certain games no longer launch after a crash

Question

certain games no longer launch after a crash

lame 0

a few days ago my computer randomly crashed while i was playing a game, before it shut off i got a black screen that said something about my graphics card/driver, although i dont remember the exact phrase. once i restarted my computer, everything has been considerably laggier and multiple of my games dont launch when i try opening them. ive been quite thorough with the fixes ive tried and ive come to the conclusion that whatever is going on must be a problem with my system as a whole, not just with these specific programs. i'd very much appreciate any help i can get on this, thanks.

0 comments

3 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

David-M 111.3K Independent Advisor

Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

Based on your description, the crash may have occurred due to the graphics card driver or something it depends on. This crash may have corrupted the driver itself or system files, which would explain the sudden loss of performance and the games not launching. I need to investigate further.

Please see if your computer created minidump files.

These files are in C:\Windows\Minidump.

(If you don't have a Minidump folder, check if it is in the plural Minidumps.)

Copy any files you have to your desktop and store them in a ZIP file. Then, upload the ZIP file to the cloud (OneDrive), choose to share it, and get the link.

Then, post the link to the ZIP file here so I can have a look.

Looking forward to your reply.

lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T13:47:14.71+00:00

im not particularly tech savvy, but how do i know that sharing those files wont in some way compromise my personal information
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T13:52:00.4933333+00:00

also im not sure how relevant this is, but theres only one dump file in that folder and it says it was most recently modified last year, long before these issues started
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-06T13:56:24.1466667+00:00
Thanks for the clarification.

how do i know that sharing those files wont in some way compromise my personal information

Your concern is valid. Minidump files do not contain personal information. It is perfectly safe to share them. By the way, minidump files are frequently shared here in the Microsoft Q&A.

However, since the only minidump you have is old, it may not be relevant in this case. Perhaps the system is failing to create new minidumps, or it's due to the type of crash that is occurring.

In this case, please export and share the log for analysis:

(There is no personal information in the logs either.)

Press Windows + X and select Event Viewer;

Expand Windows Logs and select System;

In the Actions panel on the right, select Filter Current Log;

In Event level, check the boxes Critical, Warning, and Error and click on Ok;

Again, in the Actions panel, select Save Filtered Log File As and save in an easily accessible place.

Then, upload the file to the cloud (OneDrive), choose to share it, and get the link.

Post the link to the file here so I can have a look.

Looking forward to your reply.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T14:13:57.22+00:00

alright, i really hope this isnt a mistake. i filtered the logs from the last 7 days, and there are around 730 of them. im not sure if thats a normal amount. https://1drv.ms/u/c/b151f45071517423/IQC3-8MWXw69S6YqgrS0gJTSAROAeszIxubUXPQzLdV8OYg?e=nsomu0
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-06T14:24:50.79+00:00
Thanks.

i filtered the logs from the last 7 days, and there are around 730 of them. im not sure if thats a normal amount.

It's not uncommon. My PC has logged around 600 in the last 7 days and is running stably. Having many errors and warnings in the logs doesn't necessarily mean serious problems.

I analyzed the logs, and it was what I suspected. I found an entry indicating that there was an error creating the dump file. This is likely due to the type of crash that occurred.

In this case, I suggest you use the Driver Verifier utility. This utility is used to force the system to show the driver causing the problem.

Before turning on Driver Verifier, I like to create a restore point just in case. I suggest doing the same.

https://support.microsoft.com/windows/system-protection-e9126e6e-fa64-4f5f-874d-9db90e57645a

Turn on Driver Verifier, let the system crash 3 times, then turn off Driver Verifier. Share the minidumps that the crashes created.

Press Win + R, type verifier, and press Enter;

Select Create custom settings (for code developers) and click Next;

Check these options:

Pool Tracking

I/O Verification

Deadlock Detection

DMA Checking

Security Checks

Force pending I/O requests

IRP Logging

Miscellaneous Checks

DDI compliance checking

Select Select driver names from a list;

Sort by Provider and choose all non-Microsoft drivers;

Click Finish and restart your computer. Driver Verifier will now monitor the selected drivers.

(Pay attention to the blue screen that is displayed. Sometimes, it may contain useful information.)

After the system crashes at least 3 times, follow the procedure below to disable the Driver Verifier.

Open Start and type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Run the following commands at the Command Prompt one at a time:

verifier /reset verifier /bootmode resetonbootfail

Then, restart the PC.

If the system no longer starts due to the instability caused by the Driver Verifier, start it in Safe Mode and perform the above procedure to disable Driver Verifier.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-startup-settings-1af6ec8c-4d4a-4b23-adb7-e76eef0b847f

Looking forward to your reply.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T14:42:40.4+00:00

ive done everything except restarting my computer so far, the only question i have before i do that is what you mean by "after it crashes at least 3 times" ive never used driver verifier before, so i dont exactly know what you're referring to by that
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T15:33:31.8866667+00:00

ive now done the restart, its been about 20 minutes and so far still no crashes. if you could elaborate on what you meant by that i'd greatly appreciate it
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-06T15:59:57.6333333+00:00

By "crash", I mean displaying a blue or black screen (BSOD) with an error message, or the system abruptly restarting on its own. When Driver Verifier is active, a BSOD is not only common but expected.

When this crash occurs, Windows intercepts the misbehaving driver, forces the system to stop, and logs the specific culprit into a minidump file. This is crucial because it pinpoints the exact driver causing the issue, saving you from a long and frustrating trial-and-error process.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T16:09:03.3466667+00:00

okay that makes sense, i guess my only question now is how long generally should it take for one of these crashes to occur
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-06T16:15:00.94+00:00

It is impossible to predict exactly how long it will take for Driver Verifier to cause a crash. On some PCs, it happens as soon as Windows boots up; on others, it might take several hours or even a day of usage.

Since your original crash happened while gaming, I suggest you use your computer as usual and try playing some games to see if that triggers it sooner.

Just keep using the system until a crash occurs. If a crash happens and a minidump is successfully created, you can disable Verifier and share the file here. If it crashes but still fails to create a minidump, let it crash a couple more times.

Note: If you use the PC normally for 24 to 48 hours and it doesn't crash at all, you can turn Driver Verifier off, as it means the tool didn't catch any immediate driver violations.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T16:17:19.2466667+00:00

alright, and i assume i can turn my computer on/off whenever as long as overall i have it on for that long? basically just asking if it all needs to be one uninterrupted session to ensure a crash happens
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-06T16:21:02.79+00:00

No, it doesn't need to be one uninterrupted session at all. You can turn your computer on and off whenever you normally would.

Driver Verifier integrates into the Windows startup process, meaning its settings remain active every time you start your PC until you manually disable it.

Feel free to use your PC as you normally do throughout your day.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-06T16:22:42.3566667+00:00

i also just wanted to say thank you, ive been trying to fix this on my own for around 3 days now and you're the first person who's given me any proper help
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-06T16:24:52.97+00:00

Glad to help!
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-07T15:04:20.27+00:00

hey, its been about a day since we talked. ive been using my computer as normal, even intentionally trying to lag it out in hopes of it crashing, but so far nothing. i was wondering if theres some way to manually crash my computer while still getting the required data in a minidump file
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-07T15:58:57+00:00
That is interesting. Usually, if a driver is severely corrupted, Driver Verifier would have triggered a crash by now.

It is possible that the system managed to stabilize itself after a restart or a background update. However, since the issue started after a crash during a game, you should still be cautious.

Follow these steps now:

Disable Driver Verifier (since it consumes system resources and you've been stable so far).

Use your computer normally, especially for gaming.

If it remains stable, then you're likely good to go. If it crashes again, let me know so we can try a different approach, like a clean install of the GPU drivers.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-07T16:04:38.2633333+00:00

i dont really think it has stabilized, since all the issues i was having are still going on. most of my games still wont launch at all and the ones that do have framerates in the single digits, which definitely wasnt happening prior to the initial crash
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-07T16:42:39.19+00:00
Thanks for the clarification.

It's possible the original crash was a one-off event, but it might have left some "leftovers" or damage behind in the system files or drivers.

Another possibility is that Windows is now using a generic driver instead of your actual graphics driver. This would explain why the computer is stable now but performs poorly (lagging) in games. The system is essentially running in "safe" mode for your graphics card.

In any case, disable Driver Verifier. I think it's done its job. It's clear there shouldn't be a problematic driver currently on the system.

Please share a screenshot of the display adapters in Device Manager.

Open "Device Manager" (Windows + X and select Device Manager);

Expand "Display adapters" and take the screenshot.

Use the shortcut "Windows + Shift + S" to use the screenshot tool.

Also, share a screenshot of your system information.

Press "Windows + R", type msinfo32 and press Enter.

Maximize the window and use the screenshot tool.

