AMD FX series User manual

AMD FX™ Series Processors
User Guide

AMD FX™ Processors unlock maximum, unrestrained processing performance for extreme
responsiveness you can see and feel.
Maximum Performance
The industry's first 8-core desktop processor
Overclock with easy to use AMD Overdrive™ technology4
Supreme power available from virtually every core configuration –also available in 6- and 4-core
variants
Aggressive performance for mega-tasking and intensive applications like video editing and 3D
modeling
Innovative Architecture
The industry's first native 8-core desktop processor for unmatched multitasking and pure core
performance with "Bulldozer" architecture
Can deliver the performance you need without raising power requirements
An Industry Leader in Price for the Performance
Unlocked processors allow the maximum in tunable performance4
AMD Turbo Core technology5dynamically adjusts performance to give you the best experience,
no matter what you are doing
Get superior performance at a competitive price with unlocked technology
Table of Contents
Introduction
Locating a driver
AMD Driver Autodetect Tool
AMD Driver Selector Menu
Installing, Reinstalling, or Updating the AMD Catalyst™ Graphics Driver
How-To Debug Driver Installation Problems
Introduction
Before selecting a driver, first consider your circumstance and determine if you need to install,
reinstall, or update the driver. Steps to install the display driver will vary depending on the
circumstances.
Here are some reasons to install or reinstall a display driver:
New install or upgrade of the operating system
Resolve display issues or error messages that may be related to missing/corrupt files associated with the
driver

Here are some reasons to update an existing display driver:
Confirm compatibility and functionality with a newly installed graphics card
Support a newly installed software i.e.; 3D games, design/productivity applications, and
plug-ins
Obtain bug fixes, new features, and performance improvements.
NOTE: Updating the graphics driver is not required even though a newer version is
available. If there are no issues with the performance of your system, software, and graphics
hardware, then updating the graphics driver is not recommended.
Now that the reasons to install/reinstall or update a graphics driver have been covered. Let us
explore the available methods for locating a compatible driver on the AMD website and
understand when and why to use each method.
Locating a Driver
There are currently two methods for locating a compatible graphics driver, both will be covered
in more detail below, they are:
1. AMD Driver Autodetect Tool
2. AMD Driver Download Page
NOTE: AMD also provides drivers for other non-graphics products it designs such as: RAID,
motherboard chipsets, and audio. Although drivers for these products are available for download
from the AMD website, the installation and configuration support is provided by the system
vendor or motherboard manufacturer. For a list of AMD Partners and their corresponding
websites, refer to KB article: GPU 91
AMD Driver Autodetect Tool
The Autodetect tool is a small application that does not need to be installed. It is the
recommended method for installing or updating the graphics driver. The tool is designed to
provide only the latest official AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver.
The tool is designed to detect the model of the AMD graphics card and the version of the
Microsoft® Windows operating system installed in your computer. If a new driver is available,
the tool is designed to help you download it. After a successful download of the driver, the tool
will provide you an option to install it.

If your system is not running Microsoft Windows or you are looking for an earlier driver or the
latest beta driver, you can manually search for it on the AMD Driver Download
page. Information on how to use the AMD Driver Download page is covered in the next section
of this article.
To access more information about using the Autodetect tool and the link to download it, visit the
AMD Driver Autodetect Tool page.
NOTE: If the Autodetect tool doesn't locate a matching driver for your AMD graphics card
and/or operating system, it could be that a driver is not available due to compatibility issues. The
graphics hardware does not meet all the requirements of the operating system or vice
versa. Another possible reason is that the graphics hardware or operating system has reached
end of life and support has been discontinued. More information can be found in the following
KB article: GPU 125
AMD Driver Download Page
If a driver is not found using the first method, you have an option to search for a compatible
driver using the selector menu on AMD's driver download page. The driver selector menu
allows you to specify your AMD graphics product, model, and operating system to search for the
latest compatible driver. If a matching driver is found, it will take you the driver download page
containing information about the driver, release notes, and the file download link.
This method is effective only if you know your AMD graphics product, model, and operating
system. If you know your graphics product, model, and operating system and would like to learn
how to use the driver selector menu to locate a matching driver, please follow the guide: How to
find the latest drivers for an AMD graphics card
To proceed directly to the AMD Driver Download page, visit: www.amd.com/drivers
If you are unsure of your AMD graphics product, model, and/or operating system, the section
below will explain how that information can be obtained and selected from the driver download
page.
First let's understand the different types of AMD graphics products in its lineup. Choose your
graphics product and the system it's used in from the list below:
APU (Accelerated Processing Unit): These are processors that combine the CPU and
the graphics processor (GPU) on a single chip. APUs are commonly used in desktop
PCs, mobile notebooks, and workstation systems. The AMD A-Series APU is an
example.
Desktop Graphics: This technology is commonly used in home desktop PCs. The AMD
Radeon™ HD series graphics cards are examples.

