Windows 10 Frequent, Semi-random BSODs (Thread stuck in device driver)

SpaceKitkat

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Joined
Sep 17, 2016
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As the title says, almost* every time I launch a video game (specifically, a minecraft mod), I get a BSOD with the error "THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER".
I'm also getting them more and more frequently just using google chrome, even just now while trying to get minidump log.
Checking the log, there was something about atikmdag.sys, and my problem seems to be very similar to this thread:
However, that thread's main solution was when someone checked the logs, they listed drivers that needed to be removed, and I don't think I have any of the same drivers.

After a bit of googling, a couple "easy" solutions were to update my BIOS and reinstall GPU drivers.
So I uninstalled all of my display drivers, deleted everything AMD, used DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller), restarted into my BIOS, updated my BIOS successfully, installed the new GPU drivers (Radeon Crimson edition software, for an R9 290), and restart my computer.

I've also performed several Windows diagnostics, including a RAM check, disk checks on all of my hard drives, and a "sfc /scannow" via CMD. All have come up with no errors.
I tried to add the minidump W7F log, but it said the file size was too large.. lol (RIP).
I've uploaded it to
but if it needs to be uploaded elsewhere, just let me know.
If any other logs are needed, I'll supply them ASAP. Any help is very much appreciated, as I work from home and this is currently my only available computer!
 


Solution
I had a look through your thread and signed up to chime in.

I have an R9 290 and the exact same problem, it has plagued me for the majority of the year. You may stop butchering your PC now.

It is categorically a result of AMD's drivers.

I am not exactly sure at what point the issue arose, but the same very frequent yet erratic BSOD/crashes on wake up have been present for the last dozen or more driver versions.

A poster on another forum found a BIOS altering solution that I didn't want to replicate, but this is what he discovered. It seems related to a new driver based power saving system that lowers the clock speeds of your card during idle situations. This was "improved" at some point over the 16.xxxx series of...
...
I've only seen later cards with this problem so perhaps it's something they introduced for the latest cards but conflicts badly with older cards?
..
This is also my feeling.

@Circinae:
>You can even monitor the clock speeds to watch when it triggers.
This is normal and happens also in 15.12. The clock speeds are supposed to change based on the GPU load.
 


@Space: That is interesting because in the default settings is does not block outside of 3D games.I think the initial use case for this program was guarantee a constant clockrate during gaming.
 


Amd answer to was: Please first install the newest 16.11.3 and check if the issues are resolved there :/
Did somebody from you install that already ?
 


I think a user with similar issues did try that driver but still got the same result. We are trying various things and any come to fruition I'll of course share the results.
 


I installed 16.11.3 now and I am waiting for the crash. I just want to move forward in the support protocol of the AMD support.

BR

Sven
 


Try the 16.11.4 theres a fix for media playback and h264 will probably still crash but worth a try
 


Lol. There is already a new one ? I can continue like this forever. This is not efficient. AMD has to analyze now the change that broke it.
It is quite simple. The use their version control system make a diff of the changes and then make suspicous changes optional.
Best would be to make them optional by using a special registry key.
Then we could test the single changes by switching them on/off and find the change that breaks it..
I doubt they will do. I spend already too much time with this. I should just buy a new video card and thats it.
15.12 is also not too bad for the time being. At least it does not crash.
 


So.. I'm still getting BSODs.
In my DREAMS!
Lol almost every night I've had a dream of getting a BSOD.
I find it kind of funny, tbh.
That said, I haven't gotten a single BSOD since running Clockblocker, and it's been.. 5 days? Fingers crossed, I suppose.
So far, I've never had the issue where my GPU is running at max. My fans are all normal, I assume my clock speeds are normal (I haven't actually checked tbh).

Again, could just be entirely coincidence (I've gone over a week without BSODs before, with nothing having changed).

@kemical I know you mentioned an update that fixes media playback, but (at least in my case) half the time there's no video being played when I was getting BSODs. It was purely just from alt tabbing between things. Usually between a video game and another application.
 


So.. I'm still getting BSODs.
In my DREAMS!
Lol almost every night I've had a dream of getting a BSOD.
I find it kind of funny, tbh.
That said, I haven't gotten a single BSOD since running Clockblocker, and it's been.. 5 days? Fingers crossed, I suppose.
So far, I've never had the issue where my GPU is running at max. My fans are all normal, I assume my clock speeds are normal (I haven't actually checked tbh).

Again, could just be entirely coincidence (I've gone over a week without BSODs before, with nothing having changed).

@kemical I know you mentioned an update that fixes media playback, but (at least in my case) half the time there's no video being played when I was getting BSODs. It was purely just from alt tabbing between things. Usually between a video game and another application.

Nice job Kitkat!

If you get any other issues please post back.
 


Code:
*******************************************************************************
*                                                                             *
*                        Bugcheck Analysis                                    *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

Use !analyze -v to get detailed debugging information.

BugCheck EA, {ffff868ad8dc0080, 0, 0, 0}

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for atikmdag.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for atikmdag.sys
Probably caused by : dxgkrnl.sys ( dxgkrnl!TdrTimedOperationBugcheckOnTimeout+3f )

Followup:     MachineOwner
---------

Code:
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  GRAPHICS_DRIVER_FAULT

Hi Kitkat,
it does look like the gpu driver is at fault.

Try removing using the DDU and installing the latest driver released last week:
Link Removed

cmudaxp.sys Tue Dec 20 03:23:23 2011: ASUS Xonar DG Audio Interface driver. This driver needs updating as it might be indirectly involved with the crash. I did a quick check and there are some Win 10 drivers here:
ASUS Global

AsIO.sys Wed Aug 22 10:54:47 2012: Asus PC Probe Utility. Please remove.

RTKVHD64.sys Thu Apr 24 12:40:09 2014: Realtek High Definition Audio Function Driver please update:
Link Removed

Just a thought, do you have the Intel 4000 gpu (onchip) disabled in the bios?

If you haven't already try reseating the gpu.
 


Hmmmmmmmm.
Woke up, turned on my monitors, and it BSOD'd. Weird.
Went 8 days without a BSOD while using Clockblocker. :(
Hello Space,
i was wondering why it should work for you as in the default setting clock blocker is not enabled without a game running.
Circinae enabled it during idle desktop and you did not.

BR
Sven
 


Last edited:
Hello All,

AMD suggested to try the newest driver and toggle the Power Efficiency feature:
=== AMD reply start ===
I certainly do understand that you have done pretty much to narrow down the issue, however, could you please give one last try by toggling the power efficiency option provided in the Radeon settings, refer the attached screenshot to know more:

This option would be available with the latest Crimson Edition (Radeon settings) version, I would request you to try this task with the latest 16.11.4 driver.
Link Removed
Please perform the above and check the issue status.
=== AMD reply end ===

I didn't test it yet.

BR
Sven
power.webp
 


Worth a try I guess..Thanks for the heads up.
 


Spacekitkat is correct, the option isn't there and we knew about this. Sven highlighted that this option wasn't available for older cards when he told us about the registry work around, which was one of the main problems. Of course AMD's own representatives would be less informed than a bunch of random individuals on a Windows 10 forum.
 


Setting is to lower the pci-e draw from reference rx480 cards. So won't do anything for cards that aren't 480s. If I enable it on my 480 all that happens is my mobo doesn't supply anything more than 75w through PCI-e.
 


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