You’re deep into your favorite game or working on an important document when suddenly—boom! Your screen freezes for a second, flickers, and then your system magically recovers. A message pops up saying: “Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered.”
Sounds familiar? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This little headache is common among Windows users with NVIDIA graphics cards. But the good news is—yes, it can be fixed!
So, What’s Going On?
Nvlddmkm.sys is related to your NVIDIA display driver. When Windows thinks the driver isn’t responding fast enough, it restarts it. That’s why you see the error. Thankfully, it doesn’t mean your graphics card is going up in smoke.
Below are a few fun, easy steps you can take to get things running smoothly again. Let’s fix that cranky display driver!
1. Update Your Graphics Driver
Old or corrupt drivers are often the cause. The fix? A simple update!
- Right click on the Start button and choose Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click your NVIDIA driver and select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers.
If Windows doesn’t find a new one, go to the NVIDIA website and grab the latest driver yourself.
2. Do a Clean Install of the NVIDIA Driver
If updating didn’t help, a fresh install might. Don’t worry, it’s easier than baking cookies. Well, almost.
- Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).
- Boot into Safe Mode.
- Run DDU and remove the NVIDIA drivers.
- Reboot and install the latest drivers you downloaded from NVIDIA.
That’s it. Your GPU gets a clean slate! 🧼
3. Check for Overheating
Graphic cards get hot, especially during games or graphic-heavy tasks.
Overheating can cause drivers to fail. Use tools like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to check temperatures.
If your temps are sky-high (think over 85°C), blow out the dust, check your fans, and improve airflow in your PC case.
4. Tweak the TDR Delay
TDR = Timeout Detection and Recovery. It’s a Windows feature that forces the GPU to reset if it doesn’t respond quickly. Sometimes, a tiny tweak can fix big headaches.
Here’s how to change the TDR delay using the Registry Editor:
- Press Win + R, type
regeditand hit Enter. - Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers. - Right-click > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name it TdrDelay.
- Double-click and set its value to 8.
- Restart your computer.
This tells Windows to wait a bit longer before restarting the driver. Just enough time for your GPU to catch its breath!
5. Don’t Overclock (For Now)
If you’ve been overclocking your GPU (or if it came factory overclocked), it might be too much for your system to handle. Try resetting to stock settings and see if stability returns.
Use tools like MSI Afterburner to tweak clock speeds back to default.
6. Check Your RAM
Yup, even RAM can be guilty. Faulty memory can cause system-wide issues, including GPU errors.
Run Windows Memory Diagnostic or use MemTest86 to check if your RAM is behaving.
Final Tips
- Keep Windows up to date.
- Avoid running too many apps in the background.
- Make sure your power supply is strong enough for your GPU.
Sometimes the solution is as simple as giving your PC a little TLC.
Wrap-Up
The “nvlddmkm stopped responding” error is annoying, sure—but it doesn’t have to be permanent. By updating drivers, tweaking settings, and keeping your system clean, you’ll be back to smooth sailing (and gaming) in no time.
Happy computing, and may your screen never flicker again!
Published on August 8, 2025 under .
