I unchecked the ''Game Overlay'' and it still crashed. I noticed a post about capture devices possibly being the problem. Turning off MSI AfterBurner did the trick for me. Only problem now is i can't monitor my temps but the game is running atleast. Tried Fraps as a matter of interest and the game crashed also.

Unchecking ''game overlay'' may have helped also, i'm not sure.

this might help some of you

https://www.reddit.com/r/witcher/comments/3o9dok/delete_or_rename_d3d11dll_if_you_have_performance/

I've encountered the same issue ever since patch 1.11. No error message, no nothing, just crash to desktop.
Running on a GTX 970 with the latest drivers.

Sometimes it's after an hour, sometimes after 5 minutes. I usually can spot some strange behavior right before it happens (e.g. a merchant will only have one option instead of 3).

I'll try the suggested solution next time I play.

I've been getting an inordinate number of CTDs since patch 1.11 as well. The most current is during a cut scene in Reason of State.

I may not be able to complete the quest if it keeps happening.

Not happy about that.

PROBLEM
Yes,,i am playing the game since release. today : the screen freezes but the sounds continue. even i can ride the horse according to sound but screen has no move. After a while it logs off to desktop its self. I restart the game play and ride the horse for 20-30 seconds but almost same places it freezes again. Never had the problem before

1) Your GPU is either OC'ed too much or needs cleaning.
2) Dust off your computer with air compressor, just carefully.
3) Time to replace your cage fans with quality ones. In my build I'm running three
http://www.microcenter.com/product/404933/Cougar_CFV12HP_120mm_Hydro_Dynamic_Bearing_Case_Fan
set to 100% and my system is still quiet.

dude my computer is clean as a new born babies ass all fresh new parts and i did extensive stress testing for 2 days straight and seems witcher 3 is the only game that cant seem to hold itself up for more then an hour without shutting itself down to desktop

and I eat all the specs this game needs so it has to be a software issue with the patch that came out, Hopefuly the next patch we get can clear this problem.

What are your machines specs if I may ask..

Intel Core i7-5930K 4.00ghz
980 extreme amp edition stock factory clocked
16gb ddr4 3200mhz
Corsair HX1000i psu

like I said I have enough to run this to the ground with hair physx off
and its watercooled with the highest water cooler corsair has and the gpu only hits 66 on max load thanks to the cooler it has.

Just disable "game overlay" in "configure" option of the game (in galaxy client), it works for me.

Hmm, strange. I'm running with max hair works on a:
I7-980, 980ti, 24gb 1600mhz DDR 3 and stock xps 730x 1k PSU.

I don't use galaxy till it is 100% done so beats me I tried putting unlimited fps on and turn off vsync but none of those fix the random crashing and I noticed once it shuts to desktop and I go back to game it will shut itself off more frequent and happen more excessive and if I leave it alone for a hour or 2 and get back it will be fine till the next time it crashes but funny thing is it never crashed on the first part of the game but on the second zone the biggest one.

All I know is I hope this next patch that is coming out fixes this annoying GOD DAMN ANNOYING PROBLEM.. It might even pull me off from playing the game if I keep loosing so much damn time and progress...

You can try galaxy now, it's pretty stable - I use it since the release of the Witcher 3 and don't see any bugs or problems.