iMac Can't Boot into Windows 10 After Graphics Driver Update

[barry.pearson]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue:

After installing Windows 10 Pro through Bootcamp on my 2017 27" iMac, I decided to run the Apple Software Update and saw two updates - one for WiFi (v6.1) and another for Graphics (v6.3). After installing the graphics update and restarting, Windows will no longer boot and hangs on the loading screen before kicking me to the Windows start-up repair screen.

I can't get back into Windows other than through safe mode, and I've completely reinstalled Windows through Bootcamp and attempted the update again - with the same result.

Has anyone else had this issue? It's really frustrating me and I wanted to try and use my MR headset but believe I need the graphics card to be up-to-date for it to work.

The full specifications of the iMac are:

• 2017 27" iMac
• Intel Core i5
• 8GB RAM
• 1TB Fusion Drive (partitioned as 700GB macOS and 300GB Windows 10)
• Radeon Pro 570 4GB

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Young Kai]

Did you reinstall with Creator's Update? This might not have anything to do with it, but I have almost the same machine as you except I have the Radeon Pro 580.

I hunted down an iso of Anniversary Update and installed the all of the updates I could, including the most recent AMD driver off of their website. Then two days ago, I got the Wi-Fi and Graphics update you mentioned, but I think the Graphics drivers were the same anyways. Even though I'm currently still on Anniversary Update(I just haven't had time to sit down and let it update), I have no problems booting into Windows.

When I first got my machine, any clean install with the Creator's Update caused my iMac to have the same issues you're having now.

 

[barry.pearson]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I think the iso from Microsoft's website is likely the Spring creators update from last year - this is also required for Mixed Reality headsets.

I will try and get an iso for the anniversary update, and see if I can install the driver and then update to the creators update and see if that works. It's somewhat annoying that the Apple update seems to kill the Windows install though...

 

[barry.pearson]

A quick update: installing the anniversary update and then installing the driver does not work. Installing AMD's software update tool doesn't detect the graphics card to update that way either.



If anyone else has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

 

[Young Kai]

Sorry to hear that didn’t work. After Windows 1607 finished installing, I installed the Boot Camp drivers and after that the AMD driver from here:

https://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop/bootcamp

I didn’t know AMD has a software update tool though.

 

[MandiMac]

If anyone else has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Try bootcampdrivers.com - his drivers usually work. Best of luck to you!

 

[barry.pearson]

Hey sorry to drag this topic back up, I've recently decided to try Bootcamp on my iMac again. I've also installed what I believe to be the most up-to-date drivers and software for the AMD Radeon Pro 570 (18.10) from AMD's website by selecting their Bootcamp drivers (https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/release-notes/apple-boot-camp).

Once again, any time I either shut down or restart, Windows 10 will fail to boot and send me to the startup recovery screen. I have found that by booting into safe mode, uninstalling or disabling the Radeon Pro 570 driver from device manager, and then restarting I can boot into Windows 10 without issue. Once in Windows 10 I can reinstall/enable the drivers and use them normally.

I can also disable the drivers from within Windows 10 proper before shutting down/restarting and this again will let Windows 10 boot normally where I can then re-enable them.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening, and any other solution than manually disabling/re-enabling them with each restart or shut down? Thanks in advance.

 

[MandiMac]

Hey sorry to drag this topic back up, I've recently decided to try Bootcamp on my iMac again. I've also installed what I believe to be the most up-to-date drivers and software for the AMD Radeon Pro 570 (18.10) from AMD's website by selecting their Bootcamp drivers (https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/release-notes/apple-boot-camp).

Once again, any time I either shut down or restart, Windows 10 will fail to boot and send me to the startup recovery screen. I have found that by booting into safe mode, uninstalling or disabling the Radeon Pro 570 driver from device manager, and then restarting I can boot into Windows 10 without issue. Once in Windows 10 I can reinstall/enable the drivers and use them normally.

I can also disable the drivers from within Windows 10 proper before shutting down/restarting and this again will let Windows 10 boot normally where I can then re-enable them.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening, and any other solution than manually disabling/re-enabling them with each restart or shut down? Thanks in advance.

I think that the official AMD drivers do not work. Matt‘s drivers from bootcampdrivers.com never failed me so far.

 

[barry.pearson]

I tried the drivers from bootcampdrivers.com without any luck. After installing the drivers I'm getting the same issue, booting into safe mode and disabling the driver no-longer works for getting into Windows 10 proper either. Now I get a BSoD with the error CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT.

This is driving me mad now. Urgh! Time to remove my bootcamp partition and start again

 

[cuppino]

download the latest version of the driver from bootcampdriver, disconnect any internet connection (and re-enable it only when you read it in these steps), restart in safe mode without a network, use the utility inserted in the drivers you just downloaded to remove the amd drivers, restart in windows normally, install the drivers you have downloaded, at the end restart your computer and you can also reactivate the internet.
Follow everything to the letter and 100% works.

 

[robert109]

I tried the drivers from bootcampdrivers.com without any luck. After installing the drivers I'm getting the same issue, booting into safe mode and disabling the driver no-longer works for getting into Windows 10 proper either. Now I get a BSoD with the error CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT.

This is driving me mad now. Urgh! Time to remove my bootcamp partition and start again

I'm having exact the same issue. I also found the graphics driver is the culprit. Every time if Windows could not boot I went to the safe mode and uninstalled the graphic driver, then everything worked. But this makes it hard to use some graphic intense apps like games. I have to install the AMD drivers every time and then uninstall it before shutting down the device.

After reading your post I also tried the driver from bootcampdrivers.com, same, no luck. Is there any update from you since then? I saw some others saying that use an older version of Windows 10 like 1703 may work. How do you solve this issue? Thanks a lot!