Question:

How can I fix the graphics driver crash issue on my new PC?

I have a new PC with an nvidia graphics card. The driver is installed and shows as “working” in the device manager. However, when I try to play some games (such as valorant and operation harsh doorstep), the screen goes black and I get an error message saying that the graphics driver has crashed. I have tried to update the driver, optimize the game settings, and use the keyboard shortcut Win+alt+shift+b to reset the driver, but none of these solutions worked. What can I do to resolve this problem?

Answer:

If you have a new PC with an nvidia graphics card and you experience graphics driver crashes when playing some games, you are not alone. Many users have reported similar issues with various games and nvidia drivers. The good news is that there are some possible solutions that you can try to fix the problem.

What causes the graphics driver crash issue?

The graphics driver crash issue can be caused by several factors, such as:

• Outdated or incompatible driver: Sometimes, the driver that you have installed may not be the latest version or may not be compatible with your graphics card model or operating system. This can lead to performance issues, glitches, or crashes.
• Corrupted or missing driver files: Sometimes, the driver files may get corrupted or deleted due to malware, disk errors, or other reasons. This can prevent the driver from functioning properly or at all.
• Overheating or power issues: Sometimes, the graphics card may overheat or draw too much power from the system, especially when running demanding games. This can cause the graphics card to malfunction or shut down, resulting in a driver crash.
• Conflicting software or settings: Sometimes, the driver may conflict with other software or settings on your PC, such as antivirus, firewall, game launcher, or game mode. This can interfere with the driver’s operation or communication, causing errors or crashes.

How can I fix the graphics driver crash issue?

Depending on the cause of the problem, you can try one or more of the following solutions to fix the graphics driver crash issue:

• Update the driver: The first and most obvious solution is to update the driver to the latest version. This can resolve any compatibility or performance issues that may be causing the crash. You can update the driver manually by downloading it from the nvidia website, or automatically by using the nvidia GeForce Experience app. To update the driver manually, follow these steps:
• Go to the [nvidia driver download page](https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx).
• Select your graphics card model, operating system, and language, and click Search.
• Download the latest driver that matches your specifications, and save it to your PC.
• Run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver.
• Restart your PC and check if the problem is solved.
• Reinstall the driver: Sometimes, updating the driver may not be enough to fix the problem. You may need to completely uninstall and reinstall the driver to ensure that there are no corrupted or missing files. To reinstall the driver, follow these steps:
• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter. This will open the Device Manager.
• Expand the Display adapters category, right-click on your nvidia graphics card, and select Uninstall device.
• Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device, and click Uninstall.
• Restart your PC and go to the [nvidia driver download page](https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx) to download and install the latest driver as described above.
• Clean install the driver: Sometimes, reinstalling the driver may not be enough to fix the problem. You may need to perform a clean installation of the driver to remove any leftover files or settings that may be causing the crash. To clean install the driver, follow these steps:
• Download and install the [Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)](https://www.wagnardsoft.com/) tool, which is a free and reliable program that can completely remove any graphics driver from your PC.
• Run the DDU tool and select NVIDIA as the device type, and click Clean and restart. This will uninstall the driver and reboot your PC.
• Go to the [nvidia driver download page](https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx) to download and install the latest driver as described above, but make sure to select Custom (Advanced) instead of Express (Recommended) during the installation process.
• Check the box that says Perform a clean installation, and click Next. This will ensure that the driver is installed without any previous files or settings.
• Adjust the power settings: Sometimes, the graphics card may crash due to insufficient power supply or overheating. You can try to adjust the power settings of your PC and graphics card to prevent this from happening. To adjust the power settings, follow these steps:
• Press Windows + I to open the Settings app, and click on System.
• Click on Power & sleep on the left pane, and click on Additional power settings on the right pane. This will open the Power Options window.
• Select the High performance plan, or create a new plan with high performance settings, and click on Change plan settings.
• Click on Change advanced power settings, and expand the PCI Express category.
• Expand the Link State Power Management subcategory, and set it to Off for both On battery and Plugged in.
• Click on OK and close the Power Options window.
• Right-click on the nvidia icon in the system tray, and select NVIDIA Control Panel. This will open the NVIDIA Control Panel.
• Click on Manage 3D settings on the left pane, and click on the Global Settings tab on the right pane.
• Scroll down to the Power management mode option, and set it to Prefer maximum performance.
• Click on Apply and close the NVIDIA Control Panel.
• Disable conflicting software or settings: Sometimes, the graphics driver may crash due to interference from other software or settings on your PC, such as antivirus, firewall, game launcher, or game mode. You can try to disable or uninstall any software or settings that may be conflicting with the driver. To disable conflicting software or settings, follow these steps:
• Press Windows + I to open the Settings app, and click on Gaming.
• Click on Game Mode on the left pane, and turn it Off on the right pane. This will disable the game mode feature that may be causing the crash.
• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box, type msconfig, and press Enter. This will open the System Configuration window.
• Click on the Services tab, and check the box that says Hide all Microsoft services.
• Uncheck any service that is related to your antivirus, firewall, game launcher, or other software that may be conflicting with the driver, and click OK.
• Click on the Startup tab, and click on Open Task Manager. This will open the Task Manager window.
• Disable any startup program that is related to your antivirus, firewall, game launcher, or other software that may be conflicting with the driver, and close the Task Manager window.
• Restart your PC and check if the problem is solved.

Conclusion

The

graphics driver crash issue on your new PC can be frustrating and annoying, but it can be fixed with some simple solutions. You can try to update, reinstall, or clean install the driver, adjust the power settings, or disable conflicting software or settings, depending on the cause of the problem. Hopefully, one of these solutions will work for you and you will be able to enjoy your games without any crashes. If none of these solutions work, you may need to contact nvidia support or your PC manufacturer for further assistance.