Nvidia's hotfix GPU driver resolves a black screen G-Sync issue and Fortnite crashes

(Image credit: Nvidia)

Heads up GeForce GPU owners, Nvidia has released an incremental driver update to address a specific set of issues some people are experiencing. Otherwise known as a hotfix driver, this is sort of akin to Microsoft releasing an out-of-band Windows update to fix issues before the next bigger update.

In this case, Nvidia's optional 456.71 hotfix driver builds upon its recently released 456.55 driver, which notably added support for its Reflex system-latency reduction technology to Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Warzone. If you are running a GeForce GPU and don't have that driver already, you can update through GeForce Experience, or by heading to Nvidia's driver download page to install it manually.

As for the hotfix, it addresses three issues. The first is a black screen bug some users are seeing when launching a game in full screen mode with G-Sync enabled on an adaptive sync monitor. Nvidia does not specify if both G-Sync Compatible and non-G-Sync Compatible monitors are affected, but I would venture a guess it applies to each.

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Secondly, the hotfix includes a fix for a bug that is causing Fornite to crash when using in-game RTX Shadows and Reflections.

Lastly, applying the hotfix resolves in issue in Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition, whereby some users are experiencing lower framerates when enabling hardware accelerated GPU scheduling in Windows. Alternatively, you could toggle the setting off.

If you are not experiencing these issues, you might as well hang tight, as these will be included in the next regular driver update anyway. Otherwise, head to the hotfix page to download it (you won't see it in GeForce Experience).

Paul Lilly

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).