AMD fixes bug in Radeon GPU drivers that can corrupt Windows installations

AMD confirms the existence of a GPU driver bug that can corrupt Windows installations. The company says the bug occurs in an “extremely small number of cases.” The bug is in the February Adrenalin driver versions.

AMD confirms the reports opposite tech website PCWorld. There, a Windows installation was damaged beyond repair after the website encountered the bug. The bug was reportedly introduced in Adrenalin 23.2.1 in mid-February and is also included in the newer 23.2.2 release. After the bug, PCWorld was no longer able to start its Windows installation. There have been sporadic reports for some time about users who were left with a corrupt Windows installation after a Radeon driver update.

AMD tells PCWorld that this is a rare problem. The company says that the bug can occur if a PC update occurs during the installation of the Adrenalin drivers. AMD is investigating the bug. In the meantime, it is recommended to install or pause all system updates before updating their drivers. Users are also advised to disable the ‘factory reset’ option during a driver update. AMD hopes to come up with a permanent solution ‘as soon as possible’.

PCWorld was able to solve the problem at AMD’s suggestion by forcing a Windows system restore. The website did this by pressing the power button on his PC after the BIOS options disappeared, but before the Windows circle appeared. The website said it took fifteen attempts. It is also possible to completely reinstall Windows.

Users are advised to disable the ‘factory reset’ option.