Notebook Graphics: This technology is typically used in notebooks/laptops. The AMD
Mobility Radeon™ HD series graphics cards are examples.
TV Tuner Products: This refers to devices that allow desktop computers and notebooks
to receive live broadcast video and HDTV content. AMD TV Wonder™ 750 series tuner
cards are examples.
Workstation Graphics: Workstation graphics technology is commonly found in
computers used for business purposes. They are designed for use in the Computer Aided
Design (CAD), Digital Content Creation (DCC) and simulation markets. AMD FirePro™
series graphics cards is an example.
Integrated Motherboard Graphics: These graphics components are integrated into the
motherboard of a computer system. The AMD Radeon™ HD4290 series graphics cards
are examples.
Embedded Graphics: This graphics technology is found in products built to deliver the
high performance of desktop graphics for embedded applications often found in smaller
form or thin clients. AMD 785E and AMD 780E graphics processors are examples.
MAC Graphics: These are graphics products used in MAC computers. Apple Boot
Camp drivers can be found in this product category.
The next selections on the menu are the graphics family and model. If you're unsure of the exact
AMD graphics product you have, you can find it by reviewing the KB article: How-To Identify
the Manufacturer and Model of an AMD Graphics Card.
The last selection on the menu selection is the operating system. You must specify the operating
system and version in order to search for a matching driver. To determine your Microsoft®
Windows operating system version, take a look at Microsoft's KB article: Which Windows
operating system am I running?
After you obtain the information about your AMD graphics product, for step by step instructions
on how to use the driver selector menu to locate a matching driver, please refer to: How to find
the latest drivers for an AMD graphics card
NOTE: If you are unable to find a driver by selecting your combination of AMD graphics
product and operating system from the menu, it may be due to compatibility issues, such as the
graphics hardware not meeting all the requirements of the operating system or vice
versa. Another possible reason is that the graphics hardware or operating system has reached
end of life and support has been discontinued. More information can be found in the following
KB article: GPU 125
Installing, Reinstalling, or Updating the AMD Catalyst™ Driver
This section provides information on how to install, reinstall, or update the AMD Catalyst™
graphics driver and best practice procedures to consider when performing these actions.

Installing or updating a new driver:
For systems running Windows operating system, a driver install or update requires that the
operating system is up to date with the latest service pack and Microsoft® .Net Framework. To
check whether your Windows is up to date and the latest Microsoft.Net Framework is installed,
please visit the Microsoft online article about Windows Update.
Once you have determined that the operating system is up to date, you may proceed with
installing or updating the driver. This can be done by simply double clicking the executable file.
Instructions for installing AMD Catalyst™ drivers on a Windows-based system can be found in
the article: How-To Install AMD Catalyst™ Drivers For A Windows® Based System
NOTE: Users with systems running any version of Windows XP and Vista MUST uninstall the
existing driver before reinstalling or updating the driver. For instructions on how to uninstall an
existing AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver on a Windows based system, follow this guide: How-
To Uninstall AMD Catalyst™ Drivers From A Windows® Based System.
Reinstalling an existing driver:
To troubleshoot driver related issues by reinstalling the existing driver, it is recommended to
ALWAYS uninstall the problematic driver first. However, before beginning the uninstall
process it is recommended to ensure that Windows is up to date.
To check whether your Windows is up to date and the latest Microsoft® .Net Framework is
installed, please visit the Microsoft online article about Windows Update.
If Windows and its components are up to date, next proceed with uninstalling the graphics
driver. For instructions on how to uninstall an existing AMD Catalyst™ graphics driver on a
Windows based system, follow the guide: How-To Uninstall AMD Catalyst™ Drivers From A
Windows® Based System.
After the problematic driver has been uninstalled the driver package may be
reinstalled. Instructions for installing AMD Catalyst™ drivers on Windows based system can be
found in the article: How-To Install AMD Catalyst™ Drivers For A Windows® Based System
How-To Debug Driver Installation Problems
This last section covers potential issues that may cause the driver installation to fail and
troubleshooting steps to resolve the install problems.
Driver installation failures may be caused by the following:
The system not meeting the requirements of the graphics hardware and/or driver

