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Why Are Your Games Suddenly Crashing? The Problem with AMD Driver 25.10.2 and How to Easily Solve It.
If you recently updated your AMD graphics driver, you might be facing serious problems. The new Adrenalin 25.10.2 software is causing games to crash for many people. This guide will explain the issue in simple terms and show you exactly how to fix it.
What Is the Problem?
The main issue is with two features: the Radeon overlay and FSR upscaling. When gamers try to use these in certain games, the game crashes. Sometimes, the computer itself crashes. This is a frustrating problem, especially when everything worked fine before the update.
These crashes are happening in popular DirectX games, including:
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Dead by Daylight
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Lies of P
- Counter-Strike 2
What Do the Crashes Look Like?
The problems appear in different ways. Understanding them can help you confirm if the driver is your issue.
- Immediate Game Crashes: Dead by Daylight crashes the moment the overlay is opened. Cyberpunk 2077 may not even start if FSR is turned on in the driver settings.
- System Freezes and Reboots: Some users report their entire PC crashes. This can happen when waking the computer from sleep or even when the monitor has been off for a while. The system might reboot and show a “driver timeout” error.
- Poor Game Performance: Even if games don’t crash, they might run worse. Players have noticed unstable frame times, making games feel jerky and less smooth.
- Broken Recording Features: The ReLive feature, used for recording gameplay, is also affected. For some, it will not record gameplay in titles like Battlefield 2042.
- Mouse Cursor Lock: In Counter-Strike 2, opening the overlay can completely freeze your mouse cursor. This forces you to shut down the game to get control back.
What Is Causing This?
The problems are directly linked to the AMD Adrenalin 25.10.2 driver. While not every user is affected, the issue is widespread across different graphics cards, including the popular 7900 XTX. Some think the problem is worse on the latest Windows 11 version (24H2), but this is not confirmed.
AMD has acknowledged some of these bugs. Their official release notes mention known issues with games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042. They are working on a solution, but there is no date for a fix yet.
The Simple Solution: Go Back to the Old Driver
Do not worry, there is a clear and effective solution. You need to remove the new driver and reinstall the previous, stable version.
Uninstall the Current Driver
The best way to do this is with a tool called Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU). This program completely removes all traces of the driver, preventing future problems. You can also uninstall it through the Windows Device Manager.
Download the Older Driver
Go to AMD’s official website and look for the previous driver, version 25.9.1. Multiple users have confirmed this version works perfectly.
Install the Old Driver
Run the installer for version 25.9.1. Once finished, your games and features should work correctly again.
It is best to avoid the 25.10.2 update for now. Waiting for AMD to release a new, stable version will save you from these headaches.