Windows crashed every time I plug or unplug External gpu.

Question

I have a laptop running Windows 11 pro, I also use thunderbolt 4 external gpu with rtx 3090 inside. I use this combo for data science tasks and then the famous issue of bottleneck should not be any big trouble since I'm not gaming. You can assume I did set up everything work well.

Every time I plug in or unplug the e-gpu, there's a high chance of crashing windows. Using the "safely remove device" from taskbar can effectively reduce the chance of that risk. However, the real problem is the next time time my laptop start up/ or shutdown or restart. It's annoying that I have to enter bitlocker recovcery key, then the process of reset PIN, and windows hello (face sign in, fingerprints....)

I did some investigate of the issue that it's some mechanic protection of bitlocker, when it found suspicious changes on hardwares.

I did try twice turning off bitlocker, but the processes of decryption took ton of time on my 2TB SSD, and unable to finish in my reality. Sometimes, the system crashed during the decryption. I had to re-install windows from fresh after that. It also killed my old SSD, and then I had to replace it with a new one.

Bitlocker is automatically install and turned on during windows installation. Turning it off is a bad idea for my case because the decryption took ton of time, other apps / processes are unstable during the decryption.

Keeping egpu plugged or unplugged forever is also a bad idea, which I sometimes need to bring my laptop to travel. And I know what troubles will happen next.

Could you suggest any solution?

Answer 1

Hello

Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.

Here are some steps you can try:

1. Ensure that both your NVIDIA and Thunderbolt drivers are up to date. You can do this through the Device Manager or by visiting the manufacturer's website.
2. Always use the "Safely Remove Hardware" option before unplugging your eGPU. This can help prevent crashes.
3. Make sure your Windows 11 is fully updated. Sometimes, updates include fixes for hardware compatibility issues.
4. Disable Fast Startup:

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > Change settings that are currently unavailable.

• Uncheck Turn on fast startup and save changes.

5. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM:

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following commands:

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

6. Ensure that your BIOS/UEFI firmware is up to date. Look for any settings related to Thunderbolt or external GPUs and adjust them if necessary.
7. If the problem persists, consider reaching out to your laptop or eGPU manufacturer's support for further assistance.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Daisy Zhou

============================================

If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

Answer 2

Hello

Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.

Here are some steps you can try:

1. Ensure that both your NVIDIA and Thunderbolt drivers are up to date. You can do this through the Device Manager or by visiting the manufacturer's website.
2. Always use the "Safely Remove Hardware" option before unplugging your eGPU. This can help prevent crashes.
3. Make sure your Windows 11 is fully updated. Sometimes, updates include fixes for hardware compatibility issues.
4. Disable Fast Startup:

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > Change settings that are currently unavailable.

• Uncheck Turn on fast startup and save changes.

5. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM:

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following commands:

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

6. Ensure that your BIOS/UEFI firmware is up to date. Look for any settings related to Thunderbolt or external GPUs and adjust them if necessary.
7. If the problem persists, consider reaching out to your laptop or eGPU manufacturer's support for further assistance.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Daisy Zhou

============================================

If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.