NVIDIA has released GeForce Hotfix Display Driver 616.86 to address three problems affecting recent GeForce drivers, including browser flickering, Remote Desktop black screens, and virtual display creation issues.
The hotfix does not fix the separate display flickering problem reported by some people using 8 bit color depth after installing Game Ready Driver 616.56.
That issue has already been acknowledged, but NVIDIA has not yet provided a dedicated fix for it.
| Issue | Status in Hotfix 616.86 |
|---|---|
| Intermittent browser flickering on some websites | Fixed |
| Remote Desktop black screen | Fixed |
| Virtual display creation problem | Fixed |
| 8 bit monitor flickering | Not fixed |
| Driver type | GeForce Hotfix Display Driver |
Browser Flickering Gets a Fix
One of the problems addressed by Hotfix 616.86 involves intermittent flickering in some web browsers.
The issue could appear when visiting certain websites, causing the display to flicker during browser use.
NVIDIA says the hotfix resolves this specific problem.
However, it is separate from the broader monitor flickering issue that has been reported on some 8 bit displays.
The similar symptoms can make the two problems easy to confuse, but they are treated as different bugs in the current driver notes.
Remote Desktop Black Screens Are Also Addressed
The second fix targets Windows Remote Desktop Protocol sessions.
Some systems running Game Ready Driver 616.56 could encounter a black screen when using RDP.
Hotfix 616.86 is intended to correct that behavior.
This could be particularly useful for people who remotely access gaming PCs, workstations, or other systems equipped with NVIDIA graphics.
The third correction relates to virtual display creation.
NVIDIA says a problem affecting virtual displays under Game Ready Driver 616.56 has also been resolved.
8 Bit Display Flickering Still Remains
The most notable unresolved issue involves monitor flickering at 8 bit color depth.
Reports began appearing after Game Ready Driver 616.56 was released.
Some affected people found that changing the display to 10 bit color depth stopped the flickering immediately.
That workaround is not available on every monitor, which means some systems still have no practical way to avoid the issue apart from using another driver version.
NVIDIA has acknowledged the problem, but neither Game Ready Driver 616.64 nor Hotfix 616.86 lists a fix for it.
Hotfix Targets a Narrow Set of Problems
Hotfix drivers are generally intended to solve specific issues between normal Game Ready Driver releases.
They are not necessarily broader upgrades containing all of the testing or fixes expected from a standard driver package.
In this case, 616.86 focuses on three clearly identified problems rather than the full set of complaints associated with 616.56.
That distinction matters if you are installing the driver specifically to solve the 8 bit flickering issue, because this release does not claim to address it.
Another Driver May Be Needed for the Remaining Bug
Game Ready Driver 616.56 appears to have introduced several display related problems, with NVIDIA now addressing some of them through later releases and the new hotfix.
The browser flicker, RDP black screen, and virtual display bugs now have fixes available through version 616.86.
The 8 bit display flickering issue remains outstanding.
If your system is affected only by one of the three problems listed in the hotfix notes, 616.86 may help.
If your monitor is flickering specifically because of the 8 bit color depth problem, you may still need to wait for another NVIDIA driver that directly addresses that bug.
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