NVIDIA Driver 621.01 Causes GPU Display Freezes
The latest GeForce driver update triggers display crashes for RTX 5080 and 4090 users during simultaneous video playback.
Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Computers
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NVIDIA has acknowledged a stability bug in its GeForce Game Ready Driver 621.01 that causes display freezes and black screens. The issue specifically impacts users running RTX 5080 and RTX 4090 graphics cards during video playback.
Why it matters
The defect disrupts standard media consumption and multitasking for high-end GPU users. Identifying the driver-level trigger allows users to mitigate performance interruptions while the manufacturer investigates.
Affected systems record Event ID 153 alongside Windows LiveKernelEvent 141 and 117 errors when the GPU driver fails. Users can bypass the bug by reverting to driver version 617.42, which predates the problematic release.
The players
NVIDIA
A semiconductor manufacturer and software developer specializing in high-performance graphics processing units.
The details
The instability occurs when launching a game while a browser or media player video is actively running. This action triggers a display freeze, though the system typically recovers after several seconds without a full restart. NVIDIA is currently analyzing diagnostic data and watchdog crash dumps to determine the precise cause of the conflict within the nvlddmkm driver layer.
Timeline
October 6, 2026: GeForce driver 617.42 was released.
Week of October 24, 2026: GeForce driver 621.01 was released.
The Tech Race
This release marks a notable regression in the 2026 NVIDIA driver rollout cycle. It highlights the recurring challenge of maintaining stability across the high-performance RTX 5080 and 4090 product lines.
Users of GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 4090 cards currently experiencing freezes should roll back their drivers to version 617.42. The fix restores standard browser and media playback until NVIDIA issues a newer, stable driver release.
The takeaway
Users with top-tier hardware should monitor for a driver update beyond 621.01 to resolve these conflicts. Avoid concurrent gaming and high-resolution video playback until the manufacturer confirms a resolution through an updated release.
Further reading
For more on the latest hardware and driver developments, see Computers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by VideoCardz.
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