Event ID 14 — nvlddmkm Error
What is this error?
NVIDIA driver logged a fatal error in Windows Event Viewer. Event ID 14 from nvlddmkm indicates the NVIDIA driver encountered an unrecoverable error.
Common causes
- NVIDIA driver crash
- GPU hardware error
- VRAM corruption
- PCIe bus error
- power delivery issue
How to fix it
- Clean install NVIDIA driver
- reseat GPU
- check PCIe slot
- test with different PCIe power cables
Too many steps? Crashless can diagnose this automatically — checks your drivers, temps, VRAM, and 400+ known error patterns.
Get free AI diagnosis Detailed analysis
Event ID 14 with source 'nvlddmkm' in Event Viewer indicates a severe NVIDIA driver error. Unlike Event 4101 (which is a recoverable timeout), Event 14 often means the driver hit an error it couldn't recover from.
Frequent Event 14 entries can indicate early GPU hardware failure.
How to diagnose:
- Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System, filter by Source 'nvlddmkm'
- Check the error details — they sometimes name the specific GPU operation that failed
- Note frequency — occasional events may be driver bugs, but multiple per session could mean hardware
How to fix it:
- Clean install NVIDIA driver using DDU in Safe Mode
- Reseat the GPU — power off, unplug, remove the GPU, clean the PCIe contacts with isopropyl alcohol, reinstall firmly
- Try a different PCIe slot if your motherboard has one
- Use separate PCIe power cables from PSU (no daisy-chain)
- Test GPU in another system if possible — this helps rule out motherboard/PSU issues
- Disable any GPU overclock and try underclocking by -100MHz core clock
- If Event 14 persists after clean driver install + reseat, the GPU may be failing — check if it's under warranty
When to seek help
If this error keeps happening after trying the fixes above, it may point to a deeper hardware or system issue. Consider professional help if:
- The crash occurs across multiple games or applications
- You see the same error after a clean Windows install
- Your PC is less than a year old (could be a warranty issue)
- You smell burning or hear unusual sounds from your PC
Or let Crashless do the deep analysis for you -- our AI checks drivers, temps, event logs, and 400+ known patterns automatically.
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