How to troubleshoot and fix Windows 10 blue screen errors

If your PC gets a blue screen error, use this guide to troubleshoot and fix this problem on Windows 10.

Windows 10 Blue Screen of Death (BSoD)

  • During upgrade
  • No desktop access
  • Desktop access

The Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) — also known as "blue screen," "stop error," or "system crash" — could happen after a critical error occurs that Windows 10 is not able to handle and resolve automatically.

You will typically experience a blue screen error during the upgrade process of Windows 10 , when the computer boots up, or randomly when actively using the device. The most annoying part is that you'll only see a solid blue background and a sad kaomoji without enough information to determine the real cause of the problem.

The system will display a message like, "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting some error info, and then we'll restart for you." Or general stop error codes (such as VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED, PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGE_AREA, CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION, DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION, or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL). Or hexadecimal codes (such as 0x000000D1, 0x0000000A, or 0x0000007B) are just hieroglyphics for regular users.

Although a stop error does not have a straight answer, it's almost always a problem with a quality or feature update for Windows 10, a recently installed driver, an incompatible program, or a hardware-related issue.

This guide will walk you through several troubleshooting steps to resolve a blue screen error.

How to fix blue screen error during upgrade on Windows 10

When you upgrade to a new version of Windows 10, a blue screen error may appear for many reasons. For example, it could result from a compatibility problem with an old program or security software. Or it could be because of corrupted files in the current installation or damaged installation media.

Typically, when an error occurs, the setup will revert the changes to the previous installation without an explanation.

If you are dealing with errors during the installation, uninstalling non-essential apps, clearing out corrupt downloads, disconnecting non-essential peripherals, or doing a clean install of Windows 10 may resolve the issue.

Uninstall incompatible app

To uninstall an app that may conflict with the Windows 10 installation, use these steps:

  • Open Settings .
  • Click on Apps .
  • Click on Apps & features .
  • Select the app that is causing issues and click the Uninstall button.
  • Click the Uninstall button again.
  • Quick note: If this is a classic desktop application, you may need to continue with the on-screen directions to complete the uninstall process.

Once you complete the steps, you may need to repeat the instructions to uninstall additional apps, and then you can try the upgrade one more time. After the update, you can reinstall the apps again.

Redownload installation files

Sometimes, if you use the Windows Update option to upgrade a device, you could see a Blue Screen of Death when installation files were damaged during the download process. In this case, you can use the Settings app to clear the previous files, allowing the system to re-download the upgrade bits.

To re-download the upgrade files through Windows Update, use these steps:

  • Click on System .
  • Click on Storage .
  • Under the main drive section, click the Temporary files item.
  • Clear the already selected options.
  • Check the "Temporary Windows installation files" option.
  • Click the Remove files button.

After you complete the steps, open the Windows Update settings and proceed with the steps to upgrade the computer one more time.

If you continue with the same problem, you should consider using the Update Assistant utility to perform an in-place upgrade. Or, if the utility does not work, try using the Media Creation Tool to create an installation media to install the new version of Windows 10.

Analyze upgrade problem

Alternatively, you can also troubleshoot blue screen errors with the "SetupDiag" tool. SetupDiag is a Microsoft tool that offers an optional download to diagnose and determine why an update or upgrade failed to apply, which is valuable data that can help resolve virtually any problem.

To use SetupDiag after the upgrade of Windows 10 failed with a blue screen, use these steps:

  • Open the SetupDiag download page .
  • Click the Download SetupDiag button.
  • Select a destination folder to save the file.
  • Click the Save button.
  • Open File Explorer .
  • Open the folder where you downloaded the file.
  • Right-click the "SetupDiag.exe" and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Right-click the SetupDiagResults.log file and select the Open option.

Once you complete the steps, the default text editor will open the file with the diagnostic results based on the known rules.

If an error was detected, the logs will describe the information to determine why the device blue screened during the update, and if it's a known issue, you'll also get the steps to resolve it.

Sometimes you won't get any recommendations. If this happens, follow the link that might be available in the log file or use the error code or any meaningful information to research the problem online. ( Use this guide for more detailed instructions.)

Disconnect non-essential peripherals

Windows can also crash due to a hardware-related problem. As a result, it's always recommended to disconnect all non-essential peripherals, including external hard drives, printers, secondary monitors, phones, and other USB or Bluetooth devices, before proceeding with an installation to minimize the chances of errors. The upgrade process only requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and internet connection.

After the installation, you can always reconnect the peripherals. If the issue persists, it could be a compatibility problem. You can usually resolve this issue by downloading and installing a newer driver version from your manufacturer's support website.

If the computer uses the most recent driver and the problem continues, it could be a compatibility issue with the new version of Windows 10, or the hardware in question may need to be replaced.

You can always visit the Microsoft health dashboard website to review any issues available with the latest release of Windows 10.

Perform clean installation

The best way to upgrade to a new version of Windows 10 is to erase everything and start from scratch with a clean installation. The process will help you avoid the Blue Screen of Death, and it will help improve system performance and resolve issues.

If you decide to perform a clean install, you first want to confirm that the computer can start from USB. This means that you may need to change the boot order of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) firmware to configure the correct boot order.

Typically, the steps to open the motherboard firmware settings require pressing one of the function keys (F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12), the Esc key, or the Delete key as soon as the device starts. However, these settings are always different per manufacturer and even by device model. If you are not sure, it's best to check the manufacturer's support website for more specific details.

While in the firmware interface, open the "Boot" page, set the boot order to start from USB, and save the new changes. Once the device can start from the flash drive, create a bootable installation media and use it to start the Windows 10 setup, and then continue with the steps below.

To clean install Windows 10 avoiding blue screen errors, use these steps:

Warning: This is a friendly reminder that you'll be making changes to your current setup, which can cause problems and even data loss if you don't do it correctly. It's recommended to make a temporary full backup before proceeding .

  • Start PC with Windows 10 installation media.
  • On "Windows Setup," click the Next button.
  • Click the Install Now button.
  • Click the I don't have a product key option to continue (assuming that your PC was already properly activated).
  • Select the edition of Windows 10 (if applicable).
  • Quick note: This selection must match the edition that the license activates. Otherwise, the product key won't work, and you may need to reinstall Windows again.
  • Click the Next button.
  • Check the I accept the license terms option to continue.
  • Click on the "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)" option.
  • Select the partition with the current installation of Windows (usually "Drive 0"), and click the Delete button to remove the partition from the hard drive.
  • Quick tip: If you have multiple partitions on the primary hard drive (Drive 0), select and delete each one. The setup will recreate the required partitions automatically. You don't need to delete partitions from secondary drives to reinstall Windows 10.
  • Select the empty drive labeled "Drive 0 Unallocated Space."

Once you complete the steps, the setup will begin installing Windows 10, avoiding many blue screen errors. After the installation, you'll need to continue with the out-of-box experience (OOBE) to finish setting up the computer by creating a new account and selecting the preferred settings. You can use this guide to perform a complete installation of Windows 10 .

How to fix blue screen error without desktop access on Windows 10

If the computer no longer starts correctly, you can use some of the advanced system features, such as System Restore, Safe mode, or the Advanced startup environment to resolve the problem.

In case the error happened after adding new hardware, consider disconnecting it to double-check to see whether the new hardware is the reason the computer is bumping into this problem.

Resolve BSoD with System Restore

System Restore is a legacy feature that allows you to undo changes without affecting your files to roll back the computer to a previous point in time when Windows 10 was working correctly.

The only downside about this feature is that you have to enable it manually before using it. If System Restore was previously enabled and configured , you can use a restore point to fix the stop error.

On Windows 10, there are at least two ways to access System Restore through Advanced startup, including through the boot options menu or USB installation media. (Choose one of the methods below, and continue with the steps.)

Advanced startup access from boot

To launch the Advanced startup settings to access System Restore, use these steps:

  • Start your computer.
  • As soon as the Windows logo appears, press and hold the power button to interrupt the boot sequence.
  • Repeat steps 1 and 2 two more times.

After the third interruption, Windows 10 should open the Advanced startup environment and continue with the steps below to access System Restore.

Advanced startup access from USB

You can also use Windows 10 installation media to open the Advanced startup with these steps:

  • Start your computer using USB media .
  • Quick tip: If the computer isn't starting from USB, you'll need to change your system's BIOS settings to make sure it can boot from USB. You can usually access the BIOS by powering up your device and pressing one of the function, Delete, or Esc keys, but make sure to check your manufacturer's support website for more specific details.
  • Click the "Repair your computer" option from the bottom-left corner.

Once you complete the steps, continue with the Restore Point instructions below.

Select Restore Point to fix bug check

To use a Restore Point to fix blue screen problems on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Click the Advanced Startup option.
  • Quick note: If accessing Advanced Startup from USB media, you will have the Troubleshoot option instead (see step 2 ).
  • Click the Troubleshoot option.
  • Click the Advanced options button. (This step is not part of the process when using USB media.)
  • Click the System Restore option.
  • Select your account.
  • Confirm your account password.
  • Click the Continue button.
  • Select the most recent restore point to resolve the blue screen error.
  • Click the "Scan for affected programs" button to determine the apps that may be affected using a restore point.
  • Click the Close button.
  • Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, the feature will undo updates, drivers, apps, and system changes done after the point of restoration was created, fixing the system crashes.

Resolve BSoD with Safe mode

Windows 10 also has "Safe mode," an environment that only loads the basic drivers and services needed to access the desktop to troubleshoot any issue, including system crashes.

You can access Safe mode by using the Advanced startup menu during boot or by using Windows 10 installation media. (Select one of the options below, and continue with the steps.)

To access the Advanced startup settings to boot in Safe mode, use these steps:

After the third interruption, Windows 10 should open the Advanced startup menu and continue with the steps below to access Safe mode.

You can also use USB installation media to access the Advanced startup menu to enable Safe mode using these steps:

  • Start your computer using USB installation media .
  • Click the "Repair your computer" option in the bottom-left corner.

Once you complete the steps, continue with the Safe mode instructions below.

Use Safe Mode to fix bug check

To access Safe mode to troubleshoot and fix Blue Screen of Death errors, use these steps:

  • Click on Advanced options . (This step is not part of the process when using USB media.)
  • Click the Startup Settings option.
  • Click the Restart button.
  • After your computer reboots, press the F4 (or 4 ) key to select the "Enable Safe Mode" option.

While in Safe mode, you can use the steps below to uninstall updates and device drivers that may be causing problems.

Remove buggy system updates

To uninstall a problematic update on Windows 11, use these steps:

  • Click on Update & Security .
  • Click the "View update history" option.
  • Click the Uninstall updates option.
  • Quick note: If the Windows Update settings doesn't show option to remove an update, then open Control Panel > Programs and Features > View installed updates , and continue with the steps below.
  • Select the most recent update (refer to the "Installed On" column).
  • Click the Uninstall button.

After you complete the steps, restart the device and confirm that the error is no longer happening.

Remove buggy device drivers

To uninstall an incompatible driver with Safe mode, use these steps:

  • Open Start .
  • Search for Device Manager and select the top result to open the app.
  • Expand the branch with the device causing the problem.
  • Right-click the device and choose the Uninstall device option.
  • Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, restart the computer and determine whether the bug check has been resolved.

If, after removing the update, the computer no longer shows a BSoB error, block the update or driver to prevent Windows 10 from reinstalling it automatically until a newer update becomes available.

Troubleshoot bug check with Event Viewer

If you cannot see the error code during the blue screen or want more details about the problem, the Event Viewer records every hardware failure, driver malfunction, app crash, and more information, which you can use to diagnose most problems.

To troubleshoot blue screens with the Event Viewer on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Search for Event Viewer and click the top result to open the app.
  • Expand the Windows Logs group.
  • Select the System category.
  • Right-click the "System" category and choose the "Filter Current Log" option.
  • Click the Filter tab.
  • Use the Logged drop-down menu and select the time range when BSoD happened — for example, Last 12 hours .
  • Under the "Event level" section, check the Critical and Error options.
  • Double-click to open each log to learn more details about the problem.
  • Review event log details.
  • Quick tip: When a blue screen occurs, the system will create a memory dump file, and it'll restart the device automatically. This means that if you have a list with many errors because the computer rebooted immediately after the bug check, the error causing the problem is likely to be the one after a critical Kernel-Power event.

In the event log, the "General" tab includes a brief technical description of the error that might give you a hint of the blue screen problem.

In this guide, I forced a bug check using these instructions , so the event notes that the source of the problem was a "bug check" that caused the computer to reboot unexpectedly. However, it's not always easy to determine the source of the issue. If you can't find out the reason based on the event information, copy the description, source, and event ID and use it to research online for a possible solution.

Resolve BSoD with Advanced startup

Windows 10 also includes a feature to uninstall problematic updates directly from the Advanced startup menu.

Select one of the options to access Advanced startup, and continue with the instructions to remove quality or feature updates causing the Blue Screen of Death.

To access the Advanced startup menu with the boot option, use these steps:

After the third interruption, Windows 10 should open the Advanced startup environment, and then you can continue with the steps below to boot in Safe mode.

To access the Advanced startup menu with USB installation media, use these steps:

Once you complete the steps, continue with the Windows 10 Safe mode instructions below.

Uninstall quality or feature updates

To uninstall the most recent quality or feature update causing the Blue Screen of Death, use these steps:

  • Click the Uninstall Updates option.
  • Click the Uninstall latest quality update to remove a recent monthly update. Or click the Uninstall latest feature update option to roll back to a previous version.
  • Quick tip: If you select the "Uninstall latest feature update" option, you can continue with the same steps to remove the recent upgrade of Windows 10 (as long as it's been less than 10 days since the installation).
  • Select your user account to continue.
  • Click the "Uninstall quality update" button.
  • Click the Done button.
  • Click the Continue option.

After you complete the steps, Windows 10 will remove the most recent cumulative update or feature update , fixing the blue screen problem on Windows 10.

How to fix blue screen error with desktop access on Windows 10

If you come across a Blue Screen of Death message, but you still have access to the desktop, the problem is usually the case of a missing system update, an issue with a specific driver, or a recently installed app.

