The “out of video memory” error. The sudden crash to desktop mid-combat. The black screen at launch. In CONTROL Resonant, these failures often trace back to one root: outdated or corrupted graphics drivers. Rolling the dice with a quick express update may patch the symptom, but it won’t fix the underlying conflict. The single most reliable fix is a clean installation of your GPU driver — wiping out old remnants and giving the game a fresh rendering foundation.
This isn’t about grabbing the latest driver version, installing it, and hoping. It’s about methodically removing the old, often corrupted bits that cause DXGI errors and VRAM crashes. Here’s exactly how.
The single most reliable fix is a clean installation of your GPU driver — wiping out old remnants and giving the game a fresh rendering foundation.
Step 1: Download the Correct Driver, Not the “Latest” One
First, identify your GPU model. Open Device Manager (Win+X → Device Manager), expand Display Adapters, and note the exact name — e.g., “NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060” or “AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT”.
Then go to the official manufacturer site:
- NVIDIA: nvidia.com/drivers – select your product series and OS. Choose the latest Game Ready Driver.
- AMD: amd.com/drivers – auto-detect or manual select.
- Intel: intel.com/drivers – for integrated graphics.
Do not use Windows Update for this. Windows Update delivers “compatible” drivers, not game-optimized ones. They often lack the specific fixes Remedy has baked into the latest WHQL releases for CONTROL Resonant.
Expected outcome: You have a downloaded .exe installer file ready. Do not run it yet.
Step 2: Uninstall the Current Driver Cleanly
Most casual updates leave behind old registry entries and shader caches. These accumulate and conflict with new builds. Use this order:
- Press Win+R, type
dducodecodecode, and hit Enter. If you don’t have Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU), download it from guru3d.com – it’s the standard tool for this. - Restart Windows into Safe Mode (Settings → Recovery → Advanced Startup → Restart Now, then Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Startup Settings → Restart → press 4).
- Launch DDU, select “GPU” (clear dropdown) then choose your manufacturer (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel).
- Click “Clean and restart”. DDU will remove all driver files, folders, and registry keys.
- Windows will reboot automatically with a basic display driver.
Why this step matters: CONTROL Resonant’s heavy use of DirectX 12’s explicit multi-adapter and shader compilation can hit corrupted driver caches fast. A clean slate removes those landmines.
Expected outcome: After reboot, you’ll see a low-resolution desktop. Your GPU is driverless. This is good.
Step 3: Perform a Clean Installation (Not Express)
Now run the driver installer you downloaded in Step 1. But do not accept the default “Express Installation”. Choose Custom (Advanced). Then check the box labeled “Perform a clean installation” (NVIDIA) or “Factory reset” (AMD). This tells the installer to ignore previous settings and overwrite every component.
Proceed with the installation. Once done, restart your PC again.
Expected outcome: After reboot, your GPU is recognized with the latest driver, no leftover old files.
Step 4: Test CONTROL Resonant
Launch the game. The crash should be gone. If it still occurs, you may have a deeper hardware limitation (e.g., insufficient VRAM) or a configuration issue like overtightened memory timings in BIOS. But for most users reporting the “out of video memory” or “DXGI_DEVICE_HUNG” errors, a clean driver install resolves the symptom.
Comparison: Driver Update Methods for Game Crashes
| Method | Time Needed | Removes Old Driver? | Risk of New Issues | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Update (automatic) | 5 min | No – overlay install | Low – but may miss game-specific fixes | Casual users, non-gaming apps |
| Manufacturer express install | 10 min | No – adds on top | Medium – old files remain, conflicts possible | Quick patch if no crashes yet |
| DDU + clean install | 20 min | Yes – fully removes | Low – cleanest path, but requires Safe Mode | Fixing existing crashes, major game releases |
| Rollback to previous driver | 10 min | N/A (installs older) | Low – if newer driver is unstable | Regression testing after a bad update |
Takeaway: The DDU + clean install takes the most effort but has the highest success rate for solving CONTROL Resonant crashes. The other methods are fine for routine updates, not for fixing active errors.
The Counterargument — and Why It Fails
A vocal minority argues: “Updating your driver can introduce new bugs. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Stay on your current version.” That advice holds if your game runs without errors. But if CONTROL Resonant is already crashing, your current driver is broken. The risk of a properly clean-installed new driver causing issues is far lower than the certainty of continued crashes. Newer drivers include specific stability patches for Unreal Engine 5 titles and DX12 memory management. Remedy and the GPU vendors collaborate on these. Older drivers lack those fixes. And if the new driver does cause a new problem (rare), you can always roll back using DDU in the same manner — but you can’t roll forward from a crash. The counterargument only applies to users without the crash; this guide is for those who have it.
One More Thing: Driver Alone Isn’t Always Enough
A clean driver install fixes the GPU side. But CONTROL Resonant also depends on the system’s virtual memory (paging file). If your physical VRAM is borderline (e.g., 4GB or 6GB), the game may still hit the virtual memory limit. After updating the driver, check your page file settings: go to Advanced System Settings → Performance → Advanced → Virtual Memory → Custom size and set initial to 12288 MB and maximum to 24576 MB on the drive where the game is installed. This gives the operating system room to spill over if the GPU’s own memory runs out. Combine the two fixes — clean driver plus adequate page file — and you’ll eliminate two of the most common crash triggers.
- Why does CONTROL Resonant crash due to graphics drivers?Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers cause DXGI errors and VRAM crashes. A clean install removes old remnants that conflict with the game.
- How do I perform a clean installation of GPU drivers?Download the correct driver from the manufacturer's site, use DDU in Safe Mode to remove old drivers, then select 'Clean Installation' in the installer.
- What virtual memory settings are recommended for CONTROL Resonant?Set initial size to 12288 MB and maximum to 24576 MB on the drive where the game is installed.