An outdated operating system or a missing required component such as the Microsoft®
.Net Framework
A corrupt system registry and existing driver files
A background application such as antivirus preventing the driver installation
If the driver installation encounters a problem or an error preventing the process to complete, or
the driver fails to load after installation, then it is recommended to perform the steps below:
Ensure the system meets the requirements for the graphics hardware and/or driver
oRequirements for AMD graphics products can be found on the AMD Product
Page
oRequirements for AMD Catalyst™ graphics drivers can be found in the release
notes located on the driver download page
Perform all available updates to the operating system
oFor Windows visit: Windows Update
Use a third party cleaning tool (e.g. Driver Sweeper or CC Cleaner) to remove any remaining
AMD graphics driver entries, affected registry entries, and corrupted files prior to
installation of the AMD Catalyst™ driver. For support using these tools, please contact
the respective software company that provides them.
Temporarily disable the antivirus until the graphics driver has been successfully installed
These troubleshooting steps can resolve most driver installation problems. If the steps suggested
did not fix your driver installation issue, check the AMD Graphics Drivers and Software
Download and Installation FAQ.
Additional information resources can be found searching:
AMD Support and Game Forums
Top driver issues knowledgebase
AMD Catalyst™ driver release notes (located on the driver download page)
AMD FX™ Processors
Experience unmatched multitasking and pure core performance with the industry's first 8-core
desktop processor, unlocked for your overclocking pleasure.1Push your core frequencies to the
limit for the speed you crave with AMD Turbo Core technology.5Go beyond the limits of flat-
out speed with easy-to-use AMD OverDrive™ technology. Get all this impressive performance
at an unbelievable price.
AMD FX™ 8-Core Processors
The industry's first native 8-core desktop processor for unmatched multitasking and pure core
performance with "Bulldozer" architecture.

Features and Benefits
Each AMD FX™ Processor in a box comes with:
A high-performance AMD processor
AMD-qualified heat sink and fan with thermal interface
Installation manual
AMD processor case sticker
Certificate of authenticity
Three-year limited warranty
AMD PIB Package Benefits
Each PIB is bar-coded for scanning and data tracking.
Tamper-resistant packaging helps ensure processor authenticity.
*Featuring a 220 Watt TDP, the AMD FX™ 9000 Series processors have special
system requirements including a robust liquid cooling system. For more
information, see the AMD FX™ 9000 Series system requirements page.
AMD64 Technology
Yes
Simultaneous 32- & 64-bit computing
Yes
L1 Cache (Instruction + Data) per core
128KB (64KB + 64KB)
L2 Cache (1MB per core)
8MB or 6MB or 4MB
L3 Cache
8MB (shared L3)
HyperTransport™ Technology
HyperTransport™ Technology up to 4000MT/s
full duplex, or up to 16.0GB/s I/O Bandwidth
Integrated DDR3 Memory Controller
Yes
Memory Controller Width
128-bit
Type of Memory Supported
Up to DDR3 1866
Memory Bandwidth
Up to 21 GB/s dual channel memory bandwidth
Total Processor-to-system Bandwidth
(HyperTransport plus memory bandwidth)
Up to 37 GB/s
Process Technology
32 nanometer, SOI (silicon-on-insulator)
Technology
Packaging
AM3+
Thermal Design Power
220W, 125W, & 95W
Manufacturing Sites
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Dresden, Germany

How-To Identify the Manufacturer and
Model of an AMD Graphics Card
This article provides instructions on how to identify the model and manufacturer of an AMD
graphics card, which may help with troubleshooting a technical issue, locating the appropriate
graphics drivers, or validating a warranty submission.
For systems with the graphics driver already installed, there are two methods that the model of
an AMD graphics card can be found:
1. Using the AMD Radeon Settings
2. Using the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center
3. Using the Device Manager
To identify the manufacturer and model of an AMD graphics card, the following methods can
be used:
1. By physical inspection
2. Using the Subsystem Vendor ID and Device ID of the graphics card
Using the AMD Radeon Settings:
Provided that the graphics drivers are correctly installed and functioning, the model of the graphics card
may be found using the AMD Radeon Settings.
Open the AMD Radeon Settings by Right-clicking on any empty space on the desktop. From the
menu select AMD Radeon Settings.

