The VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR is only reported to occur on Windows 10. Almost unanimously, the error code is reported to occur after a large Windows Update (like the Creators Update or the Anniversary Update) or after the user finishes the upgrading process to Windows 10 from an older Windows version.
What is causing the VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR issue
After investigating the issue and looking at various user reports, we managed to identify several potential causes that will trigger this particular error. Below you have a list of potential culprits that might trigger the VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR BSOD crash:
DirectX graphics kernel subsystem violation – This particular issue is often triggered by a bad DirectX install or by several corrupted DLL (dynamic link library) files. In this particular case, the fix would be to reinstall the entire DirectX library.Nvidia graphics driver is crashing the DXGKRNL – There is an extremely old Nvidia driver February 2015 that is known to cause VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR BSOD crashes.The crash is facilitated by intermittent power supply – The issue is complete to occur on laptops with a defective power supply. Apparently, continuous switches between the main supply and battery can trigger this error.The issue is caused by outdated BIOS version – Several users reports state that the issue was resolved as soon as they updated their BIOS version to the latest.A third-party security suite is causing the crash – There are a few user reports pointing towards a 3rd party antivirus as the culprit that triggers the VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR BSOD crash.
How to fix the IDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR issue
If you’re currently struggling to fix this particular issue, the following guide will provide you with several quality troubleshooting guides. Below you have a collection of methods that other users trying to resolve the very same error have used successfully. For the best results, start with the first method and follow the rest of them in order until you stumble upon a fix that allows you to fix or circumvent the issue. Let’s begin!
Method 1: Update Nvidia Driver to the latest version (if applicable)
If you have an Nvidia dedicated graphics card, there’s a small chance that the issue is caused by a problematic driver that Nvidia released in February 2015. Of course, this is not applicable if you updated your graphics driver to the latest version. But if you didn’t, start by navigating to Nvidia’s Download page and installing the latest available driver according to your GPU model. This way we’ll make sure that the issue is not caused by a graphics card driver. Here’s a quick guide on how to do this: If the error is still occurring, continue down with the next method below.
Method 2: Update or Uninstall 3rd-party security suite
Some users have reported that the issue was permanently fixed as soon as they decided to uninstall their third-party security suite. MC Afee is commonly reported as the culprit that causes the VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR BSOD. However, this is only confirmed to happen to outdated 3rd party security clients, so before making the decision of uninstalling the security software permanently, maybe try updating the client to the latest version first. If updating the client didn’t make any difference, you can follow the steps below to uninstall the security client completely. As of now, there are no user reports confirming that this issue occurs with the built-in security solution (Windows Defender) – consider using this if the issue is resolved once the third party client is uninstalled. Here’s a quick guide on uninstalling your third-party client: If the issue is still occuring, continue down with the next method below.
Method 3: Checking the power supply for inconsistencies
There are several confirmed cases on laptops and notebooks where the issue was caused by a faulty power supply. If you notice frequent screen dimmings (similar to when you remove the power) the issue might occur due to continuous bad contact on your supply to the charger. Apparently, intermittent changes between the main supply and the battery power might lead in time to VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR BSOD crashes. To test whether this scenario is applicable to you, monitor your computer for any frequent changes between the power supply and battery power. If you see that the supply is supplying power On and Off, see whether the issue repeats while the power supply is disconnected. If it doesn’t occur, you might need to buy a new power adapter cable or replace the power supply port.
Method 4: Reinstall Graphics card drivers
If all the methods above have proven to be unsuccessful, let’s see if a graphics driver reinstall will take care of the problem. Several users have reported that the issue was resolved after they used Device Manager and Programs and Features to uninstall anything related to their GPU and then redownloaded them through the official channels. Here’s a quick guide on doing this: If the issue is still occurring, continue down with the next method below.
Method 5: Update BIOS version to the latest
Several users struggling to resolve the same error have reported that the VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR BSOD crashes have stopped as soon as they updated their BIOS version to the latest version. This is mostly reported to be effective on Lenovo laptops. But since the steps of updating the BIOS are vastly different depending on your motherboard manufacturer, we can’t really provide you with a step-by-step guide. However, you should be able to get specific instructions if you do a search query on “motherboard model + BIOS Update” or if you visit the manufacturer official documentation from their official website. Keep in mind that the process of updating the BIOS version has been seriously simplified by the majority of manufacturers in these last years. Most of them will only require you to download an installation executable. If updating the BIOS version didn’t resolve the problem or you were already using the latest version, continue down with the next method below.
Method 6: Using a System Restore Point
If the VIDEO-DXGKRNL-FATAL-ERROR issue only started occurring immediately after a Windows update was installed, you should be able to fix it by using a previous System Restore point. System Restore is a built-in Windows utility that allows users to revert their machine to a previous state. If you’re lucky enough to have a previous System Restore point that was created before the update responsible for the error was installed, you should be able to resolve the error. Here’s a quick guide on how to do this:
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