Driver issues can sometimes manifest as kernel exposed API interfaces blocking/using too much CPU in stupid ways/freezing when they should not; killing the "off

Driver issues can sometimes manifest as kernel exposed API interfaces blocking/using too much CPU in stupid ways/freezing when they should not; killing the "offending" userland program using those APIs will often end up releasing the resources acquired by invoking them. Linux might be a monolithic kernel, but it's not like the entire kernel with all it's features/modules need to be loaded all at once.