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Blue screens & stop codes · scoped error record
0x00000116

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE: Windows could not recover the display driver after a GPU timeout

Bug check 0x116 occurs when Windows attempts to reset the display driver after a timeout and recovery fails.

Applies to: Windows graphics stop-code / bug-check contextReviewed: 2026-09-17

What it means in this context

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (0x116) is specifically tied to Windows Timeout Detection and Recovery for graphics. Driver defects can contribute, but Microsoft also lists hardware stability, cooling, power and overclocking among possible causes.

Start here
  1. Record the stop code and any graphics driver module name.
  2. Return CPU/GPU/memory overclocks to supported defaults for diagnosis.
  3. Install current Windows and supported display-driver updates.
  4. Note whether the crash happens under graphics load or after a recent driver update.
1

Update or roll back the display driver according to the failure timeline

Medium risk

Why: Microsoft lists display-driver updates as a primary branch, while rollback is useful when a recent driver caused the change.

  1. Open Device Manager > Display adapters.
  2. Update from Windows Update or the GPU/PC manufacturer.
  3. If the crash began with a recent driver and rollback is available, test the previous driver.
2

Check graphics hardware stability conditions

Medium risk

Why: Microsoft also identifies cooling, power, overclocking and defective hardware as possible 0x116 contributors.

  1. Return overclocks to default.
  2. Check that fans and cooling are functioning.
  3. Use the PC/GPU manufacturer's hardware diagnostics when available.
  4. If the system is a desktop and you are qualified to inspect it, verify power/connectivity without working inside powered equipment.
Scope boundary

When not to use this record

Do not use TDR registry-delay edits as a first-line “fix”; increasing a timeout can hide the symptom without repairing an unstable driver or GPU path.

If it persists

If 0x116 continues with current supported drivers and default hardware settings, collect the dump/module name and move to GPU/driver or hardware diagnostics.

Evidence

Reviewed source

Related authority records

Continue with the same failing system

These links share the same component or repair context; they are not generic keyword suggestions.

Error0x0000009F — DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE: driver stuck in a power transition

Microsoft defines bug check 0x9F as a driver in an inconsistent or invalid power state.

Error0x00000050 — PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA: invalid system memory was referenced

Microsoft defines bug check 0x50 as an invalid system-memory reference; driver and memory evidence matter.

Error0x0000007E — SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED: an unhandled kernel thread exception

Bug check 0x7E means a system thread generated an exception that the error handler did not catch.

Error0x000000D1 — DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL: a kernel driver made an invalid high-IRQL memory access

Microsoft describes bug check 0xD1 as a kernel-mode driver accessing pageable or invalid memory at an IRQL that was too high.

GuideDisplay driver problem in Windows 11: update, roll back or reinstall based on timing

Choose update versus rollback from the failure timeline instead of cycling graphics drivers blindly.

ErrorEvent ID 1001 — WER-SystemErrorReporting bugcheck: preserve the stop code and dump path

When Event ID 1001 says the computer rebooted from a bugcheck, the useful evidence is the exact bugcheck code, parameters and saved dump.