Game Ready Drivers provide the best possible gaming experience for all major new releases, including Virtual Reality games. Prior to a new title launching, our driver team is working up until the last minute to ensure every performance tweak and bug fix is included for the best gameplay on day-1.

Game Ready
Provides the optimal gaming experience for BattleTech and FrostPunk
 
Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 8.1 64-bit, Windows 8 64-bit
 
Windows 10 64-bit (WDDM 2.4 with 1803, WDDM 2.3 for 1709)
 
Release notes
 
New Features

• NVIDIA RTX Technology

Developer preview for NVIDIA RTX ray tracing technology for DirectX 12. NVIDIA RTX supports the Microsoft DirectX Raytracing (DXR) API on NVIDIA Volta GPUs.
In order to get started with developing DirectX Raytracing applications accelerated by RTX, you'll need the following:

• NVIDIA Volta GPU
  
• NVIDIA driver version 396 or higher
  
• Windows 10 RS4
  
• Microsoft's DXR developer package, consisting of DXR-enabled D3D runtimes, HLSL compiler, and headers
  

• Vulkan 1.1

This driver release provides full support for the new Vulkan 1.1 API and passes the Vulkan Conformance Test Suite (CTS) version 1.1.0.3.

• HD Audio

This driver adds new sample rates 32 kHz, 88.2 kHz, and 176.4 kHz to the HDMI device for all GPUs

• Display Driver Standalone Installer

The standalone display driver installer now removes extracted files after installing the driver, leaving a smaller footprint on the hard drive.

• Display Driver Libraries

Added new libraries (nvdlist.dll and nvdlistx.dll) to support Optimus and MSHybrid notebooks.

• NVDECODE API

Added a new API that lets the client reconfigure the decoder resolution and other post processing parameters (such as the display resolution, cropping rectangle, and aspect ratio of the decoded frame) without having to destroy and recreate the decoder instance. This API is useful in scenarios where the decoder instance initialization time takes up a significant portion of the overall decode execution time; for example, in back-to-back decoding of multiple short clips of different resolutions.
The new API will be included in Video Codec SDK 8.2, which is expected to release in late Q2 2018.

SLI Profile - Added or updated the following SLI profiles:

• Descenders
  
• Frostpunk
  
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2
  
• Far Cry 5
  

Discontinued Support

• 32-bit Operating Systems

Beginning with Release 396, NVIDIA is no longer releasing Game Ready drivers for 32-bit operating systems for any GPU architecture.

• NVIDIA Fermi GPUs

Beginning with Release 396, the NVIDIA Game Ready driver no longer supports NVIDIA GPUs based on the Fermi architecture.

Limitations

• Surface Book Support

This release does not support Microsoft Surface Books. Support will be available in a future drive release.

 
 
Changes and Fixed Issues in Version 397.31

1. [GeForce GTX 1080 Ti][Doom]: The game crashes due to the driver reverting to OpenGL 1.1 when HDR is enabled. [2049623]
2. [GeForce GTX 1060][Far Cry 5]: The game crashes after a few minutes of game play. [2096077]
3. NvfbcPluginWindow temporarily prevents Windows from shutting down after launching a Steam game. [2068833]
4. [Firefox]: Driver TDR error may occur when using Firefox. [2049523]
5. [Geforce GTX 1060][Rise of Tomb Raider]: Flickering/corruption occurs when opening the in-game options UI. [200351146]
6. [NVIDIA Control Panel][SLI][Diablo III]: With V-Sync on and SLI enabled, the game freezes after switching windows (ALT+TAB) a few times. [1951584]

Open Issues in Version 397.31 WHQL

Windows 10 Issues

1. [Microsoft Edge][HDR] With HDR turned ON, video playback in full-screen mode on an HDR display may cause corruption of the video and desktop.To recover, manually turn the monitor OFF and then back ON. A future driver
2. [Far Cry 5]: Green flickering occurs in the game when using HDR with non-native resolution. To work around, either quit and then restart the game while in the desired resolution, or press [Alt+tab] away from and then back to the game, or press [Alt+Enter] to switch to windowed mode and then back to full-screen mode.
3. [NVIDIA TITAN V][G-Sync]: G-Sync displays may go blank when switching between different overclocked memory clocks multiple times. [200361272]
4. [SLI][GeForce GTX 780 Ti]: There is no display output when connecting the DisplayPort and two DVI monitors. [1835763]
5. [GeForce TITAN (Kepler-based)]: The OS fails after installing the graphics card on a Threadripper-enabled motherboard. [1973303]
6. [Pascal GPUs][Gears of War 4]: Blue-screen crash may occur while playing the game. [2008731]
7. [GeForce GTX 1080 Ti]{Warhammer Vermintide 2][DirectX 12]: TDR errors may occur when changing resolutions in game. [200395335]. To work around, use the DirectX 11 game option.
8. [NVIDIA Control Panel][Surround]: NVIDIA Surround hot keys do not work. [200394749]
9. [GeForce Experience][ShadowPlay]: The “In-Game Overlay” option cannot be enabled, nor does Shadowplay recording work. [200390642] The Microsoft Media Foundation library must be installed in order to use these features. Be sure to first install the Media Foundation package.

