Recurring GPU Timeouts, Game Crashes and NVIDIA Display Driver Failures

1. Laptop and System Specifications

Laptop: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16

Model: Predator PHN16-71

Processor: Intel Core i7-13700HX

Dedicated GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB VRAM)

Integrated GPU: Intel UHD Graphics

RAM: 16 GB DDR5

Storage: 1 TB SSD

Operating System: Windows 11, Version 26H2

BIOS: Insyde Corp. V1.20, dated 15 May 2026

Display: 1920 × 1200, 165 Hz

NVIDIA Driver: 621 series (exact full version to be confirmed)

Intel Graphics Driver: 31.0.101.4146, dated 22 February 2023

PredatorSense GPU Mode: Automatic Selection

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2. Main Problem – Recurring Gaming Crashes

I have been experiencing recurring graphics-related crashes, particularly while gaming.

The crashes occur unpredictably. A game may run normally for several minutes or even close to an hour before suddenly freezing.

The typical sequence is:

The game freezes completely.

Audio continues playing for approximately 5–10 seconds after the image freezes.

The game eventually crashes and closes.

An error message appears, depending on the game.

The errors encountered include:

DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG

ERR_GFX_STATE

Other game-specific graphics-related errors.

EA SPORTS FC 26 is one example in which I have experienced this problem.

The issue does not appear to be limited to one particular error message or a single game. Different games may report different graphics errors, but the general symptoms are similar.

3. Previous Display-Related Problems

Before the current pattern of gaming crashes, I also experienced display-related problems during ordinary desktop usage.

These included:

Occasional black-screen interruptions while browsing or watching YouTube.

Occasional gray-screen stuttering in the Brave browser.

Temporary display interruptions and unresponsiveness.

After performing a clean NVIDIA graphics driver installation using DDU, the black-screen issue stopped occurring for approximately one to two weeks.

However, the gaming crashes continued.

Occasional gray-screen stuttering has also been noticed in Brave, although it has not been consistently observed in Chrome.

At present, the primary unresolved problem is the recurring gaming-related graphics crash.

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4. Windows Event Viewer Findings

I have repeatedly checked Windows Event Viewer following these crashes.

The most notable recurring event is:

Source: nvlddmkm Event ID: 153

This event has repeatedly appeared around the time of graphics-related crashes and earlier display problems.

I have also encountered:

Source: nvlddmkm Event ID: 14

nvlddmkm.sys is NVIDIA's kernel-mode display driver component.

The repeated appearance of these events suggests that the NVIDIA graphics driver is involved in the reported failures. However, the underlying cause could still be a driver issue, GPU execution failure, hardware problem, power-related issue, or another component.

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5. Windows Reliability Monitor Findings

Reliability Monitor has repeatedly recorded:

LiveKernelEvent 117

LiveKernelEvent 141

These are significant diagnostic findings.

LiveKernelEvent 117 – VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

This indicates that the display driver failed to respond within the time permitted by Windows.

Windows uses Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) to detect when the graphics subsystem stops responding and attempts to recover it.

LiveKernelEvent 141 – VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

This indicates that a graphics engine failed to respond within the permitted time.

Both events point towards recurring graphics execution timeouts.

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6. WinDbg Crash Dump Analysis

I installed WinDbg and analysed a Windows-generated diagnostic dump.

Dump file analysed: WATCHDOG-20261105-2105.dmp

The output from the !analyze -v command included:

VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED (117)

MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm

IMAGE_NAME: nvlddmkm.sys

PROCESS_NAME: System

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: LKD_0x117_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys

The analysis also displayed:

"The display driver failed to respond in timely fashion."

The relevant stack entries included:

dxgmms2!VidSchiReportHwHang

dxgmms2!VidSchiCheckHwProgress

dxgmms2!VidSchiScheduleCommandToRun

dxgmms2!VidSchiWorkerThread

These functions are associated with Windows' DirectX graphics memory management and GPU scheduling mechanisms.

The findings suggest that Windows detected a GPU execution hang and recorded the NVIDIA display driver in the failure information.

I also executed:

lmvm nvlddmkm

The output identified:

Module: nvlddmkm.sys

Timestamp: 19 October 2026, 15:37:26

Image size: 06211000

Additional debugger limitation:

WinDbg displayed an image-loading warning (Win32 error 0n2) and reported that symbols were unavailable. The dump was a limited live/kernel dump, so it may not contain enough information to identify the exact underlying cause.

