How to fix VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED?

BSODs are always terrifying. They indicate errors that Windows cannot rectify, and you must restart your PC to exit the screen. Things usually return to normal after the reboot, but that’s not the case in every situation. Sometimes, the blue screen is triggered when an action is performed, and other times, users won’t even be able to log into their PCs.

BSODs come with different STOP codes that hint at the reason for the error. However, these hints don’t provide adequate information, and users are left to scour the Internet for solutions. Hardware issues commonly cause blue screen errors, but they can also be software-related.

One of the many annoying blue screen of death errors is VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED. As its name suggests, it is connected to your video driver, but other system glitches can trigger it. If you’re experiencing this problem, you’ll find fixes in this article and step-by-step guides on how to apply them.

What Is the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED Error?

This is a blue screen of death error that comes with a bug check value of 0x00000117. The error code is normally an indication that the graphics card driver did not respond to Windows when it was expected to. Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) is the detection process where Windows tries to restart the driver and reset the graphics card if the display card encounters an error. When the Video TDR can’t be completed, the blue screen error shows up.

What Causes the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED Error?

Generally, BSODs are caused by hardware issues. The blue screen instantly comes up when a piece of hardware fails. In the case of the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED BSOD, the trigger involves faulty display drivers. Understanding the reason for the error message can help you figure out how best to get rid of the problem and also teach you the best preventive measures to take in the future.

Below, you’ll find the possible causes of the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED blue screen of death error:

Faulty Video Card Driver

The primary cause of the error is a faulty video card driver. This is why the error code commonly shows up when users are using a graphic-intensive program, such as a video game or a video editor. When graphics card drivers are problematic, the application in need of graphics processing will not be able to communicate well with the graphics card. A faulty card can also cause the issue. If this is the reason for the error on your PC, you’ll find out how to fix the problem later on in this article.

Corrupt System Files

If the system files related to the process that you’re trying to carry out are faulty or missing, then the blue screen will come up. In this case, you’ll have to scan your system files and replace any that are missing. While the process might sound complex and confusing, it’s quite straightforward if you have the right guide.

Incompatible Hardware

Some hardware devices aren’t compatible with Windows 10. If you recently installed a device before seeing the error, this could be the real reason.

Problematic Registry Entries

Some registry keys could be faulty due to improper or incomplete software or driver installation. Improper uninstallation could also cause some registry keys to act up, leading to the error. We’ll show you how to fix this particular issue to resolve the BSOD problem.

Other issues that could cause the error to occur include faulty RAM, a bad hard drive and outdated DirectX.

How to Fix the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED Error on a Windows PC

BSODs can be difficult to troubleshoot and fix because a wide range of issues is behind them. However, armed with the right information and guidelines, you’ll be able to get rid of the error for good. We’ll walk you through the fixes that have resolved the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED problem for many Windows 10 users. We’re sure that one of these fixes will work for you. That said, be sure to follow the fixes in the order that they are arranged so that you can quickly find the right solution for you.

Solution 1: Update Your Graphics Card Driver

As you must know by now, device drivers are the first suspects whenever a blue screen of death takes over a computer’s monitor. In this case, you have to look at your video card driver. The reason your graphics card driver didn’t respond on time and triggered the error could be because the driver is bad, missing, or outdated. If you experienced the blue screen while playing a game or using a program that requires high graphics processing, then you should start with this fix. To solve the problem, you can try updating the graphics card.

The best way you can do this is by using a third-party application to find out if the driver is bad and then update it automatically. Auslogics Driver Updater is a competent tool that makes the driver-updating process easy. Firstly, the tool will scan your computer for bad or outdated device drivers and provide you with a list. After the scan, you can prompt the program to download and install the updated versions of the problem drivers. If your graphics card driver is out of date or broken, it will appear in the list, and you can automatically update it.

You can use Device Manager to update your card if you wish. This is a well-known procedure, but if you’re not completely sure about what you should do, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows logo key and hold it, then tap the X key.
2. Click on Device Manager when the menu on the left side of your screen pops up.
3. Once Device Manager shows up on your screen, click on the arrow next to Display Adapters.
4. Locate your graphics card, right-click it, and select Update Driver from the context menu.
5. On the Update Driver screen, click on “Search automatically for updated driver software”.
6. Windows will now check for the most recent version of your graphics card driver on the Internet and install it.
7. Once the update process is complete, reboot your PC and check for the error.

