New update to NMS forces Vulkan drivers ... and AMD abandoned Win8.1 before they started implementing Vulkan drivers ... so there is no way to run the game anymore on Win8.1

...

I would 100% lose vital data in an OS upgrade, and there is no way to NOT update the game ... so I guess I'm S.O.L. 200 hours into the game and just sudden irrevocable death. This sucks.

That indeed sucks. Especially, since AMD seem to still support Windows 7.

What about getting a 2nd drive and a cheap W10 key (got my keys for ~40EUR a piece on Amazon.de, legit), maybe even including a drivebay with a removable carroer ?

I'm using dirt cheap plastic drivebays on many of my machines, wouldn't miss being able to swap system / data drives in a few seconds for the world.

I'm glad you have a rig that allows you to work around the problem, however I live with a bunch of people in a place with no space for an office/desk/permanent computer setup. I use a laptop and prop myself up in bed to play games and work. ... not that I wouldn't be pissed to have to drop an adittional 40EUR for Win10 + 100EUR for the drives + >400EUR for a new rig that has swappable drive bays! That's a steep price to pay just for the joy of continuing with NMS.

Small ssds can be had for around 30CDN. If you have USB3, you might be able to install and run of off an external enclosure (+ ~15CDN) at an acceptable speed. If not, and if your laptop doesn't require a surgeon for replacing a drive I'd swap the internal one in and out for work / gaming.

Yes, that's still a lot of bucks and hazzöe compared to just getting handed a working Vulkan aimplementation by AMD for Windows 8.1. But it'll work. And it'll get you separate work and gaming drives.

Sir, if you honestly believe that is a reasonable solution to the problem .... seek help.

Did you ever download the Next Offline Backup Installers ? (See attached screenshot if you have never done this)

If you dont use GOG Galaxy, and just install the game from the Offline Backup Manual Installers, then you will never be auto updated. Not ideal if you are a player that wants online features, and not ideal if you have always used Galaxy and did not know about the Offline installer files .. but there are options (so long as you kept the Next version of the games installers that is).

I no longer have them, and would not be able to pass them to you if I did because that would be piracy.

Ask GOG via support explaining your situation if they could provide you with the No Man's Sky Next version of the Offline Backup files.

And / Or send a support request "Report an issue", to HelloGames asking them the way forward for people in the same predicament.

https://hellogames.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

Thanks, that is helpful! I have only ever played in the Galaxy client, so had no idea about offline installer backups. I have submitted a bug report to HelloGames, fingers crossed that the response will be something more helpful than 'sucks to be you'

It would be fair to offer the pre-beyond patch for you... that said here: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T This is a 100% legal, OK to use working Windows 10 pro key from Microsoft. Go install 10-pro and get playing NMS. This is the lifetime valid upgrade key that MS gave out to everyone, millions of people... Google it if your worried but its legit and works ;)

According to Forbes thats not quite "Free"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/12/22/windows-10-free-upgrade-key/#5483072837d4

"So what is this product key and how does it work? Here are the steps:
Go to ‘Change Product Key’ (easily found by typing this into Cortana)
Enter the ‘free’ Microsoft key: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
After this your system will automatically begin the upgrade process to Windows 10 Pro. So why do I say ‘Free’? Because while Microsoft is freely giving out the key it stresses this only permits the upgrade to be carried out, it doesn’t give you a free copy - that still needs to be Activated and that then prompts the user for payment."

See also ..

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/436e23ac-bab3-46f8-b9ef-87af75870a22/windows-10-professional-activation-issue?forum=win10itprosetup

"Another way to change the installed Windows for the above link;

"Start button > left side, Settings > Update & Security > left side, click Activation > right side, click Change product key........

now enter the generic Win 10 Pro product key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T >
It will start switching your Home version to Pro version BUT it will NOT activate.

When it is done, use your Win 8 Pro product key to activate."

In your case it would be the Windows 10 Pro key in that last step."

Very true you can activate equivalent versions of Win 10 from valid 7, 8 and 8.1 keys. Since you are running 8.1 you have a valid key, you can install 10 ;)

So we can have win 7 home installed, or 8.1 home installed

Do that upgrade with the special key to get win 10 pro installed

And then activate it with our original win whatever home key ?

Or would this only work assuming your original windows is also Pro ?

(OP didn't mention home or pro so just checking the possibilities in case)

My original OS is OEM, so I don't actually have the key at all. I can get a Win10 key that works, but it doesn't really matter ... I can't upgrade my OS without potentially destroying all the other software on my machine that is running perfectly fine right now. That is a risk I cannot take.

ok, here is what you actually need to do.
First off make your recovery media on your oem computer, you will need either a thumbdrive, or some blank dvd's (if your system comes with a dvd burner).
then you can download the Windows 10 installation media app.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
and you can do the upgrade. it will activate and convert your oem key in windows and keep teh system legal (this is ONLY going to work if you upgrade to windows 10, just run the app in windows and it will do the rest).
once you upgraded to windows 10 it will be logged with microsofts servers that your system has windows 10. so if you ever need ot reinsatll 10, then just dont use a key. when the system goes online, it will call home so to speak and activate so no worries. or you could run your recovery media to put 8.1 back on your system. i dont recomend dualbooting. its not really worth it having 8.1 and 10 on the same system.

That sucks balls! And i guess it is true that Windows 8 was were all the rot started at MS over recent years. Glad i stuck with Windows 7. And it also sucks that AMD won't give Windows 8.1 the same care as Windows 7 (a much older OS).

Just to be clear we are talking about an issue with a GPU driver right? So what about the possibility of using an NVIDA card in place of the AMD one, IF that means you won't have this Windows 8.1 compatability issue?

I have no idea if that works or not, but one possible avenue to look at perhaps?

Also are you sure we don't have like an OpenGL option to run the game anymore? If so maybe we can persuade HG to think about putting it back (even at the cost of less fps) for compatability reasons like yours? send them an email about it maybe?

You can always get the key, there are tons of programs that can do it. I can also walk you though an in-place upgrade thats from Microsoft. I've been an Insider, and Azure Dev Tools op (formerly dreamspark) for over 10 years now. I test programs going back to 95 (not 16bit programs, you wouldn't have them either) and Ive only found a very small number that do not work in 10 without wrappers. Its the most stable and compatible system there is, resource management is miles above all the previous OS's that Microsoft put out.

That said if it works in 8.1 you truly have no reason to worry about compatibility.