AMD Releases Adrenalin Edition 22.6.1 Graphics Driver for Windows 7

AMD has launched a new Adrenalin Edition version 22.6.1 driver for Windows 7 that fixes a problem where users couldn't install driver software for powerful modern RDNA 2 GPU-based products "such as the Radeon RX 6900 XT." Unlike contemporary AMD drivers, this legacy release also supports Radeon GPUs going back to the HD 6000 series (2010).

First of all, many readers might be wondering why AMD is releasing a Windows 7 driver in mid-2022. Windows 7 mainstream support ended back in January 2020, but there are still a significant number of users of this legacy OS, and some are still receiving Extended Security Updates (ESU) via a paid service from Microsoft. Some of these folk might be sticklers for the old OS, but want to make use of AMD's latest and greatest GPUs. Windows 7 ESU updates won't last forever though; Microsoft will cease this extended service in January 2023.

As we don't run any Windows 7 systems anymore, we don't know which modern graphics cards were facing the failure to install driver issues AMD mentions in its release notes. In the notes AMD says that a particular fix in the new driver addresses an issue where "AMD Radeon Software may fail to install on some AMD Graphics Products such as the Radeon RX 6900 XT." This makes one wonder about issues with the likes of the RX 6950 XT, for example.

Latest Videos FromTom's Hardware

Watch full video here:

Current Windows 10 and Windows 11 Radeon drivers don't have support extending back beyond the Polaris GPUs – so the Radeon RX 400 series (2016) are the oldest supported products. The latest Radeon Software: Adrenalin Edition release for Win 10/11 is version 22.5.2. However, if you have Windows 10 64-bit and want extended legacy hardware support (going back to the Radeon HD 7000 series, from 2012), there is an AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition version 22.6.1 version available for you too, if you search AMD's driver site.

TOPICS

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

3 Comments Comment from the forums

Cyberat_88

Soooo... it does nothing for my RX-570, does not fix the bugged out Java based driver problems of the past or present. What good is it for ?
Bugs as of 21.5.2 (last for Win 7):
ULPS on by default must eradicate it from registry.
Driver software will not load on startup unless forced.
Driver software crashes on boot blank rectangle, software unresponsive, will recover only on End Process.
Driver software does not open at all. I don't even remember the Sorcery I did to bypass this problem.
Driver crashes in games or crashes games, does not maintain the HW frequency, voltage or cooling fans settings or otherwise its own programming. (No OC)
Java Programming makes it move like gorilla glue while in menus.
Reply
spongiemaster

Cyberat Rodent said:
Soooo... it does nothing for my RX-570, does not fix the bugged out Java based driver problems of the past or present. What good is it for ?
Bugs as of 21.5.2 (last for Win 7):
ULPS on by default must eradicate it from registry.
Driver software will not load on startup unless forced.
Driver software crashes on boot blank rectangle, software unresponsive, will recover only on End Process.
Driver software does not open at all. I don't even remember the Sorcery I did to bypass this problem.
Driver crashes in games or crashes games, does not maintain the HW frequency, voltage or cooling fans settings or otherwise its own programming. (No OC)
Java Programming makes it move like gorilla glue while in menus.
AMD cards age like a fine wine. Windows 7 is only 12 years old. Why would you expect critical bugs like above to be fixed so quickly? Stop being so impatient and just wait for the magic to happen.
Reply
Daniel Howard14

Does this driver have directx improvement?
Reply