Nvidia RTX 4080 and 4090 GPUs get a fix for nasty blank screen issue on boot

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 on a wooden desk in front of a white panel
(Image credit: Future)

Nvidia has released a fix for problems with its new RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 graphics cards experiencing a black (or blank) screen on bootup in some unfortunate cases.

This isn’t quite as bad as it first sounds, as the operating system will still load okay and produce the desktop on your display as normal, eventually – you just get the blank screen on boot. However, that means you can’t access the BIOS for example, or see anything at all on the screen, until you reach the OS environment. And not being able to get in the BIOS could be a big problem in itself.

As Tom’s Hardware reports, though, Nvidia has released a GPU firmware update for the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 to cure these blank screen blues.

Note that the problem will only happen with certain motherboards which are in UEFI mode.

Nvidia says: “The Nvidia GPU Firmware Update Tool will detect whether the firmware update is needed, and if needed, will give the user the option to update it.”

For those experiencing a blank screen on boot with their new Lovelace GPU, you can grab the relevant update here, where Nvidia also provides instructions on how to get going with the update.


Analysis: Another Lovelace GPU glitch for Nvidia – but the solution has arrived quickly this time

By all accounts, this problem is a rare one, so that’s some good news. Still, if you’re affected, it’ll obviously be frustrating not to be able to reach the BIOS (though at least your PC will still boot fine to the desktop).

As Nvidia notes, don’t apply the update unless you’re actually experiencing the blank screen – there’s no need to risk a firmware update if you don’t have a tangible problem to resolve, of course.

Note that this gremlin in the works has nothing to do with the other well-publicized issue that has hit the RTX 4090 graphics card, namely the melting cable controversy. (We’ve just heard an update from Nvidia on that problem, by the way, and it seems the culprit, as thought, is the power adapter not being plugged in correctly.)

TOPICS

Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).

Read more
A masculine hand holding the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
New Nvidia drivers should fix a major RTX 50 series GPU issue
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series image
Nvidia's 572.70 Game Ready Driver promises a black screen fix - but unless you have an RTX 5070 it's probably best to avoid updating for now
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090's power connection port
Nvidia RTX 5090 seemingly has a spanner thrown in the works by new graphics driver, but we should be very careful around reports of ‘bricked’ GPUs
Nvidia logo on a dark background
Nvidia's GeForce graphics driver woes continue for some users, despite 572.75 hotfix's overclock and black screen promises
An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 resting on an RTX 5090 on a gray crafting mat.
Nvidia is investigating reports of crashes plaguing RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs, with possible driver issues maybe hitting RTX 4000 models too
An RTX 5090 sitting on top of its retail packaging against a green background
Nvidia confirms 'rare issue' with some RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti GPUs – here’s how to check if you’re affected and to get a replacement
Latest in GPU
Zotac Gaming RTX 5090 Graphics Card
Nvidia Blackwell stock woes are compounded by price hikes as more RTX 5090 GPUs soar in pricing, and I’m sick and tired of it all at this point
Nvidia app
Tired of manually optimizing your games? Nvidia's new G-Assist could save you time
Nvidia RTX 5080 against a yellow TechRadar background
RTX 5080 24GB version teased by MSI - is it time to admit that 16GB isn't enough for 4K?
Nvidia AMD
Nvidia rumors suggest it's working on two affordable GPUs to spoil AMD's party
An Nvidia RTX 5080 vs RTX 4080 Super against a two-tone background
Nvidia RTX 5080 vs RTX 4080 Super: should you upgrade to the latest Blackwell GPU?
An Intel Arc B580 vs Nvidia RTX 4060 against a two-tone background
Intel Arc B580 vs Nvidia RTX 4060: Which mainstream GPU is right for you?
Latest in News
A young woman is working on a laptop in a relaxed office space.
I’ll admit, Microsoft’s new Windows 11 update surprised me with its usefulness, providing accessibility fixes, a gamepad keyboard layout, and PC spec cards
inZOI promotional material.
inZOI has become the most wishlisted game on Steam, but I wouldn't get too caught up in the hype
Xbox Series X and Xbox wireless controller set to a green background
Xbox Insiders are currently testing a new Game Hub feature that looks useful, but I've got mixed feelings about it
A stylized depiction of a padlocked WiFi symbol sitting in the centre of an interlocking vault.
Broadcom warns of worrying security flaws affecting VMware tools
Nespresso Vertuo Pop machine in Candy Pink with coffee drinks and capsules
My favorite Nespresso coffee maker just got a fresh new makeover, and now I love it even more
Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices on a table.
Hate Windows 11’s search? Microsoft is fixing it with AI, and that almost makes me want to buy a Copilot+ PC