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7. Troubleshooting Already Performed

I have already carried out several troubleshooting procedures. Importantly, the problem has persisted despite these attempts.

A. NVIDIA Graphics Driver Testing

Tested multiple NVIDIA graphics driver versions, including older versions and the latest available version.

Performed clean driver removal and installation using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).

Reinstalled NVIDIA graphics drivers after removing previous installations.

The problem persisted across the tested driver versions.

No meaningful improvement in gaming stability or graphics-related crashes was observed.

This suggests that simply updating or rolling back the NVIDIA driver has not resolved the issue.

B. NVIDIA Overlay

Disabled the NVIDIA in-game overlay.

The graphics-related crashes continued.

C. Windows System File Checker (SFC)

Executed the following command through an administrator Command Prompt:

sfc /scannow

Result:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

No protected Windows system-file corruption was detected by this scan.

D. DirectX Runtime

Attempted to run the DirectX End-User Runtime installer.

The installer indicated that the relevant components were already installed or that a newer/equivalent version was present.

No improvement was observed.

E. Windows Updates

Installed Windows updates, including the Windows 11 26H2 update.

Installed available Acer/Realtek-related component updates.

Restarted the laptop after installation.

The graphics-related problem persisted.

F. System and Graphics Diagnostics

Repeatedly checked Windows Event Viewer for NVIDIA-related errors.

Checked Reliability Monitor for LiveKernelEvent 117 and 141.

Installed WinDbg and analysed the available WATCHDOG dump.

Examined the NVIDIA and Intel graphics driver modules using WinDbg commands.

Checked the NVIDIA GPU Boost Clock information through NVIDIA Control Panel.

Despite these checks, the underlying problem remains unresolved.

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8. Additional Observations

The GPU temperature briefly reached approximately 93°C for one or two seconds on one occasion.

During ordinary gaming, GPU temperatures have generally been reported below 85°C.

Sustained overheating has not been established.

No GPU overclocking has been intentionally applied.

PredatorSense is currently configured to Automatic Selection for GPU mode.

The laptop uses both Intel integrated graphics and the NVIDIA dedicated GPU.

The NVIDIA GPU Boost Clock has been displayed at approximately 2355 MHz in NVIDIA Control Panel. This alone does not establish an abnormal overclock.

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9. Assistance and Technical Investigation Requested

Considering the repeated crashes and the troubleshooting already performed, I would like a more detailed technical investigation rather than being advised to perform the same basic driver-reinstallation and Windows repair procedures again.

I would specifically like support to investigate:

Whether the recurring nvlddmkm.sys Event ID 153 and Event ID 14 entries indicate a driver-level problem, GPU execution failure, or an underlying hardware issue.

Whether LiveKernelEvent 117 and 141, together with the WinDbg analysis, indicate a recurring GPU timeout originating from the RTX 4050 graphics subsystem.

Whether the NVIDIA driver has a compatibility or stability issue with this particular Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 configuration and Windows 11 26H2.

Whether the Intel integrated graphics driver, NVIDIA driver, and hybrid graphics switching mechanism could be interacting incorrectly.

Whether a BIOS, chipset, Intel graphics, NVIDIA graphics, or firmware update is required.

Whether the RTX 4050, its VRAM, motherboard, power delivery, or another hardware component requires diagnostic testing.

Whether Acer's hardware diagnostics can identify an intermittent GPU or memory-related fault under sustained load.

I would also like to know whether the laptop requires a physical hardware inspection or service-centre evaluation.

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10. Important Note Regarding Previous Troubleshooting

I have already tested multiple NVIDIA driver versions, including older and newer releases, performed a clean DDU-based driver installation, disabled the NVIDIA overlay, checked Windows system-file integrity, attempted the DirectX runtime installation, installed Windows and available component updates, and analysed Windows graphics timeout events and a WATCHDOG dump.

None of these steps has resolved the recurring gaming crashes.

I would appreciate it if the support team could review the diagnostic evidence and previous troubleshooting history before recommending these same procedures again.

I can provide the following diagnostic materials upon request:

Original WATCHDOG-20261105-2105.dmp file.

WinDbg !analyze -v output.

Windows Event Viewer records showing NVIDIA Event IDs 153 and 14.

Reliability Monitor screenshots showing LiveKernelEvent 117 and 141.

NVIDIA driver version information.

• Additional system information or diagnostic logs if required.

