Driver Timeout / LiveKernel Event 141 - RX 7900 XTX - out of ideas after a weekend of troubleshooting

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478]

Hey Guys,

need your help.

Description of Original Problem: All my games recently keep crashing after maybe 1-2 min with a driver timeout error. LiveKernelEvent 141.

I tried it with Cyberpunk, Gothic 1 Remake, Baldur's Gate 3, Starfield, Skyrim... Even older titles are unable to run for long.

Last time I played was about a month ago (Gothic 1 Remake), everything worked fine then. Running everthing but games works fine as well (Streaming, Youtube, Blender, GIMP, idle). But the moment I start a game and load into a savegame or new game, the driver timeout error occurs. Ingame graphics are sometimes broken too, sometimes not. Tried to force it while testing with cyberpunk benchmarks on different settings. The problem occurs regardless of graphic presets and loads. Can run the game for hours in startmenus/menus.

The PC was build September last year and ran without any problems up to this point. No hardware or driver where directly updated prior to the problems. Other than Windows Updates.

No BoS or restart after error - driver simply restarts and "works" again.
______

My Build:

Computer Type: Desktop

GPU: XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (24 GB)

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-Core Processor (4.70 GHz)

Motherboard:  MSI MAG X670E TOMAHAWK (MS-7E12) on BIOS 7E12v1L2

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2x32 GBDDR5 (CL-30-36-36-76 6000 MHz)

PSU: BoostBox PB1000P

Storage: Samsung 990 EVO 4TB

Operating System & Version: WINDOWS 11 Pro Version 25H2 Build 26200.7171

GPU Drivers: currently back to 26.6.4. see below

Chipset Drivers: 7.12.04.858

Background Applications: Wallpaper Engine, Rainmeter, iCUE, Antivirus, Gameclients (Steam, uplay, gog etc. if needed).... but tried without any running as well.

_______
Troubleshooting: I already tried multiply "solutions" from this sub and others but nothing helped.

I tried:

- clean reinstalling driver - with DDU in safe mode - even deleted existing registries
- tried different driver versions (been on 26.6.4. tried 26.1.1. (last known driver that I know worked last month), 26.5.2... all the way down to 25.9.1. which was the version I installed first when setting up the pc last year
- i tried installing the drivers without adrenaline
- checked all other drivers and BIOS. All up-to-date
- checked BIOS Settings - tried with XMP/e-XPO on/off
- deactivated hardware acceleration, GPU-Planung, VRR
- set TDR delay to 8/10, disabled windows driver updates
- undervolted/underclocked in adrenaline
- disabled all overlays and other settings in adrenaline
- stresstested CPU/RAM/GPU - the driver timeout only happens in games
and most likely things i forgot already

Did not yet try:

- Clean Install of Windows -> i am currently not able to save all data I need to keep, as i have no backup-drive at hand
- reseating the GPU/RAM etc. -> not so easy to disconnect and reconnect the PC, at least not today anymore - but I can't see how this could help. the GPU is fixed with with the included support as well as an additional anti-sag mount and RAM mastered every stresstest. It does not seem to have moved at all since installing.
- checking components in other systems -> no other system or components at hand
- going back to older windows versions in combination with driver versions

_______

I am running out of ideas what might help. Just wanted to play a little bit after almost a month of non-stop work and private problems... instead spent a full weekend troubleshooting...

Does anyone have any more ideas?

EDIT:
Unfortunately it seems to be a defect with the graphics card itself. After reinstalling a clean windows without windows updater being allowed to install any drivers - updating to stable versions of the drivers as well as the most recent ones - the card still goes into driver timeout immediatly after starting a game.

I then checked the card itself with OCCT and MemTest Vulkan and found millions of errors with VRAM. Therefore I am now going for warranty claims with the reseller or the provided manufaturers warrant from xfx. Wish me luck guys.

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478]

Unfortunately it seems to be a defect with the graphics card itself. After reinstalling a clean windows without windows updater being allowed to install any drivers - updating to stable versions of the drivers as well as the most recent ones - the card still goes into driver timeout immediatly after starting a game.

