AMD releases driver update for excessive system-drive writes

AMD has released an optional Adrenalin Edition 26.11.1 driver update that its release notes say fixes excessive system-drive writes while a computer is idle and while application windows are moved or resized. The idle-write fix is listed for Radeon RX 7000-series and newer graphics products; the window-related fix is not described as GPU-specific.

The issue drew attention after Radeon users reported that an AMD background process, AMD External Events Client Module, was writing continuously to system storage. One report said users had observed process write rates of up to 5 megabytes per second. That figure describes reported process activity, not confirmed data written to an SSD, and the effect on drive health was unclear.

The update is optional, so users must download and install it themselves. AMD’s release notes list both write-related problems among the fixed issues, but the reports do not include independent testing showing whether the update stops the activity on affected systems.

AMD’s stated idle-write fix covers RX 7000-series and newer products. Some user reports mentioned RX 6000-series cards, but the release notes do not establish whether those models are affected or...