Update Windows 10 and drivers

If you have access to the desktop, installing the latest updates for Windows 10 and drivers can help stop the blue screen error.

System update

Windows 10 downloads and installs updates periodically, but you may still need to check manually to download a critical update.

To download and install updates on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Click on Windows Update .
  • Click the Check for updates button.

If there's an update available, but it does not download, try to download and install the missing quality update manually .

Driver update

When the problem is an outdated driver, you'll need to download and install the latest version.

To install a newer version of a driver, use these steps:

  • Click the Check for updates button (if applicable).
  • Click the "View optional updates" option.
  • Quick tip: If the option isn't available, it means that Windows Update doesn't have any updates for your system configuration.
  • Click the Driver updates tab.
  • Select the driver update.
  • Click the Download and install button.

Once you complete the steps, the latest version of the driver should solve the problem. If no updates were available, you might need to check the manufacturer's support website to download and install a newer driver using their instructions. If the support website doesn't have a version higher than the one you already have, you may also want to try a beta version of the driver as it may contain a preview of the fix the company may plan to release on a future release.

Remove problematic updates, drivers, apps

Software and hardware companies can also release buggy updates that cause problems like BSoD on Windows 10.

Uninstall system updates

To uninstall a buggy system update, use these steps to remove it:

After you complete the steps, the problematic update will be uninstalled, fixing the Blue Screen of Death error. You can also use these steps to prevent the Windows Update settings from trying to install the same update again .

Uninstall device driver

To uninstall a buggy driver, use these steps:

  • Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
  • Right-click the device and select the Uninstall device option.

Once you complete the steps, you should no longer see the bug check error on the computer.

Roll back device driver

It's also possible to roll back the previous version of the driver to resolve the issue until another update replaces the buggy update.

To roll back to a previous version of the driver on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the console.
  • Expand the category of the device with the problem.
  • Right-click the device and select the Properties option.
  • Click the Driver tab.
  • Click the Roll Back Driver button (if available).
  • Quick tip: If the option isn't available, the system doesn't have a backup of the previous driver.
  • Select one of the available options to answer the question.
  • Click the Yes button.

After you complete the steps, the older version of the driver will apply to the system, fixing the system crashes.

Disable device driver

If you cannot roll back the driver, another workaround you can use involves disabling the hardware to mitigate the blue screen error until a new update becomes available to fix the issue permanently.

To disable specific hardware on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Right-click the device and select the Disable device option.

Once you complete the steps, you should no longer experience system crashes.

Uninstall conflicting apps

If you have an app causing compatibility problems, the Blue Screen of Death is likely to happen randomly, or every time you launch the program.

You can get around this problem by downloading and installing the latest version of the app from the software support website. If an update isn't available, it's recommended to uninstall that program to mitigate the problem until a permanent solution becomes available.

To uninstall a problematic app on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Select the app causing the Blue Screen of Death and click the Uninstall button.
  • Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

Once you complete the steps, you should no longer experience blue screen error codes on the device.

On Windows 10, you may also see a Blue Screen of Death message after connecting new hardware (for example, graphics card, USB device, etc.). When this happens, the problem is likely because the hardware is not compatible, broken, or the system is attempting to install the wrong driver.

If it's a compatibility issue, you may have to contact technical support or find a compatible replacement.

It's rare, but if the system keeps applying the wrong driver, use the previous steps to uninstall and install the correct driver manually using the manufacturer's instructions.

Run DISM and SFC tools

When dealing with a blue screen error, you can also use the System File Checker (SFC) combined with the Deployment Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to repair damaged system files to resolve the problem.

Repair image files with DISM

To repair the locally available image with DISM, use these steps:

  • Search for Command Prompt , right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Type the following command to repair the Windows 10 image and press Enter : DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Once you complete the steps, the tool will download and replace any system file that may be damaged in the local image of Windows 10.

Repair blue screen error with SFC

To use the SFC command tool to repair the current setup using the local image (already inspected and repaired with the DISM tool), use these steps:

  • Type the following command to repair the installation of Windows 10 and press Enter : SFC /scannow
  • Quick tip: If errors are found, you may want to run the command multiple times to ensure that everything is fixed correctly.

After you complete the steps, SFC will repair any system files using the local image files to fix the blue screen problem.

You can also refer to this guide to learn more about using the DISM and SFC tool on Windows 10 .

If you still can log in to your account, you can also use the Event Viewer to determine the reason for the problem to find a proper solution.

To check the event logs for hints about the Blue Screen of Death messages, use these steps:

In the event log, the "General" tab includes a brief technical description of the error, which might give you a hint of the bug check problem. If you can't determine the reason based on that information, copy the description, source, and event ID and use them to search online for a possible solution.

When you experience a blue screen error, it's always a sign that a program or hardware isn't working correctly. Although there are a lot of troubleshooting steps you can use, you may still need assistance to resolve the problem. If you made it through all our recommendations, and the problem persists, you may want to consult the Windows Central forums or the official Microsoft forums . At this time, it's also a good idea to contact your device manufacturer's technical support for assistance.

Alongside the Blue Screen of Death, you may also encounter a black screen problem, which usually occurs because of an issue with the graphics driver, connection issue, or something in the installation. If the device experiences screen flickering issues, it's likely a problem with an application or video driver.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

  • Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
  • Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

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Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.

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how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

How to Fix a Windows Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

Find out why you got a BSOD and how to stop it.

Windows BSOD

It makes you want to tear your hair out. You’re in the middle of working on a project, reaching a major milestone in a game or maybe just booting up your Windows 101 or Windows 10 PC and, just like that, the entire OS crashes and presents you with a Blue Screen of Death, usually for no immediately apparent reason. 

In Windows-speak, the term “Blue Screen of Death” is usually abbreviated as BSOD. It describes an error of some kind that hits the operating system hard enough that it’s forced to quit. Microsoft itself labels such errors with  “stopcodes.” Thus these errors may also be generically named “stop errors.”  Here’s an example that shows what a BSOD sometimes looks like:

Understanding the BSOD Screen

The screen starts with an old-fashioned unhappy face emoticon “ :( “ (a colon, followed by an open parenthesis). Next, you see a brief explanation that “Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.” Windows writes one or more log files when a stop error occurs, so you see language about “collecting some error info” and a counter that keeps track while it’s writing that data (shows as “25% complete) above. 

Microsoft provides a scannable QR code in modern BSODs (lower left) that you can scan with a smartphone and look up that way. The message also provides a lookup URL for stopcodes , where you can enter a numeric stopcode (and where you’ll see most common stopcodes, including the one shown above). The most common stop codes include: 

  • CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
  • SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
  • IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
  • VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED
  • PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
  • SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
  • DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION

You can also download the Microsoft Error Lookup Tool (current version: Err_6.4.5.exe) to look up numeric error codes at a command prompt or in PowerShell, if you prefer. 

BSODs Aren’t Always Blue in Windows

Before Windows 8 came along in October 2012, BSODs always appeared on dark blue screens. These were chock-full of text and instructions (see below). With Windows 8, Microsoft switched to a kinder, gentler format shown in the preceding screencap. 

The company also whittled down the information that appears on screen. In fact, the background color in Windows 11 or 10 is sometimes black, green or even red. Here’s an example of an old-fashioned, pre-Windows-8 BSOD to put this information into historical context: 

Making Sense of BSOD Data

Though nobody wants to see a BSOD on a Windows PC, they do occur from time to time. In the vast majority of cases, the PC will restart itself automatically after an error log, called a crash dump or  a dump file (extension .dmp) is created. By default, Windows 10 stores dump files in one of two locations. 

You can manage crash dumps through Advanced System Settings in Windows 11 or 10 (type “Advanced System Settings” into the search box, then click “Settings” in the Startup and Recovery pane). You can also choose to toggle “Automatic restart” to off here, if you would prefer that any future BSODs stay on the screen until you get a chance to see them and write down (or take pic of) any relevant data.

If you select “Small memory dump” as the option for saving crash dumps, such files show up as Minidump.dmp files. For all other selections, the crash dump is named Memory.dmp. Crash dumps get written to the %SystemRoot% folder, which usually expands to C:\Windows. By design, small memory dump files are limited to 256KB in size. Other memory dumps will vary in size up to the size of memory on the PC where the dump is collected. Thus, on a PC with 16GB of RAM, a Complete memory dump file will always be 16GB in size (and other dump files, except for the small memory dumps, can be as large as 16GB, but will often be smaller). 

Examining a crash dump file can be helpful when troubleshooting related causes. For more details, see our story on how to use a minidump file to fix your Windows BSOD . That said, many users simply search on the stopcode and/or the numeric error code when seeking remediation advice. (Note that Microsoft calls that numeric code a “bug check code” or “bug check string.”

What To Do When Troubleshooting a BSOD

The immediate tendency following a BSOD is to get right into fix-it mode, start looking things up, and attempting repairs. Not so fast! Microsoft explains the entire troubleshooting process in its “ Troubleshoot blue screen errors ” tutorial. While you can – and probably should – read the Microsoft advice in its entirety, here’s a summary of key recommendations: 

  • Shut down the Windows PC that experienced the BSOD
  • Disconnect all USB-attached devices except for mouse and keyboard (or wireless dongles).
  • Reboot your system into safe mode from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
  • If you recently installed new software, uninstall that software .
  • If you recently installed a new device driver (or your BSOD info points to a driver or device), uninstall or roll back that driver (if you don’t really need the device you can disable it temporarily instead)
  • Restart the PC , and see if the BSOD recurs. If not, you’ve probably isolated the cause and can start researching some kind of fix.

If the BSOD recurs despite the items taken out of the picture by removing, disabling or uninstalling them, whatever’s still left in the picture remains problematic. At this point you want to reboot into safe mode once again, and open an administrative command prompt or PowerShell session. From the command line, enter these commands, one at a time: 

  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
  • SFC /scannow

The first of these two commands finds and replaces any damaged operating system components in the side-by-side filestore (aka WinSxS). The second of these commands runs the System File Checker (SFC) and will repair any damaged files it finds. 

Note that if SFC finds and fixes anything, you should run the command until it comes back with a clean bill of health (in some cases, I’ve had to run it two or three times before it came back clean). Note further that running either or both of these commands can take some time to complete, especially if one or both find items in need of fixing. Here’s what you want to see after your final SFC run:

Try NirSoft’s BlueScreenView Tool

There’s a complete BSOD handling infrastructure available from Microsoft, built around a tool called the Windows Debugger (aka WinDBG). You can download it as part of Microsoft’s free Windows Developer Kit if you really want to dig into the gory details. There are a lot of details to learn about, and minutiae to address, if you want to put this tool to work on crash dumps. For non-IT professionals or non-developers, I recommend Nir Sofer’s excellent BlueScreenView utility instead. It’s set up to automatically load the symbol tables it needs to resolve error codes, and it knows where to find crash dumps in need of analysis. It also presents crash dump data in a highly-readable form.

As an illustration, I forced one of my test laptops (a Lenovo ThinkPad X390 Yoga) to blue screen at an administrative command line. There, I entered the string taskkill /im svchost.exe /f. Warning: typing this string into an administrative command prompt or PowerShell session will crash the PC immediately. That’s because it kills a key program named svchost.exe (Service Host) that supports DLLs in the Windows runtime environment. Because most (if not all) Windows programs use one or more DLLs this basically makes Windows inoperable. Thus, it causes an immediate BSOD with the CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED stopcode (shown in the lead-in graphic for this very story).

When I fired up BlueScreenView on that PC, it found the Memory.dmp file that this BSOD created during its post-crash cleanup phase. Here’s what the application looks like:

The top pane of the window shows all the crash dumps it finds on the target PC. Because there’s only one in this case, I shrunk it down to show as many details from the bottom pane as possible. Even so, the data in the top pane is important, with information in certain columns of special interest. Column 1 shows the name of the dump file. Column 3 shows the stopcode, which it labels “Bug Check String.” Column 3 shows the associated hexadecimal error code, 0x000000ef, which it labels “Bug Check Code.”

For most genuine BSODs (remember, I forced this one to happen) the stopcode and the error code will often help affected users zero in on causes and potential cures for their woes. In my experience, at least 90% of BSODs become fixable simply based on this information. That’s because it will often be solved by disconnecting, disabling, or uninstalling related devices, drivers , applications, or updates – just as Microsoft recommends, and I summarized in the previous section.

What About that Other Problematic 10% of BSODs? 

Some BSODs won’t be amenable to quick and easy fixes. When they come up, as they sometimes will, it’s time to ask for help in getting things figured out. I can recommend two terrific sources of troubleshooting assistance available online, each with its own dedicated user forum specifically focused on solving BSOD issues. Likewise, each one stipulates certain requirements on users seeking BSOD help.

Source number one comes from TenForums.com (key disclosures: I am a VIP member of this community; I contribute input and suggestions to its members daily). The TenForums venue is in its BSOD Crashes and Debugging forum. Posting instructions are explicitly provided, along with a collection of BSOD tutorials, including those on WinDBG Basics ,and  how to Install and Configure WinDBG for BSOD Analysis , Run BSOD Error Troubleshooter in Windows 10 , and Enable or Disable BSOD Automatic Restart in Windows 10 .

Source number two comes from British PC security and troubleshooting site BleepingComputer.com. They operate a user forum named Windows Crashes and Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Help and Support. There, you’ll find pinned threads for the following topics (all of which are worth reading through):

  • Sysnative Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Academy : A series of detailed questions readers should answer to ask the experts at Sysnative for help with BSOD issues. 
  • BSOD Posting instructions : what information users should gather (based on downloading and running a Sysnative app) to obtain necessary dump files and content.
  • BSODs but no Dump Files : instructions on how to configure a Windows PC to produce dump files whenever a BSOD occurs. Essential to know because diagnosis without dumps is nearly impossible.

