nvidia driver woes: are black screens and game crashes here to stay?
Santa Clara, Tuesday, 22 April 2025.
nvidia users are reporting persistent issues with gpu drivers. Problems include black screens, game crashes, and general instability. These issues started four months ago with the rtx 50-series launch. The newest 576.02 driver has at least 15 open issues. Some users report their asus rog astral rtx 5090’s temperature sensors are stuck at 25 degrees celsius. Rolling back to older drivers seems to be the only solution for now.
nvidia driver woes: are black screens and game crashes here to stay?
Nvidia users are reporting persistent issues with GPU drivers [1]. Problems include black screens, game crashes, and general instability [1]. These issues started four months ago with the RTX 50-series launch [1]. The newest 576.02 driver has at least 15 open issues [1]. Some users report their ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090’s temperature sensors are stuck at 25 degrees Celsius [3][4]. Rolling back to older drivers seems to be the only solution for now [1][3][4].
the rtx 50-series launch and driver instability
The RTX 50-series launch was not smooth, facing issues such as melting power cables for the RTX 5090 and manufacturing defects [1]. Nvidia admitted that some new GPUs had a manufacturing issue, resulting in missing render units [1]. The driver version 576.02, released on April 14, 2025, aimed to fix previous problems but instead introduced new ones for some users [1]. Nvidia released a hotfix (576.15) on April 20, 2025, to address GPU temperature monitoring issues and flickering in certain games [1]. However, Nvidia forum users continue to report game crashes and performance issues [1].
temperature reading errors and the 576.02 driver
The 576.02 driver is causing temperature sensor data reading abnormalities [3][4]. Some users are reporting that their ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090’s temperature is constantly displaying 25 degrees Celsius [3][4]. This issue is not limited to the RTX 50-series cards, as users with RTX 40 and RTX 30 series cards are experiencing similar problems [3][4]. Users relying on third-party tools to manage fan curves are severely affected because these tools read a fixed cold-start temperature and cannot adjust fan speeds accordingly [3][4].
nvidia’s quick response and the 576.15 hotfix
Nvidia responded quickly by releasing the 576.15 hotfix driver [5]. This hotfix addresses the temperature bug and fixes six other bugs related to the RTX 50 series [5]. The fixes include resolving GPU temperature reporting issues after system hibernation, correcting shadow flickering and display errors in some games, preventing crashes during the compiler shading stage, and addressing low GPU idle frequency issues [5]. The hotfix also resolves SteamVR stuttering with multiple screens and crashes in Lumion 2024 [5].
potential stock implications for nvidia (nvda:nasdaq)
These ongoing driver issues could negatively impact Nvidia’s brand reputation and customer loyalty, potentially affecting its stock performance [1]. Persistent problems can erode user confidence, leading to decreased sales and market share [1]. Investors may become concerned about Nvidia’s ability to maintain its competitive advantage if software stability issues persist [GPT]. The company’s revenue potential could be threatened if customers delay purchases or switch to competitor products [GPT]. Monitoring user feedback and addressing these issues promptly is crucial for Nvidia to mitigate any adverse effects on its stock value [GPT].