Looking forward to your reply.
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-07T16:54:07.47+00:00

here they are
lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-07T16:55:24.6666667+00:00

i dont know why but it doesnt look like it included this image, the continuation of my system information

Answer 2

Thanks for the screenshots.

In your first screenshot, the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter is your CPU's integrated graphics. Because it's using a generic driver, the system will definitely feel slow and laggy, especially in games, even if your Nvidia card seems okay.

Let's see if reinstalling the manufacturer's driver gets everything back to normal. We're proceeding cautiously since we don't have a minidump to confirm the exact cause of the initial crash, but restoring this driver is the logical first step.

Access the link below and download and install the latest Intel graphics driver provided by Dell for your laptop.

https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/product/alienware-m15-r7-gaming-laptop/drivers

Driver name: Intel UHD/Iris Xe Graphics Driver

Version: 32.0.101.7084

(Run the downloaded EXE file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver.)

After installing the driver, please restart (not shutdown) your PC so Windows can properly initialize the new driver.

Once back in, go to Device Manager and expand the "Display adapters" category. Check if it now shows the name of your graphics card (like "Intel Iris Xe" or "Intel HD Graphics") or if it still says "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter."

This is an important check because if it remains as "Microsoft...", we might need to manually force Windows to recognize the new driver. Sometimes Windows can be stubborn and stick with the generic version. If that happens, let me know, and I'll guide you through the manual override.

If everything goes as expected and the adapter's name is displayed correctly, you can go back to using your computer normally. Try playing your games to see if they are performing well and if the system remains stable.

If you notice any lag or if any other issues persist, please let me know, and we will look into it further.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Standard Disclaimer: There is a link to a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

lame 0 Reputation points

2026-05-07T17:36:00.48+00:00

ohhh my god i think that worked. im now able to launch the games that werent opening previously, and the entire system feels far less laggy. im scared to speak too soon but it looks like reinstalling the driver might've fixed it. if any of the problems show back up i'll let you know, but for now thank you a million times for helping me through this, i truly appreciate it
David-M 111.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-05-07T17:44:00.7266667+00:00

Great to hear that the system is running smoothly after the reinstallation!

If everything stays good on your end, feel free to mark the answer for this thread. Otherwise, if you notice lag or other issues, let me know.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Answer 3

The crash and black screen mentioning the graphics card/driver strongly indicate a GPU/driver failure, often related to Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR). After such a failure, symptoms like games not launching, black screens, and general lag are commonly tied to:

Damaged or unstable graphics driver
Out-of-date DirectX or GPU runtime components
Background apps or utilities interfering with the GPU
Possible hardware/thermal issues on the GPU

Use the following steps in order:

Check for graphics-related errors

Open Event Viewer (right-click Start > Event Viewer).
Go to Windows Logs > System.
Look for errors or warnings around the time of the crash, especially entries mentioning “Display”, “LiveKernelEvent”, or VIDEO_TDR-related issues.

Update or reinstall the GPU driver

Install the latest display driver from Windows Update or the GPU vendor.
If a driver is identified in a bug check or event log, update or disable that driver and check with the manufacturer for a newer version.
After updating, test the games again.

Verify DirectX and graphics components

Ensure DirectX and other graphics-related software are up to date. If games rely on Direct3D/DirectDraw and those components are missing or damaged, games may fail to launch or show black screens.
For older titles, if DirectDraw/Direct3D options are unavailable or 3D acceleration is disabled, update DirectX runtimes and the video driver.

Reduce background load and conflicts

Perform a clean startup so only essential services and drivers load. This helps identify whether background programs (antivirus, GPU utilities, overclocking tools) are interfering with games.
Close unnecessary background apps before launching games.

Check for TDR-related stability issues

If the system previously froze or showed a black screen while the cursor or audio continued, it may have hit a TDR condition (VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED or VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE).
Make sure:
- The latest GPU driver is installed and supports TDR properly.
- Visual effects and background programs are minimized so the GPU can respond in time.

Inspect hardware health (if issues persist)

Check GPU temperatures using a monitoring tool; sustained high temperatures can cause black screens, fan ramp-up, and crashes.
Ensure the system has adequate cooling and power.
If freezes continue, run hardware diagnostics from the system or GPU manufacturer and consider checking memory and GPU hardware.

If, after updating the GPU driver, DirectX components, and performing a clean startup, games still refuse to launch and the system remains laggy, further investigation of crash dumps (bug checks like 0x116/0x117) and hardware diagnostics is recommended.

References:

Share via

certain games no longer launch after a crash

3 answers

Your answer