Alex Ruben
How To Fix the Valorant BSOD Error Caused by dxgkrnl.sys
If you’ve been running into that annoying blue screen — you know, the BSOD with the stop code dxgkrnl.sys — while trying to jump into Valorant, you’re definitely not alone. It’s like, everything is fine, then suddenly your system just crashes out of nowhere. It’s super frustrating, especially when you just want to play. Sometimes, this error pops up because of conflicting security features, outdated drivers, or network glitches. This setup of fixes tries to cover the common culprits, so hopefully, one of these will help you get back into the game without that BSOD teasing you every time.
How to Fix Valorant BSOD dxgkrnl.sys Error in Windows
Method 1: Turn off Memory Integrity in Windows Security
This one’s weird but can be effective. The Windows security feature called Memory Integrity (or Core isolation) sometimes conflicts with graphics drivers or game processes, causing system crashes like this. On a lot of setups, disabling it has fixed the issue. Though, of course, Windows has to make things harder by having security features that pop up and block stuff in the first place. But hey, worth a shot.
- Open Settings, then go to Privacy & Security.
- Click on Windows Security > Device Security.
- Hit Core Isolation details.
- Switch off the Memory Integrity toggle.
After that, uninstall any potentially conflicting software like Omen Gaming Hub, MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner, or Nvidia Control Panel — because, surprise, they sometimes cause trouble too. Reboot your PC to see if that steadys things out. Note: On some machines, this might need multiple restarts or re-enabling later, so keep that in mind.
Method 2: Clear DNS Cache & Reset Networking
If your network is acting weird, that can sometimes trigger major issues with online games. Clearing your DNS cache and resetting network settings can help fix corrupt network configs that might be causing instability beneath the surface.
- Right-click the Start Menu, then choose Run.
- Type
ncpa.cpland press Enter. This opens your network connections. - Right-click your active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, then click Properties.
- Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Sometimes IPv6 conflicts with certain routers or ISPs.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then click Properties.
- Choose the option Use the following DNS server addresses, then enter:
- Preferred DNS server:
8.8.8.8 - Alternate DNS server:
8.8.4.4
- Preferred DNS server:
- Click OK to save everything and close out.
Method 3: Reset Network via Command Prompt
Sometimes, just flushing all network configs does the trick, especially if your system’s network stack is a little corrupted or stale. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Start, type
cmd, then right-click and choose Run as administrator. - Run these commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
netsh int ip resetnetsh winsock resetipconfig /releaseipconfig /renewipconfig /flushdns
After all that, restart your PC. Not sure why, but sometimes the network stack just needs a good reset to play nice again.
Additional Tips & What Else Might Help
If the problem stuck around even after these tweaks, it’s worth updating your GPU drivers. Check Nvidia, AMD, or Intel’s sites. Also, look for Windows updates — the latest patches can fix bugs that cause conflicts. And, pay attention to background apps — anything like screen recorders, hardware monitors, or overlays — those can sometimes interfere with Valorant. When in doubt, disabling overlays (like Steam or Nvidia GeForce Experience) to test might make a difference.
Wrap-up
All these things seem basic, but they fix a surprisingly large chunk of BSOD issues related to dxgkrnl.sys while gaming. Not sure why some of these contradicts, but hey, Windows lovably complicates things. Regular driver updates, system tune-ups, and avoiding conflicting apps might keep this bug away longer.
Summary
- Disable Memory Integrity in Windows Security
- Clear DNS cache and reset network settings
- Run network reset commands in Command Prompt
- Update graphics drivers and Windows
- Disable overlays or background apps that might interfere