As the error code suggests, this particular error is typically returned when a hardware malfunction is causing the crash. However, it’s also reported to occur after driver changes or after recent hardware changes. As you can imagine, a lot of hardware malfunctions will end up causing an NMI Hardware Failure BSOD crash. The exact cause of the crash is impossible to determine unless you are prepared to remove any hardware or drivers that might have been recently installed. If you haven’t made any recent changes to your PC configuration, you’ll need to systematically replace potential problem-causing hardware from your PC and test with different configurations. If you are currently struggling with frequent BSOD NMI Hardware Failure crashes, this article might provide you with some help. Below you have a collection of methods that other users have used to pinpoint the source of the problem and resolve the issue. The methods below are ordered by frequency and severity, so please follow each guide in order until you encounter a repair strategy that takes care of the issue. Let’s begin!
Method 1: Updating BIOS version to latest version
If we were to assume that your hardware is not malfunctioning, the most likely culprit that might be causing the issue is the Intel Processor driver. This is fairly common on computers that are running latest generation processors on machines with severely outdated BIOS versions. Some users have managed to stop the NMI Hardware Failure BSOD crashes completely by updating their BIOS version to the latest. But keep in mind that this procedure differs from manufacturer to manufacturer and will require a certain degree of technicality. If you are not confident in your ability to perform a BIOS update, it’s best to take your rig to a professional. In the event that you decide to do it yourself, be sure to consult the official documentation for the exact steps and only download the BIOS firmware version from the official download page. If you already have the latest BIOS version and you’re still getting frequent BSOD crashes, continue with Method 2.
Method 2: Make sure RAM modules are of the same type
NMI Hardware Failure BSOD crashes are known to happen when you use two different RAM modules that are not of the same type. You can usually get away with using multiple RAM modules of different manufacturers as long as they have the same MHz frequency. For example, if you have a 4 GB RAM module of 800 Mhz and you buy another 4 GB RAM module of 1600 Mhz, your system is likely to become unstable and crash frequently with various BSOD error codes including NMI Hardware Failure. If you recently added an additional RAM module, take it out and see if the issue resurfaces again. It might also be a good idea to verify the integrity of your RAM modules with a tool like memtest86. While you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to see whether your processor is causing the crash with a tool like Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool.
Method 3: Remove recently installed drivers and hardware
As Microsoft mentions in their official documentation, this issue is often caused by recent hardware changes and driver installations. If you recently replaced your GPU or a different component, it’s very unlikely that the error is being triggered by some sort of incompatibility. Most of the time, these sort of incompatibilities are caused by GPUs. If you recently upgraded to a new video card, you should make sure that the hardware has the right drivers to function on. If you’re using a dedicated GPU card, make sure you have the latest graphics drivers by going to the official download page of your manufacturer (ATI or NVIDIA) and download the latest driver available according to your GPU and your Windows version. If you have an integrated GPU, the best course of action would be to let WU (Windows Update) install the latest update. To do this, open a Run box (Windows key + R), type “devmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Device Manager. In Device Manager, expand the drop-down menu associated with Display adapters, then, right-click on your integrated graphics card and choose Update driver. Next, click on Search automatically for updated driver software and let WU install the latest version available, then restart your computer.
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