[SOLVED] Games Feeze (not crash) & nvlddmkm Error

[ApoJake]

Hi,

I’ve been having intermittent problems with my computer that I rebuilt ever since I rebuilt it. Predominantly the following error:

Spoiler: Error That I'm getting

The description for Event ID 13 from source nvlddmkm cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

\Device\Video3

Graphics Exception: ESR 0x404490=0x80000001

Element not found

And also the same Event ID 13 with this as the only difference:
\Device\Video3

Graphics Exception: MISSING_MACRO_DATA

In addition, I have also occasionally been getting the “VIDEO_SCHEDULER_INTERNAL_ERROR” bsod.

Basically what happens is I’ll be playing a video game and it will freeze. Not crash, but freeze and just hang there. Sometimes, I can get back to the game and sometimes I have to Ctrl+Alt+Del and end the task in Task Manager. This freeze will only seem to happen within gaming, but the BSOD occasionally happens either in a gaming session or just in Windows. I seem to notice the freeze while playing the following games: Stellaris, Total War Warhammer 2. The BSOD can happen at any point.

This also doesn’t seem to have any predictable pattern. Sometimes I’ll be gaming for a couple hours with no issue and other times, it will be within a few minutes – or anywhere in between.

Spoiler: My System Specs

• Windows 10 Home 64-bit (Version 1909)
• Motherboard: Gigabyte AB350-Gaming 3
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 2400MHz (2x8GB)
• GPU: EVGA GTX 1660 Ti (Current Drivers: 441.66 WHQL)
• Storage: // 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD (for OS and System files) // 1TB Samsung 860 EVO SSD (for gaming) // 1TB Western Digital HDD (for storage)
• Power Supply Corsair HX750

Spoiler: Other Notes / Things I’ve tried

• My “rebuild” consisted of a new Motherboard, SSD, HDD, GPU, CPU (Power Supply remained the same)
• Updated / rolled back drivers countless times (with DDU in safe mode)
• Used regedit to change TdrDelay to 20
• Bought a completely new GPU. Previous one was a Gigabyte GTX 1060 (6GB) and was still having problems
• Increased RAM voltage from stock 1.25V to 1.30V because I read on some other forum that it helped him
• Nothing is overclocked, everything is stock speeds
• Undreclocked the GPU with MSI Afterburner
• Cleaned any dust out of my system
• Switched RAM slots back and forth
• Updated AMD Chipsets
• Updated Motherboard BIOS (Currently at F25, I know it’s not currently the newest version but I’ve had the problems on both the one the board came with, which was F5 I think?, and this one). Gigabyte’s BIOS updating has gotten a little convoluted as of late so I’m a little hesitant to try updating it again.
• Stress tested GPU / CPU / RAM with OCCP, FurMark, Heaven, Memtest, Prime95 – all with no errors (this confuses me the most because I feel like I should be able to replicate an error in one or of these tests).
• Temperatures were all within acceptable ranges, GPU got at high as 70°C and CPU as high as 61°C during testing. Idles at 36°C for GPU, and 29°C for CPU.
• Put the GPU in the other (slower) PCI-e slot

At this point, I’m wondering if the Motherboard itself could be causing the problems, maybe? I don’t think it would be the Power Supply, because it was working fine before I swapped out parts, plus the GPU I have now is more power efficient than my old-old 660 Ti that I had. Any other input would be greatly appreciated.

I know that’s a lot of text and information, so thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

[ApoJake]

Couple things that I forgot to mention:

• I have NOT tried a clean install of Windows yet. Could that even potentially fix this issue or should I not even bother trying?
• I HAVE tried chkdsk & sfc /scannow
• I have also of course did several Antivirus Scans (w/ Avast) and Malware scans (w/ Malewarebyts)

Thanks again!

 

[ApoJake]

So I believe I found the solution and just wanted to share it in case anyone else comes across this by chance.

Basically, it ended up being my RAM. Pretty much the last thing I thought it would be...

My old RAM was (2x8) of 2400 MHz and the new RAM I purchased is (2x8) of 2666 MHz. Same Corsair Vengeance LPX brand.

Very strange considering I ran numerous tests on my old RAM and did not find any issues or errors. Now I'm not entirely sure if it is because of the stock frequency change or if it was a faulty RAM to begin with but just didn't throw any errors that specifically pointed to it but I've been gaming with the new RAM for about 2 weeks now and haven't had a single issue (knock on wood).

I just wish the nvlddmkm Error wasn't so vague because apparently that error can be a multitude of things.

Anyway, good luck to anyone that has this error because it can be a serious PITA to troubleshoot!

 

[Fives]

Vague indeed.

Glad you were able to fix your NVLDDMKM errors.

I was having them too until I uninstalled MSI Afterburner. Now my PC boots without any video/game crashes.