[HELP] Persistent nvlddmkm Event ID 153 crashes ONLY when external monitor connected via USB-C to DisplayPort — Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 RTX 4060 Laptop
This issue has been going on for several months and I've tried everything I can think of. Really desperate for help at this point.
Specs:
- Model: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-71
- CPU: Intel Core i7-13700HX (13th Gen, 2.10 GHz)
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 8GB + Intel UHD Graphics 128MB
- RAM: 16GB DDR5 (15.7GB usable)
- Storage: 954GB NVMe SSD (560GB used / 394GB free)
- OS: Windows 11 Home 64-bit
- BIOS: v1.20 (latest)
- Driver: 572.70 WHQL (also tested 591.59 — worse results)
- MUX Switch: NVIDIA GPU only
- External monitor: 2K (2560x1440) @ 180Hz, connected via USB-C to DisplayPort cable
Problem:
Getting persistent nvlddmkm Event ID 153 crashes (\Device\000000d5, Error on GPUID: 100) whenever external monitor is connected via USB-C to DisplayPort cable running at 2K 180Hz. This has been happening for several months now. Blackscreen lasts a few seconds then recovers by itself or with Ctrl+Win+Shift+B. Sometimes Event ID 14 (VRAM allocation failure) appears alongside it.
Crashes happen during light tasks like browsing, watching YouTube, and even in-game — Valorant has also triggered blackscreen with external monitor connected.
Most important observation: ZERO crashes ever when using laptop screen only. Played games, watched YouTube for hours, browsed with many tabs — completely stable without external monitor. The moment external monitor is connected via USB-C to DisplayPort at 2K 180Hz, crashes start happening even during the lightest tasks.
Also noticed the USB-C cable tip gets noticeably warm during use.
Everything already tried (nothing worked permanently):
- DDU clean install multiple times — tested drivers 572.70, 591.59, and Acer OEM driver
- Note: driver 572.70 significantly reduced blackscreen frequency at first, but crashes are still recurring
- BIOS already on latest v1.20 (includes "Optimizes settings for NVIDIA GPU" fix from v1.16)
- TDR Delay set to 8 in registry
- Memory Integrity disabled
- Thunderbolt controller power management disabled
- Chrome hardware acceleration disabled
- NVIDIA power management set to Prefer Maximum Performance
- MUX Switch set to NVIDIA GPU only
- Intel chipset drivers — no relevant updates found
- SFC /scannow and DISM RestoreHealth — no issues found
- Tested refresh rate at 60Hz, 144Hz, and 180Hz — crashes at ALL of them
- Tested resolution at 1080p and 2K — crashes at both
- Replaced USB-C to DP cable with brand new one — still crashes
- Disabled NVIDIA HD Audio and NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device — no effect
Typical Event log pattern:
Multiple errors fire within 1 second:
- Event ID 14: VRAM allocation error
- Event ID 153: UCodeReset TDR occurred on GPUID:100
- Event ID 153: Resetting TDR occurred on GPUID:100
- Event ID 153: Reset TDR occurred on GPUID:100
- Event ID 153: Restarting TDR occurred on GPUID:100
Current theory:
USB-C port on the laptop has a physical issue causing unstable DisplayPort Alt Mode signal under sustained use when driving 2K 180Hz, which triggers GPU driver crashes. Next step is testing with HDMI 2.1 cable directly into the HDMI port to confirm. If HDMI fixes it, the USB-C/Thunderbolt controller likely needs hardware inspection at service center.
Question: Has anyone experienced this exact pattern — crashes only with external monitor via USB-C to DP at 2K 180Hz, zero crashes without it — and found a fix after several months? Is this definitively a hardware issue with the USB-C/Thunderbolt controller requiring service center attention?