In the AMD Radeon Settings click System located on the top right corner.
Click the Hardware tab located on the top right corner
The Graphics Chipset information should indicate the model of the graphics card.

Using the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center:
Provided that the graphics drivers are correctly installed and functioning, the model of the
graphics card may be found using the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center.
Open the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center by opening the Start menu and select
Search. In the Search box type "AMD Catalyst Control Center", then click on the AMD
Catalyst Control Center icon.
The AMD Catalyst Control Center can also be opened by right clicking any empty space
on the desktop and from the menu select AMD Catalyst Control Center.
If the AMD Catalyst Control Center is in Standard View mode, then scroll down to
Information, select Product Summary, then select Hardware. The Graphics Chipset
should indicate the model of the graphics card.

If the AMD Catalyst Control Center is in Advance View mode, click on the Information tab located
on the left side menu, then click Hardware. The Graphics Chipset should indicate the model of the
graphics card.

Using the Device Manager:
Provided that the graphics drivers are correctly installed and functioning, the model of the
graphics card may be found using the Device Manager.
Click on the Start button
Type in devmgmt.msc by using the Run command or Device Manager in the Search field
Click OK or press Enter
Click Display adapters to expand
The graphics card model number should appear under Display adapters

By physical inspection:
The manufacturer or model of the graphics card should be located in one of two places.
The manufacturer name and logo and the graphics card model should be printed somewhere on the
retail packaging of the product.
The model number should be printed on the barcode sticker located on the back of the graphics
card.

Using the Subsystem Vendor ID and Device ID of the graphics card:
The manufacturer and model of the graphics card may be identified using its Subsystem Vendor
ID and Device ID, respectively. This method can be used on a system that does not have the
graphics driver installed.
The graphics card Subsystem Vendor ID and Device ID may be located using the Windows®
System Information tool.
To access the Windows® System Information tool:
Click Start and type System Information in the Search field.
Select System Information from the results
Expand Components and select Display
Note the PNP Device ID value on the right window pane
In the example shown below the PNP Device ID value is:
PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9802&SUBSYS_21DF17AA&REV_00\...

NOTE: For the purpose of identifying the graphics card manufacturer and model, only the DEV
and SUBSYS segment values will be used.
NOTE: Only the last four alphanumeric characters in the SUBSYS string segment are used to
determine the Subsystem Vendor ID.
The highlighted segment in the value string indicates that the graphics card Device ID is 9802,
and the Subsystem Vendor ID is 17AA.
PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9802&SUBSYS_21DF17AA&REV_00\...
Once the graphics card Subsystem Vendor ID has been found, match it to the list below of
manufacturers to identify the manufacturer or origin of the graphics card.
Subsystem Vendor ID
Manufacturer
1043
ASUSTeK
196D
Club 3D
1092
Diamond Multimedia
18BC
GeCube

1458
Gigabyte
17AF
HIS
16F3
Jetway
1462
MSI
174B
Sapphire
148C
PowerColor
1545
VisionTek
1682
XFX
1025
Acer
106B
Apple
1028
Dell
107B
Gateway
103C
HP
17AA
Lenovo
104D
Sony
1179
Toshiba
To identify the model of the graphics card using its Device ID, refer to a 3rd party resource:
PCIDatabase.
On the PCIDatabase website, enter the graphics card Device ID with the "0x" prefix in the
Device Search field and click Search (as shown below).
The results should provide the model of the graphics card. For example: Using the Device ID
9802, the model of the graphics card is identified as AMD Radeon™ HD 6310.

How-To Uninstall AMD Radeon™ Software
from a Windows® Based System
Article Number: GPU-629
This article provides step by step instructions on how to uninstall the AMD Radeon™ Software
from a Windows® based system.
1. Start by opening the Control Panel
For Windows® 10/8.1, right-click on the Windows button and select Control
Panel from the Context Menu

For Windows® 7, click on the Windows button and select Control Panel from
the Start Menu
2. In the Control Panel select Programs and Features

3. Select AMD Install Manager and then click Uninstall/Change