Thus, you’ll have to read up a bit, download some tools, run some scripts and/or collect some logs that you’ll submit to make a semi-formal request for BSOD help. This will take one or more hours and force you to do some homework before such help becomes available. It may also involve numerous back-and-forth communications, where you’re asked to run additional diagnostic tools and collect additional logs and data to shed more light on your situation. Trust me: these guys know what they’re doing. I’ve seen only a handful of issues where users did everything asked of them where the BSOD experts couldn’t help them get things fixed.

Ultimately, where there’s enough will to get a Windows BSOD fixed, there’s a way to make that happen. Keep at it, and you’ll learn this for yourself.

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Ed Tittel is a long-time IT writer, researcher and consultant, and occasional contributor to Tom’s Hardware. A Windows Insider MVP since 2018, he likes to cover OS-related driver, troubleshooting, and security topics.

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  • Metal Messiah. Nice informative article ! Reply
  • ginthegit I keep getting a BSOD saying the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL None of the material I searched could explain its frequenct occurance. It never happened in Win8, so I gathered it was a Kernel based problem with allocating the IRQ to system. It was more of a trial and error thing, but figured out it was a Switchable Graphics problem. I though it was the Discrete problem, but turns out it was the Intel one. So once setting the Graphics to AMD for most my apps, I no longer get it. I was blaming the AMD for a long time, but Intel was the Offender with its graphics. But no thanks to Intel and Microsoft for both being useless in telling me where abouts the problem lied. I had to figure it out after 3 months of Tweaking and testing. My Linux partition never had a problem. Reply
  • Jake Hall Never in my entire career have I seen an SFC scan fix a thing Reply
  • nitrium All problems can be trivially fixed by purchasing a new PSU. Everyone at Tom's Hardware Forums knows this. Reply
  • InvalidError I think the only times I have ever had blue screens on my nearly nine years old 3470 are from running the system without rebooting after updating display drivers: update drivers, continue running the system for a few days, crash, then runs fine for months on end until I reboot for Windows updates or update drivers and get the next one-time driver-related crash. That said, I haven't even seen the driver update crash in about two years, Nvidia must have fixed whatever code nugget was causing it. Reply
  • BillyBuerger One of our users had a laptop that was getting BSODs recently. Rand a memory test and it reported a LOT of errors. This is on an "ultrabook" with soldered memory. Goodbye laptop just over one month past it's warranty. Reply
BillyBuerger said: One of our users had a laptop that was getting BSODs recently. Rand a memory test and it reported a LOT of errors. This is on an "ultrabook" with soldered memory. Goodbye laptop just over one month past it's warranty.
nitrium said: All problems can be trivially fixed by purchasing a new PSU. Everyone at Tom's Hardware Forums knows this.
Some BSODs won’t be amenable to quick and easy fixes. When they come up, as they sometimes will, it’s time to ask for help in getting things figured out. I can recommend two terrific sources of troubleshooting assistance available online, each with its own dedicated user forum specifically focused on solving BSOD issues. Likewise, each one stipulates certain requirements on users seeking BSOD help. Source number one comes from TenForums.com (key disclosures: I am a VIP member of this community; I contribute input and suggestions to its members daily). The TenForums venue is in its BSOD Crashes and Debugging forum. Posting instructions are explicitly provided, along with a collection of BSOD tutorials, including those on WinDBG Basics,and how to Install and Configure WinDBG for BSOD Analysis, Run BSOD Error Troubleshooter in Windows 10, and Enable or Disable BSOD Automatic Restart in Windows 10. Source number two comes from British PC security and troubleshooting site BleepingComputer.com. They operate a user forum named Windows Crashes and Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Help and Support. There, you’ll find pinned threads for the following topics (all of which are worth reading through)
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How to fix the blue screen of death error in Windows 10

A guide to the various ways to fix a blue screen of death – Windows 10’s most infamous system error

Windows 10 blue screen of death

What is the blue screen of death?

Fixing the blue screen of death with desktop access, fix the blue screen of death without desktop access.

The blue screen of death is an error in Windows 10 that appears when the system hits an unexpected fault. In order to prevent damage to the operating system, all critical processes are halted and a blue error screen is displayed. Knowing how to fix the blue screen of death error is a useful skill to any Windows 10 user, as it will usually keep appearing unless the underlying problem is addressed.

Known for its blue splash screen, the infamous "blue screen of death" error halts all critical processes, including networks, platforms, and applications. Unfortunately, this can result in the loss of unsaved data.

When a fatal error has been detected by your Windows system, your display will turn blue and show a picture of a sad face emoji and a short message that reads: 

"Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting some error info, and then we'll restart for you."

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The message will also display a generic error code. Sadly, this will not be information on the cause of the problem, or what you can do to fix it, though the code itself will offer a surface-level understanding of the issue.

There are hundreds of stop error codes acknowledged by Microsoft. These range from harmless ' VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED ' to more pressing issues like ' CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED '.

What are the most common blue screen error messages?

These are the most common error codes you will see when encountering a blue screen of death on Windows 10

  • SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
  • IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
  • PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
  • SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
  • BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO

In addition to the generic code, users may also encounter a hexadecimal format of the stop error. Those with a trained eye can use the code parameters to reveal extra details about the problem, which they can use to research a fix.

For example, in the highlighted image above the Blue Screen of Death error is showing an error code: HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED . This error appears when there is an issue with the boot up process, usually indicating a driver conflict or hardware fault.

For non-IT professionals and basic users, though, the hexadecimal code can be hard to understand and will give little indication as to what has gone wrong or how to fix it.

What causes the blue screen of death?

Blue screen errors generally happen during an upgrade or after installing an app or updating a driver. However, it’s not uncommon to run into this error during general usage.

  • Insufficient space in system disk
  • Faulty device drivers
  • BIOS misconfiguration
  • Hard disk corruption
  • Unidentified bug of Windows 10
  • Outdated Windows operating system
  • Incorrect entries in the system's registry

In order to fix the Blue Screen of Death error on Windows 10, you need to determine whether you can access the desktop or if you’re locked out.

If you see a blue screen error and still have access to the desktop, the problem likely stems from a recently installed app, outdated driver, or Windows 10 update.

To fix the Blue Screen of Death error, you will want to do the following:

  • Check what Windows updates and drivers are installed
  • Update to new drivers if required
  • Remove any recently installed updates and drivers
  • Remove any problematic peripherals

How to check for the latest updates and drivers

  • Open the Start menu and click “Settings.”
  • Click “Update & Security.”
  • Click “Windows Update.”
  • Click “Check for updates.”
  • Follow all prompts to install the latest Window update if needed.

How to update the drivers on Windows 10

  • Type “Device Manager” into the Windows 10 search bar.
  • Click “Device Manager.”
  • Click the device category you suspect is causing the problem to expand it.
  • Right-click the suspected faulty device.
  • Click “Update driver.”
  • Click “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

If this doesn't fix the blue screen error, download and install a newer version of the driver from your device manufacturer's website.

Uninstall incompatible updates, drivers, and third-party apps

For the following, we'll be using Windows 10's older Control Panel view to uninstall software, as we find it's easier to use when looking for installed updates:

  • Open the Control Panel.
  • Click “Uninstall a program” under the “Programs” headline.
  • Click “Installed updates” in the left pane.
  • Click the most recent update and click “Uninstall” above to delete the update.

Buggy drivers and Windows 10 updates can also cause the blue screen of death can. Uninstalling these bad updates will end the stop errors while also repairing potential malware vulnerabilities.

If the error appears after installing a specific driver, remove it using the following steps:

  • Type “Device Manager” in the Windows 10 search bar and click on “Device Manager.”
  • Click the malfunctioning device’s category to expand it.
  • Right-click the malfunctioning device and click “Uninstall device.” Alternatively, you can roll back to the previous driver by selecting the “Properties” after right-clicking on the device. In the Properties window, open the “Driver” tab, click on the “Roll Back Driver” button, and click “OK” to confirm.

If the blue screen of death appeared after installing an app, this is the likely culprit. Uninstall the offending app using the following steps:

  • Click the Start menu.
  • Click “Settings”.
  • Click “Apps”.
  • Find the conflicting app in the list and click it.
  • Click “Uninstall”.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.

Unplug incompatible peripherals

The blue screen of death can also occur if connected hardware isn't compatible with Windows 10. 

Visit your hardware manufacturer's support website to determine if it's compatible with Windows 10 . If it’s incompatible, disconnect it and opt for a suitable replacement.

If you can't access the desktop, you can use features like System Restore and Safe Mode as workarounds. We will be going over the following:

  • Using System Restore to revert recent changes
  • Using Safe Mode to uninstall drivers and updates

Undo recent changes using System Restore

  • Launch the advanced startup settings by powering on your PC and pressing and holding the power button to interrupt the boot sequence.
  • Repeat Step 1 two more times. After the third off-on power cycle, Windows 10 will automatically open in the advanced startup environment and display troubleshooting options.
  • Click “Advanced options”.
  • Click “System Restore”.
  • Select the restore point created right before the blue screen appeared. Windows 10 usually creates a system restore point each time it installs an update, driver, or app.
  • Click “Close”.
  • Click “Next”.
  • Click “Finish”.

System Restore rolls the system software back to its previous state. However, to access System Restore, you must launch Advanced Startup settings. From there. System Restore will remove all updates, drivers, apps, and changes you made after the restore point to fix the blue screen error.

Uninstall device drivers or Windows 10 updates in Safe Mode

  • Select the “Startup Settings” option and click “Restart.”
  • Press “F4” or the “4” once the reboot begins to select the “Enable Safe Mode” option.
  • Uninstall Windows 10 updates or device drivers while in Safe mode.

Opening Windows in Safe Mode is another way to tackle the blue screen of death. Like System Restore, you can access Safe Mode through the advanced startup settings.

Blue screen of death errors are challenging but not impossible to fix

While stop errors can sometimes be overwhelming, Microsoft provides fixes for almost all types of errors that lead to a blue screen of death. 

Scanning for malware and backing up your data are other crucial steps you can take to minimize the impact of a sudden, unplanned downtime the blue screen error may cause.

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How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death on Windows

Last Updated: September 23, 2022 Tested

Using General Fixes

Fixing the "critical process died" error, fixing a registry error, restarting in safe mode, cleaning setup files, updating windows, deleting recently added apps, updating drivers, restoring a previous version of windows, resetting windows.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd . Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 1,853,259 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to fix the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD, Black screen in Windows 11) on a Windows computer. The BSoD is typically a result of improperly installed software, hardware, or settings, meaning that it is usually fixable. In some cases, though, the BSoD appears due to a corrupt operating system or hardware inside of the computer, meaning that you'll either need to reinstall your operating system or take your computer into a tech department to have it fixed.

Step 1 Consider your recent actions on the computer.

  • Click Update & Security .
  • Click the Troubleshoot tab.
  • Click Blue Screen .
  • Click Run the troubleshooter .
  • Review the resulting solutions and follow any on-screen instructions.

Step 4 Remove any unnecessary hardware.

  • You can typically keep your mouse and keyboard plugged into your computer, especially if they came with the computer itself when it was brand-new.

Step 5 Wait for your computer to restart.

  • If the BSOD appears again while your computer is attempting to restart, check its error code. If the error code is 0x000000EF, you should immediately skip ahead to the next part . If not, try rebooting in Safe Mode .

Step 6 Run a virus...

  • If the virus scan comes up with any malicious software, remove it immediately.
  • If the virus scan sends software settings suggestions (e.g., battery life) to you during the scan, try implementing them. A flawed setting may cause the BSoD to appear.

Step 1 Understand what this error means.

  • This error can be trivial, but if you see it happen multiple times in a row or you're unable to start your computer without running into the BSoD, it indicates a more serious issue.

Step 2 Make sure you've encountered the correct error.

  • If you're unable to use your computer without receiving this error, you need to take your computer into a reputable repair service or shop—it may be that your hard drive or processor is failing, in which case there's nothing you can do from your end.

Step 4 Open Start icon.

  • Re-open Command Prompt in administrator mode.
  • Type in Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth and press ↵ Enter .
  • Type in Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and press ↵ Enter .
  • Type in Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press ↵ Enter .
  • Wait for any processes to finish running, then restart your computer.

Step 11 Take your computer into a reputable repair shop.

  • If you would rather just restore a previous version of Windows, skip to the "Restoring a Previous Version of Windows" section .

Step 2 Click Troubleshoot.

  • The deletion process may take a few minutes, especially if you've never deleted your computer's temporary files.

Step 1 Open Start icon.

  • Windows may restart several times, and you may have to activate Safe Mode again before proceeding.

Step 1 Open Start icon.

  • You'll repeat this process for each recently installed app here.

Step 1 Open Start icon.

  • For example, if you recently installed a wireless keyboard for a laptop, you would select the wireless keyboard's name after double-clicking the Keyboards hardware category.

Step 6 Click the

  • If you're already at this screen because your computer attempted and failed to restart several times, skip this step.

Step 2 Click Troubleshoot.

  • You may need to log into your computer before proceeding.

Step 6 Click Next.

  • System restore points are usually created when you update or install a significant piece of software or hardware.
  • If you've never backed up your computer and you don't see a restore point here, try resetting Windows instead.

Step 8 Click Next.

  • If the Blue Screen of Death reappears, you may need to restore an earlier backup.

Step 1 Open Start icon.

  • Keep my files - Keeps your files and folders when resetting your PC.
  • Remove everything - Completely clears your hard drive. Make sure that you have a backup of your documents and files stored elsewhere (e.g., an external hard drive) if you choose this option.

Step 7 Click Next.

  • If you chose Remove everything in the last window, you'll first click either Just remove my files or Remove files and clean the drive before this step.

Step 8 Click Reset.

  • If you're still running into the BSOD at this point, it's time to take your computer into a professional repair service to have it checked.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • The Blue Screen of Death isn't as much of a death sentence as it used to be; more often than not, it's simply because your computer was on for too long or can't support a software update. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

  • Some computers are too old to be upgraded (i.e. upgrading a 2008 computer to Windows 10). Updating such a computer can cause it to crash into the BSoD. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

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Update Windows

  • ↑ https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/bug-check-0x51--registry-error
  • ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/how-troubleshoot-blue-screen-errors-windows-10#troubleshoot_blue_screen_safemode

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How to Fix a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

A BSOD can be caused by both hardware or software; the good news is that there are ways to recover from it

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In This Article

Jump to a Section

  • What Causes a Blue Screen
  • How to Fix It
  • If Software is the Culprit
  • If Hardware is the Culprit
  • Frequently Asked Questions

A blank, blue screen on a computer is never a welcome sight. It means something has crashed the computer so badly that immediate steps must be taken to recover the system.

