but i can't set it to use the discrete or integrate card with the individual program as i did with Windows 7.
How can I solve this problem? Thanks, and sorry for my English XD

@Rosterbyte,

I have the option: Right-click on Desktop, click Configure Switchable Graphics on Win8 x64.

However, I installed latest Leshcat driver, then did an upgrade using the Catalyst 12.9 Beta (see the end of the first post).

Like HOODY, we're *all* waiting to see if the upcoming AMD Catalyst update (aka Enduro Hotfix, expected today) allows us to run a SINGLE driver from AMD to support both the Intel HD Graphics and AMD Switchable Graphics solution in 1 package.

(@HOODY - 'Sup buddy? Yep, Intel drivers for Switchable are signed by AMD...)

 

[alphastar]

Yay, AMD drivers are up!!

New AMD Mobility Radeon Driver Verification Tool (Win7) and AMD Catalyst 12.10 and 12.11 Beta x64 (Win Vista/7/8).

Other drivers are here.

 

[HOODY]

let me know

Yay, AMD drivers are up!!

New AMD Mobility Radeon Driver Verification Tool (Win7) and AMD Catalyst 12.10 and 12.11 Beta x64 (Win Vista/7/8).

Other drivers are here.

OK so since your right on it, and I'll have to wait to access a buddy's high speed (i'm still on dialup) let me know how it goes, ie does the thing do what they claim or we expect.

 

[HOODY]

Yay, AMD drivers are up!!

New AMD Mobility Radeon Driver Verification Tool (Win7) and AMD Catalyst 12.10 and 12.11 Beta x64 (Win Vista/7/8).



Well I checked on HP driver site for my unit, and no graphics driver under W8, on W7 it still shows the same old AMD driver.

And here is the result of the AMD check tool. Still NO support

 

[alphastar]

Just completed the download of 12.10. Your 7690M XT should be supported according to the Catalyst 12.10 Release Notes here (see the AMD Mobility Radeon™ Family Compatibility section).

Perhaps it is that the Tool is for Windows 7 only. You might also want to try Windows Update...this is what mine currently shows (12.9 Beta currently running):



Edit: Custom install of 12.10 over Leshcat 12.9 Sep4 UnifL w/ Catalyst 12.9 Beta didn't do much (i.e. no errors but nothing installed; said that everything was up-to-date and did not need to be installed).

 

[HOODY]

Well I am on W7x64 right now homes.

I downloaded the 32 bit version, so now I'm downloading the 64bit version of this tool, and see what that does.

I did read the supported cards thing, funny that they leave out the 6700m series, as this 7690m xt is just a rebrand of the 6770m,which I think you are using, so if the driver installs OK on your machine it should on this one. But I thought you was going to try the new beta one, 12-11? I thought 12-10 wasn't working.

edit:

Well I ran the 64bit tool and its the same result, another funny thing is all the files in that one are exactly the same as the old one, so why would it change things lol. Anyway I will continue to hold out and see what happens, I think even though it says 7/8 its mainly for W8 users, I won't have W8 on here till after the 26th as I have the download option for $15.

btw so how do you like W8? is it as bad as people make it out to be? is it that hard to use with out a touch screen?

I have already downloaded a coupe of these W8 start programs just in case lol.

 

[alphastar]

@HOODY

Success!

Installed AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta using Custom and this time the drivers installed. The Report at the end shows "Success" all through. Also, it installed "Intel Media Components 9.17.10.2843" from CIM (newer than 9.17.10.2792 on Intel's Download Center).

Also installed the AMD Catalyst 12.10 CAP1 Profiles, which then prompted me to reboot.

As for Windows 8, I will be purchasing it on Friday...I've run the Developer Preview, Consumer Preview and Release Preview with little problems (and they're all on this thread). Win+D to get to the Desktop, and you'll hardly tell the difference most of the time, except for better performance and UI enhancements.

Take a read of the Building Windows 8 blog before diving in (yes, dive in).

I will post issues (if any) after a few days...

 

[HOODY]

@HOODY

Success!

Installed AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta using Custom and this time the drivers installed. The Report at the end shows "Success" all through. Also, it installed "Intel Media Components 9.17.10.2843" from CIM.

Also installed the AMD Catalyst 12.10 CAP1 Profiles, which then prompted me to reboot.

As for Windows 8, I will be purchasing it on Friday...I've run the Developer Preview, Consumer Preview and Release Preview with little problems (and they're all on this thread). Win+D to get to the Desktop, and you'll hardly tell the difference most of the time, except for better performance and UI enhancements.

Take a read of the Building Windows 8 blog before diving in (yes, dive in).

I will post issues (if any) after a few days...

HY bud, well good deal for you.

I just for the hell of it ran the driver update from within the CCC, and even that says I'm up to date, smirks.

Well who knows what's up with this stuff, while i was looking around HP for graphics drivers, I did find a BIOS update, got it and installed that, don't see much in the way of any changes. Funny too is that running the HP support tool didn't even inform me of the update. I see some other stuff there as well, but no graphics driver updates.

I just wish I could see a statement from either of these charecters that says you can now download AMD drivers instead of HP or whom ever.

So I assume that if your 6770m is taking the update this basterdized 7690m should, I assume! I may try it fot the hell of it since I do image backups on a regular basis.

Yeah I also will be getting W8 later this week, so I assume I'll need the driver anyway.

btw: what do you mean by "custom" you can't just run the exe?

 

[alphastar]

btw: what do you mean by "custom" you can't just run the exe?

As in, ran the EXE, selected "Install" option, chose the "Custom" radio button and Next until installed. No reboot required.

BTW your CCC/driver will likely NOT indicate there is an update for a while, but as the screenshots show, Windows Update knows its there. Also, the 64-bit release is for Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

If you post your Hardware IDs (Device Manager -> Display* -> AMD* -> Details) I will check my *.INF files for the 7690M XT support. Incidentally, the "Intel Media Components" above and the Intel driver on the system are AMD signed (they have to be, it's an x64 Win O/S thing).