How to Fix Borderlands 4 ntdll.dll Crash on Windows 10/11

If Borderlands 4 keeps crashing with ntdll.dll errors, you’re not alone. Dozens of players have reported the same issue, especially after the latest game and GPU driver updates. While 2K Support may point you toward Microsoft, the real cause often lies deeper — inside driver conflicts, runtime corruption, or unstable hardware layers.

What Causes the ntdll.dll Error in Borderlands 4?

The ntdll.dll module is part of the Windows subsystem responsible for handling low-level system calls. When the game crashes there, it usually means:

• A graphics or system driver is corrupt or incompatible.
• Overlays or VPN adapters are injecting into game memory.
• Faulty memory (RAM) or unstable overclocking is corrupting runtime calls.
• Missing or mismatched Visual C++ or DirectX runtimes.

The error might show up in Event Viewer like:

Faulting module name: ntdll.dll
Exception code: 0xc0000005

This means something tried to access invalid memory — most often the GPU driver.

Step 1 – Roll Back Your NVIDIA Driver

Borderlands 4 uses Unreal Engine 5, which has known conflicts with newer 580-series NVIDIA drivers.
If you’re running version 581.57 or later, that’s likely the culprit.

How to fix it:

1. Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) and boot into Safe Mode.
2. Use DDU to completely remove your existing NVIDIA driver.
3. Reinstall an older, stable Game Ready Driver such as 560.99 or 552.22.
4. Skip installing GeForce Experience and disable any overlays.

Tip: Players report the 560 branch runs Borderlands 4 far more stably on RTX 30-series GPUs.

Step 2 – Disable VPN and Virtual Network Adapters

If you use NordVPN, WireGuard, or OpenVPN, each adds a virtual network driver that can interfere with Unreal Engine’s online components.

Try this:

• Open Device Manager → Network adapters.
• Right-click and disable:
  • WireGuard Tunnel
  • TAP-NordVPN Adapter V9
  • OpenVPN Data Channel Offload
• Reboot and test the game again.

This step alone has fixed random ntdll.dll crashes for many players.

Step 3 – Repair System Files and Runtimes

Even if Windows seems healthy, corrupted runtime components can silently trigger ntdll errors.

Run these commands in PowerShell (Admin):

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
chkdsk C: /scan

Then reinstall the latest:

• Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables (2008 → 2022, both x86 and x64)
• DirectX Runtime (June 2010) from Microsoft’s official site.

Step 4 – Check RAM and Hardware Stability

ntdll.dll crashes can appear if RAM timings or overclocks aren’t fully stable.

• Run Windows Memory Diagnostic → Restart Now and Check for Problems.
• Disable XMP/EXPO profiles temporarily in BIOS.
• Set your CPU and GPU clocks to stock speeds.
• Close ASUS RGB Suite, Afterburner, or any tuning utilities while testing.

Step 5 – Optimize Game and Power Settings

• Set Power Plan → High Performance.
• In NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings, apply:
  • Low Latency Mode: Off
  • Vertical Sync: On
  • Shader Cache: Disabled

Also add Borderlands4.exe to Windows Defender Exclusions to avoid background scanning interruptions.

Step 6 – If the Crash Persists: Analyze with WinDbg

For advanced troubleshooting:

1. Locate the .dmp file in
   C:\Users\<Name>\AppData\Local\CrashDumps.
2. Open it in WinDbg Preview.
3. Type: !analyze -v
   • If the report shows nvlddmkm.sys, it’s a GPU driver issue.
   • If ucrtbase.dll, reinstall Visual C++ Redistributables.
   • If ntdll.dll only, suspect memory or overlay corruption.

The ntdll.dll crash in Borderlands 4 isn’t a Windows bug — it’s a driver-layer instability. Rolling back GPU drivers and disabling conflicting adapters resolve the issue for most players. If you’ve tried everything above and the crash persists, reinstall Windows using a clean ISO build (22H2 or 23H2) — several users report that a clean environment completely stops the crash.

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