Troubleshooting BSOD Video TDR Failure: A Personal Experience

Experiencing a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) can be a frustrating ordeal, especially when you are trying to enjoy your favorite games. Just a few days ago, I encountered the irritating “VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE” error on my Windows 10 PC, which compelled me to dive deep into troubleshooting. For any readers who might find themselves in a similar situation, here’s a detailed account of my experience and the steps I took to resolve the problem.

My PC Specifications

To give you a better understanding of my setup, here’s a quick overview of my specifications:

• CPU: Intel i7 9700K
• Motherboard: Z390 Aorus Elite-CF
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super
• RAM: 32 GB
• Power Supply Unit (PSU): 700W

The Initial Encounter

The trouble began during a gaming session with Grand Theft Auto IV, where I noticed significant lag and low frame rates. In an attempt to resolve these issues, I decided to reformat my PC. Although I was scheduled to clean up my system anyway, I thought this would give me a fresh start. After reinstallation and updating my drivers, I was dismayed to find that my PC continued to lag and freeze sporadically, leading to the dreaded BSOD with the “nvlddmkm.sys” error.

Attempting to Diagnose the Issue

In a slight panic, I ran several benchmarks to assess the performance of my components. Interestingly, the situation began to improve over time. Upon reaching out to iBUYPOWER (the vendor of my two-year-old system), I was informed that some parts only come with a one-year warranty. They suggested the issue might be related to the CPU cooler, but I was skeptical. After a night’s rest, I conducted another benchmark and, miraculously, everything seemed fine. I could even run Dying Light with better frame rates compared to earlier.

Further Complications Arise

However, the relief was short-lived. While watching a movie on HBO Max and chatting with a friend on Discord, I noticed the video began to freeze, similar to buffering, even without an actual loading sign. My friend pointed out that my voice was breaking up, which raised suspicions about my power supply.

Taking Action

To troubleshoot further, I removed a