  Technical Support Report

  Recurring GPU Timeouts, Game Crashes and NVIDIA Display Driver Failures

  1. Laptop and System Specifications

  • Laptop: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
  • Model: Predator PHN16-71
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-13700HX
  • Dedicated GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB VRAM)
  • Integrated GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
  • RAM: 16 GB DDR5
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • Operating System: Windows 11, Version 26H2
  • BIOS: Insyde Corp. V1.20, dated 15 May 2026
  • Display: 1920 × 1200, 165 Hz
  • NVIDIA Driver: 621 series (exact full version to be confirmed)
  • Intel Graphics Driver: 31.0.101.4146, dated 22 February 2023
  • PredatorSense GPU Mode: Automatic Selection

  2. Main Problem – Recurring Gaming Crashes

  I have been experiencing recurring graphics-related crashes, particularly while gaming. The crashes occur unpredictably. A game may run normally for several minutes or even close to an hour before suddenly freezing. The typical sequence is:
  1. The game freezes completely.
  2. Audio continues playing for approximately 5–10 seconds after the image freezes.
  3. The game eventually crashes and closes.
  4. An error message appears, depending on the game.
  The errors encountered include:
  • DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG
  • ERR_GFX_STATE
  • Other game-specific graphics-related errors.
  EA SPORTS FC 26 is one example in which I have experienced this problem. The issue does not appear to be limited to one particular error message or a single game. Different games may report different graphics errors, but the general symptoms are similar.

  3. Previous Display-Related Problems

  Before the current pattern of gaming crashes, I also experienced display-related problems during ordinary desktop usage. These included:
  • Occasional black-screen interruptions while browsing or watching YouTube.
  • Occasional gray-screen stuttering in the Brave browser.
  • Temporary display interruptions and unresponsiveness.
  After performing a clean NVIDIA graphics driver installation using DDU, the black-screen issue stopped occurring for approximately one to two weeks. However, the gaming crashes continued. Occasional gray-screen stuttering has also been noticed in Brave, although it has not been consistently observed in Chrome. At present, the primary unresolved problem is the recurring gaming-related graphics crash.

  4. Windows Event Viewer Findings

  I have repeatedly checked Windows Event Viewer following these crashes. The most notable recurring event is: Source: nvlddmkm
  Event ID: 153 This event has repeatedly appeared around the time of graphics-related crashes and earlier display problems. I have also encountered: Source: nvlddmkm
  Event ID: 14 nvlddmkm.sys is NVIDIA's kernel-mode display driver component. The repeated appearance of these events suggests that the NVIDIA graphics driver is involved in the reported failures. However, the underlying cause could still be a driver issue, GPU execution failure, hardware problem, power-related issue, or another component.

  5. Windows Reliability Monitor Findings

  Reliability Monitor has repeatedly recorded:
  • LiveKernelEvent 117
  • LiveKernelEvent 141
  These are significant diagnostic findings. LiveKernelEvent 117 – VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED This indicates that the display driver failed to respond within the time permitted by Windows. Windows uses Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) to detect when the graphics subsystem stops responding and attempts to recover it. LiveKernelEvent 141 – VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED This indicates that a graphics engine failed to respond within the permitted time. Both events point towards recurring graphics execution timeouts.

  6. WinDbg Crash Dump Analysis

  I installed WinDbg and analysed a Windows-generated diagnostic dump. Dump file analysed: WATCHDOG-20261105-2105.dmp The output from the !analyze -v command included:
  • VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED (117)
  • MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm
  • IMAGE_NAME: nvlddmkm.sys
  • PROCESS_NAME: System
  • FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: LKD_0x117_IMAGE_nvlddmkm.sys
  The analysis also displayed: "The display driver failed to respond in timely fashion." The relevant stack entries included:
  • dxgmms2!VidSchiReportHwHang
  • dxgmms2!VidSchiCheckHwProgress
  • dxgmms2!VidSchiScheduleCommandToRun
  • dxgmms2!VidSchiWorkerThread
  These functions are associated with Windows' DirectX graphics memory management and GPU scheduling mechanisms. The findings suggest that Windows detected a GPU execution hang and recorded the NVIDIA display driver in the failure information. I also executed: lmvm nvlddmkm The output identified:
  • Module: nvlddmkm.sys
  • Timestamp: 19 October 2026, 15:37:26
  • Image size: 06211000
  Additional debugger limitation: WinDbg displayed an image-loading warning (Win32 error 0n2) and reported that symbols were unavailable. The dump was a limited live/kernel dump, so it may not contain enough information to identify the exact underlying cause.

  7. Troubleshooting Already Performed

  I have already carried out several troubleshooting procedures. Importantly, the problem has persisted despite these attempts.

