I'm using an ASUS VivoBook X513 with an 11th-generation Intel Core i5, an NVIDIA MX330, and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. Every so often, the laptop suddenly restarts because of a graphics-related error. Afterward, Windows takes longer than usual to load the desktop after I reach the login screen, although the boot process itself seems normal.
I've tried pressing Win + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver. Sometimes that triggers the same error, while other times it only makes the screen blink and then everything returns to normal. The problem is random and doesn't happen often. Games using the NVIDIA GPU have been stable, so I'm not sure which graphics driver is actually responsible.
The error appears to reference igdkmdn64.sys, and I've seen suggestions to reinstall the graphics drivers. Should I reinstall the Intel Iris Xe driver, the NVIDIA driver, or both? What's the safest way to do it, and are there any other hardware checks I should perform?
2 Answers
You can still clean-install both display drivers to rule out a corrupted installation. Boot into Safe Mode, use a reputable display-driver cleanup utility to remove the NVIDIA driver, then install a fresh version from NVIDIA. Also install the Intel Iris Xe driver supplied for the exact ASUS model rather than relying only on Windows Update.
After the next crash, check Event Viewer under Windows Logs and System for entries around the restart. Intel driver references such as igdkmdn64.sys would support the Intel side being at fault, while nvlddmkm would point toward NVIDIA.
The igdkmdn64.sys reference points to the Intel graphics driver rather than the NVIDIA driver. That also fits the symptoms: the crash happens randomly on the desktop, while games running on the MX330 remain stable.
Start by downloading the Intel graphics driver for your exact VivoBook model from ASUS. If that doesn’t help, you can try Intel’s current driver instead, since some laptops behave better with the manufacturer-specific version and others with the newer generic package.
To remove the existing driver, open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click Intel Iris Xe, choose Uninstall device, select the option to remove the driver if it appears, and restart. The display may temporarily use a low resolution until the new driver is installed. It would also be worth running Windows Memory Diagnostic, since a PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA error can sometimes indicate faulty RAM, and the integrated GPU uses system memory.
I’ll run the memory diagnostic first. If the RAM checks out, I’ll reinstall the Intel graphics driver.
I’ll try a clean driver installation and check Event Viewer for which graphics driver is actually failing.