Troubleshoot 173 in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
What to do first
Record 173, verify the affected product and environment, correct the confirmed prerequisite, and retry once under the same conditions.
This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.
Affected products and symptoms
- Product
- AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
- Versions and conditions
- Windows 10 / 11, AMD Radeon Graphics
- Error codes and identifiers
- 173
Symptoms
- The operation fails with 173.
- The same failure is reproducible in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
Causes and conditions
The official article identifies a product, compatibility, storage, update, network, file, or configuration condition that must be resolved before retrying.
Before you start
- Close applications and record the exact PC or GPU model, Windows build, current driver version, and complete error.
- For a laptop or branded PC, check its model support page and obtain a recovery OEM driver before making changes.
Precautions
- Use signed GPU or PC-maker packages, not unofficial drivers, individual DLL downloads, or registry tools.
- Do not open a laptop or bulk-remove a healthy multi-GPU configuration that includes integrated graphics.
Step-by-step instructions
Right-click Start, open Device Manager, and expand Display adapters. If only Microsoft Basic Display Adapter appears or a yellow warning is listed under Other devices, resolve that condition before retrying error 173.
For a desktop, power down, unplug it, and follow the product manual to check card seating, auxiliary power, and display cabling. Do not open a warranty-covered laptop; record the Device status code for any warning.
Restart Windows and verify the actual AMD GPU name appears in Device Manager. Run AMD Software Installer only then; success means error 173 is gone and driver installation completes.
If the GPU never appears in firmware or Device Manager, stop reinstalling drivers and give the card or PC maker the model, power configuration, and device status.
Check the result
- 173 no longer appears and the operation completes.
- The selected version and settings remain after restart.
- A second test shows no new display, input, save, or synchronization problem.
If the problem continues
- Restore reversible settings from the notes and escalate without deleting user data.
- Prefer the PC maker or administrator procedure for OEM drivers and managed networks.
- Protect account names, tokens, and save contents before sharing logs.
Scope of this guide
Troubleshooting guide — A general diagnostic guide based on official support. It does not claim a current incident or a version-specific fix.
Frequently asked questions
Can error 173 occur when only Microsoft Basic Display Adapter appears?
Yes. The installer may not identify supported AMD hardware, so inspect hardware IDs and Device status first.
Should I ignore a yellow warning and install anyway?
No. Record and resolve its Device Manager code first, then rerun the installer as AMD directs.
Official sources and dates
Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.
Related troubleshooting guides
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