Nvidia Game Ready Driver 397.31 adds support for RTX raytracing technology

Nvidia has released their 397.31 driver, which adds the long-awaited NVIDIA RTX Technology. As stated numerous times before, Nvidia claimed that it supports the Microsoft DirectX Raytracing API on Nvidia Volta GPUs. Therefore, a developer preview for NVIDIA RTX ray tracing tech for DirectX 12 is now available.

Everyone interested in developing DirectX Raytracing apps which are accelerated by RTX will 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.

Furthermore, the driver adds full support for the Vulkan API 1.1 and passes the Vulkan Conformance Test Suite on version 1.1.0.3. Alongside that, there are numerous of driver fixes as well, and new SLI Profiles for Descenders, Frostpunk, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 and Far Cry 5.

As always, the driver can be downloaded on Nvidia’s official download page and also by using Nvidia’s Geforce Experience app. Below you can find more detailed info:

• 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.

Driver Fixes (For full list of fixes please check out release notes)

• [GeForce GTX 1080 Ti][Doom]: The game crashes due to the driver reverting to OpenGL 1.1 when HDR is enabled. [2049623]
• [GeForce GTX 1060][Far Cry 5]: The game crashes after a few minutes of game play. [2096077]
• NvfbcPluginWindow temporarily prevents Windows from shutting down after launching a Steam game. [2068833]
• [Firefox]: Driver TDR error may occur when using Firefox. [2049523]
• [GeForce GTX 1060][Rise of Tomb Raider]: Flickering/corruption occurs when opening the in-game options UI. [200351146]
• [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]
• and others

Important Open Issues (For full list of open issues please check out release notes)

• [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

• [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.

• [NVIDIA TITAN V][G-Sync]: G-Sync displays may go blank when switching between different overclocked memory clocks multiple times. [200361272]
• [SLI][GeForce GTX 780 Ti]: There is no display output when connecting the DisplayPort and two DVI monitors. [1835763]
• [GeForce TITAN (Kepler-based)]: The OS fails after installing the graphics card on a Threadripper-enabled motherboard. [1973303]
• [Pascal GPUs][Gears of War 4]: Blue-screen crash may occur while playing the game. [2008731]
• [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.

• [NVIDIA Control Panel][Surround]: NVIDIA Surround hot keys do not work. [200394749]
• [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.

• and others