How to Fix NVIDIA Driver Crash Code 43 While Gaming

What Causes This?

NVIDIA error code 43 usually means Windows has stopped the graphics card because the driver or hardware reported a serious problem. While gaming, this often happens because of a corrupted driver install, a bad driver update, unstable overclocking, overheating, power delivery issues, or conflicts from GPU tuning/overlay apps. In some cases, Windows updates or BIOS settings can also trigger the problem by changing how the GPU is detected.

Common Symptoms

• Games crash to desktop or freeze after a few minutes
• Device Manager shows “Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)”
• Black screen, flickering, or display driver resets while gaming
• Very low FPS or the NVIDIA GPU not being used at all
• PC restarts or becomes unstable under GPU load

How to Fix It Manually

1. Check Device Manager for the exact error

   1. Press Windows + X and click Device Manager.
   2. Expand Display adapters.
   3. Right-click your NVIDIA GPU and choose Properties.
   4. Confirm that the Device status shows Code 43.

2. Do a clean reinstall of the NVIDIA driver

   1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, then go to Apps > Installed apps.
   2. Uninstall NVIDIA Graphics Driver, GeForce Experience, and other NVIDIA display-related components.
   3. Restart your PC.
   4. Download the latest driver for your exact GPU from the NVIDIA Driver Downloads page.
   5. Run the installer, choose Custom (Advanced), then check Perform a clean installation.
   6. Restart again after setup finishes.

3. Roll back if the problem started after a driver update

   1. Open Device Manager with Windows + X > Device Manager.
   2. Double-click your NVIDIA card and open the Driver tab.
   3. Click Roll Back Driver if the button is available.
   4. Restart your PC and test a game again.
   5. If rollback is unavailable, install an older stable driver manually from NVIDIA’s driver archive.

4. Remove overclocks and disable overlays

   1. Open any GPU tuning app you use, such as MSI Afterburner, and reset the GPU core, memory, and voltage settings to default.
   2. Disable in-game overlays like GeForce Experience Overlay, Discord Overlay, and Steam Overlay.
   3. Restart the PC before launching your game.
   4. If the crashes stop, one of those tools was likely causing instability.

5. Check temperatures and power

   1. Make sure your GPU fans are spinning and the vents are not clogged with dust.
   2. While gaming, watch GPU temperature using Task Manager or a hardware monitor.
   3. If temperatures are too high, clean the PC, improve airflow, or lower graphics settings.
   4. If you have a desktop, verify the GPU power cables are firmly connected.
   5. If the issue started after a PSU upgrade or cable change, re-seat the cables and test again.

6. Update Windows and motherboard drivers

   1. Open Settings > Windows Update and install all pending updates.
   2. Visit your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s support page.
   3. Install the latest chipset, BIOS, and power management drivers if available.
   4. Restart and test the system under load.

7. Test for hardware failure

   1. Try the GPU in another PC if possible, or test another GPU in your system.
   2. If Code 43 appears across systems, the card may be failing.
   3. If it only happens in your PC, the issue is more likely driver, power, motherboard, or software-related.

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Kudu can scan your system for driver problems, startup conflicts, background apps, and other issues that make games unstable or trigger GPU crashes. It gives you a faster way to clean up problem software, optimize Windows for gaming, and reduce the chance of Code 43 coming back after you reinstall the driver.

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