8 Easy Ways to Fix the nvlddmkm.sys Error in Windows 10

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Of all the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) issues that come up on your Windows computer, some of them are caused by the hardware components of your system. This further branches into many other types of BSoDs, one of which is caused by some mistakes related to your graphics card. This is the Nvidia nvlddmkm.sys Video TDR failure error and this is the article that will help you fix it on your PC.

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What is nvlddmkm.sys?

The Nvidia Windows Longhorn Display Driver Model Kernel Mode (nvlddmkm.sys) driver is a Windows Display driver that is responsible for the communication between your Nvidia graphics card and the Windows Operating System (OS).

What does Video TDR failure mean?

TDR stands for Time Detection and Recovery and is a Windows feature that resets your computer’s functioning Nvidia graphics driver if it does not respond to the Operating System within a short deadline. The computer is set to a normal state if your Nvidia GeForce GPU card isn’t responsive for a long time, without restarting it.

If the Time Detection and Recovery tool does not troubleshoot your computer when it notices no responses from the GPU that is connected to the system, it means that you are facing the Video TDR failure. When your system is put in a very uncomfortable situation like this, it resorts to crashing and displaying a Blue Screen error.

This issue usually happens when the user is playing games, rendering 3D structures, watching or editing videos, or any other process that uses a large volume of the Graphics memory for a prolonged time period.

Factors that cause the nvlddmkm.sys Video TDR failure Blue Screen error (nvlddmkm.sys)

1. Incompatibility of the Graphics Card’s drivers

There could be an incompatible graphics driver software version present on your computer. You may be able to find a driver that works perfectly on your computer and supports the processes that need to use this hardware. 

2. Invalid voltages and/or memory timing

If the timing information or the core voltage of your graphics card is not accurate, you could see the Video TDR failure of your Nvidia graphics card.

3. Overheating issues

It is not safe for any hardware component to be very hot. Extensive heat can cause damage to this and reduce performance. Sufficient cooling or lowering the settings configuration can cool your PC down.

4. Memory issues

There can be some issues with your RAM, which can cause several problems including Video TDR failure.

5. Graphics Card restrictions

It is possible that some features are restricted to be used with the graphics card. Breaking this rule can cause many video outputs related problems. 

6. Too many running processes

If processes are running more than your CPU can handle, you will have a very slow computer. If you try launching programs that use the GPU, it could be very choppy. 

Methods to fix the Nvlddmkm.sys error on Windows 10

  1. Update your Graphics Card Drivers
  2. Look for Windows updates
  3. Underclock your GPU settings
  4. Uninstall and Reinstall your Nvidia Graphics Card Drivers
  5. Get rid of problematic programs
  6. Run CHKDSK
  7. Perform a Memory Check
  8. Get a new Graphics Card

Fix Nvlddmkm.sys System Error on Windows 10

Update your Graphics Card Drivers

You will not get the best performance out of your graphics cards if you have an outdated graphics card driver. This can also cause some problems for you. It is important for you to have the latest drivers on your computer.

There are applications like the Nvidia GeForce Experience and Radeon Adrenalin, which notify you when there are pending updates and allow users to automatically download updates with a press of a button. 

If you would like to update your drivers the classic, manual way, here is the procedure:

Before we get started, It is important that you know the Nvidia GPU model that you have on your PC. You can find your model in the video card interface or the display adapters section in the Device Manager. 

  1. Press Windows key + R key to bring up the Run tool. 
  2. Type in the run command “dxdiag” and hit enter on your keyboard. This is the command for opening the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window. 
  3. Open the Render tab. It will have details of your dedicated graphics card. Your integrated GPU information can be found in the Display tab.
The Dedicated Graphics card details in the DirectX Diagnostic window
  1. Make note of the model and close the window.
  2. Next, search for System Information in the taskbar search box and open the best match.
  3. In the System tab, Next to the System type heading, you should be able to see x64 or x86 based PC. If you see x64, it means that your OS is a 64-bit type. If it is x86, you have a 32 bit OS running on your system.
System type for a 64-bit OS based laptop
  1. Once you have all this information, you can search for the drivers you need on the Nvidia website.
  2. Download the correct Graphics Card driver and install it.
  3. Once you restart your computer after this course of action, you will have the latest version of the Graphics driver

It is important to keep your drivers updated.