What Is The Blue Screen of Death? What Causes It?

A Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), aka a STOP Error , appears when an issue is so serious that Windows must stop loading. It's usually hardware or driver related; most will show a STOP code to help you figure out the root cause.

If the blue screen flashes and your computer reboots automatically you'll need to disable the 'automatic restart on system failure' setting. Below are general Blue Screen of Death troubleshooting steps.

Please see our  List of Blue Screen Error Codes for individual STOP code troubleshooting steps. Come back here if we don't have a troubleshooting guide for your specific STOP code or if you have no idea what your STOP code is.

This troubleshooting guide applies to any version of Windows, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

How to Fix a Blue Screen of Death

The most important Blue Screen of Death troubleshooting step you can take is to ask yourself what you did just before the device stopped working.

Did you just install a new program or a piece of hardware, update a driver, install a Windows update, etc.? If so, there's a very good chance that the change you made caused the BSOD.

Undo the change you made and test again for the STOP Error. Depending on what it was that changed, some solutions might include:

  • Starting up using Last Known Good Configuration to undo recent registry and driver changes.
  • Using Windows System Restore to undo recent system changes.
  • Rolling back the device driver to a version prior to your driver update.

Some of these steps may require you to start Windows in Safe Mode . If that's not possible then skip those steps.

Check that there's enough free hard drive space where Windows is being installed. Blue Screens of Death and other serious issues, like data corruption, can occur if there's not enough free space on your primary partition.

Microsoft recommends that you maintain at least 100 MB of free space but you'll regularly see problems with free space that low. It's usually advised that Windows users keep at least 10% of a drive's capacity free at all times.

Scan your computer for malware and viruses . Some viruses can cause a Blue Screen of Death, especially ones that infect the master boot record (MBR) or boot sector.

Make sure your virus scanning software is completely up to date and that it's configured to scan the MBR and boot sector.

If you can't get far enough to run a virus scan from within Windows, there are some great free bootable anti-virus tools out there.

Check for and install all available Windows service packs and updates . Microsoft regularly releases patches and service packs for their operating systems that may contain fixes for the cause of your BSOD.

Update hardware drivers in Windows . Most Blue Screens of Death are hardware or driver-related, so updated drivers could fix the cause of the STOP error.

Check the System and Application logs in Event Viewer for errors or warnings that might provide more clues on the cause of the BSOD.

Event Viewer can be opened through Administrative Tools.

Return hardware settings to default in Device Manager.

Unless you have a specific reason to do so, the system resources that an individual piece of hardware is configured to use in Device Manager should be set to default. Non-default hardware settings have been known to cause a Blue Screen of Death.

Return BIOS settings to their default levels. An overclocked or misconfigured BIOS can cause all sorts of random issues, including BSODs.

If you've made several customizations to your BIOS settings and don't wish to load the default ones, then at least try returning clock speed, voltage settings, and BIOS memory options to their default settings and see if that fixes the STOP error.

Make sure all internal cables, cards, and other components are installed and seated properly. Hardware that's not firmly in place can cause a Blue Screen of Death, so try reseating the following and then test for the STOP message again:

  • Reseat all internal data and power cables
  • Reseat the memory modules
  • Reseat any expansion cards

Perform diagnostic tests on all hardware you're able to test—there are free memory test programs and free hard drive testing tools .

It's highly likely that the root cause of any given Blue Screen of Death is a failing piece of hardware. If a test fails, replace the RAM in your computer or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.

Update your BIOS . In some situations, an outdated BIOS could cause a Blue Screen of Death due to certain incompatibilities.

Start your PC with essential hardware only.

A useful troubleshooting step in many situations, including BSOD issues, is to start your computer with the minimum hardware necessary to run the operating system. If your computer starts successfully it proves that one of the removed hardware devices was the cause of the STOP message.

Typically, the only necessary hardware for starting your PC through to the operating system includes the motherboard, CPU, RAM, primary hard drive, keyboard, video card, and monitor.

If you haven't corrected the cause of the BSOD yet, continue below with either the software or hardware steps, depending on the direction your troubleshooting went above.

Software Is Likely the Cause of the BSOD

If your troubleshooting has led you to believe that a particular software program is probably causing the BSOD, walk through this troubleshooting to get it taken care of:

Check for and install any available program updates. Most software programs let you check for updates via some menu option, so dig around until you find it.

If you can't, or you think it's not working, you can try one of these free dedicated software updater programs instead.

Reinstall the software . If updating doesn't work or isn't an option, simply uninstall the program and then install a clean version of it all over again.

Check with the developer for support information. It's possible that this particular BSOD is an issue the software maker has seen before and has already documented a specific solution for.

Try a competing program. If there's simply no way to make this program work (and uninstalling it proved that this program is the cause of the BSOD) then using a different but similar program might be your only course of action.

Hardware Is Likely the Cause of the BSOD

If you believe at this point that a piece of hardware is causing the Blue Screen of Death, here are your options:

Make sure the hardware is on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List .

While it's probably unlikely, it's possible that the hardware simply isn't compatible with your version of Windows.

Update the hardware's firmware.

Just like you might update software to fix a problem it's having with Windows, updating the hardware's software, called firmware , if there's any available, is a smart idea.

Check with the manufacturer for support information. Their knowledge base could have information on this issue that could be of help.

Replace the hardware. At this point it's pretty likely that the hardware itself simply no longer is working properly and should be replaced. Assuming this piece of hardware really was the only reason for the BSOD, it should go away after you do this.

The quickest way to resolve a BSOD on a Nintendo Switch is to hold down the Power button for 12 seconds to shut it down, and then restart it. Otherwise, switch to recovery mode and select Factory Setting Without Deleting Save Data .

To clear the error first, you'll need to restart your PC. Fortunately, Microsoft released an update KB5001567 to fix this issue occurring in printers from Kyocera, Ricoh, and Zebra, among others.

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Advanced troubleshooting for stop or blue screen errors

  • 5 contributors

If you're not a support agent or IT professional, you'll find more helpful information about stop error ("blue screen") messages in Troubleshoot blue screen errors .

Applies to:   Supported versions of Windows Server and Windows Client

What causes stop errors?

When Windows encounters a condition that compromises safe system operation, the system stops. Examples include something failing that could compromise security or lead to corruption of the operating system (OS) and/or user data. When the machine stops in order to prevent the operating system from moving forward in these conditions, it is called a bug check (or bugcheck). It is also commonly referred to as a system crash, a kernel error, a blue screen, a blue screen of death (BSOD), or a stop error. On preview releases of Windows, the screen color can be green, leading to the green screen of death (GSOD).

There's no simple explanation for the cause of stop errors. Many different factors can be involved. Our analysis of the root causes of crashes indicates that:

  • 70% are caused by third-party driver code.
  • 10% are caused by hardware issues.
  • 5% are caused by Microsoft code.
  • 15% have unknown causes, because the memory is too corrupted to analyze.

The root cause of stop errors is rarely a user-mode process. While a user-mode process (such as Notepad or Slack) may trigger a stop error, it's usually exposing the underlying issue in a driver, hardware, or operating system.

General troubleshooting steps

To troubleshoot stop error messages, follow these general steps:

Review the stop error code that you find in the event logs. Search online for the specific stop error codes to see whether there are any known issues, resolutions, or workarounds for the problem.

Make sure that you install the latest Windows updates, cumulative updates, and rollup updates. To verify the update status, refer to the appropriate update history for your system. For example:

  • Windows 10, version 21H2
  • Windows 10, version 21H1
  • Windows 10, version 20H2

Make sure that the BIOS and firmware are up-to-date.

Run any relevant hardware and memory tests.

Run Microsoft Safety Scanner or any other virus detection program that includes checks of the MBR for infections.

Make sure that there's sufficient free space on the hard disk. The exact requirement varies, but we recommend 10-15 percent free disk space.

Contact the respective hardware or software vendor to update the drivers and applications in the following scenarios:

  • The error message indicates that a specific driver is causing the problem.
  • You're seeing an indication of a service that is starting or stopping before the crash occurred. In this situation, determine whether the service behavior is consistent across all instances of the crash.
  • You have made any software or hardware changes.

If there are no updates available from a specific manufacturer, we recommend that you disable the related service.

For more information, see How to perform a clean boot in Windows .

You can disable a driver by following the steps in How to temporarily deactivate the kernel mode filter driver in Windows .

You may also want to consider the option of rolling back changes or reverting to the last-known working state. For more information, see Roll back a device driver to a previous version .

Memory dump collection

To configure the system for memory dump files, follow these steps:

  • Select the Taskbar search box, type Advanced system settings , and then press Enter .
  • On the Advanced tab on the System Properties box, select the Settings button that appears in the section Startup and Recovery .
  • In the new window, select the drop-down below the option Write debugging information .
  • Choose Automatic memory dump .
  • Select OK .
  • Restart the computer for the setting to take effect.
  • If the server is virtualized, disable auto reboot after the memory dump file is created. This disablement lets you take a snapshot of the server in-state and also if the problem recurs.

The memory dump file is saved at the following locations:

You can use the Microsoft Crash Dump File Checker (DumpChk) tool to verify that the memory dump files aren't corrupted or invalid. For more information, see the following video:

For more information on how to use Dumpchk.exe to check your dump files, see the following articles:

  • Using DumpChk
  • Download DumpChk

Pagefile settings

For more information on pagefile settings, see the following articles:

  • Introduction to page files
  • How to determine the appropriate page file size for 64-bit versions of Windows
  • Generate a kernel or complete crash dump

Memory dump analysis

Finding the root cause of the crash may not be easy. Hardware problems are especially difficult to diagnose because they may cause erratic and unpredictable behavior that can manifest itself in various symptoms.

When a stop error occurs, you should first isolate the problematic components, and then try to cause them to trigger the stop error again. If you can replicate the problem, you can usually determine the cause.

You can use the tools such as Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) and symbols to diagnose dump logs. The next section discusses how to use this tool.

Advanced troubleshooting steps

Advanced troubleshooting of crash dumps can be very challenging if you aren't experienced with programming and internal Windows mechanisms. We have attempted to provide a brief insight here into some of the techniques used, including some examples. However, to really be effective at troubleshooting a crash dump, you should spend time becoming familiar with advanced debugging techniques. For a video overview, Debugging kernel mode crashes and hangs . Also see the advanced references listed below.

Advanced debugging references

  • Advanced Windows Debugging, first edition book
  • Debugging Tools for Windows (WinDbg, KD, CDB, NTSD)

Debugging steps

Verify that the computer is set up to generate a complete memory dump file when a crash occurs. For more information, see Method 1: Memory dump .

Locate the memory.dmp file in your Windows directory on the computer that is crashing, and copy that file to another computer.

On the other computer, download the Windows 10 SDK .

Start the install and choose Debugging Tools for Windows . The WinDbg tool is installed.

Go to the File menu and select Symbol File Path to open the WinDbg tool and set the symbol path.

  • If the computer is connected to the internet, enter the Microsoft public symbol server : https://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols and select OK . This method is recommended.
  • If the computer isn't connected to the internet, specify a local symbol path .

Select Open Crash Dump , and then open the memory.dmp file that you copied.

Screenshot of an example output in WinDbg when opening a crash dump file.

Under Bugcheck Analysis , select !analyze -v . The command !analyze -v is entered in the prompt at the bottom of the page.

A detailed bug check analysis appears.

Screenshot of a detailed bug check analysis example.

Scroll down to the STACK_TEXT section. There will be rows of numbers with each row followed by a colon and some text. That text should tell you what DLL is causing the crash. If applicable, it also says what service is crashing the DLL.

For more information about how to interpret the STACK_TEXT output, see Using the !analyze Extension .

There are many possible causes of a bug check and each case is unique. In the example provided above, the important lines that can be identified from the STACK_TEXT are 20, 21, and 22:

HEX data is removed here and lines are numbered for clarity.

This issue is because of the mpssvc service, which is a component of the Windows Firewall. The problem was repaired by disabling the firewall temporarily and then resetting firewall policies.

For more examples, see Debugging examples .

Video resources

The following videos illustrate various troubleshooting techniques for analyzing dump files.

  • Analyze dump file
  • Installing debugging tool for Windows (x64 and x86)
  • Debugging kernel mode crash memory dumps
  • Special pool

Advanced troubleshooting using Driver Verifier

We estimate that about 75 percent of all stop errors are caused by faulty drivers. The Driver Verifier tool provides several methods to help you troubleshoot. These include running drivers in an isolated memory pool (without sharing memory with other components), generating extreme memory pressure, and validating parameters. If the tool encounters errors in the execution of driver code, it proactively creates an exception. It can then further examine that part of the code.

Driver Verifier consumes lots of CPU and can slow down the computer significantly. You may also experience additional crashes. Verifier disables faulty drivers after a stop error occurs, and continues to do this until you can successfully restart the system and access the desktop. You can also expect to see several dump files created.

Don't try to verify all the drivers at one time. This action can degrade performance and make the system unusable. It also limits the effectiveness of the tool.

Use the following guidelines when you use Driver Verifier:

  • Test any "suspicious" drivers. For example, drivers that were recently updated or that are known to be problematic.
  • If you continue to experience non-analyzable crashes, try enabling verification on all third-party and unsigned drivers.
  • Enable concurrent verification on groups of 10-20 drivers.
  • Additionally, if the computer can't boot into the desktop because of Driver Verifier, you can disable the tool by starting in Safe mode. This solution is because the tool can't run in Safe mode.

For more information, see Driver Verifier .

Common Windows stop errors

This section doesn't contain a list of all error codes, but since many error codes have the same potential resolutions, your best bet is to follow the steps below to troubleshoot your error. For a complete list of stop error codes, see Bug Check Code Reference .