There are occasions where the Device Manager fails to update the graphics card driver. If you find this to be the case, you can go to the website of the card’s manufacturer and download the latest driver.

Solution 2: Perform a fresh installation

If the previous fix did not work, try removing your graphics card driver entirely and installing it from scratch. Follow these steps to install your driver:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Go to Display Adapters, right-click your card, and then click on Uninstall Device.
3. Confirm your decision, and then allow Windows to remove the driver.
4. Reboot your system.
5. Now, go to the website of your PC’s manufacturer and download the latest driver for your graphics card.
6. Run the installation package and follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the process.
7. Reboot your computer and check for the problem.

Solution 3: Perform a Registry Hack

As we mentioned earlier, a failed TDR process is the main reason for the error. As it turns out, there is a registry value known as TdrDelay, which you can tweak to increase the wait time of your graphics card driver. Editing the registry is quite advanced and sensitive, so be sure to follow the steps below accordingly:

1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Run.
2. Once the Run dialog box opens, type “regedit” (no quotes) into the text field and click OK or hit the Enter key.
3. Go to the left pane of Registry Editor and go to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Graphics Drivers

4. Skip to Step 5 if you see the TdrDelay DWORD in the right pane. If the DWORD isn’t there, you can create it. What you have to do is right-click the empty surface, place your mouse pointer over New, and then choose DWORD (32 bit) Value. Change the name of the new DWORD to TdrDelay.
5. Double-click TdrDelay, and when the mini-dialog window shows up, type 8 into the text box under Value data. You can increase the value to 10 if you choose.
6. Click on OK and exit Registry Editor.
7. Reboot your system and check whether the error comes up again.

Solution 4: Use CHKDSK to Scan Your Hard Disk

Hard drive corruption could also be the reason for the BSOD. You can scan your hard disk using a command-line tool known as CHKDSK. Follow the steps below to apply this fix:

1. In the search function next to Start, type “cmd” (without the quotes).
2. Once Command Prompt shows up in the results list, right-click it and then click Run as Administrator.
3. Click Yes in the User Account Control dialog.
4. Once Command Prompt opens, type the command line below into the black screen and hit the Enter key:

Chkdsk c: /f /r /x

5. Press the Y key if Command Prompt asks for confirmation.

Pro tip: To keep your hard drive healthy and safe from an early demise, installAuslogics Disk Defrag Ultimate. The tool uses a powerful algorithm to defragment your hard drive and place files properly to avoid bad sectors and other complications that may arise as a result of poor hard drive management.

Solution 5: Open Safe Mode and Check for Memory Problems

Your RAM could be faulty and causing the error. The best way to confirm this is to boot your PC in Safe Mode, especially when the BSOD isn’t allowing your computer to boot up normally, and then use the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool to check if your RAM has issues. Follow these steps:

1. Press and hold the Power button to switch off your PC.
2. Once your PC goes off, press the power button to turn it on, but this time, force your PC to go off again immediately the manufacturer’s logo flashes. Do this three times until you see the “please wait” message.
3. Once the Windows Recovery Environment opens, click on the Repair option, and then go to the Advanced Options screen.
4. Go to Troubleshooting >> Advanced Options >> Startup settings, and then click on Restart.
5. On the next screen, tap the number beside Safe Mode.

Once your PC boots into Safe Mode, follow these steps:

1. Press and hold the E key and then press the Windows key to launch the Run dialog box.
2. Type Mdsched into the dialog box and then click Ok.
3. When the Windows Memory Diagnostic window comes up, click on the “Restart now and check for problems (recommended)” option.
4. Your computer will reboot into the test environment and perform the check on your system memory. Note that this test might take a while, and it’s important that you don’t interrupt it.
5. Once the check is done and your computer fully reboots, open the Event Viewer app by searching for it in the Start menu.
6. Go to the left pane of the Event Viewer window, expand Windows Log and then left-click System.
7. After left-clicking System, right-click it this time and then select “Filter current log” from the context menu.
8. When the Filter Current Log window opens, click on the Event Sources drop-down, locate the “MemoryDiagnostics-Results” checkbox and mark it.
9. Now, click Ok in the Filter Current Log window.
10. Clicking Ok will take you back to the main Event Viewer window where you’ll see two test logs. Click on each one and check the results of the memory test you performed. If the information states that your RAM has an error, this means you have to replace it.

