AMD software detected that a driver timeout has occurred on your system / Spark build

Hi,

For several days, I've been struggling with a problem where the game and my entire computer freeze.
After a few minutes of playing, the game would freeze randomly, and after a while, the error "AMD software detected that a driver timeout has occurred on your system. An issue report has been created that can be sent to AMD to help us improve our software. Would you like to report this issue?" After a few seconds, the game would unfreeze on its own.

I've been looking for a solution to this problem for two days and found information that this problem occurs in people who play Sparks/Comets.
Unfortunately, none of the guides on YouTube or the forum helped me, but below you will find the steps I took and the above problem stopped occurring.

1. Download DDU
2. Download AMD 24.10.1
3. Clear shaders in C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Path of Exile 2
Win + R > msconfig > Booting > Safe Boot + Internet
4. Restart PC
5. Use DDU to uninstall drivers
6. Turn Off Safe Boot
7. Unplug Internet cable
8. Install AMD 24.10.1 + Choose Minimal Installation

* If Error 192 appears:
C:\AMD\Packages\Drivers\Display\WT6A_INF > ppm → Install on .inf
Check if there is an exclamation mark next to the graphics card in the device manager. If not, that's good.
After that you can install Adrenaline (choose Minimal installation)

Turn Off:
Anti-Lag
Enhanced Sync
Radeon Boost
Image Sharpening
DX12

9. Launch PoE2
10. Settings:
Renderer: Vulkan
Multithreading: OFF
FPS limit: 60
The rest on medium/low

10. Enter the city
Stop for 3–5 minutes!
Don't move!
Don't open the stash!

11. Try entering the map; everything should load correctly and fairly quickly. (Select a low-tier map to complete it quickly.)

12. Change to:
Texture Quality: High
Texture Filtering: 16x
Dynamic Resolution: OFF
Shadows: Medium
Global Illumination: OFF
Bloom: OFF
Water Detail: Low
Multithreading: OFF
Foreground FPS cap: 100
Background FPS cap: 30
Renderer: Vulkan

13. Try to play 2-3 maps
14. Turn Off PoE2
15. Change to:
Texture Quality: High (Medium if problems with structures and monsters)
Texture Filtering: 16x
Dynamic Resolution: OFF
Shadows: High
Lightning: Shadow
Global Illumination: OFF
Number of lights: Medium
Bloom: OFF
Water Detail: Low
Multithreading: ON
Foreground FPS cap: 120
Background FPS cap: 30
Target framerate: 100-120
Renderer: Vulkan

These settings solved the problem, but the quality is worse, and the FPS will probably be worse for many, but they are “comfortable” enough to play. I hope this short guide will be useful to someone.

To answer your questions in advance, I have not tried DX12 since performing these steps. The FPS stays at around 90FPS (R7 7700 + RX7800XT).

Just wanted to add another data point.
I also have a 7800XT and saw this issue.

I wasn't seeing it since league start but started seeing it today.
The only difference is that I decided to put on some MTX today and I was playing with my friends who decided to change MTX today as well.
After taking off all my MTX and asking my friend to take it off, I stopped seeing it.

I might try putting on some MTX slowly to see if there is a problem with a specific MTX?

Edit 3/21: saw the issue again.
* Blighted mirage encounter, had frostbolt towers going off
* Not a lot going on
* Burning ground in map, searing exarch influence
* AMD Chipset v8.02.18.557 (up to date)
* AMD software/Adrenaline 25.3.X

I just now updated my AMD software to v26.3.1.

I also have a 7800XTX on adrenaline driver version 26.2.2 and I've been getting driver timeouts pretty much hourly. This is the only game I see issues, and its the first league I've seen issues, having played an embarrassing amount of hours in Settlers, Mercenaries and Keepers on the same hardware.

The issue aligns with both the new league being released but also a new driver version from AMD, as I got automatically updated from 26.2.1 just before the league was launched. It's possible I was playing Keepers on an even older driver version, but I know for sure I was running 26.2.1 the week prior.

I encourage people to add their stories here if you've been having driver timeouts on AMD GPUs. For now I uninstalled adrenaline and am trying the much older Windows provided GPU driver which is labeled as version "31.0.24002.92". I'll update here if it makes a difference.

I am also seeing this issue. Often the game will start to stutter/pause without regard for the number of enemies and I'll get the driver message. I have a 7800XT.

Update: I've had no crashes since reverting to the old driver 31.0.24002.92. Actually my perf has been much better as well, I was really surprised by this result.

Steps to revert: uninstall adreneline and driver, allow windows update (I'm on Win11) to install the driver from the windows repo. This was automatic for me by simply waiting 15 minutes after the required post-uninstall reboot.

My best guess is AMD has some slop coding going on because the perf and stability difference in POE 1 is crazy pronounced.

Funny detail: I get a pop-up warning me I need to update my driver from the POE client now, but I'm going to stay on this driver unless some other game has issues from it.