Firefox TDR seems to have been snuffed out finally.

Thanks, fixed.

ManuelG from Nvidia says the new WDDM 2.4 is 'It is the new driver model for the upcoming Microsoft Windows 10 Redstone 4 update."
I can't even locate a page on WDDM 2.4 on Microsoft's website
For example
https://docs.microsoft.co.../index?search=WDDM+2.4
 
....the mystery continues.

These drivers suck! Got a black screen and had to do a system restore back to the previous version. 

NVIDIA has stuck to their guns as they promised as this driver has NO 32bit support for Windows. 64 bit only!

Okay, I'm on a roll now. I used the driver cleaner DDU in safe mode and cleaned up all the NV crap. Now I'm ready to roll! Question how does one setup the NVIDIA SLI Profile for FARCRY 5? 

thanks,
I'll wait to see more performance / stability reviews - before updating

moosedoctor
-100 points on 3DMark right off the bench after DDU

3dmark scores can vary by 3% from run to run.

I'm having one hell of a time with these drivers. After installing I disable everything to even make calibration adjustments to the cards in SLI. The drivers are installed but anytime I try to change anything the system will stop displaying anything and the screen display goes to stand-by mode with no display. I then have to reboot the system. Crazy! Like I said these drivers officially suck from NVIDIA until proven otherwise. I'm rolling back my previous drivers.

squall-leonhart
Windows 10 users are reporting Code 43 errors with 1060 6GB, anyone seeing this?

It's certainly been noted around various forums.  Currently, NVIDIA is unable to reproduce the issue.  If anyone is experiencing the issue, please follow this link and submit a bug report along the lines of what NVIDIA's ManuelG is asking, and follow the thread for the latest updates from NVIDIA:
 
https://forums.geforce.co.../post/5331619/#5331619
 
Edit:  NVIDIA has been able to reproduce the issue with some 1060 cards.  They are now further looking into the issue:
 
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/1046849/geforce-drivers/official-397-31-game-ready-whql-display-driver-feedback-thread-released-4-25-18-/post/5331685/#5331685

1. [GeForce Experience][ShadowPlay]: The “In-Game Overlay” option cannot be enabled, nor does Shadowplay recording work. [200390642] The Microsoft Media Foundation library must be installed in order to use these features. Be sure to first install the Media Foundation package.

Ok where do I download this from? Doing a search leads to me a bunch of nothing regarding media foundation anything. I'm not a developer I just want my damn shadowplay to work.

If anyone is feeling frisky, there is a new DEVELOPER driver out for Vulkan.
Windows 397.40
 
https://developer.nvidia.com/vulkan-driver
 
Scroll down the page a bit for the link to the Vulkan Developer Driver or here's the link:
https://developer.nvidia.com/39740-win1064bit
 
 

HeavyHemi
If anyone is feeling frisky, there is a new DEVELOPER driver out for Vulkan.
Windows 397.40
 
https://developer.nvidia.com/vulkan-driver
 
Scroll down the page a bit for the link to the Vulkan Developer Driver or here's the link:
https://developer.nvidia.com/39740-win1064bit
 
 

What is that, just a beta driver rather than an official driver release?

EVGATech_LeeM

squall-leonhart
Windows 10 users are reporting Code 43 errors with 1060 6GB, anyone seeing this?

It's certainly been noted around various forums.  Currently, NVIDIA is unable to reproduce the issue.  If anyone is experiencing the issue, please follow this link and submit a bug report along the lines of what NVIDIA's ManuelG is asking, and follow the thread for the latest updates from NVIDIA:
 
https://forums.geforce.co.../post/5331619/#5331619
 
Edit:  NVIDIA has been able to reproduce the issue with some 1060 cards.  They are now further looking into the issue:
 
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/1046849/geforce-drivers/official-397-31-game-ready-whql-display-driver-feedback-thread-released-4-25-18-/post/5331685/#5331685

 
As an update, this issue with GTX 1060 cards appears to be limited to a small number of manufacturers, which does not include EVGA.  However, if anyone does experience this issue, please post here, notify our Customer Support and/or post in the NVIDIA driver thread with the requested information.