Is this the Steam or non-Steam version, and are you in windowed mode or full-screen?
There are known issues with Steam, affecting multiple games. I think there's discussions on it in the "general" sections of the Steam forums.
There are known issues with Steam, affecting multiple games. I think there's discussions on it in the "general" sections of the Steam forums.
I had the same problem after I upgraded Win7 to Win8. Some time ago I changed my HD 7950 to GTX 680, uninstalled AMD drivers, cleaned them with Driver Sweeper in safe mode and installed drivers for 680. Now the game is working again. I guess it was just caused by some leftover AMD drivers for Win7. Hope this helps 
I have the exact same problem. Alt-tabbing with Windows 8 results in a crash, and running Windows 7-compatability mode causes saving to crash the game.
I also have an ATI HD 7970. I've played the game previously with no problems what-so-ever on Windows 7 with a GeForce 460GTX. I guess it's a combination of Windows 8 and an ATI-card. />/
Also, if I run the game in Windowed mode, the Windows 8 taskbar overlaps the bottom of the screen (which is unacceptable to me. Then again, so is crashing when Alt-Tabbing and saving the game.)
I just tried to experiment a little bit:
If I run the game "as is" the game crashes if I alt-tab out and try to tab back in to the game. Saving works fine.
If I run the game in Windows 7 compatability mode the game will alt-tab in and out just fine, but the game crashes if I save (the game actually does save, but the game crashes immediatly after).
If I run in windowed mode the game can Alt-tab and save just fine (also if running in Windows 7 compatebility mode). However, the taskbar overlaps the bottom of the screen (or top or sides or whereever I position the taskbar).
In addition, it appears that the very bottom of the screen (10-15 pixels or so) are not "covered" by the game and shows the actual desktop, even though the game runs at the native resolution.
I also have an ATI HD 7970. I've played the game previously with no problems what-so-ever on Windows 7 with a GeForce 460GTX. I guess it's a combination of Windows 8 and an ATI-card. />/
Also, if I run the game in Windowed mode, the Windows 8 taskbar overlaps the bottom of the screen (which is unacceptable to me. Then again, so is crashing when Alt-Tabbing and saving the game.)
I just tried to experiment a little bit:
If I run the game "as is" the game crashes if I alt-tab out and try to tab back in to the game. Saving works fine.
If I run the game in Windows 7 compatability mode the game will alt-tab in and out just fine, but the game crashes if I save (the game actually does save, but the game crashes immediatly after).
If I run in windowed mode the game can Alt-tab and save just fine (also if running in Windows 7 compatebility mode). However, the taskbar overlaps the bottom of the screen (or top or sides or whereever I position the taskbar).
In addition, it appears that the very bottom of the screen (10-15 pixels or so) are not "covered" by the game and shows the actual desktop, even though the game runs at the native resolution.
Wempler said:
I'm having the exact same problem. I recently upgraded my 3d renderer from a 1 GB 5770 (which did not have this problem with W2) to a 2GB 7850, which does have this problem with the game. The only way to avoid the problem is, as you say, to run the game in windowed mode. BTW, to get rid of the task bar, right-click the task bar and select properties, and you will immediately see a check box that says something like "Autohide the taskbar." Put a check in the box and apply/OK. Right click the task bar once more and look at the context menu and make sure that "lock the task bar" is turned off (or uncheck the box on the task bar properties page.) That's it--now when you play in Windowed mode the task bar will automatically move out of the way. As far as the few lines at the bottom of the screen where the window doesn't quite fill the screen, I have the same thing--it's normal in the game for some reason, apparently.
I only wish I knew what was causing the problem with my 7850 & W2 at the moment. Every other game I have runs fine. Fixing this thing has become sort an incidental hobby for me...
/>Ok, I'm glad to report that my full-screen problems are gone. I'm not sure what I did to end them in win8x64. But I changed a few of the W2 options from the launcher:
1) Enabled vsync
2) Changed aspect ratio to 16:9 from 16:10
3) Enabled Ubersampling (works great)
4) Disabled in-game FSAA
5) Installed the FCR mod--latest version
Anyway--shortly thereafter, first with F5Quicksaves & loads and then with ESC saves and loads, I noticed the game is no longer crashing to desktop every time I try and save a game.
Hopefully this might help someone, you never know!
1) Enabled vsync
2) Changed aspect ratio to 16:9 from 16:10
3) Enabled Ubersampling (works great)
4) Disabled in-game FSAA
5) Installed the FCR mod--latest version
Anyway--shortly thereafter, first with F5Quicksaves & loads and then with ESC saves and loads, I noticed the game is no longer crashing to desktop every time I try and save a game.
Hopefully this might help someone, you never know!
