VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (0x00000116, nvlddmkm.sys)? Reinstall the Display Driver

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read February 26, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

Your PC blue-screens with VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (stop code 0x00000116), often naming nvlddmkm.sys (the NVIDIA display driver).

Why: Microsoft’s bug-check page says 0x116 “indicates that an attempt to reset the display driver and recover from a timeout has failed.” The GPU stopped responding, Windows tried to reset it (Timeout Detection and Recovery), and that reset failed. The page’s own debugger example names nvlddmkm.sys as the faulting module, and its resolution leads with updating the display driver.

Fix 1: Reinstall the display driver clean

Microsoft’s first resolution point: install the latest updates for your display driver “so it properly supports the TDR process.” A clean reinstall removes a corrupted driver state.

Download the latest driver for your GPU directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel (match your exact card).
Uninstall the current driver: Win + X → Device Manager → Display adapters, right-click your GPU → Uninstall device, and tick Delete the driver software if offered.
Reboot, then install the freshly downloaded driver.
If 0x116 keeps recurring, a fully clean removal with DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode followed by a fresh install clears leftover files Device Manager misses.

Fix 2: Undo overclocks and check cooling/power

Microsoft lists hardware causes directly: over-clocked components, incorrect memory configuration/timings, insufficient system cooling, insufficient system power, and defective parts.

Reset any GPU overclock (MSI Afterburner, vendor tools) to stock, and undo motherboard/RAM overclocks (XMP/EXPO) to test.
Confirm the GPU isn’t overheating — clean dust from fans and vents.
Make sure the PSU is adequate and the GPU power cables are firmly seated.

Fix 3: Reduce GPU load and update graphics software

The page notes too many background programs or heavy visual effects can slow the card so it can’t respond in time. Close background GPU-heavy apps, and make sure DirectX and any graphics-intensive games are fully updated/patched.

Fix 4: Test memory and try Safe Mode

Microsoft’s troubleshooting also recommends running the Windows Memory Diagnostic (Start → type mdsched.exe → Enter → Restart now and check for problems) and using Safe Mode to isolate the issue (Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → choose a Safe Mode option).

FAQ

It says “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered” but doesn’t crash. That’s TDR recovering successfully. The same driver fix applies — Microsoft notes more than five TDRs in a minute will escalate to a 0x116 bug check.

Is nvlddmkm.sys broken? That’s just the NVIDIA driver module that was running when the GPU hung. Reinstalling it clean (Fix 1) is the fix; it usually isn’t the file itself that’s faulty.

Sources: Microsoft Learn — Bug Check 0x116 VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE