***Updating Mobile Graphics Cards Drivers (Windows 7 and Vista)***

[ViciousXUSMC]

I think AMD has pretty much said with any new releases just install the drivers, the installer will uninstall and install as needed.

I have done this the last 5 or 6 driver updates with no problems.

The last time I tried to be "geeky" and do a ultra clean driver install by removing it first, then running a driver cleaner in safe mode, rebooting, installing etc...

I had the same final effect on the drivers, but one major problem down the road.

I could not update to Win 7 SP1 on both my desktop & laptop because I was missing some core windows files that the driver cleaner programs wipe out.

So honestly I say never do the super clean method until you have a specific reason to do so like some kind of driver problem.

[Phistachio]

I think AMD has pretty much said with any new releases just install the drivers, the installer will uninstall and install as needed.

I have done this the last 5 or 6 driver updates with no problems.

The last time I tried to be "geeky" and do a ultra clean driver install by removing it first, then running a driver cleaner in safe mode, rebooting, installing etc...

I had the same final effect on the drivers, but one major problem down the road.

I could not update to Win 7 SP1 on both my desktop & laptop because I was missing some core windows files that the driver cleaner programs wipe out.

So honestly I say never do the super clean method until you have a specific reason to do so like some kind of driver problem.

I firstly did that way, but I had a HUGe FPS DECREASE, and when I did that super clean method, it actually made my FPS go super up.

[ViciousXUSMC]

I firstly did that way, but I had a HUGe FPS DECREASE, and when I did that super clean method, it actually made my FPS go super up.

And thus you just adhered to the recommendation I just made; Only to the "super clean" method when you have a problem.

So you should probably edit your post to reflect that, as for most people its not necessary and can cause just as many problems as it can solve. Thus if you have no problem there is no reason to do it.

[ronnieb]

I firstly did that way, but I had a HUGe FPS DECREASE, and when I did that super clean method, it actually made my FPS go super up.

Good guide, but I'd have to agree with vicious. If it really did cause a problem, ATI would either include its own "driver sweeper" within the uninstall manager, or suggest using driver sweeper. I have only been doing this super clean method recently, and I've noticed no difference really.

[granyte]

the super clean methode can cause the over clean issue where some part of the registry get damaged and you can't reinstal the ATI driver

we seen it hapen a couple time on multi GPU systems

[ViciousXUSMC]

the super clean methode can cause the over clean issue where some part of the registry get damaged and you can't reinstal the ATI driver

we seen it hapen a couple time on multi GPU systems

Happened to me a lot with my dual 4850 setup. Pain to get it working again.

[Falco152]

I always do clean install for my amd cards with the new user profile workaround.

I could never could get the install or upgrade on top to work correctly. I get major FPS decreases and my graphics look like the lowest quality regardless of settings.

Funny, it been doing this to all my cards past the x1000 series, desktop or mobile.

[Kevin]

I don't mess with CCleaner, any more. It's caused me driver related issues, ones where I had to go through the registry and delete every Nvidia entry by hand.

A few months later, I chalked it up as just bad luck, so I tried cleaning with it again. BOOM. Never in this lifetime will I again use that virus of a program.

[owler_OZ]

I don't mess with CCleaner, any more. It's caused me driver related issues, ones where I had to go through the registry and delete every Nvidia entry by hand.

A few months later, I chalked it up as just bad luck, so I tried cleaning with it again. BOOM. Never in this lifetime will I again use that virus of a program.

So which reg cleaner do you currently use?

[Painkilller]

I have an Alienware m17x r1, with the switchable graphics. Wouldn't it be just the same as updating the drivers on an unswitchable system, if I went into the bios and disabled the Intel chipset?

Then just follow the directions for an system without switchable graphics. Would that be correct? I HATE updating my graphics drivers because it seems like something always goes wrong. Only damn updates that ever give me a prob...