Look for Windows updates

You will have to check manually for pending Windows updates for your system and this is how:

  1. Press the Windows key or click on the Windows icon to bring up the Start menu.
  2. Click on the cog icon on the left to open Windows settings.
  3. Go into the Update & Security option.
  4. Choose the Windows update tab on the left and select Advanced options. You can set your PC to automatically update itself here.
The Windows Update page in the Windows settings
  1. Click on Update Windows, if there are any updates pending.

Underclock your GPU settings

Underclocking the GPU settings might reduce the performance offered by your GPU card. But this is a potential fix for the nvlddmkm.sys Blue Screen of Death error. Overclocking your GPU or processor is a highly technical process, making a mistake here can cost you your PC. 

If you are not familiar with the overclocking procedure, you can use interfaces, like the Nvidia GeForce Experience, that can modify the Graphics settings. 

Uninstall and Re-Install your Nvidia Graphics Card Drivers

This is how you can remove and Re-Install the drivers for your GPU from your computer.

  1. Launch your PC in Safe Mode, by pressing the Power button thrice. 
  2. You should see a message stating Preparing Automatic Repair on your screen.
  3. Follow this path:

Advanced Options menu > Troubleshoot option > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart

  1. Choose F4 to launch into Safe Mode and F5 to start into Safe Mode with a Network.
  2. Hit Enter to get back to your OS.
  3. Type Device Manager in the search bar and open the best result. You should be able to see all the drivers on your PC.
  4. In the Device Manager, Locate the Display Adapter settings and click on them to expand the menu.
The Display Adapters on a medium-specs laptop
  1. Double-click on your dedicated Nvidia GPU to open its properties.
  2. Click on the Uninstall device button and check the Delete the driver software for this device checkbox. Select Ok.
The Dedicated Graphics Card properties window
  1. Download the latest version of the video drivers from the website or using the Nvidia GeForce Experience interface.
  2. Open the Windows File Explorer and go to the following explorer directory:

C:\Windows\System32\Drivers

The Drivers folder in C:\
  1. Locate the nvlddmkm.sys and rename it to nvlddmkm.sys.old.
  2. Go to the Nvidia directory in the C:\ drive, copy and paste the sy_ there.
  3. Then, open the Command Prompt as the administrator and run this command:
exe nvlddmkm.sy_nvlddmkm.sys
  1. Find the newly created file inside the Nvidia folder and paste in the driver’s folder.

Get rid of problematic programs

If you notice that there are some applications that cause this problem on your system, you have to get rid of them immediately, with their respective uninstallation wizards or the Add or Remove programs feature.

  1. Type in Add or Remove, in the search bar and open it.
  2. Find the program that you want to remove and click on it.
  3. Select Uninstall to begin the application removal process.
The Uninstall button in the Add or Remove Programs feature
  1. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Run CHKDSK 

A Disk Check (CHKDSK) scan in the Command Prompt is used to verify the integrity of the system files on your hard drive. This is used to find and repair corrupted files on Windows computers. This can be used to fix the nvlddmkm.sys TDR failure on your system. 

These are your steps to run a Disk Check:

  1. Open Command Prompt as a Windows admin. Hold Windows key and R together to open the Run tool. Enter the run command cmd and press enter.
  2. Enter the following command:
chkdsk ‘disk letter’: /f /r /x
The Check Disk command in a Command Prompt Window
  1. You have to make a choice if you wish to run a scan the next time, the system reboots. Type in the letter Y and press Enter key. 
  2. Restart your computer and it will look for corrupt files and try to fix them.

Perform a Memory Check 

If you notice that your PC is very slow, it could also be because of your RAM. To check for issues with the RAM, you can run a Memory check using the Windows Memory Diagnostic utility. 

These are the steps to run a Memory Test:

  1. Press Windows key + R to launch the Run tool.
  2. Enter the run command “mdsched.exe” and click Ok to open the Windows Memory Diagnostic.
  3. Choose one of the two options: Restart now and check for problems or Check for problems the next time I start my computer. 
Windows Memory Diagnostic window
  1. It should take around 20 minutes to look for RAM issues.
  2. Restart your system. If there are issues, you can look into them and fix them.

Get a new Graphics card

Every component on your PC can go awry. If you have an old video card that does not perform as well as it used to, you will have to upgrade to a new one. An old video card will not improve and will keep failing to perform, no matter how many driver updates you download.

Conclusion

You may have experienced the TDR failure Blue Screen of Death error on your system. There are chances that you may see it again. This article has every procedure you can implement to fix this error. 

Happy BSoD-free browsing!

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