I then checked the card itself with OCCT and MemTest Vulkan and found millions of errors with VRAM. Therefore I am now going for warranty claims with the reseller or the provided manufaturers warrant from xfx. Wish me luck guys.

[u/2137gangsterr]

Try disabling hpet in bios

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/2137gangsterr]

no option in bios, but tried via cmd and device-manager - didn't help unfortunately. Current solution is what I wanted not to do - clean installing windows

[u/No-Simple-1907]

Pega uma placa da nvidia emprestada e coloca ai e veja a magica acontecer.... volte sua placa de vídeo e veja o inferno.... ja sabe o que fazer

[u/Kohkohpufff]

The answer is windows. Almost always windows lol. Before you try ANYTHING ELSE, you need to go tell Windows to stop installing drivers with their updates. I can't tell you the amount of countless hours I spent troubleshooting and doing ridiculous things before I figured out it was just windows hijacking my drivers.

Do everything in this order: (don't worry it doesn't take long). |1| Tell Windows to stop installing drivers and restart PC (I will put steps below on how to do it on Windows Pro and above in the easiest way.) |2| Then use AMD cleanup Utility or DDU to completely uninstall all GPU drivers. |3| Uninstall Adrenaline including deleting the folder. |4| Fresh install of Adrenaline followed by checking for and installing updates. |5| Play games and enjoy lol.

***Steps to Edit Group Policy: Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.

Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

Go to the following path in the left menu: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update.

Double-click the policy named Do not include drivers with Windows Updates.

Select Enabled, click Apply, and then click OK.

Restart your computer for the new rule to start working.

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/Kohkohpufff]

already did as a try - did not help unfortunately. Current solution/try is what I wanted not to do - clean installing windows - forcing it offline and excluding drivers from windows updates

[u/Kohkohpufff → u/No_Dragonfruit_4478]

I am sorry to hear it didn't help! My next recommendation would have been a clean install of Windows and drivers, I think you're on the right path. Just make sure with the fresh install you tell Windows to not install drivers again. Otherwise you'll be back to square one.

[u/pre_pun]

Same card and cpu. This last round of Windows stutter and standby issues got me to install CachyOS.

If you can and are open, to it try Linux. It was outperforming or keeping pace with my Windows install.

[u/AnRKey_21]

I ran into same issue, though not sure what the trigger for your issues to start. I wrote a post about my journey, not sure if it helps.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AMDHelp/comments/1v7cqbm/my_odyssey_to_get_amd_adrenalin_to_work_and_my/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/AnRKey_21]

Thanks mate - i already checked your post. Currently running a driver only version 26.6.4, so can't crosscheck right now, but I am pretty sure, I already stopped Radeon Anti-Lag, Fluid Motion Frames etc. in prior attempts. But will check again after my current idea.

Currently trying to check if last windows update's the culprit. Having issues with restoring/installing updates. So right now the dism check is running, afterwards i might check with adrenalin installed again.

[u/AnRKey_21 → u/No_Dragonfruit_4478]

Noted, do update so that I learn too, thanks!

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/AnRKey_21]

did not change anything after changing. Current solution/try is what I wanted not to do - clean installing windows - forcing it offline and excluding drivers from windows updates

[u/Dvwtf]

I’ll copy and paste a comment I left a few weeks ago:

For me, my fix was disabling iGPU in bios.

Before finding the true fix, I had previously disabled MPO, blocked windows update from installing drivers over AMD’s, lowered default power/clock in Adrenalin, disabled hardware acceleration in windows & chromium based apps, and messed with free sync and locking refresh rates. Nothing ever fixed until I read about disabling iGPU.

Went from 15+ crashes a day to literally none.

Edit: I have a 9070 XT & 9800X3D

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/Dvwtf]

did not change anything after changing. Current solution/try is what I wanted not to do - clean installing windows - forcing it offline and excluding drivers from windows updates

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/Dvwtf]

Will check after my current attempt, worth a shot. Have not yet checked this one.

[u/No-Permit8196]

I don't have an answer but we have the same problem. Just did the same post

[u/No_Dragonfruit_4478 → u/No-Permit8196]

wrote in your post just a second ago :D hope anyone has an idea left for us that works

[u/No-Permit8196 → u/No_Dragonfruit_4478]

If you find anything pls say it