How to install GOOD video drivers on late 2011 MBP??

[teknikal90]

Hey all,

I've asked this questions on a number of sub threads, but I can't seem to get a more direct solution.
Just wondering if anyone has managed to replace the bootcamp video drivers with ATI's 11.10 catalyst?
I'm trying to play BF3 and I'm aware the new drivers contain optimisations for that game. Specs as in sig.
Cheers

 

[teknikal90]

after a bit of digging, I found this site:

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/mobil...0-display-drivers-notebooks-31-10-2011-a.html

Thought to post it here as in case someone else who just bought the new MacBooks find themselves to be in the same position..

 

[EtherealMAC]

Teknikal, I'm interested in your situation cuz I'm about to buy a Late 2011 MBP.

Here's something that may work ( yes i know it is a pain to do what I'm about to tell you, but If i were you this is what I would try):

1- If your Win 7 installer DVD does not include the latest service pack (SP1 if I am not mistaken, there might be already a SP2 though, if so download SP2). Before doing what I'm about to tell you download the SP directly from microsoft's website and put it on some USB pen drive or external HDD, one that a fresh installation of Win 7 would be able to read right away.
2- Download the latest Catalyst drivers for the 6770m, put these on the USB drive or external HDD mentioned in #1
3- Wipe the windows partition
4- Re-install from scratch Win 7
5- DO NOT INSTALL THE BOOTCAMP DRIVERS THAT CAME WITH YOUR MBP YET. You wont be able to use the trackpad, wont be able to use the ethernet nor wieless internet, u may not have any sound, u wont be able to control screen brightness, etc. Yes I know all of this will be a pain... for just alittle while, bear with it for just a little while, the priority is to install the GPU drivers before EVERYTHING ELSE. Use a stock usb mouse to navigate your un-drivered Win7 bootcamp partition.
6- Run the service pack installer u put on the USB drive or ext HDD that u got on #1. If your win7 installation has already this service pack, then skip this step.
7- Install the latest catalyst driver that u got on #2.
8- After (hopefully) having the 6770m GPU recognized, up and running, then run the bootcamp driver installer that came with your MBP.
9- Likely, the ATI gpu installer that came with you MBP will recognize that your machine has a newer drive, and hence, it wont install.
10 - After your bootcamp win7 partition is all drivered up and working like a breeze, give yourself some BF3 goodness.
11 - Then come here to this thread and post how it all worked out.

I know its a bit of stretch, but honestly this is what I would do if i were you. This method is based on the premise that you may have been having trouble installing the newest ATI driver because perhaps the older ones that came with the MBP do not allow the new ones to install. Yes I know you already tried uninstalling via the ATI uninstaller, and that you already used Driversweeper. Still, using these two doesn't guarantee that everything that the apple installer profiled about your gpu was wiped. This is why u need to do this under a fresh win 7 install.

 

[StevenQ]

Hi, I've gone through the exact same thing as you yesterday Installed BF3 and wondered about how to update the AMD drivers. Well, I somehow managed to do it.

1. Uninstall old AMD drivers. I think it can be done if you open up the device manager, choose your graphics card and click on 'uninstall' in the driver-tab.
I extracted the AMD drivers and clicked on 'remove' instead of 'install' to get rid of the old drivers. However you're going to do it, wait for it to uninstall, then restart.

2. I've read that you should run Driver Sweeper in order to completely remove the AMD stuff. So I did and rebooted once again.

3. Now install the new AMD drivers. I dl'd and installed my 11.10 from here: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/mobil...0-display-drivers-notebooks-31-10-2011-a.html

Don't know If these are the right and most up-to-date ones. Would be nice If someone could approve these. Anyway, install the new drivers and you should be good to go.

Cheers

 

[iMacDragon]

Hi, I've gone through the exact same thing as you yesterday Installed BF3 and wondered about how to update the AMD drivers. Well, I somehow managed to do it.

1. Uninstall old AMD drivers. I think it can be done if you open up the device manager, choose your graphics card and click on 'uninstall' in the driver-tab.
I extracted the AMD drivers and clicked on 'remove' instead of 'install' to get rid of the old drivers. However you're going to do it, wait for it to uninstall, then restart.

2. I've read that you should run Driver Sweeper in order to completely remove the AMD stuff. So I did and rebooted once again.

3. Now install the new AMD drivers. I dl'd and installed my 11.10 from here: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/mobil...0-display-drivers-notebooks-31-10-2011-a.html

Don't know If these are the right and most up-to-date ones. Would be nice If someone could approve these. Anyway, install the new drivers and you should be good to go.

Cheers

They are, you can always get them direct from amd site, but for some reason they don't link directly to them, so have to find the current driver url and edit it so it ends _dd_ccc.exe the dd bit is the key, as it means the download includes the actual drivers.

 

[dusk007]

It would be a new problem if reinstalling Windows was really necessary.
All one ever needed to do is uninstall the driver remove it from the HDD (there are tools and it works manually too). You need to remove the files because otherwise Windows automaticall often installs the driver again after the restart, although it is possible to keep it from doing that but I think more trouble than just deleting the stuff.
Install new drivers. Restart and it works if the drivers work. In my experience some drivers cause BSOD in some games. Finding a stable one is sometimes no easy feat.