Windows atikmpag.sys / atikmdag.sys BSOD — AMD Display Driver Crash

The atikmpag.sys or atikmdag.sys BSOD is AMD's display driver crashing, causing VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE or black screens during gaming and GPU-intensive tasks. This guide covers everything you need to know about this topic, including common causes, step-by-step solutions, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Here are the key things to understand: atikmpag.sys and atikmdag.sys are AMD's kernel mode display drivers. atikmpag.sys = AMD kernel mode port driver, atikmdag.sys = AMD kernel mode display adapter driver. Most common with VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (0x00000116) or VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED. AMD Adrenalin software updates can sometimes introduce driver instability. Common with AMD RX 5000 and 6000 series GPUs. Understanding these fundamentals will help you diagnose and resolve this issue more effectively.

The most common reasons this occurs include: AMD Adrenalin driver version incompatibility. GPU overheating due to inadequate cooling. Power delivery issues (PCIe power cables, PSU wattage). Conflicting overlay software (Discord, Steam, AMD overlay). BIOS settings: PCIe link speed, resizable BAR compatibility. Identifying the root cause is the first step toward finding the right solution.

To resolve this, follow these recommended steps: Use AMD Cleanup Utility or DDU in Safe Mode to completely remove AMD drivers. Install the latest AMD Adrenalin driver from amd.com — select Recommended (WHQL) over Optional. Disable AMD overlay, Discord overlay, and any other GPU overlay software. In Adrenalin: disable Radeon Anti-Lag, Enhanced Sync — these can cause instability. Check power connections: use separate PCIe power cables (not daisy-chained) for the GPU. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider consulting additional resources or a qualified professional.

This article is part of our Windows Error Codes collection on Error Codes Wiki. We provide comprehensive, up-to-date information to help you find solutions quickly.