The following sections list general troubleshooting procedures for common stop error codes.

VIDEO_ENGINE_TIMEOUT_DETECTED or VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

Stop error code 0x00000141, or 0x00000117

Contact the vendor of the listed display driver to get an appropriate update for that driver.

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Stop error code 0x0000000D1

Apply the latest updates for the driver by applying the latest cumulative updates for the system through the Microsoft Update Catalog website. Update an outdated network driver. Virtualized VMware systems often run "Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection" (e1g6032e.sys). You can download this driver from the Intel Download Drivers & Software website . Contact the hardware vendor to update the network driver for a resolution. For VMware systems, use the VMware integrated network driver instead of Intel's e1g6032e.sys. For example, use VMware types VMXNET, VMXNET2, or VMXNET3.

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

Stop error code 0x000000050

If a driver is identified in the stop error message, contact the manufacturer for an update. If no updates are available, disable the driver, and monitor the system for stability. Run chkdsk /f /r to detect and repair disk errors. Restart the system before the disk scan begins on a system partition. Contact the manufacturer for any diagnostic tools that they may provide for the hard disk subsystem. Try to reinstall any application or service that was recently installed or updated. It's possible that the crash was triggered while the system was starting applications and reading the registry for preference settings. Reinstalling the application can fix corrupted registry keys. If the problem persists, and you have run a recent system state backup, try to restore the registry hives from the backup.

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

Stop error code c000021a {Fatal System Error} The Windows SubSystem system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000005. The system has been shut down.

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files. The System File Checker lets users scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files. For more information, see Use the System File Checker tool .

NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM

Stop error code 0x000000024

This stop error is commonly caused by corruption in the NTFS file system or bad blocks (sectors) on the hard disk. Corrupted drivers for hard disks (SATA or IDE) can also adversely affect the system's ability to read and write to disk. Run any hardware diagnostics that are provided by the manufacturer of the storage subsystem. Use the scan disk tool to verify that there are no file system errors. To do this step, right-click the drive that you want to scan, select Properties, select Tools, and then select the Check now button. Update the NTFS file system driver (Ntfs.sys). Apply the latest cumulative updates for the current operating system that's experiencing the problem.

KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

Stop error code 0x0000001E

If a driver is identified in the stop error message, disable or remove that driver. Disable or remove any drivers or services that were recently added.

If the error occurs during the startup sequence, and the system partition is formatted by using the NTFS file system, you might be able to use safe mode to disable the driver in Device Manager. To disable the driver, follow these steps:

  • Go to Settings > Update & security > Recovery .
  • Under Advanced startup , select Restart now .
  • After your PC restarts to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart .
  • After the computer restarts, you'll see a list of options. Press 4 or F4 to start the computer in safe mode. If you intend to use the internet while in safe mode, press 5 or F5 for the Safe Mode with Networking option.

DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION

Stop error code 0x00000133

This stop error code is caused by a faulty driver that doesn't complete its work within the allotted time frame in certain conditions. To help mitigate this error, collect the memory dump file from the system, and then use the Windows Debugger to find the faulty driver. If a driver is identified in the stop error message, disable the driver to isolate the problem. Check with the manufacturer for driver updates. Check the system log in Event Viewer for other error messages that might help identify the device or driver that's causing stop error 0x133. Verify that any new hardware that's installed is compatible with the installed version of Windows. For example, you can get information about required hardware at Windows 10 Specifications. If Windows Debugger is installed, and you have access to public symbols, you can load the c:\windows\memory.dmp file into the debugger. Then refer to Determining the source of Bug Check 0x133 (DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION) errors on Windows Server 2012 to find the problematic driver from the memory dump.

USER_MODE_HEALTH_MONITOR

Stop error code 0x0000009E

This stop error indicates that a user-mode health check failed in a way that prevents graceful shutdown. Windows restores critical services by restarting or enabling application failover to other servers. The Clustering Service incorporates a detection mechanism that may detect unresponsiveness in user-mode components.

This stop error usually occurs in a clustered environment, and the indicated faulty driver is RHS.exe. Check the event logs for any storage failures to identify the failing process. Try to update the component or process that's indicated in the event logs. You should see the following event recorded:

  • Event ID: 4870
  • Source: Microsoft-Windows-FailoverClustering
  • Description: User mode health monitoring has detected that the system isn't being responsive. The Failover cluster virtual adapter has lost contact with the Cluster Server process with a process ID '%1', for '%2' seconds. Recovery action is taken. Review the Cluster logs to identify the process and investigate which items might cause the process to hang.

For more information, see "0x0000009E" Stop error on cluster nodes in a Windows Server-based multi-node failover cluster environment Also, see the following Microsoft video What to do if a 9E occurs .

Debugging examples

This bug check is caused by a driver hang during upgrade, resulting in a bug check D1 in NDIS.sys , which is a Microsoft driver. The IMAGE_NAME tells you the faulting driver, but since this driver is s Microsoft driver, it can't be replaced or removed. The resolution method is to disable the network device in device manager and try the upgrade again.

In this example, a non-Microsoft driver caused page fault, so we don't have symbols for this driver. However, looking at IMAGE_NAME and or MODULE_NAME indicates it's WwanUsbMP.sys that caused the issue. Disconnecting the device and retrying the upgrade is a possible solution.

Bug check code reference

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How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) in Windows

The blue screen of death is never good, but it can be fixed. The Windows BSDoD is typically caused by aging hardware or software incompatibilities, and you can often resolve it with the help of Windows diagnostics tools. Keep reading to find out how to fix the blue screen — then install optimization software to keep your computer running better, for longer.

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Signal-How-to-Fix-the-Blue-Screen-of-Death-in-Windows-Hero

What is the Windows BSoD?

The blue screen of death is what you see on your computer screen when the Windows operating system crashes because of a fatal system error that causes it to malfunction and shut down. Usually, the Windows blue screen is the result of hardware failure, the corruption of system files, or the termination of a critical process.

The BSoD has become notorious and is commonly believed to indicate an unfixable error with a device. But while it’s always frustrating to see the blue screen, the “fatal” system error that caused Windows to crash can usually be fixed.

In Windows 10, the blue screen comes with a Windows 10 stop code, which refers to the exact error that caused the blue screen. To find out what caused the blue screen of death — and learn how to fix it and stop it from happening again — your first step should be looking up what the Windows stop code means.

In the example below, the stop code is DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL — we’ll take a closer look at this and other common Windows stop codes further down.

An example of a Blue screen of death in Windows 10

As disconcerting as BSoD may be, a totally blank screen is far more troubling. Without an error code to help you, it's difficult to know where to start to fix a black screen in Windows .

What causes the blue screen of death?

The blue screen of death is usually caused by improperly installed, damaged, or aging hardware, or by buggy or incompatible software. Driver updates for your graphics card or other hardware components can also cause a blue screen of death if they fail to integrate properly with the rest of your system.

Blue screen errors may also result from overheating, especially if you’re experiencing other issues, like a loud computer fan or a Task Manager showing 100% disk usage . Overheating itself could also signal a more fundamental problem with your computer, such as an infection by spyware or another form of malware .

You’ll see the cause of your BSoD on the screen itself. The cause will show up either as text, which you can google, or a QR code that you can scan with your phone. And even if your PC’s running fine today, it’s best to keep potential BSoD causes at bay by regularly cleaning up and speeding up your computer .

Common Windows stop codes

The blue screen error in Windows 10 comes with a string of text called a Windows stop code that catalogs the issue. The stop code can help you fix the problem and stop it from happening again.

Here’s a list of some of the stop codes you’re most likely to find on the blue screen in Windows 10 or 11:

CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED This code indicates that one of the important system files for Windows, like svchost.exe , isn’t functioning correctly. That might’ve happened because you closed it in the Task Manager. Before ending an unknown task, google the name of the process first.

SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED This can often happen when an update for a component isn’t interacting properly with the rest of Windows. You may need to roll back a driver update that was just recently installed.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL A system file or device driver is demanding more memory than you have available. Getting good driver update software or scanning to repair corrupted system files may help here.

VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED This means your GPU has reached its breaking point and cannot handle the volume of data it's being given. Either you were overloading it or there’s an issue with your graphics drivers.

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Your computer is asking for a part of your memory that doesn’t exist, either because part of the RAM has stopped working or there’s an error in the system process in question.

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION This blue screen will show the exact file that caused the error, but if it’s a system file and not a device driver, you may not be able to fix it without reinstalling Windows.

DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION This Windows error message means that an essential file, whether related to your device or the operating system, has probably been corrupted.

NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM This error code means there’s almost certainly a problem with your hard drive. You may be able to fix and also prevent this from leading to a BSoD by running a chkdsk scan on your disk.

DATA_BUS_ERROR This means that a piece of hardware isn’t communicating properly with your computer. This could be because it wasn’t installed properly or because the component itself may be broken or faulty.

How to fix the blue screen of death on Windows

Now that you know the likely cause of the problem thanks to the Windows stop code, you can try to fix the blue screen of death by going through the following steps:

1. Shut down your computer

Use the Power button to turn off your computer.

2. Disconnect all devices

Since USB devices might be the culprit, remove all peripherals from your computer (besides the keyboard and mouse).

3. Restart your computer in Safe Mode

If your computer boots normally after a restart, you can enter Safe Mode from within Windows itself. Here’s how:

Press the Windows key , then type msconfig and hit enter.

The Windows start menu is opened, and "msconfig" is shown.

Select the Boot tab.

The System configuration window. The "Boot" tab is circled.

Under Boot options , check Safe boot and choose the “Minimal” setting.

The boot tab in system configuration. "Safe Boot" is checked, and "minimal" is chosen.

If the BSoD reappears, making it impossible for you to proceed, you’ll need to power down again and restart Windows in Safe Mode. Immediately as your PC boots up, press and hold the F8 key and then follow the on-screen instructions to switch to Safe Mode.

4. Uninstall recently installed programs

Now that Windows is in Safe Mode and only running essential processes, the problematic program, device driver, or system file has probably been deactivated, making it easier to uninstall. Start by removing the most recently installed programs, since these are the most likely culprits.

Here’s how to uninstall programs in Windows:

Press the Windows key . Type “add or remove programs” and hit enter.

The Windows start menu is opened, and "add or remove programs" is shown.

Find the application you want to remove and select Uninstall .

Add or remove programs" in Windows. A program has been clicked and the "Uninstall" button is shown.

If you find any strange or unfamiliar programs within your list of apps and features, you might want to uninstall them too. But make sure to Google the name first to find out what it is so that you don’t unintentionally uninstall any essential Microsoft software.

5. Rollback or disable drivers

Using the latest drivers improves the speed and security of your device. But sometimes bugs or glitches in updates can cause problems. If the blue screen error code referred to a specific driver causing the issue, simply disabling it or rolling back a recent update should fix the problem.

It can be cumbersome to check every driver and roll each of them back separately, but you may need to if nothing else works. Here’s how to disable drivers:

Press the Windows Key and type “ Device manager .” Then hit Enter .

The Windows start menu is open and is showing "Device manager."

Right-click on the relevant hardware component and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

A view of device manager. The AMD display card is selected under "Display adapters." The AMD GPU has been right clicked, and the mouse is hovering over "Properties."

Click the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver .

The properties for the display adapter are displayed. The "Driver" tab is open and the "Roll Back Driver" button is shown.

6. Scan your computer for malware

It’s possible that malware is responsible for the corrupt files or critical process disruption that has caused your system to crash. In that case, you’ll need to repair and secure your computer with a dedicated malware and virus removal tool that will let you scan and get rid of the malware immediately.

Install AVG AntiVirus FREE to identify and remove malicious threats to your system. AVG’s advanced threat-detection technology will quickly wipe away threats and help keep your computer from crashing.

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7. Run an SFC Scan

To ensure all your system files are properly configured for Windows to operate normally, you should run a System File Checker (SFC) scan. Here’s how to run an SFC scan:

Press the Windows key and type “cmd.” Right-click Command Prompt and select “Run as Administrator.” Click yes to confirm if prompted.

The Windows start menu is open, command prompt has been right-clicked, and "Run as administrator" has been circled.

Type “sfc /scannow” into Command Prompt and hit enter to start the scan.

 "sfc /scannow" typed into the command prompt.

8. Scan your hard drive

Running a CHKDSK scan will let you examine every bit of your hard drive, flag any errors, and correct them or index them to prevent those errors from causing performance issues or crashes such as the dreaded BSoD.

Here’s how to run a CHKDSK scan.

Press the Windows key and type “cmd.” Then, right-click Command Prompt and select “Run as Administrator.” Click yes to confirm if prompted.

The Windows start menu is open, command prompt has been right-clicked, and "Run as administrator" has been circled.

Type “chkdsk” into Command Prompt and hit enter to run the scan.

"chkdsk" typed into a command prompt.

9. Check your computer's RAM

If a problem with your RAM is causing blue screen errors or other performance issues, check the status of your RAM using the Windows Memory Diagnostic. Memory hardware is particularly susceptible to degradation over time, and while this diagnostic tool can’t repair it, it can prevent your computer from trying to reference the damaged memory.

Here’s how to use Windows Memory Diagnostic to check the state of your RAM:

Press the Windows key, type “Windows Memory Diagnostic,” and select it when the option pops up.

The Windows start menu is open, command prompt has been right-clicked, and "Run as administrator" has been circled.

Click Restart now and check for problems (recommended) .

Windows Memory Diagnostic is displayed and the button "Restart now and check for problems" is circled.

You’ll see the diagnostic results as soon as you boot up again. You can also go back and review them at any time in Windows Event Viewer . If you think you need more RAM, check out our guide to upgrading your RAM .

10. Restart your PC to see if the BSoD reappears

Now it’s time to exit Safe Mode and resume the activity that prompted the blue screen. If the BSoD doesn’t reappear, you’ve probably successfully isolated and resolved the problem. Now you can start carefully reinstalling external devices, programs, and drivers that you previously removed.

