Help with long time recurring Crash of nvlddmkm.sys

Comprehensive Guide to Troubleshooting Recurrent nvlddmkm.sys Crashes on Windows

Experiencing persistent system crashes related to the nvlddmkm.sys driver can be a frustrating ordeal for many users. This issue, often associated with the NVIDIA graphics driver, manifests as blue screens or system instability, frequently during demanding graphical tasks or gaming sessions. If you’re dealing with long-standing issues of this nature, understanding the root cause and adopting a structured troubleshooting approach can significantly improve your chances of resolution.

Understanding the Issue

The nvlddmkm.sys file is a critical component of the NVIDIA graphics driver stack, responsible for communication between your Windows operating system and the NVIDIA GPU. Errors or failures within this driver can result in system crashes, typically characterized by the bug check code 0x116 – VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE. This specific bug check indicates that the Display Driver Module failed to recover from a timeout, often pointing to driver issues, hardware problems, or conflicts within the system.

The problem has been ongoing for months, with crashes occurring approximately 15 times, sometimes accompanied by mini-dumps, other times not. Notably, the crashes tend to occur during gaming but are not exclusively limited to it. Symptoms often appear after a Windows upgrade, such as moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11, hinting at possible compatibility or driver adaptation issues.

System Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Memory: 8×4 GB RAM (total 32 GB)
Motherboard: B450 chipset
Operating System: Windows 10 (upgraded to Windows 11 suspected to be a contributing factor)

Initial Steps to Address the Issue

Update Graphics Drivers:
Use the official NVIDIA GeForce Experience utility or download the latest stable driver directly from the NVIDIA website.
Ensure that you perform a clean installation by selecting the “Custom” option during installation and choosing “Perform a clean install.” This process removes previous driver remnants that could cause conflicts.
Revert or Roll Back Drivers:
If the crashes started after a driver update, consider rolling back to a previous stable version known to work well with your hardware.
Check for Windows Updates:
Make sure your operating system is fully updated, especially after an upgrade to