As stable, an OS Windows is, often hardware or software failure knocks it over and sends up the infamous Blue Screen of Death. BSODs are one of the biggest headaches you can encounter as a Windows user because they crash your computer immediately.

In this article, we’re taking a look at the Video TDR Failure error BSOD, its causes and what you can do to fix the problem. 

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What causes Video TDR Failure?

TDR or Timeout, Detection and Recovery is a Windows component related to your GPU’s functioning. This means that a TDR failure indicates a problem with your GPU. These problems can cause your GPU to stop working altogether and hence, crash the PC giving the BSOD.

Any of the following reasons can trigger the error.

• Outdated or corrupt GPU drivers.
• Hardware flaws in the GPU.
• System overheating.
• High resource consumption for prolonged intervals. 

Now depending upon whether you’re running an Nvidia, AMD or Intel GPU, the file that triggers the error will be slightly different. Nvidia cards show nvlddmkm.sys, AMD cards show atkimpag.sys, and Intel cards show igdkmd64.sys.

Also read: How to fix Stop Code Memory Management in Windows 10?

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How to fix the Video TDR Failure error?

Here are a few simple solutions you can try out to get rid of the problem.

Run the Check Disk utility

The BSOD can very well be a sign of your boot drive failing to perform as it should. Try running the check disk utility to check whether or not your storage drives are, in fact, functional. 

You can refer to our detailed guide here on how to run the check disk utility.

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Update your OS

The first thing to do in such situations is to make sure your OS is up to date. Developers usually diagnose these issues based on insider reports or feedback from customers and issue fixes or patches in the form of updates. Check to make sure you’ve got the latest update installed on your system.

You can check out our detailed guide on how to update Windows here. 

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Update your GPU drivers 

Outdated GPU drivers can also cause this issue in particular. While you should update all your drivers, take special care of your display drivers if you run into an error like this. 

Step 1: Right-click Start and select Device Manager from the menu.

Step 2: Under Display Adaptors, find your graphics card’s name, right-click on it and click on Update Drivers.

Step 3: Click on Search automatically for drivers. Windows will then automatically look for and download the latest drivers for your particular GPU.

While this should help resolve the error, in case it doesn’t, click Uninstall device and restart your PC to force Windows to install the required drivers. You can then update them later. Alternatively, you can also remove your GPU and reinsert it if you can. 

Also read: Getting Windows Ready stuck: 5 Fixes

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Run an SFC scan

Corrupt files are the number one reason why your PC might be behaving weirdly. Here’s how you can get rid of them and potentially resolve your issue. 

Step 1: Press Windows Key + S to bring up the Cortana/Search box and search for Powershell. Open Windows Powershell from the search results.

Step 2: Type sfc /scannow to scan your system for issues. 

Step 3: If the SFC scan finds any problem, use the following command to resolve them. 

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart your PC, and the Video TDR Failure error should’ve been resolved. If that doesn’t help, you can also run a DISM scan to fix any other errors by using this guide. 

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Perform a clean boot

To isolate the problem, perform a clean boot and then start the missing processes one at a time to find your culprit. 

Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for System Configuration. 

Step 2: Head over to the Services tab. 

Step 3: Uncheck the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox. Now click the Disable All button. 

Step 4: Now head over to the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager.

Step 5: Click the Startup tab again, select all the services and click the Disable button. 

This should fix the Video TDR Failure issue 

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Repair your system

If nothing else works, the best way to get rid of the error is by simply reinstalling or repairing your OS. 

The Windows Media Creation tool is a great way to install Windows and repair the OS. Using this, you can perform a clean installation or repair your OS without affecting your data.

You can download the Media Creation Tool here

Also read: How to fix System Service Exception in Windows 10?