BootCamp AMD Graphics Driver Update issue with iMac (Win7 64)

Hello everyone,

I've been using Boot Camp for ages since my 2006 iMac and I'm having trouble with it with my 2011 iMac. My iMac is a 27" Early 2011 model with an i7 and the upgraded 2GB VRAM / Graphics option. So my graphics card is a Radeon HD 6970M (As listed by Apple). Maybe I've been using my PC for too long and forgot the exact process of upgrading the Apple BootCamp graphics drives to standard ATI/AMD ones (if that's still possible).

So I've had Borderlands installed on my iMac and it ran great on max settings etc. So I installed Battlefield 3 today and upon launch it says my AMD graphics drives were at version 11.1 and I should upgrade to 11.7 (or something similar). I ignored it at first but the pop-up was frustrating so I decided to download the new AMD drivers.

I uninstalled the existing drivers, so I'm left with Microsoft's Plug-N-Play driver with a stretched screen and a low resolution. Then I downloaded the AMD drivers (Desktop Drivers > Radeon HD > 6xxx model, Win 7 64 etc). I followed the installer and it says everything was installed successfully. But I do not see any of the usual ATI programs installed. I reboot again, still nothing.

Under 'Device Manager' my Displays tab is gone. And under Control Panel under displays it lists no information for my graphics card, it's just a standard plug-in-play monitor. Also if I try to update the driver manually it will tell me that the driver I have installed is the newest one available.

The installation folder (where the driver or suite is supposed to be installed) is empty. I've tried re-installing countless times, even when it says it was successful the folder is empty!!

I tried updating to Apple's BootCamp 3.3 update, but it says my system is already updated. I also tried to download just the AMD driver instead of the suite, but that also comes up with a 'successfull' install, but with nothing installed! I also tried the Laptop/Mobile driver, but it refuses to install saying I don't have the right hardware.

I guess my main question is: Is it possible to update the AMD Graphics driver using the regularly supplied AMD drivers? I remember doing this on my old iMac and I never had an issue. I hope it's the same...

Any help would be great, this is beyond frustrating.

Update: As of now I've reverted to the Apple provided drivers as I've had not luck with anything else.

Thanks!
-Steve

Thanks for the tip! Are the 11.8 drivers stable though? I'm assuming because they are beta / preview drivers they may not be. I read elsewhere someone had performance issues with them.

Currently I just rolled back to the Apple drivers. Thankfully BF3 will nag me about the drivers, but it doesn't prevent me from playing. Whew!

spcdust said:

I know this thread is a week old but you say you downloaded the Desktop Drivers, the 6970M in the iMac is a mobile GPU (otherwise called a notebook driver on the AMD website) and requires the mobile driver set:

Here's the drivers I have installed (released 31 October 2011)

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonmob_win7-64.aspx

Click to expand...

Thanks for the note. I'm aware the iMac is using a mobile GPU and requires the mobile drivers, when I last tried to install them I was brought to an installation screen but then was told that my graphics card was not supported. I'll try again when I get a chance.