Game freezing and then saying "Video Driver hung and was restarted"

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

Basically just freezes visually, occasionally freezes my whole PC visually for like a minute, then comes back at lower res, or kicks me to hangar.

This is been happening last two updates. Specs:
i7-4770k
GTX 1060 6GB
16GB DDR3 ram
game is on an SSD (same drive as OS if that matters)

[Jaes]

Sounds like you have bad video drivers or your GPU is failing. Hopefully just the former.

Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to uninstall the drivers you currently have then install the latest drivers available, which would be 461.92.

[dugs]

same issue here, both on my new pc and old (but high spec laptop), its likely not your hardware. gaijin aren't interested in fixing stability issues

[RustyNail]

Might also want to check your GPU temps. Just make sure it's not overheating.
If you find it's running hot: 1st try blowing/cleaning any accumulated dust from the heat sink fins & fans on the card and the exhaust fans on your case. Check that all the fans run when they should.

I had a fan die on my GTX1080 about this time last year. While I had the card out of my PC, and part way disassembled to install the replacement fan, I went ahead and replaced the thermal compound too.

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

I have checked and GPU is not running hot, I get no indication that my GPU is dying other than that sometimes the whole computer does the freeze, not just War Thunder, but that's somewhat rare.

[Dapre]

You have the same GPU as me, and a stronger CPU (mine is i5 @ 2,8) and a bit more system RAM (mine is 12 GB)

I play at 1080P and HIGH quality. Good fps.

I have had A LOT of freezes the last year. It only got worse and worse, and finally the OS started to get corrupted and loosing files after craches, It was a mess.

I had the OS on a IDE disk, and WT on a SSD.

I then activated AHCI for disk in BIOS, and reinstalled both the OS and WT to the SSD disk.

Played a little, and later got an update from both W10 and WT.

Now I have played about 20 hours, and have not had ANY freezes so far.

I have also installed NVIDIA GeForce Experience, and used the overlay function to monitor the CPU/GPU. The overlay is now turned off, but I think the GeForce Experience is still "active", since it give info when WT starts up. Im not sure if that also have a "positive" effect.

Dan

[HudsonM1A2]

Originally posted by Tryrose:

I have checked and GPU is not running hot, I get no indication that my GPU is dying other than that sometimes the whole computer does the freeze, not just War Thunder, but that's somewhat rare.

I've had this when I had my old FX-8350 platform. Everything freezing for a few seconds before resuming. It stopped after I upgraded to my Ryzen. It can be the motherboard. Try cleaning everything and using some contact cleaner fluid. It can make things run smoother. If there is some sort of oxidation happening, it can cause current flow disruption and it can impact your PC's performance.

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

I reinstalled video drivers, no luck, still freezing.

[Lunovus]

Using MSI Afterburner to try downclocking your GPU and video RAM, also undervolt them.

If the freezes stop or get less, your GPU is dying.

Also watch temps of CPU and other chips.

You can also try with a better/newer PSU.

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

Originally posted by Lunovus:

Using MSI Afterburner to try downclocking your GPU and video RAM, also undervolt them.

If the freezes stop or get less, your GPU is dying.

Also watch temps of CPU and other chips.

You can also try with a better/newer PSU.

I mean I get that but like I play other far more demandings games without issues, prime example being RDR2

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

Figured out what is was, it was not a result of my GPU dying, BUT, it was the result of the game not liking that my GPU was OC'd. Soon as I dropped down to default clocks game ran butter smooth. Then when I go to other more demanding games I can bump back up to OC and everything works like a charm. So if anyone else is having this issue please check that your GPU is not OC'd.

[Lunovus]

WT can be pretty demanding on the GPU, AND uses APIs that can easily show the GPU/VRAM doing errors.

So basically your GPU is aging, is OCed (maybe from factory), and now can't stand the OC it could stand like some time ago.

Continue with the OC and it will die on you sooner than later (because OC will let your hardware age faster).

[RustyNail]

Originally posted by Lunovus:

WT can be pretty demanding on the GPU, AND uses APIs that can easily show the GPU/VRAM doing errors.

So basically your GPU is aging, is OCed (maybe from factory), and now can't stand the OC it could stand like some time ago.

Continue with the OC and it will die on you sooner than later (because OC will let your hardware age faster).

Makes sense: the cumulative affects of aging on ICs, power supply, etc., could result in shifting of clock & data signals enough to throw a monkey wrench into the works.

In normal times, I wouldn't worry cause it would be easy for me to replace components in a desktop; but with Covid, scalpers... it's a mess right now.

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

But that would not explain my GPU being utterly completely fine on others games, for example RDR2, GTA V, Ghost Recon Wildlands, Far Cry 5... I play so many demanding games perfectly fine but War Thunder specifically just says no

[2025 Subaru Crosstrek]

I actually just realized that I'm not even OC'd at all, and I never was... My GPU was BOOSTED, not OC'd.

Edit: Yeah no I never increased the voltage, or decreased it when you recommended to do that, all I did was turn the boost clock back to 0.

[RustyNail]

Sorry, if my post caused any misunderstanding.

My reply was primarily to Lunovos - relative to the potential for age related wear and tear on some of our components. I know an electrical engineer who's actually worked on circuits that go into server oriented processors; and according to that engineer, they can try to mitigate issues related to aging of the transistors, etc.. I couldn't take away much from what they described to me - it was way over my head.

If your system is acting up only for WT; all the things I can think of have already been suggested (verifying your drivers, game files, temperatures, etc.) You're a point where if I had a spare video card that could run WT; I might try swapping it to see if the issue went away.