As well as fixing the crash, your computer should now run more smoothly, having now run all the diagnostics and maintenance tasks listed above. Make sure you keep your computer running smoothly by keeping your operating system, programs, drivers, and other software updated.

11. Last resort: reinstall Windows

If you’ve tried all the steps above and you can’t fix the blue screen, try reinstalling Windows onto a formatted hard drive. This is a big step, but it will resolve the cause of any blue screen of death, unless your hardware is defective.

Beware that unless you have a backup, reinstalling Windows will result in the loss of all your files and user data . If you didn’t back up recently, there are third-party software tools that will help you copy your drive to an external HDD or SSD .

To reinstall Windows, you’ll need to have your Windows 10 product key — thankfully, Microsoft has made that easier with the latest Windows releases.

Stop your computer from crashing

The best way to prevent blue screen errors and other performance issues is with the help of an automated optimization tool that works quietly in the background to keep your system humming.

AVG TuneUp will help you free up storage space by removing junk and bloatware, and it will perform regular maintenance tasks to keep your system clean. Plus, AVG TuneUp will let you easily hibernate background processes to ensure your system isn’t overcooked, and it will even help you update your software and drivers automatically. Start your free AVG trial today.

Stop Your Computer From Crashing

Try AVG TuneUp for free to clean up your computer and keep it running smoothly. Get better performance and fewer crashes.

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What is the Blue Screen of Death in Windows 10 and How to Fix it?

What is the Blue Screen of Death in Windows 10 and How to Fix it?

What is the blue screen of death, what causes the blue screen of death, how do i fix the blue screen of death on windows 10.

  • Start your PC using the Last Known Good Configuration
  • Utilize System Restore
  • Go back to the previous device driver before your latest update

Are there any precautionary measures I can take to prevent BSOD?

About the author.

Michelle Wilson is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Michelle is a content creation specialist writing for a variety of industries, including tech trends and media news.

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How To Fix Blue Screen Of Death Error In Windows 10? | Get Rid Of The “STOP Error” In Windows

Windows blue screen error

Seeing a Windows 10 blue screen is not surprising to users anymore. The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), also known as Stop Error, is undoubtedly one of the most famous screw-ups among the Windows community. Besides blue, this error also comes in other colors such as red, green, yellow, etc.

Our earlier posts had described what the blue screen of death is, and the times when it embarrassed Bill Gates . You might have also read about playing BSOD pranks and some public places where this error made an appearance .

What Is A Blue Screen Of Death?

The BSOD is an infamous error screen that shows up when Windows runs into a serious hitch, causing the system to crash. The blue screen shows a stop code, such as “ MEMORY_MANAGEMENT ,” that can be referenced to understand the root cause of the problem.

By default, Windows automatically performs a restart when a BSOD occurs, and sometimes, it is effective as well. As obvious, it is no big deal to run into a blue screen every once in a long while. However, if you’re facing frequent such errors or are unable to get past the blue screen, it most likely suggests a vital hardware/software failure.

Now, what if you encounter a BSOD on your computer? How to get rid of the stop error? No worries, there are a few ways to fix the blue screen error that haunts users periodically.

Things To Do First – Repair Blue Screen

Before proceeding with the advanced methods, there are a few basic things you need to strike off from the list. Making sure you perform the following tasks helps you narrow down your search for the root cause.

Disable Automatic Restart

In most cases, Windows 10 is configured by default to restart automatically when the Stop error occurs. In that situation, you don’t get enough time to note down the error code related to the BSOD. So, to initiate your process of fixing the Windows 10 blue screen error, you need to hold the Stop error screen for some time. Here is how to do that:

  • Right-click This PC .
  • Go to Properties .
  • On the left-hand side, click Advanced System Settings .

disable automatic restart BSOD 1

  • Click Ok to save and continue.

Check For Viruses

One of the causes of BSOD showing upon your Windows 10 PC is data corruption. Other than regular scenarios, the data on your computer might get corrupt due to some malware.

So, if you experience a blue screen in Windows 10 more than what you can call usual, you should use some antivirus software to do a full scan of your system. Windows Defender, the default antivirus in Windows 10 can also be a good option to scan your system and repair the blue screen.

Next, Comes Windows Update

You should make sure that your PC is regularly updated with the latest security patches and other updates. This is one of the essential things in order to fix blue screen errors or even prevent them from appearing in the first place. Users running Windows 10 don’t need to do much as updates install automatically and there is only a little you can do to stop them .

Update The Hardware Drivers And Firmware

Faulty drivers on your PC can cause the blue screen of death to appear on your computer screen. So, updating or repairing them would also help you get rid of the BSOD devil.

Universal Windows drivers take care of most of the hardware nowadays. But still, it isn’t all-inclusive. For the drivers that Windows can’t update automatically, you need to do it manually by downloading them from the manufacturer’s website.

Also, you should keep the firmware of your computer, i.e., BIOS or UEFI to its latest version. Don’t forget to check whether the hardware components on your system are facing increased heat levels. You can use some software like Piriform’s Speccy .

Higher temperatures might be due to dust clogging up the fan. To prevent this, you should clean your machine regularly. Also, you should remove external non-essential hardware such as USB storage drives, printers, gamepads, etc. to see if they’re causing BSOD. Read our guide to  preventing a computer from overheating .

How To Fix Blue Screen of Death In Windows 10

If the basic fixes didn’t help your cause, it is probably because the underlying problem is more complex than usual. The culprit behind the blue screen error could be a specific defective hardware component or a misconfigured software driver. Try the following fixes to find out which one it is exactly.

Boot To Safe Mode

For years, Windows users have used Safe Mode to find the cause of various problems that exist on their computers. And the blue screen of death is no exception. You can fix blue screen errors in Windows 10 or older versions using the Safe Mode.

When you boot to Safe Mode in Windows, only the essential Windows services, and drivers load. If you don’t see any BSOD, then you can accuse some third-party driver of putting the BSOD on your computer.

How To Use Safe Mode In Windows?

Earlier, in the case of Windows XP and 7, you could use the msconfig utility to boot into safe mode or press the F8 key when you start the machine. Windows 10 has added another more comfortable option to access the Safe Mode.

  • Go to Settings > Update & Recovery > Recovery .
  • Under Advanced Startup , click Restart Now . Wait for the Advanced Startup options screen to appear.
  • Click Troubleshoot .
  • On the next screen, click Startup Settings . Click Restart to boot to Safe Mode.

Use System Restore

By including System Restore in Windows, Microsoft has given you a way to undo serious mistakes. It can help if the blue screen of death is occurred because of some software or driver you recently installed.

Windows 10 System Restore

You can find various settings related to Windows 10 System Restore in Control Panel > Recovery. To roll back Windows to an earlier point in time, click Open System Restore and follow the steps. To add a restore point, click Configure System Restore > Create. Chances are high that the blue screen will get fixed if it’s due to some recent change on your computer.

Use SetupDiag To Fix BSOD During Windows Update

If you are facing a blue screen error while trying to update your Windows, then the SetupDiag program could help. This Windows utility is available for download on Microsoft’s website. It analyzes the Windows Setup log to find out what is causing problems and preventing the Windows Update.

Once you have downloaded “SetupDiag,” you can run the program and follow the on-screen instructions to detect the cause of the BSOD. After the process is complete, you can check the results, saved in the same folder, by opening the “SetupDiagResults.log” file using Notepad.

Windows 10 Blue Screen Troubleshooter To Repair Blue Screen

If you are running the Creators Update or later, Microsoft has got you covered in case a Windows 10 BSOD occurs. You can fix the blue screen of the death using the built-in troubleshooter. Go to Settings > Update and security > Troubleshoot .

Troubleshooting Windows 10 Blue Screen of Death

Under the heading Find and fix other problems, you can see the Windows 10 Blue Screen troubleshooter.

Delete The Faulty Windows Update

It’s not uncommon for Windows Update to break during installation. And such incidents can cause the blue screen to appear. The easiest way to fix Windows 10 blue screen would be by uninstalling the faulty update. Similar would be the case of some apps which might have corrupt important files on your Windows PC.

You can remove Windows Update by visiting Settings > Update & Recovery > Windows Update > Update history > Unistall updates .

Reinstall Windows To Fix Blue Screen Of Death

Fix Blue Screen on Windows 10 using Reset PC option

Clearly, the last resort to kick the blue screen of death off your system is to perform a clean install of the Windows . For users running Windows 10 or 8.1, there is a built-in option for clean installation which doesn’t require you have dedicated installation media. For Windows 7, you’ll have to reinstall the operating system using a bootable USB or optical disk.

If it’s not some hardware-related issue, then you should be able to fix Windows 10 BSOD errors using the methods and tips mentioned above. Otherwise, you’ll have to approach some store for the replacement hardware to get things done.

How is your experience with BSODs so far? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

When a blue screen error occurs, your Windows PC would restart by default and record the event in the log. The next boot might not face the same issue, so, in a way, your system sometimes fixes the error by doing a simple restart.

Getting a BSOD once in a long time is not a concern. But, if you are getting this error often, then your computer might have a serious issue. Make sure to note down the “Stop Code” mentioned in the BSOD to find out possible causes for it.

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Aditya likes to cover topics related to Microsoft, Windows 10, Apple Watch, and interesting gadgets. But when he is not working, you can find him binge-watching random videos on YouTube (after he has wasted an hour on Netflix trying to find a good show).

Reach out at [email protected]

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5 Ways to Fix the HYPERVISOR_ERROR Blue Screen on Windows 10 & 11

Get this BSOD error fixed with these tips for both Windows 10 and 11.

The Windows blue screen HYPERVISOR_ERROR stop code has plagued many Windows users. If you’ve also run into this error, you’ve come to the right place.

Read on as we detail what a Blue Screen of Death error is and possible fixes to the HYPERVISOR_ERROR on Windows 10 and 11.

What Is a Blue Screen of Death on Windows?

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is an error that makes every Windows user worry about the state of their Windows PC. It’s usually characterized by your PC suddenly crashing to a blue screen with a smiley emoticon and an error code.

Blue Screen of Death

If you’ve recently encountered this error, it indicates that your Windows PC has run into a fatal error and must terminate all programs and services to prevent further damage. Both hardware and software issues can cause Windows to run into a blue screen. It’s possible your PC may have a problem with a malfunctioning RAM or hard drive or may even be overheating.

More commonly, users tend to experience blue screen errors during routine Windows updates or after changes in the system configurations.

Your best bet at uncovering the cause of your PC’s blue screen issue is the error stop code. Standard blue screen error codes include CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED and DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION , and HYPERVISOR_ERROR .

What Is the HYPERVISOR_ERROR Blue Screen Error on Windows 10 and 11?

boy working with a virtualbox virtual machine on a pc

The HYPERVISOR_ERROR stop code indicates an issue with the Hypervisor virtualization software within Windows 10 and 11. The Windows Hypervisor Platform (Hyper-V) allows users to run and manage virtual machines on their Windows PC.

With the help of the Windows Hyper-V feature, you’re able to run Linux distributions via VirtualBox or VMware and even run Android or iOS on Windows.

If you’re facing the Hypervisor BSOD error stop code, there could be an issue with your system’s software configurations. The Hyper-V blue screen is typically caused by faulty Hyper-V settings, problems with your PC’s memory, corrupted data sectors, and even outdated drivers.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of potential fixes to the Hypervisor Blue Screen error. Since there can be multiple causes for the error, we recommend trying out different fixes to help resolve the issue.

How to Fix the Hypervisor Blue Screen Error on Windows 10 and 11

There are several possible fixes to the Hyper-V blue screen error on Windows. You won’t need to install any third-party diagnostic service or troubleshooting program to resolve the blue screen error.

1. Make Sure Hyper-V Is Enabled

It’s possible that Windows Hyper-V may not be correctly configured on your PC, causing it to crash. Restarting the Hyper-V feature can sometimes be the easiest fix to the blue screen error.

Here’s how you can restart Hyper-V on Windows 10 and 11:

  • Press Win + R to open the Run dialogue box.

enable hyper-v on windows

  • From the Windows Features popup window, scroll to find Hyper-V . If it’s already enabled, uncheck it. If the option is unchecked, select it and press OK .
  • When prompted, allow Windows to restart and let the changes take effect.

2. Use Windows Memory Diagnostics

The Windows Memory Diagnostic program automatically scans your PC’s primary memory (RAM) and detects potential issues. Once detected, the operating system will automatically attempt to resolve the problems.

If the Hyper-V blue screen is caused by a faulty RAM or SSD/HDD, the Windows Memory Diagnostic utility is your best bet to fix it.

To use the Windows Memory Diagnostics tool on Windows 10 and 11:

  • Launch the Start menu, search for Windows Memory Diagnostic , and select the Best match .
  • Once you’ve saved up any open files, select Restart now and check for problems (recommended) .
  • Your Windows PC will then restart and scan the memory modules for any issues. Once the scan is completed, Windows will boot automatically.

3. Restart the Hyper-V Service

The Windows OS relies on background and foreground services to keep your hardware and software in sync and working normally. Issues with the configurations of a Windows service can cause BSOD crashes.

We recommend restarting the Hyper-V Virtualization service to resolve the blue screen error:

restart hyper-v service win11

  • Scroll to find the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Management or Hyper-V Remote Desktop Virtualization service.
  • Right-click the service and select Stop .
  • After a few minutes, right-click the service and select Start .
  • Restart your PC for the changes to take place.

4. Update Your Drivers and Windows

Outdated drivers are the leading cause of blue screen issues. We strongly recommend updating your device drivers to the latest possible versions. It’s common to face the Hyper-V blue screen error if your display drivers, memory controllers, or system devices have an outdated faulty driver.

You can update the device drivers through Device Manager or review our dedicated guide on what drivers are, and why you should update them .

Check for Windows Update

More importantly, you must ensure you have the latest Windows updates installed on your system. Recurring Windows updates can be frustrating, but they help keep your system stable and performing optimally. You can navigate to Settings > Windows Update to install any available updates.