EXACT SAME HERE !
(Freaking glad to not be alone ^^ )
Got the alt tab crash under combatibility mode and the save crash without it...
Also got an ATI HD 7850 (ATI 13.8 BETA drivers) , running with W8 and final the steam EE version.
I would GREATLY apreciated a solution ! Apart from running under windowed with the task bar hide... (Which is the thing I will surely do in the next 10 mins because I'm too frustrated of not being able to play the game...)
I will give any requested information for resolving ! And I hope we could find any way to play Fullscreen AND with saves WITHOUT any crash
Regards, Drenghel
EDIT : Almost forgot... Do the FCR mod really change anything (crash related) ? I will go for a try but I highly doubt that ^^'
(Freaking glad to not be alone ^^ )
Got the alt tab crash under combatibility mode and the save crash without it...
Also got an ATI HD 7850 (ATI 13.8 BETA drivers) , running with W8 and final the steam EE version.
I would GREATLY apreciated a solution ! Apart from running under windowed with the task bar hide... (Which is the thing I will surely do in the next 10 mins because I'm too frustrated of not being able to play the game...)
I will give any requested information for resolving ! And I hope we could find any way to play Fullscreen AND with saves WITHOUT any crash
Regards, Drenghel
EDIT : Almost forgot... Do the FCR mod really change anything (crash related) ? I will go for a try but I highly doubt that ^^'
Drenghel said:
FCR is a gameplay mod, not a game patch. I'd recommend that you do NOT have mods installed while trying to solve a problem you're having with the game, it just confuses the issue.
As far as I'm aware, the solutions such as running under windowed mode are the only ones available, but you may want to keep checking on the Steam forums for general fixes. This is usually related to the Steam client rather than the game itself, and has been a problem on Steam with some games for a long time.
WaltC said:
I had a the same problem on Windows 8 x64; Witcher EE latest patch; ATI HD 7850; 6GB RAM; 180 GB SSD disk
Helped:
4) Disable in-game FSAA (antialiasing) : This stopped ALT+TAB crashing but it started immediately crash after SAVE and QUICK SAVE.
3) Enabled Ubersampling (works great) : Now I am able to save game. But it lowered FPS a bit.
Doesn't help:
- Enable/disable VSYNC
- I am using 16:10 (no change)
So there is no REAL solution for this, W2 is almost unplayable for w8.1 users?
This is a very old thread - There are definitely a lot of people using Windows 8 and I'm not aware of it being unplayable in Win 8.1. As you can see from the earlier posts, some were Steam related (specific versions of the Steam Client, probably fixed by now), some were driver-related, some aren't clear on the cause. But it definitely isn't just because they're on Windows 8.
Can you go into more details about the problem you're having?
Can you go into more details about the problem you're having?
There is absolutely a problem with witcher 2 and alt tabbing in windows 8.1. Might not effect every windows 8.1 user, but its definitely there. I can reproduce the issue others are having, in windows 8.1 pressing alt tab, and then trying go back into the game by pressing the witcher taskbar icon causes the game to just silently crash to desktop. 100% of the time. I have the non-steam version (installed from disc and fully updated). I've got windows 8.1 64 bit, i5-2500, 16gb ram, amd 280x.
I don't have this problem in any other game, only TW2.
However this can be worked around well enough by playing the game in borderless windowed mode. Set the witcher 2 to windowed mode in the settings, and then you can use this little app to make it a borderless window: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2675769
As you can see I can now alt tab fine: http://i.imgur.com/sVIbVxK.jpg (don't worry, the taskbar goes away when you switch to the game)
Borderless windowed mode is awesome because not only does it allow for instant alt tabbing, but it also removes tearing without having to use vsync I hope TW3 has a native borderless windowed mode option, like most recent games do.
edit: damn, it does still seem to crash sometimes when alt tabbing with windowed mode, just far less often. It was fine alt tabbing between TW2 and already open apps, but it silently crashed when I tried to open a new app from the start screen.
I don't have this problem in any other game, only TW2.
However this can be worked around well enough by playing the game in borderless windowed mode. Set the witcher 2 to windowed mode in the settings, and then you can use this little app to make it a borderless window: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2675769
As you can see I can now alt tab fine: http://i.imgur.com/sVIbVxK.jpg (don't worry, the taskbar goes away when you switch to the game)
Borderless windowed mode is awesome because not only does it allow for instant alt tabbing, but it also removes tearing without having to use vsync
I hope TW3 has a native borderless windowed mode option, like most recent games do.edit: damn, it does still seem to crash sometimes when alt tabbing with windowed mode, just far less often. It was fine alt tabbing between TW2 and already open apps, but it silently crashed when I tried to open a new app from the start screen.
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