THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER (0xEA)
What is this error?
A thread in a device driver is stuck in an infinite loop. The GPU driver is the most common culprit.
Common causes
- GPU driver hang
- GPU hardware failure
- driver waiting for hardware response
- overheating GPU
How to fix it
- Update GPU driver with DDU clean install
- check GPU temperatures
- test with integrated graphics
Too many steps? Crashless can diagnose this automatically — checks your drivers, temps, VRAM, and 400+ known error patterns.
Get free AI diagnosis Detailed analysis
Bug check 0x000000EA (THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER) indicates a thread in a device driver is endlessly spinning. The GPU driver is responsible in the vast majority of cases — the driver sent a command to the GPU and is waiting for a response that never comes. This is closely related to VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (0x116) but differs in that the thread did not timeout through TDR — it was detected as stuck. Causes: GPU overheating causing the GPU to stop responding, GPU hardware failure (dying GPU), driver bug. Fixes:
- DDU clean install of GPU driver,
- Monitor GPU temperatures with HWiNFO64 — if >90C during the hang, it's thermal,
- Test with integrated graphics (remove discrete GPU) to confirm GPU hardware,
- Check Event Viewer for preceding Event 4101 entries,
- Try underclocking GPU memory by 100MHz in MSI Afterburner.
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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