5. Deployment Image Servicing Scan

If your PC has corrupt system files, they can cause the Hyper-V feature to malfunction, causing a blue screen error. If the Windows OS image is corrupted, you should repair it immediately.

While it may sound complicated, all you need to do is run the Deployment Image Servicing Scan through your Windows Terminal or Command Prompt.

Follow the below steps to carry out a Deployment Image Servicing Scan on Windows 10 and 11:

dism scan

  • Enter the following command in your terminal window and press Enter. DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
  • Restart your PC once the scan completes.

Fix the Windows Hyper-V Blue Screen Error

The Windows Hyper-V feature can malfunction and trigger a haunted blue screen of death. You can attempt the potential fixes above to resolve the HYPERVISOR_ERROR stop code. You can also fix potential issues with your hard drive to fix Hypervisor issues on Windows.

[Notebook/Desktop/AIO/MiniPC] Troubleshooting - Blue Screen Errors in Windows (BSOD)

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  • [Windows 11/10] Troubleshooting - Resolving System Error Messages or Unresponsiveness (Freeze/Black Screen/White Screen during usage)
  • [Notebook] Laptop Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
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A Blue Screen Error will occur if a problem causes your system abnormal or restart unexpectedly due to software or hardware problems. It’s also called BSOD (Blue Screen of Death, as following picture).

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

There are some reasons that may cause Blue Screen Errors:

  • From Windows packages, such as caused by Windows Update.
  • The compatibility problem between new extended hardware and the computer, or the hardware devices have error. 
  • The compatibility problem between installed software and system.
  • System virus.      Please try the following video and troubleshooting steps to solve your problems.

To provide you more detailed instruction, you can also click ASUS Youtube video link below to know more about How to fix Blue Screen Errors in Windows (BSOD).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXfhvFnUUMA

Please go to the corresponding instruction based on the current Windows operating system on your computer:

Windows 11 operating system

Table of Contents :

Change Intel VMD Controller settings in the BIOS

  • Update and confirm BIOS / Windows packages / drivers with the latest version in your laptop

Run System Diagnosis via MyASUS

Check external peripherals or any hardware devices installed / changed

  • Check recently installed / updated software or applications

Restore the system from restore point

Reset your PC

If during the startup process, you encounter a blue screen error with the stop code 'INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE' , try changing the current Intel VMD Controller settings to another option. (For example, if VMD is currently enabled in the BIOS, try changing it to disabled to see if it resolves the issue.)

Note : If you encounter a different stop code than 'INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE', please proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

Note : The BIOS configuration screen may vary depending on the model.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Back to Table of Contents

Update and confirm BIOS / Windows packages / drivers with the latest version in your PC

Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version in your PC. Here you can learn more about:

How to update the BIOS version in Windows system

How to use EZ Flash to update the BIOS version

(For desktop products, please refer to  ASUS Motherboard EZ Flash 3 Introduction .)

For executing Windows update and drivers update, here you can learn more about:

How to execute Windows Update

How to update drivers via customer support in MyASUS

If the problem persists after you have updated BIOS/Windows packages/drivers to the date, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.

User can inspect whether the hardware device is good by the Hardware Diagnostic via MyASUS, and run further checking on Blue Screen Error. If any error occurs after diagnosing, we recommend that you visit ASUS repair center to replace the hardware device.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

  • If any error occurs, please visit ASUS repair center to replace the hardware device. Here you can learn more about  How to use Customer Support to contact ASUS  for the further repair request.     If no issue found after “Blue screen error” check, it means your hardware devices are good. Please continue the next troubleshooting step.

Sometimes, the external devices connected to your computer can be the cause of Blue Screen Errors, so please try to remove them, such as external hard drives, printers, memory cards, external ODD (if your computer is with internal ODD, please remove CD/DVDs), dongles, etc.  After that, restart your computer. If you don’t experience the issue after restarting your computer, the external device may be the cause of the problem. We recommend that you do not use this device and contact your device manufacturer for support.

If you do not use any external devices or the problem still persists after removing them, please confirm  whether you had ever installed / replaced any hardware devices , such as disk drives (HDD or SSD) or Memory modules. The compatibility problem could be the cause and exist between new hardware devices and ASUS products / system, so please try to remove the hardware device. If you don’t experience the issue after removing the hardware device, we recommend that you do not use this device and contact your device manufacturer for support.

If the problem persists after above steps, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

Check recently installed / updated software or applications 

Some problems may occur after Windows Update or a specific application installed in your computer, including the compatibility issue between applications and system, or Windows core programs may be crashed.

You can  view update history  to check recently installed updated items.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

  • You can confirm the installed date and whether you experience Blue Screen Errors after that, and then refer to the following steps to know how to uninstall or go back to the previous version.

Go back to the previous version of Feature Updates      If you experience Blue Screen Errors after installing feature updates in Windows, we recommend that you go back to the previous version and wait for the modification from Microsoft in order to prevent any initial unstable problem. Here you can learn more about  How to go back to the previous version of Windows .     If you cannot go back to the previous version of Windows, we recommend that you restore the system from restore point, here you can learn more about  How to use restore point to restore the system .

Uninstall Quality Windows Updates      If you experience Blue Screen Errors after installing quality updates in Windows, we recommend that you uninstall the update and wait for the modification from Microsoft, please refer to the following steps to know how to uninstall it.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Go back to the previous drivers version      If you experience Blue Screen Errors after updating drivers in Windows, we recommend that you go back to the previous version and wait for the fixed one. Please refer to the following steps to know how to go back to the previous driver version.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Uninstall a specific application

Blue Screen Errors may occur if there is a compatibility issue between an initial installed application and Windows system, so we recommend that you uninstall this application first. Here you can learn more about  How to search or uninstall recently installed applications .

If the problem is gone after uninstalling this application, we recommend that you check the supported Operating System or specification in this application’s official website, or contact the application manufacturer for support.

If the problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about  How to use restore point to restore the system .

If the problem persists, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.

If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the PC to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about: How to reset the system .

If you still cannot resolve your problem, download MyASUS and try the System Diagnosis for troubleshooting. Click below! 

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Windows 10 operating system

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

  • If any error occurs, please visit ASUS repair center to replace the hardware device. Here you can learn more about How to use Customer Support to contact ASUS for the further repair request.     If no issue found after “Blue screen error” check, it means your hardware devices are good. Please continue the next troubleshooting step.

If you do not use any external devices or the problem still persists after removing them, please confirm whether you had ever installed / replaced any hardware devices , such as disk drives (HDD or SSD) or Memory modules. The compatibility problem could be the cause and exist between new hardware devices and ASUS products / system, so please try to remove the hardware device. If you don’t experience the issue after removing the hardware device, we recommend that you do not use this device and contact your device manufacturer for support.

You can view update history to check recently installed updated items.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Go back to the previous version of Feature Updates      If you experience Blue Screen Errors after installing feature updates in Windows, we recommend that you go back to the previous version and wait for the modification from Microsoft in order to prevent any initial unstable problem. Here you can learn more about How to go back to the previous version of Windows .     If you cannot go back to the previous version of Windows, we recommend that you restore the system from restore point, here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system .      

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Blue Screen Errors may occur if there is a compatibility issue between an initial installed application and Windows system, so we recommend that you uninstall this application first. Here you can learn more about How to search or uninstall recently installed applications .

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  • Above information might be partly or entirely quoted from exterior websites or sources. please refer to the information based on the source that we noted. Please directly contact or inquire the sources if there is any further question and note that ASUS is neither relevant nor responsible for its content/service
  • This information may not suitable for all the products from the same category/series. Some of the screen shots and operations could be different from the software versions.
  • ASUS provides the above information for reference only. If you have any questions about the content, please contact the above product vendor directly. Please note that ASUS is not responsible for the content or service provided by the above product vendor.
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How To Troubleshoot and Fix Windows 10 Blue Screen Errors?

Computers & laptops are the new items that can be considered essential items. Earlier, only food, dress & house is being considered the sole need of any person. But this list is now increasing day by day. In the modern world, people can live without food. Humans can survive without proper dress. But they can’t even spend a few hours of time without using smart devices. And laptops & computers are one of the major smart devices. In the new normal world, after the COVID-19 pandemic, this demand is increasing day by day. As you all know if any device is being used for the long term, then there might be some issues with it. Laptops & computers are not different from it. Depending upon the operating systems, there might be some different problems. Linux & macOS have some different issues for long-term use. In the Windows operating system, that is referred to as the Blue Screen Error. When this type of issue arises, a blue screen appears on the device with an error message. This is a very common issue with devices that have been used for decades without doing proper maintenance. Users of those machines will need to perform some steps to fix the issue.

Troubleshooting and Fixing Windows 10 Blue Screen Errors:

Blue screen error during upgrade to windows 10:.

Sometimes after getting upgraded to Windows 10, the Blue Screen Death Error is a common issue. Since the system might not be compatible with Windows 10, for that reason the device might prompt this error. In those cases, there is no more way. Users need to go back to the older versions. But sometimes, the issue is not from that. Sometimes, software that comes with Windows 10 degradation might not be able to be configured with the device. In those cases, removing the software from the device would be a wise choice.

Step 1: First, users should open the Settings of the device. There are lots of options present on the settings page. Among those options, users need to click on the Apps option. This option will help you to do more tasks related to it.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 2: Now, the Apps option will by default land on the Apps & Features page. There will all the applications will be present. Users will need to click on any of the applications. After clicking on that, an Uninstallation option will appear. Users need to uninstall unnecessary applications.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Disclaimer: Users can uninstall applications from there. However, it is advised not to uninstall the applications that are installed by Windows or Microsoft services. As those applications are for the smooth operation of the machine. Uninstalling those applications might bring up more complicated problems for the devices. So, users should be cautious while uninstalling the applications.

Blue Screen Error Without Desktop Access On Windows 10:

Sometimes the device gets stuck on the Blue Screen Error page. The device is unable to run due to an error. If users forcefully shut down the device, then they will also find the same page. In those cases, this method needs to be followed. It is advised to use this method when the device is tucked on the error page. In normal cases, this method is not to be used.

Step 1: First, users need to switch on the device. As soon as they find the Windows start logo, they need to forcefully shut it down. So the device will be shut down. This whole process needs to be executed two or three times. After that, they will find a message while starting, Preparing Automatic Repair. So now users don’t need to do anything.

Note: If users are using any laptop to forcefully switch it off, then there will be a start button, they need to press it. If users are using computers, then they need to switch off the CPU button.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 2: Now, after that, users will land on a window. Users will need to click on the Advanced Option. It will bring more options to the users.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 3: In the next window, there will be some more options. However, users will need to click on the Troubleshooting option & move forward.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 4: Inside the Troubleshooting option, there will be a few more options. But in between them, users need to click on Advanced Options.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 5: Inside the Advanced Option, there are a lot of options. Among them, users need to click on the Command Prompt option. This will bring up the command prompt there.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 6: Then in the command prompt, users need to execute the below-mentioned command. This will help to temporarily remove the error. This will scan the device & fix the issue.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 7: After execution of the above-mentioned command, users need to run another command. This command will help to check the disk of the devices. This will scan the disks on the device. After running the command, users need to close the command prompt.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 8: After closing the command prompt, users will land in the same window as in Step 3. Now, users need to click on the Turn Off The PC option. After that, users will need to restart the device again normally. Now, the problems are being solved.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Blue Screen Error With Desktop Access On Windows 10:

Executing the above method is not enough to solve the issue. The above method can be used to resolve the issue temporarily. But after a few days, the issue might get started again. Also, performing the above method frequently can cause damage to the device. Or sometimes, after being used for a long time, the above method will not more work on the issue. So, it will be a wise act to solve the issue permanently. For that purpose, users need to clear the configuration logs & junk files.

Step 1: At first, users need to press the Windows+R button simultaneously. Then users need to write “%TEMP%” in the run wizard. After that, users need to press the Ok button. This will help to open the temporary files section promptly. 

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 2: In the open file manager, users need to remove all the files. Users just need to delete all the files present there using the traditional process. This will remove the temporary files.

Step 3: After removing temporary files, users will also need to remove the recently stored junk files also. For that purpose, users need to again press the Windows+R simultaneously. Then users need to write “recent” and press “OK”.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 4: A new file explorer window will open. Users just need to delete all the recently stored files from there. There is no need to worry about the deletion of those files. They are like junk files to the devices. So, users can easily remove those flies using the traditional method.

Step 5: Now, after performing the above steps, users need to clear the configuration logs. For that purpose, users need to again press the Windows+R button. Then users need to write the command “prefetch”. Then they need to click Ok.

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Step 6: A file explorer window will open. Now, users need to remove all the configuration logs present there. As like, the deletion of the files, users need to select all the files & delete them from the devices. These are the configuration logs, that arise with time. Deletion of these elements will help to remove the Blue Screen Error problem.

Note: It is advisable to perform all the steps. Not performing any single step might be a cause of the issue in the future. All the steps, listed above, are advised to be executed. If users need it, they can perform an automatic repair option without that error. This will help to maintain the device. This will help to reduce the chance of getting Blue Screen Error issues in the future.

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how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Resolving Blue Screen errors in Windows

Blue Screen errors (also sometimes called black screen errors or STOP code errors) can occur if a serious problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly. You might see a message that says, "Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer" or a similar message.

Screenshot of Blue Screen error

These errors can be caused by both hardware and software issues. If you added new hardware to your PC before the Blue Screen error, shut down your PC, remove the hardware, and try restarting. If you're having trouble restarting, you can start your PC in safe mode. For more info, see  Start your PC in safe mode in Windows .

You can also try getting the latest updates with Windows Update, help from other sources, or restoring Windows to an earlier point in time.

If none of those steps help to resolve your Blue Screen error, please try the Blue Screen Troubleshooter in the Get Help app:

In Windows, open Get Help .

In the Get Help app, type Troubleshoot BSOD error .

Follow the guided walkthrough in the Get Help app.

Note:  If you're not on a Windows device, you can run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter on your browser by going to Contact Microsoft Support  and typing Troubleshoot BSOD error .  Then follow the guided walkthrough under "Recommended Help".

