Are you having problems with your NVIDIA graphics card crashing at 100% usage and giving some kind of D3D error? If you are then you have come to the correct guide.
The PC gaming world has evolved over the years, offering gamers increasingly immersive and visually stunning graphics. All of this really does push our GPUs to the limit, and as you most likely know NVIDIA graphics cards are one of the main GPUs to get when it comes to a graphics card.
There are many different graphics card to choose from such as the 20 RTX series, RTX 30 series, and the new 40 series which I am currently using a RTX 4060. But even the most advanced GPU isn’t immune to issues, and one common problem faced by gamers is GPU crashes during gameplay, often occurring when the GPU usage hits 100%.
So in this article, we’ll explore the reasons why your NVIDIA graphics card keeps crashing and provide potential methods to help you get back to smooth and uninterrupted gaming sessions.
Related: Download Easy Gamer Utility For Free
Table Of Contents
What causes GPU crashing issues
When a game crashes due to a GPU that’s operating at full capacity (100% usage), several factors can be at play. Overheating, driver conflicts, insufficient power supply, software conflict issues, or worst case it could be a hardware fault all these problems can contribute to this frustrating experience.
Luckily we can do a few things to Identify the root cause and get your PC games running smoothly again using your NVIDIA GPU, unless of course it is a hardware fault.
How To FIX GPU Crashing at 100% Usage
Temperature Management
Overheating is a common culprit for GPU crashes. So make sure your GPU isn’t running too hot by monitoring its temperature using software like MSI Afterburner or NVIDIA’s own GeForce Experience. Cleaning your NVIDIA GPU and ensuring proper airflow within your computer case can help fix overheating and make sure you have enough fans, etc for cooling.
Driver Updates
Outdated graphics drivers can cause instability issues, resulting in over-usage and crashing problems with your NVIDIA graphics card. Regularly update your GPU drivers to the latest versions provided by NVIDIA. Use the GeForce Experience software or visit NVIDIA’s official website for the most up-to-date drivers. We also have a guide here on updating NVIDIA drivers.
Power Supply
Inadequate power supply to your GPU can lead to crashes and other system issues. So make sure your power supply unit (PSU) is capable of providing enough wattage to support your system components, especially if you’re using a high-end GPU. You will need to upgrade your PSU if this is the problem it could also be your Power Supply is old and not working correctly.
Software/Apps Conflict
Background programs and apps might be affecting your GPU’s performance. Close unnecessary applications before gaming.
Easy Gamer Utility
Use EGU to clean out old NVIDIA cache files in case one of these files are the cause of your graphics card crashing. You can download Easy Gamer Utility here.
Graphics Settings
Pushing your GPU to its limits with excessively high graphics settings can cause crashes. So ensure you are not using too much VRAM and pushing your NVIDIA graphics card too hard. Go ahead and lower those in-game graphics settings and see if that helps resolve the crashing at 100% and D3D errors.
Hardware Issues
If your graphics card has become faulty this will lead to crashes. Make sure that your GPU is properly seated in its slot, and check for any visible damage.
Windows Updates
Make sure you are keeping Windows up to date this is crucial for maintaining system stability. Regularly check for updates and install them to ensure Windows is running smoothly, this can resolve many problems.
Motherboard Updates
Ensure you also have the latest updates installed for your motherboard firmware, BIOS, etc. Not having the latest updates installed for your motherboard can also be a massive cause for making your GPU crash and giving D3D device lost errors, etc.
Underclocking
If your NVIDIA GPU is overclocked, consider reducing the clock speeds to default levels. Overclocking can lead to many problems, especially if not done properly. Only do this if you know how to underclock your graphics card if done wrong you could cause damage to your GPU.
Reinstall The GPU Drivers
If you’re still facing crashes and other errors when trying to play your PC games, try uninstalling your GPU drivers completely and then reinstalling them. You can use a program called DDU which does a great job at doing a fresh install.
Final Thoughts
Experiencing GPU crashes at 100% usage during gameplay with your NVIDIA graphics can be incredibly frustrating. However, by using the above methods, you have hopefully overcome the 100% GPU usage crash, D3D device lost crashing, and other D3D error messages and can now enjoy uninterrupted gaming sessions once again.
I hope you enjoyed this guide and it did help you, if you did find this troubleshooting guide helpful then I am sure you would like our other Windows guides.