Solution 6: Revise How You Overclock Certain Hardware Devices

Overclocking some of your devices, such as your RAM and graphics card, can result in the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED BSOD. First of all, you should try reducing how you overclock your graphics card. Certain users explained that they had stopped seeing the error screen after they had toned down their overclocking settings.

Next, try underclocking your RAM if you’ve been overclocking it and check if the error persists. The procedure involved in underclocking your RAM can be found in your motherboard manual or on the manufacturer’s website.

Solution 7: Update Windows 10

Some of your drivers and device settings might not be compatible with your current Windows 10 build. Also, some registry entries and system configurations might be faulty and causing the error. A system update might be all you need to resolve the issue in this case.

Microsoft made sure the update process is straightforward and simple. All you have to do is open Settings, click on Update & Security, and then click on the Check for Updates button. Once Windows Update downloads the available updates for your PC, allow it to install them, even though you’re outside your working hours. Once the process completes (this might take a while depending on the type of updates you’re installing) check if the problem has been resolved.

Solution 8: Run the System File Checker Tool

Another reason for the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED BSOD is corrupted system files associated with the TDR process. Some of these files are prone to corruption, and third-party programs might remove them or mess with their integrity in certain cases.

In this case, you’ll have to fix the issue by replacing the problem files. To do this, you can use the System File Checker, which is a built-in command-line tool in Windows. The tool will scan the protected system files on your computer to check if any is missing or corrupted. The problematic files will be replaced once found.

Note that before you run the SFC tool, you’re required to use a command to prompt the inbox Deployment Image Servicing (DISM) tool to use Windows Update and download the files needed by SFC to perform the repair. The guide below will walk you through the process of running the SFC tool:

1. Open the Run dialog box using the Windows+R combo.
2. Type CMD in the text box then press the Ctrl and Shift keys together before tapping Enter.
3. Click Yes in the User Account Control pop-up.
4. Now, type the following line to run DISM; make sure you hit Enter after typing the command:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Note that you can also fetch the required files from a Windows 10 installation media using DISM. To do this, type the following command, noting that the C:\RepairSource\Windows part of the command is a placeholder where you’ll have to enter the path to the installation media (such as a DVD or bootable USB) instead:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows /LimitAccess

Now, hit the Enter key and allow the process to complete.

5. Next, type the following command line to run the SFC tool and fix any corrupt system file:

sfc /scannow

The command-line tool will now scan your computer and replace any corrupted system file it finds from an archive in the C:\Windows\System32\dllcache directory. Avoid exiting the elevated Command Prompt window until the tool completes the process, as abruptly exiting can cause serious damage to your system.

If you see a completion message that reads, “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them”, reboot your computer and check for the problem. However, if a message that says “Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation” shows up, then try running the DISM and SFC commands in Safe Mode.

Solution 9: Restore Windows to a Previously Working State

If you began to experience the error after updating a driver or installing or uninstalling a program, chances are, the process didn’t end well and is causing all sorts of problems that are leading to the BSOD error. You can resolve the issue in this case by taking Windows back to the state when everything was fine. Follow these steps if you don’t know the process:

1. Open the search utility beside the Start button.
2. Type “restore” (no quotes) into the text field, and then click on Create a Restore Point in the results.
3. Under the System Protection tab of the System Properties dialog window, click on the System Restore button.
4. Once the System Restore wizard opens, click on the Next button.
5. On the subsequent screen, choose a restore point where things worked normally, and then click on Next.
6. Confirm your decision, and once the process is complete, the problem should be resolved.

Concluding

You can also check all your hardware devices, starting with peripherals, in case these fixes don’t work. Make sure you use the comments section below to narrate your experience and share your thoughts on the VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED error.