UPDATE JUST NOW: BAD Nvidia driver - If you have 526.47 or later READ THIS NOW.

[Malakie]

UPDATE: 16 NOV 2022 Important!!

UPDATE: This problem has just been resolved and was due to a major error in Nvidia Vulkan drivers. It literally keeps games from initializing video. With X4, it caused ALL versions to fail on initial game loading and video initialization and also impacted many other Vulkan games.

The version that introduced the error is 526.47. You need to uninstall that version and CLEAN INSTALL today's update, 16 NOV 2022, 526.98 immediately.

I have now confirmed X4 again runs fine under today's Nvidia driver release, again 526.98 is the new version you need to upgrade to.





I routinely play and stream the game. A couple days ago, I went to do so but could not load the game. It instantly CTD'd. Verified, removed all mods, etc etc etc. No go.

Delete the game entirely, clean install (steam version). Same result. Deleted again, moved to new SSD. Same result.

Then loaded GOG and tried the other version I use there (running two different games on my stream). And I was shocked to have the exact same result but the GOG version issues a game error handler 211 code. This told me is was something with my machine for sure.

So, I again removed all files and directories manually. Same result both versions.

Note that the ONLY change I made was updating the Nvidia drivers to the current version out right now.. NOT beta, but WHQL.

I did an entire clean install of those twice then used DDU and did it a 3rd time. SAME result, both versions of the game.

Again, NO change at all to this system outside of updating the Nvidia drivers and Windows 10 updating itself.

At this point, I went to my other machine... and was astounded to find the SAME problem. And that system is identical to this for changes.. Only Windows 10 update and Nvidia drivers update to current WHQL release.

I then wondered if other games would run. So far, EVERY other game I have runs fine without errors. Even a number of alpha's I am NDA testing.

I am utterly stuck with no idea where to try next outside of clean installing Windows 10, which I really do not want to do.

Specs are as follows:

System 1 Primary:

i9-11900k, 64gb ram, RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra, 1600w EVGA Platinum p/s, m.2 SSD's, Tobii 5 Eye/Head tracker, VKB Stick/Logitech X56 Throttle, Windows 10 Pro, resolution 3840x2160 UHD 4K

System 2 Secondary: i9-9900k, 32gb ram, RTX 3070ti, 1200w EVGA p/s, m.2 SSD's, Tobii 4c Eye/Head tracker, x56 Rhino Hotas, Windows 10 Pro, resolution 1920x1080

Note, a tech support request was sent to the priority support email for Egosoft PER the error dialog that pops up, (screenshots included) and also posting this on the forums...But am covering all bases.

I am hoping someone might have some idea what is going on for sure.. especially since I routinely play a few times a week and stream for viewers.

NOTE: The error pops up just as the game tries to start initializing the display, from what it looks like. And based on the last two days of troubleshooting, I am wondering if this is some sort of Vulkan issue. It puts both machines through some very odd resolution changes and alterations as it is trying to load the game, which I have never seen happen before.

And again note I HAVE utterly cleaned out manually all drivers and reinstalled them again, as well as all game files.. So I am at an utter loss now.

need a way to upload LOG files and DXdiag ....

[Alan Phipps]

That's odd as I have been using release 526.47 with my RTX 3070 and X4 for some time now and with no issues at all. There must be some other factor (resolution/scaling maybe?) involved in the issue too.

I have today updated to 526.98 though.

[Malakie]

That's odd as I have been using release 526.47 with my RTX 3070 and X4 for some time now and with no issues at all. There must be some other factor (resolution/scaling maybe?) involved in the issue too.

I have today updated to 526.98 though.

Yea was using it on other machines as well and they still worked.. It was two of my main systems I use for testing and something went wrong shortly after I crashed during one of those tests. And the result was that Vulkan games ceased running at all.. They would all CTD immediately on video initialization. It never dawned on me that it could be that until I talked to Microsoft and the devs of another game and we finally realized something was wrong with the Nvidia drivers.

There have been quite a few reports about this but no one had yet figured out what was going on until a couple days ago.. and them I found out last night.