PC Keeps Crashing During Games with event 153 and 14 nvlddmkm errors

If you're on windows 11, this is the issue.

Also the problem is going to persist every single time you update your GPU drivers. See windows have a bright idea of making it so our DRIVERS do not get written to the correct files.

Now I've got my poking out the way

1. Go in to C:\windows\system32

2 in search bar type nvlddmkm.sys - it will found all nvlddmkm.sys files in system32 - one file will be in drivers folder and others in DriverStore. IF you found nvlddmkm.sys only in DriverStore then u need to copy that file and paste it in to C:\Windows\system32\Drivers.

now we need to change permisions to every nvlddmkm.sys file... how ? ill tell you.

3 Right click on nvlddmkm.sys file and click on properties then click on security tab and here you will click on adjust.

On every user you click on full acces and then apply and ok .... restart your PC

Now remember, every time you do an update on your drivers, you need to check if this file has made it safely to the dirvers file, and if it hasn't. You've got to manually move it and give it the correct permissions.

WINDOWS 11 IS A PLAGUE.

Dear Brian, I spent the last three months getting replacements for a 4090 ZOTAC GPU that kept crashing. I received three cards but the issue was present with all of them. I tried everything, from reinstalling, resetting, adding keys to the registry etc. Every single thing that was suggested on various forums.

Then one of the users noticed that placing the case on one side randomly stopped the crashes. Same thing that I noticed in the past, but it was too herratic to nail it.

Well, in the end I realized that these cards are badly designed. They are too heavy for the PCIe connector that flexes and makes the pin connection faulty.

Now I am trying a Cooler Master riser cable (a flexible PCIe connector) and the miracle is that we are not having any more crashes.

Hope this helps.

Roberto

Dude whoever you are, you are an actual hero. I have been PLAGUED by this issue and could not figure out why, turns out it was exactly as you said and windows was storing nvlddmkm in the incorrect location! Absolutely unbelievable this is even possible.

If you're on windows 11, this is the issue.

Also the problem is going to persist every single time you update your GPU drivers. See windows have a bright idea of making it so our DRIVERS do not get written to the correct files.

Now I've got my poking out the way

1. Go in to C:\windows\system32

2 in search bar type nvlddmkm.sys - it will found all nvlddmkm.sys files in system32 - one file will be in drivers folder and others in DriverStore. IF you found nvlddmkm.sys only in DriverStore then u need to copy that file and paste it in to C:\Windows\system32\Drivers.

now we need to change permisions to every nvlddmkm.sys file... how ? ill tell you.

3 Right click on nvlddmkm.sys file and click on properties then click on security tab and here you will click on adjust.

On every user you click on full acces and then apply and ok .... restart your PC

Now remember, every time you do an update on your drivers, you need to check if this file has made it safely to the dirvers file, and if it hasn't. You've got to manually move it and give it the correct permissions.

WINDOWS 11 IS A PLAGUE.

Question - I searched my system32 and found two nvlddmkm.sys files. Both are under DriverStore, one was in location:
1st location: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvmdi.inf_amd64_ce215582e5f83f90

2nd location: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvmd.inf_amd64_a68ee57f3126eeba

I did not find the nvlddmkm.sys in my drivers folder. Should I copy both of those files into my Driver folder? Do I just copy the nvlddmkm.sys file itself or the whole folder that they are in to my Drivers folder?

Thanks for any help with this.

Dear Brian M aka Merdusk

Thank you for posting in the Microsoft community.

The nvlddmkm error indicates an issue with your NVIDIA graphics driver, and specific Event ID 153 errors are typically related to storage device problems (e.g., disk timeouts). These issues are likely contributing to the performance problems you've been experiencing. Here's a detailed guide to troubleshoot and resolve the problems:

1. Troubleshooting the nvlddmkm Error

The nvlddmkm.sys error usually points to problems with your NVIDIA graphics driver, which can cause system instability, crashes, or slowdowns.

Fix Actions: 1.1 Update or Reinstall NVIDIA Graphics Drivers

1. Go to the Download The Official NVIDIA Drivers | NVIDIA
2. Select your GPU model and download the latest Game Ready Driver or Studio Driver.
3. Perform a clean installation of the driver:
   • During installation, choose the option for a Custom Installation (not Express).
   • Select Perform a clean installation to remove old or corrupted drivers.

1.2 Roll Back NVIDIA Driver (if issue started after an update) If the error started after a recent driver update, the issue might lie with the new version.

1. Open Device Manager: Press Win + X > select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display Adapters, then right-click your NVIDIA GPU and select Properties.
3. Go to the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver (if available).

1.3 Disable Hardware Acceleration Some applications (e.g., browsers like Chrome, Discord) use GPU acceleration and can trigger nvlddmkm errors.

1. For Chrome: Go to Settings > Advanced > System, and disable Use hardware acceleration when available.
2. For other apps: Look for the hardware acceleration option in their settings and disable it.

1.4 Check for Overheating Overheating of the GPU may cause driver crashes.

• Use monitoring tools like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to check GPU temperatures while gaming or heavy app use.
• Ensure the GPU isn’t exceeding 80-90°C under load. Clean the fans, ensure good airflow in the case, or reapply thermal paste if necessary.

1.5 Increase TDR Timeout Windows uses a feature called Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR), which restarts your GPU driver if it takes too long to respond. Extending this timeout can help mitigate driver crashes.

1. Press WIN+R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers 
3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value:
   • Name it: TdrDelay
   • Value: 10
     (This increases the timeout delay to 10 seconds.)
4. Restart your computer.

1.6 Run NVIDIA Fix Tool

1. NVIDIA offers a Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) utility to remove drivers completely.
2. Boot into Safe Mode and use DDU to uninstall all NVIDIA drivers.
3. Reinstall the latest NVIDIA driver.

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

Troubleshooting Event ID 153 (Disk Timeouts)

Event ID 153 usually signals a problem with the storage device (like a disk/SSD) or its connection, and it could significantly impact system performance.

Fix Actions: 2.1 Check Disk Health

1. Open a command prompt with admin privileges (Win + X, then select Command Prompt (Admin) or Terminal (Admin)).
2. Run the following command to check disk health: bash chkdsk /f /r 

It will scan the disk for errors and fix them. You may need to reboot for this to complete.

1. Use a tool like CrystalDiskInfo to check the SMART status of your drive. Look for warnings or errors indicating a failing drive.

2.2 Update SATA/NVMe Drivers

• Ensure storage drivers (SATA/IDE or NVMe) are up to date. Check your motherboard's support page for the latest drivers.

2.3 Replace Faulty Cables/Connections

• If you're using a SATA SSD or HDD, swap out the SATA cable and try a different port on the motherboard.
• For NVMe SSDs, reseat the drive to ensure proper connection.

2.4 Switch Power Management for Storage

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X > Device Manager).
2. Expand Disk Drives, right-click the affected drive, and choose Properties.
3. Go to the Policies tab and ensure Enable write caching on this device is checked.

Best Wish

Shawn.Z-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist