NVIDIA GPU causing nvlddmkm TDR resets and intermittent black screens on Windows 11

Julian Uribe 5 Reputation points
2025-12-31T23:53:27.64+00:00

Hello,

I am experiencing persistent GPU-related black screen issues on a brand-new Windows 11 PC, and I am seeking guidance from a Microsoft moderator or engineer.

System details

  • OS: Windows 11 (latest updates installed)

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (new, prebuilt system)

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8700F

Motherboard: ASUS B650M MAX GAMING WIFI

Monitor: Dell 165 Hz (DisplayPort & HDMI tested)

PC purchased new (prebuilt), no physical damage

Problem description

The system experiences intermittent black screens where:

Display goes black for a few seconds

Monitor reports signal loss briefly

Screen comes back on its own

Sometimes the active application (e.g., Fortnite) crashes immediately afterward

This behavior repeats constantly under normal desktop usage.

Event Viewer

Each black screen coincides with NVIDIA TDR errors:

Source: nvlddmkm

Event ID: 153 / TDR reset

Message indicates the display driver stopped responding and was restarted.

Important observations

The system is 100% stable in Safe Mode

Issue occurs only in normal Windows mode

Issue happens most frequently when:

Browsing (Edge in particular)

  Sitting idle on desktop
  
     Low GPU load states
     
     Under high GPU load (e.g., Unigine Heaven benchmark), the system can run for extended periods without crashing
     
     Temperatures are normal (~65–70°C under load)

Troubleshooting already performed

Clean GPU driver removal using DDU in Safe Mode

Fresh NVIDIA driver install (latest version)

Tested both DisplayPort and HDMI

Tested different GPU output ports

Tested different refresh rates (60 Hz / 120 Hz / 165 Hz)

Disabled G-Sync / VRR

Windows fully updated

BIOS is up to date

Issue occurs regardless of cable, port, or refresh rate

PSU appears stable (no system shutdowns or reboots)

Additional behavior

Black screens occur more often at idle or light workloads

Running a GPU stress test seems to temporarily reduce occurrences

Issue returns unpredictably

Fortnite crashes after a black screen (likely due to TDR reset)

Question

Given that:

The issue does not occur in Safe Mode

Drivers have been fully cleaned and reinstalled

Hardware temperatures and power appear normal

TDR resets occur consistently in Event Viewer

Is this most likely:

A Windows / WDDM power state or TDR handling issue?

A known NVIDIA driver issue with low-power states?

Or a defective GPU requiring replacement?

Are there any Windows-level diagnostics, registry TDR settings, or power management settings you recommend checking before pursuing hardware replacement?

Thank you for your time and assistance.Hello,

I am experiencing persistent GPU-related black screen issues on a brand-new Windows 11 PC, and I am seeking guidance from a Microsoft moderator or engineer.

System details

OS: Windows 11 (latest updates installed)

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (new, prebuilt system)

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8700F

Motherboard: ASUS B650M MAX GAMING WIFI

Monitor: Dell 165 Hz (DisplayPort & HDMI tested)

PC purchased new (prebuilt), no physical damage

Problem description

The system experiences intermittent black screens where:

Display goes black for a few seconds

Monitor reports signal loss briefly

Screen comes back on its own

Sometimes the active application (e.g., Fortnite) crashes immediately afterward

This behavior repeats constantly under normal desktop usage.

Event Viewer

Each black screen coincides with NVIDIA TDR errors:

Source: nvlddmkm

Event ID: 153 / TDR reset

Message indicates the display driver stopped responding and was restarted.

Important observations

The system is 100% stable in Safe Mode

Issue occurs only in normal Windows mode

Issue happens most frequently when:

Browsing (Edge in particular)

  Sitting idle on desktop
  
     Low GPU load states
     
     Under high GPU load (e.g., Unigine Heaven benchmark), the system can run for extended periods without crashing
     
     Temperatures are normal (~65–70°C under load)

Troubleshooting already performed

Clean GPU driver removal using DDU in Safe Mode

Fresh NVIDIA driver install (latest version)

Tested both DisplayPort and HDMI

Tested different GPU output ports

Tested different refresh rates (60 Hz / 120 Hz / 165 Hz)

Disabled G-Sync / VRR

Windows fully updated

BIOS is up to date

Issue occurs regardless of cable, port, or refresh rate

PSU appears stable (no system shutdowns or reboots)

Additional behavior

Black screens occur more often at idle or light workloads

Running a GPU stress test seems to temporarily reduce occurrences

Issue returns unpredictably

Fortnite crashes after a black screen (likely due to TDR reset)

Question

Given that:

The issue does not occur in Safe Mode

Drivers have been fully cleaned and reinstalled

Hardware temperatures and power appear normal

TDR resets occur consistently in Event Viewer

Is this most likely:

A Windows / WDDM power state or TDR handling issue?

A known NVIDIA driver issue with low-power states?

Or a defective GPU requiring replacement?

Are there any Windows-level diagnostics, registry TDR settings, or power management settings you recommend checking before pursuing hardware replacement?

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Windows for home | Other | Performance and system failures
0 comments

3 answers

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  1. Ludvig Adin 0 Reputation points
    2026-03-01T09:44:40.4533333+00:00

    I have similar problems but a different setup (RTX 5070 Ti, Ryzen 9 7900, ASRock B850I).

    I haven't fully solved it yet but I've done a lot of logging of temps, volts etc in HWInfo and I think it's a driver/windows issue.

    Things I've done that has reduced the number of black screens:

    Unfortunately I just became aware of the issues with nvidia drivers and windows update KB5074109, and now that update seems to be too old to uninstall: https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/02/03/nvidia-is-looking-into-gaming-issues-after-windows-11-kb5074109-january-2026-update-artifacts-black-screen-and-other-problems/

    These drivers just seem to be very sensitive to almost any obstacles so it's hard to find a root cause. Mine was working fine for a couple of days after doing all the above and then when i tested with a new display it became crazy again, going into black screen loops, forcing med to do DDU and reinstall again. I'm not sure if another driver would be more stable than 576.88, but my impression was that I was having a lot more problem with 591.74 Studio driver, that I've also been trying for a couple of weeks.

    Good Luck and keep me posted if you solve it =)

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  2. 涛 吴 0 Reputation points
    2026-02-24T01:25:48.94+00:00

    did u test the memory?return back to the driver 572.83 which is stable.The last step is to remove your gpu to another plantform and test .

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  3. Ivan B 120.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-01-01T02:04:11.1566667+00:00

    Hi,

    Do all the minidumps report a failure with Nvidia?

    Did you try swapping the PCIe GPU on the motherboard to see if the failure occurs again?

    If so, and you performed a hardware test, the GPU is defective; contact the warranty service.

    I'm sorry.

    Thanks

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