🛈 Announcement
Greetings! Far Cry forums are now archived and accessible in read-only mode, please go to the new platform to discuss the game.
  1. #1
    Nitrotoluene's Avatar Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Newcastle, Australia
    Posts
    137

    NVidia driver 344.80 - does it solve FC4 freeze/black screen problems for you?

    At the time of posting, the most recent WQHL-authenticated driver is 344.75. It was billed as doing great things for Far Cry 4. However I found it caused frequent freezes, black screens and unrequested re-boots. I've seen posts on various forums, including nVidia's, saying the same thing.

    How do I know this driver was the cause? Well, following advice from NVidia itself, I got myself a copy of a nice freeware utility called "WhoCrashed" which analyses your most recent crashes and points a finger at the likely culprit. Here is its conclusion;


    Conclusion

    3 crash dumps have been found and analyzed. A third party driver has been identified to be causing system crashes on your computer. It is strongly suggested that you check for updates for these drivers on their company websites. Click on the links below to search with Google for updates for these drivers:

    nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.75 ,
    NVIDIA Corporation)




    On that basis, I have downloaded nVidia's latest driver, 344.80 (described as a hotfix, not yet WHQL signed) and thought I would give it a shot. I'll probably report back here with how it goes for me, but feedback from others who have tried it might be useful.

    LATER EDIT: 344.80 was even worse than 344.75. Instead of bombing out during the game, it crashed at the start, when clicking on the "Continue game in Offline mode". Maybe I'll go all the way back to 344.65....

    Share this post

  2. #2
    Originally Posted by Nitrotoluene Go to original post
    At the time of posting, the most recent WQHL-authenticated driver is 344.75. It was billed as doing great things for Far Cry 4. However I found it caused frequent freezes, black screens and unrequested re-boots. I've seen posts on various forums, including nVidia's, saying the same thing.

    How do I know this driver was the cause? Well, following advice from NVidia itself, I got myself a copy of a nice freeware utility called "WhoCrashed" which analyses your most recent crashes and points a finger at the likely culprit. Here is its conclusion;


    Conclusion

    3 crash dumps have been found and analyzed. A third party driver has been identified to be causing system crashes on your computer. It is strongly suggested that you check for updates for these drivers on their company websites. Click on the links below to search with Google for updates for these drivers:

    nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 344.75 ,
    NVIDIA Corporation)




    On that basis, I have downloaded nVidia's latest driver, 344.80 (described as a hotfix, not yet WHQL signed) and thought I would give it a shot. I'll probably report back here with how it goes for me, but feedback from others who have tried it might be useful.

    LATER EDIT: 344.80 was even worse than 344.75. Instead of bombing out during the game, it crashed at the start, when clicking on the "Continue game in Offline mode". Maybe I'll go all the way back to 344.65....


    Far Cry 4, on the PC, is stuttering because of a 'streaming issue' I believe, which means the problem is on Ubisoft's end.

    I believe that the next patch... 1.5... will be vital. And I mean vital.

    If 1.5 doesn't solve most of the issues, then I fear that Far Cry 4 will never run as well as Far Cry 3 does. The next patch is going to be hugely important.
    Share this post

  3. #3
    aruler's Avatar Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    90
    I tried the 344.80 GPU driver and it worked ok with FC4 and AC Unity, although i'm back on the 344.75 but only installed the GPU driver and PhysX, sometimes i just install the GPU driver only if i don't play any PhysX games.
    Share this post

  4. #4
    I won't assume that you knew this, but for the sake of those reading this forum the 344.80 hotfix drivers were for the 980's to address texture flickering. It may work on other cards? .. but just so that it's documented here, it was developed card specific.
    Share this post

  5. #5
    GiveMeTactical's Avatar Banned
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Posts
    4,501
    You can blame Nvidia drivers for all you care, bottom line is, even if you try to polish a Turd, at the end of the day and underneath that polish, what you still have is a TURD.

    There is some tinkering you can do to your GamerProfile and within the options of the game to get rid of most of the bigger annoying issues with the game (Wikis, etc... google is your friend) but if you are thinking that patch 1.5 is the Patches of ALL magical patches I have a nice Condo on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge that I am selling for cheap.
    Share this post

  6. #6
    Nitrotoluene's Avatar Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Newcastle, Australia
    Posts
    137
    Originally Posted by Stockdale50 Go to original post
    I won't assume that you knew this, but for the sake of those reading this forum the 344.80 hotfix drivers were for the 980's to address texture flickering. It may work on other cards? .. but just so that it's documented here, it was developed card specific.
    You're right, I didn't know 344.80 was aimed only at 980 cards, so thanks for pointing that out. I'll stick with authenticated drivers only from now on. I guess I was confused by the fact that everything on my PC just went to hell after I installed FC4 and the 344.75 driver on the same day, so I wasn't sure which of those was the culprit. Actually, I'm still not sure.

    I suppose my only option is to hope this 1.5 patch fixes things.
    Share this post

  7. #7
    BWX232's Avatar Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    714
    Yeah just a hotfix for specific GTX980 problems by the looks of it.
    http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answe...-driver-344.80
    Share this post

  8. #8
    Your welcome Nitrotuluene. Sorry they didn't work out .. but after 1.5 patch I have more texture flickering myself. I'm not going to get bent about it, but nvidia is due for a driver fix soon ... I should think?

    BWX232, did you see my last response to you regarding a possible work around solution (option) for scroll wheel weapons selection in your thread?
    Share this post

  9. #9
    Forget that last line BWX232, I see the thread was locked. Why on earth it was locked is beyond me. I understand the bait threads, but it looked as though we got though them. That said, I recall you being very helpful in FC3 threads. Continue on that path my friend. Try to Ignore the bait threads, they are non productive. (I can't always follow my own advice either) ... so that it's said.

    On topic, it just seems I've seen some threads were the quick fix drivers didn't help everyone either. I'm holding out for another driver from Nvidia pretty soon.
    Share this post