  A. NVIDIA Graphics Driver Testing

  • Tested multiple NVIDIA graphics driver versions, including older versions and the latest available version.
  • Performed clean driver removal and installation using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).
  • Reinstalled NVIDIA graphics drivers after removing previous installations.
  • The problem persisted across the tested driver versions.
  • No meaningful improvement in gaming stability or graphics-related crashes was observed.
  This suggests that simply updating or rolling back the NVIDIA driver has not resolved the issue.

  B. NVIDIA Overlay

  • Disabled the NVIDIA in-game overlay.
  • The graphics-related crashes continued.

  C. Windows System File Checker (SFC)

  Executed the following command through an administrator Command Prompt: sfc /scannow Result: Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations. No protected Windows system-file corruption was detected by this scan.

  D. DirectX Runtime

  • Attempted to run the DirectX End-User Runtime installer.
  • The installer indicated that the relevant components were already installed or that a newer/equivalent version was present.
  • No improvement was observed.

  E. Windows Updates

  • Installed Windows updates, including the Windows 11 26H2 update.
  • Installed available Acer/Realtek-related component updates.
  • Restarted the laptop after installation.
  • The graphics-related problem persisted.

  F. System and Graphics Diagnostics

  • Repeatedly checked Windows Event Viewer for NVIDIA-related errors.
  • Checked Reliability Monitor for LiveKernelEvent 117 and 141.
  • Installed WinDbg and analysed the available WATCHDOG dump.
  • Examined the NVIDIA and Intel graphics driver modules using WinDbg commands.
  • Checked the NVIDIA GPU Boost Clock information through NVIDIA Control Panel.
  Despite these checks, the underlying problem remains unresolved.

  8. Additional Observations

  • The GPU temperature briefly reached approximately 93°C for one or two seconds on one occasion.
  • During ordinary gaming, GPU temperatures have generally been reported below 85°C.
  • Sustained overheating has not been established.
  • No GPU overclocking has been intentionally applied.
  • PredatorSense is currently configured to Automatic Selection for GPU mode.
  • The laptop uses both Intel integrated graphics and the NVIDIA dedicated GPU.
  • The NVIDIA GPU Boost Clock has been displayed at approximately 2355 MHz in NVIDIA Control Panel. This alone does not establish an abnormal overclock.

  9. Assistance and Technical Investigation Requested

  Considering the repeated crashes and the troubleshooting already performed, I would like a more detailed technical investigation rather than being advised to perform the same basic driver-reinstallation and Windows repair procedures again. I would specifically like support to investigate:
  1. Whether the recurring nvlddmkm.sys Event ID 153 and Event ID 14 entries indicate a driver-level problem, GPU execution failure, or an underlying hardware issue.
  2. Whether LiveKernelEvent 117 and 141, together with the WinDbg analysis, indicate a recurring GPU timeout originating from the RTX 4050 graphics subsystem.
  3. Whether the NVIDIA driver has a compatibility or stability issue with this particular Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 configuration and Windows 11 26H2.
  4. Whether the Intel integrated graphics driver, NVIDIA driver, and hybrid graphics switching mechanism could be interacting incorrectly.
  5. Whether a BIOS, chipset, Intel graphics, NVIDIA graphics, or firmware update is required.
  6. Whether the RTX 4050, its VRAM, motherboard, power delivery, or another hardware component requires diagnostic testing.
  7. Whether Acer's hardware diagnostics can identify an intermittent GPU or memory-related fault under sustained load.
  I would also like to know whether the laptop requires a physical hardware inspection or service-centre evaluation.

  10. Important Note Regarding Previous Troubleshooting

  I have already tested multiple NVIDIA driver versions, including older and newer releases, performed a clean DDU-based driver installation, disabled the NVIDIA overlay, checked Windows system-file integrity, attempted the DirectX runtime installation, installed Windows and available component updates, and analysed Windows graphics timeout events and a WATCHDOG dump. None of these steps has resolved the recurring gaming crashes. I would appreciate it if the support team could review the diagnostic evidence and previous troubleshooting history before recommending these same procedures again. I can provide the following diagnostic materials upon request:
  • Original WATCHDOG-20261105-2105.dmp file.
  • WinDbg !analyze -v output.
  • Windows Event Viewer records showing NVIDIA Event IDs 153 and 14.
  • Reliability Monitor screenshots showing LiveKernelEvent 117 and 141.
  • NVIDIA driver version information.
  • Additional system information or diagnostic logs if required.