Crashes with AMD Radeon graphics [MERGED] [SOLVED]

Thank you.

I love Zwift and what it has done for my health, but I can’t help but think that they need to prioritize some of these issues. I understand OpenGL has poor support from AMD, but it’s worth mentioning that AMD GPUs have been much more affordable and available over the past year’s GPU shortage. In other words, I’d imagine a growing number of PC users are on AMD GPUs over Nvidia and will likely encounter this or similar AMD bugs which haven’t really been communicated by Zwift. I had to basically read through pages of bug reports to try and make any headway on my issue.

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Had some issues with 21.9.1 and so rolled back to 21.8.2. All was well on my Quatch ride until I crashed in the Jungle… At this point, I’m considering ATV for Zwift. I don’t have time to chase down drivers and deal with crashes.

I was able to check in with the team on this one and they’re working on an issue that’s causing AMD GPUs to freeze in some parts of Watopia, particularly in the desert. From what I can tell it looks like we’re seeing the same thing with the 21.10++ being where the trend line starts. I don’t have a timeline for a fix, but I’ll post any updates I get here.

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Well that is refreshing news. Thank you!

Hi, i’d just like to chime in, as I am also having the same issue on AMD GPU.
I can 100% reproduce it by loading one of the new routes, Triple Flat Loop. Wattopia loads, i see my character, assets are poping in and then it freezes.
Haven’t went as far as what Alex did, in term of drivers/app mix and match… I did fully reinstall the game (cleaned up AppData directories and such)… I did go back to the previous WHQL drivers… nothing helped.
Looking forward to a fix for this issue.
This is on an intel 10700k, AMD 6800 XT.
If freelink has anything to do with it, I am running on a dual monitor setup with 2x 1440p@144Hz freesync premium monitors.

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This is crazy. I fought drivers last weekend and ended up back on the latest to complete a ride. Today, no driver change but I cant ride again. Game assets load, i see avatars move for a few seconds and the game crashes.

Zwift’s support for AMD has always been abysmal, and they always point to it being the fault of OpenGL.

Please pony up and spend some of our subscription money on one PC with an AMD graphics card and use it for testing. How hard is that?

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OpenGL performs poorly on AMD GPUs with Windows drivers compared to Nvidia, but that doesn’t excuse crashing. No reason why it shouldn’t be the same in terms of robustness.

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Hey John, I feel you - frustrating to say the least. One thing to check with manual driver rollbacks (21.8.2 is what I recommend) is that Windows will sometimes automatically update drivers and put you on a newer, Zwift-unstable driver version. I noticed this happens after about 2-3 days when suddenly the AMD Adrenalin software stops working. There’s a way to turn driver automatic updates off, but it may require some regediting depending on your version of Windows.

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Is that why you were seemingly stable after your testing then got crashes again?

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No updates lately, i have windows update pointed to a WSUS server that doesn’t exist so it cant do anything automatically.

Event viewer isnt super helpful. Zwift gives me this error: The program ZwiftApp.exe version 0.0.0.0 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed.

And i also have a .Net Runtime error :Application: ZwiftLauncher.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.InvalidCastException

I was told support are investigating.

However they have been aware of the issue for 6 months… :face_with_spiral_eyes:

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It could be. I was getting an error saying that Adrenalin doesn’t match the driver version, and it wouldn’t open. So, I wiped whatever Window’s update had installed with DDU and reinstalled 21.8.2. Then I turned off automatic hardware driver updates. I’ll let you know how that goes.

On the issue of fixing - apparently this has been a problem since at least 21.10.x (October, 2021). So yeah, 7 months and counting is not inaccurate. I just ordered a 3060ti for Zwift and work (photogrammetry). It will be my first Nvidia card since 2003. AMD driver stability issues definitely played a role in my decision and not just Zwift stability. I will move my 5600xt over to my “old parts” backup computer.

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Window’s update managed to overwrite my drivers again despite turning off hardware driver updates and modifying the registry to prevent WU driver downloads :roll_eyes:

I just installed a group policy to prevent hardware driver updates. Keep your fingers crossed!

The version that Window’s is pushing is 30.0.13023.4001 which I think is 21.10.2 (Zwift unstable). If this driver is getting pushed automatically on AMD GPUs, I figure this freezing issue is pretty widespread.

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Yeah that’s pants. The Nvidia driver I get 90% of the time from Windows Update is rock solid for Zwift and has all the most useful features, and so I’ve long since given up installing it manually. There’s simply no benefit in doing so.

In theory it’s not a bad idea. But, Windows Updates only installs the AMD driver and not the Adrenalin software. So, Adrenalin stops working :frowning:

I’m not sure whether Microsoft or AMD is to blame. How about both? AMD for making Adrenalin bundled with the driver and incompatible with automatic updates and Microsoft for pushing updates with no easy way to opt out.

With Nvidia, Windows Update installs the control panel from the MS store automatically. There’s nothing else to do, besides tweak a few bits.

Yet another reason I’m excited about switching :wink:

RX6700XT here. Downtown Titans freezes at exact same point .9 miles in. Then Three Little Sisters froze 10 miles in! When it freezes I can still hear the world sounds, like birds and stuff, until Windows 10 dumps it and reports the bug.

Also, recently all bike sounds, both mine and riders I pass, are gone. World sounds like birds and water and wood bridges are still there. No slot machine sound when I get a power up either.

Been a user since 2018. Built my PC just for Zwift, don’t install anything else.

Yea, I guess I can roll back AMD drivers to see if I can find one that doesn’t freeze, but this is crap. I reported the bug and when/if they respond I will demand a free month. They refuse, I’m gone. Once the month is up, if bug still there, I demand again. They refuse, I’m gone. I wonder if someone there saw what happened to Netflix and maybe understands that crap service can and will result in customer retention “issues”.

AMD guy here. Something is off with the April 1.24 zwift update and AMD gpus. I’ve rolled back to every single driver from the AMD site and nothing works with the latest zwift update. I’ve sent lots of info to zwift and basically got told to use an ipad. I’ve sent a frank email asking for when the solution will occur and if I get some around the bush answer again I am done.

Another AMD guy here. I’m unable to ride into the desert from either direction (or spawn in the desert start pens) without Zwift hanging as described by other posters. This problem happened previously which I fixed with a driver update at that time. I think this broke with the latest Zwift update, but I don’t attempt to ride in the desert very often so I just noticed it. I’ll try the “roll back drivers” trick. I’d also mention that Zwift has generally been unstable graphically for years, with avatar strobing and wheel rotating. Zwift HQ really needs to QA test with AMD hardware. Its not like its exceedingly rare, especially lately when its one of the only cards you can buy.