You can find more information about your specific STOP error code at  Bug Check Code Reference.

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How to Fix the WHEA Uncorrectable Error on Windows 10/11

Quick links, what is the whea uncorrectable error, and what causes it.

  • Check Your System Hardware
  • Check Your Drivers
  • Check Your RAM Using MemTest86
  • Reset System Overclocking
  • Update Your BIOS/UEFI Settings
  • Reset Your BIOS/UEFI Settings
  • Reset Windows (Last Resort)
  • WHEA Uncorrectable Error (WUE) is a hardware error on Windows systems and can be caused by corrupt hardware, driver compatibility issues, or heat and voltage issues.
  • Run CHKDSK to fix file system issues before making any hardware changes, and check your system hardware and drivers to ensure that they are functioning properly.
  • You could also consider checking your RAM for any errors using MemTest86, while another option is to reset any overclocking.

Windows has a long and beautiful (read: painful) history with what's affectionately known as the Blue Screen of Death. These error screens contain important information regarding the sudden demise of your system. Some Windows crash errors are more cryptic than others and, therefore, more difficult to troubleshoot. The WHEA Uncorrectable Error is one of those.

The WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (Windows stop code 0x0000124) is a hardware error. There are several common causes for a WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (we'll abbreviate it as WUE), most of which directly relate to your system hardware:

  • Corrupt hardware (damaged hard drives/SSDs, GPU, CPU, PSU, corrupt RAM, etc.)
  • Driver compatibility issues
  • Heat and voltage issues (overclocking and voltage changes)
  • Corrupt Windows system files or registry files

Although it isn't always the source, power supply unit voltage issues commonly cause this Windows error. The WUE message and 0x0000124 stop code indicate the nature of the error, but looking at the error dump file will provide further information. Your error dump file (.DMP) is found at C:/Windows/Minidump and will have a timestamp.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer solutions for every issue, but the following fixes should alleviate WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.

1. Run CHKDSK

First, before making any specific hardware alterations, try running Windows Check Disk from the Command Prompt. CHKDSK is a Windows system tool that verifies the file system and, with certain settings, fixes issues as it runs. To use it:

  • Type command prompt in your Start menu search bar, then right-click the best match and select Run as administrator . (Alternatively, press Windows Key + X , then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.)
  • Next, type chkdsk /r and press Enter. The command will scan your system for errors and fix any issues.

2. Check Your System Hardware

The WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR closely relates to your system hardware. Therefore, before progressing with system resets and memory tests, physically double-check the components in your machine.

Check your PC's cooling systems are fully functioning, your RAM is secure in its slots, the CPU has mystifyingly not come loose, and so on. If you're unsure how to reseat your system hardware, check out the following video.

But remember to be gentle with your hardware. Don't go in and start yanking cables out and disturbing previously settled hardware. You might end up making the error worse.

Another option is to remove any newly installed hardware. Although you may have checked your PC parts are compatible before buying, fresh hardware may have upset the rest of your system. Remove anything you've recently put in your system (like extra RAM or a secondary storage drive) and see if the WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR persists.

3. Check Your Drivers

New drivers harming your system are much rarer than in the older days of computing, as Windows now handles most driver updates directly.

However, that doesn't mean a dodgy driver cannot upset your system. Thankfully, Windows lists any driver updates in the Windows Update section, so you can rapidly figure out where the issue stems from.

On Windows 10:

  • Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings panel, then select Update & Security > View update history . You can find any driver updates here.
  • Now, type device manager in the Start menu search bar and select the best match. Next, go down the list and check for an error symbol. If there is nothing, your driver status is likely not the source of the issue.

On Windows 11:

  • Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings panel, then head to Windows Update > Update history. You can find any driver updates here.

That said, you can use a third-party tool to update all your system drivers simultaneously. On our list of free tools to fix Windows problems , the first two options— IOBit's Driver Booster and Snappy Driver Installer —do exactly this.

4. Check Your RAM Using MemTest86

Windows has an integrated memory checker called Windows Memory Diagnostic. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a great reputation and regularly misses issues found using another excellent tool: MemTest86 .

MemTest86 is a free, standalone memory testing tool that works on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, despite its name. You boot MemTest86 from a USB flash drive (or bootable disc) and leave it to check your system RAM. Note that a MemTest86 RAM check takes a long time to complete; a single pass takes hours, depending on the amount of RAM you have installed.

To get the full MemTest86 experience, you should run at least two passes (two complete cycles). However, according to most reports, MemTest86 should expose a serious RAM issue after a short period.

  • Head to the MemTest86 download page and select Download MemTest86 Free. This downloads an archive file to your computer.
  • Windows 11 users can also use the integrated extraction tool by right-clicking the downloaded file, selecting Extract Here , then following the instructions.
  • Next, you need to write the MemTest86 ISO to a USB flash drive. You can do so using an ISO to USB tool . Burn MemTest86 using the tool of your choice, then shut down your system.
  • Next, reboot the system while pressing the Boot Selection menu button (usually F10, F11, DEL, or ESC), then select the bootable MemTest86 USB flash drive. The memory test will start automatically.

If it does return RAM errors, complete an internet search for the error code and type to discover your next course of action.

5. Reset System Overclocking

If you have overclocked your system in search of higher speeds, there is a chance you'll run into the WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR. The error often relates to incorrect or faulty voltages set during the overlock process, making your operating system unstable. The easiest way to cross this issue off the list is to reset your system BIOS and remove the effects of any overclocking.

You need to enter your system BIOS or UEFI menu . To do this, turn off your system. Next, turn your system back on, pressing your BIOS/UEFI menu access key as the system boots (common keys to enter the BIOS include F1, F2, F10, DEL, and ESC).

BIOS and UEFI settings vary by manufacturer, but menu titles are usually similar. You are looking for an Overclocking option. For the most part, overclocking options are found under the Advanced , Performance , Frequency , or Voltage menu.

Find the menu and reset your overclocking options. Resetting will return your system performance to its out-of-box state—but could also remove WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR in the process.

6. Update Your BIOS/UEFI Settings

Again, this process varies heavily depending on your system's motherboard manufacturer. Some BIOS/UEFI settings can automatically download and update using a desktop utility. Other manufacturers require you to download the BIOS update and flash the firmware yourself .

Unsure what motherboard you have? Download and run CPU-Z . Open the Mainboard tab and find your motherboard manufacturer and model. You can find your BIOS brand and version on this tab, too.

Armed with this knowledge, complete an internet search for "[your motherboard manufacturer + model] bios update." For instance, I would search for "MSI X570 gaming plus bios update" for my system (Micro-Star International is MSI). You should find instructions, tutorials, and, if you're lucky, even a video or two.

7. Reset Your BIOS/UEFI Settings

If clearing your BIOS/UEFI overlock settings doesn't fix your WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, try resetting your entire BIOS. Somewhere among the BIOS menus, there is an option to complete a full BIOS settings reset or load the default BIOS setup. Find the option and select it.

Note that this will remove any BIOS updates you've installed, which means you'll need to install them again afterward.

8. Reset Windows (Last Resort)

If nothing else fixes your WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, you can use the Windows Reset function to refresh your system.

Reset in Windows 10 and 11 replaces your system data with a completely fresh set of files. It will theoretically clear any lingering issues relating to WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR while keeping the majority of your important files intact.

  • On Windows 10, head to Settings > Update and Security > Recovery , then under Reset this PC , select Get started .
  • On Windows 11, head to Settings > System > Recovery , then next to Reset this PC , select Reset PC .

When you hit the button, your system restarts, so back up any important files beforehand. First, your system will restart, then you may select Keep my files or Remove everything . Selecting Keep my files will preserve your files and documents but remove your installed apps, whereas Remove everything is the more nuclear option, cleaning out your files and documents too.

Blue screen errors are frustrating; even more so if you genuinely don't understand which piece of hardware is causing the issue. The fixes above will fix your WHEA error, but remember, playing with your hardware could cause it to come back.

How to Fix the WHEA Uncorrectable Error on Windows 10/11

Apple Music User Guide

  • Sign in to Apple Music
  • Build your music library
  • Subscribe to Apple Music
  • Add and download music
  • Access your music library on all your devices
  • Create an Apple Music profile
  • Share music with friends
  • See what friends are listening to
  • Intro to the iTunes Store
  • Buy or download music
  • Create a wish list
  • Download previous purchases
  • Import items already on your computer
  • Import songs from the internet
  • Search for music
  • Use filters to show songs
  • Play songs from your library
  • Stream recommended songs
  • Listen to lossless audio
  • Play Apple Music radio
  • Adjust the volume
  • Shuffle or repeat songs
  • Queue up your songs
  • Fade between songs
  • Prevent a song from playing
  • Love or dislike songs
  • Adjust the sound quality
  • Use the MiniPlayer
  • Problems playing music or audio
  • Share songs with others
  • Intro to playlists
  • Create, edit, and delete standard playlists
  • Create, edit, and delete Smart Playlists
  • See which playlists a song is in
  • Organize playlists in folders
  • View and enter lyrics
  • Change song information
  • Add artwork
  • Rate songs and other items
  • Delete items
  • Change where music files are stored
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Change Apple Music settings
  • Change Account Settings
  • Customize the Apple Music window
  • Restrict access
  • Symbols used in Apple Music

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

If you have problems playing music on Windows

If the progress bar at the top of the apple music window is moving, but you don’t hear anything.

If you’re using your computer’s built-in speakers: Make sure the volume controls are not turned down. Check the control at the top of the Apple Music window and check the computer’s output volume.

If you’re using powered speakers connected to your computer: Make sure the powered speakers are properly plugged into your computer’s audio port, plugged into a power source, and turned on. Also make sure their volume isn’t turned down.

If you can’t play a song

If you can’t play a song purchased from the iTunes Store: You may have exceeded the number of computers on which you can play your purchases.

If the song isn’t an iTunes Plus version, you can play it on up to five authorized computers. After you authorize five computers, you can’t play the songs on a sixth computer until you deauthorize one of the five authorized computers.

If the song is available as an iTunes Plus download , you can upgrade the song at the iTunes Store. See Usage rights for iTunes Store purchases .

If you’re trying to play an AAC file that was not created using Apple Music or downloaded from the iTunes Store: Songs you download from the iTunes Store or import into your library using the AAC encoder are encoded using the MPEG-4 AAC format. Songs in this format play in Apple Music and on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Other AAC files that you find on the internet or elsewhere won’t play in Apple Music.

If you’re listening to a playlist that includes a song preview: The playlist stops after the song preview. Double-click or double-tap the next song in the playlist to resume playing the rest of the playlist. A song preview in your library or a playlist has a button next to it showing the price.

If songs are missing or dimmed, see the Apple Support article If songs are missing from your music library after you turn on Sync Library .

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052 (Canary and Dev Channels)

  • Amanda Langowski
  • Brandon LeBlanc

UPDATE 2/9: Added an important known issue for Dev Drive users. Please see the known issues below.

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052 to the Canary and Dev Channels.

Insiders in the Canary Channel will receive Build 26052.1000 while Insiders in the Dev Channel will receive Build 26052 .1100 (KB5035384) as we test delivery of a full build and a servicing update at the same time. There is no difference between the two of these as Build 26052.1100 does not include any additional code. (Arm64 devices in the Dev Channel will not receive Build 26052.1100.)

Flighting updates for Windows Insiders in the Canary & Dev Channels

Starting today, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel are being moved from receiving 23000 series builds to receiving 26000 series builds.

Insiders in the Dev Channel will gain a set of new features such as energy saver , scrollable quick settings , QR codes for Wi-Fi sharing , support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives in addition to ZIP in File Explorer , Windows protected print mode , voice clarity , along with recent Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes and improvements to Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) , and improvements across Settings and improvements for Bluetooth and Graphics as well. Note that apps such as Tips and WordPad will be removed after upgrading to this build.

The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds (e.g. Build 26052), the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. At some point in the future, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed.

If you are a gamer, please take note that some popular games may not work correctly or crash when launched on these builds . Over time, we expect this experience to improve as bugs get fixed.

NOTE: As part of this move, rollouts for some features in the Dev Channel may get reset which means in a small number of cases features might disappear. As we ramp up feature rollouts, these features should return over time. Some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel even if the two channels have the same build.

What’s new in Build 26052

Sudo for windows .

Sudo for Windows provides a new, yet familiar way to elevate processes directly from the command-line.

The sudo command can be configured to run in three different modes:

  • In a new window: A new window will open in which the elevated command will run.
  • With input disabled: The elevated command will run inline with its stdin closed in the window from which you’ve triggered elevation. You will not be able to interact with the elevated process.
  • Inline: The elevated command will run inline in the window from which you’ve triggered elevation. This mode is most similar to the sudo experience on other platforms.

It is recommended that you review the security considerations for each mode here before enabling the sudo command on your machine.

Here is how you can enable the sudo command:  Just navigate to Settings > System > For developers and toggle on the sudo command. Configure how the sudo command behaves by selected one of the modes in the drop-down menu (In a new window, with input disabled, inline).

NOTE: The setting for enabling Sudo may incorrectly be showing on Windows Server Insider Preview builds – this feature will not be available on Windows Server and the setting will be disabled in a future Server Insider Preview build.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Developer platform > command line.

Enhancements in Hearing Aid Support  

As announced in October 2023 , Windows took a step forward in accessibility, allowing direct pairing, audio streaming, and smooth call handling for customers with Bluetooth® Low Energy Audio (LE Audio) supported hearing aids on LE Audio-compatible PCs. Now, we are thrilled to introduce a set of features that will take this support to the next level: We’re introducing new capabilities to control audio presets, ambient sounds, and experience enhancements to the Settings > Bluetooth & devices page.

Customers can now adjust the audio presets that they or their audiologist configured in their hearing aids, right from the Settings or Quick Settings UI in Windows. These controls allow customers to quickly adjust the behavior of their hearing aids to their preference for the environment they’re in. Preset options and availability will vary based on the model and configuration of hearing aids.

Control ambient sound for hearing aids in Settings.

We’re also introducing capabilities for customers to adjust the volume of ambient sound captured by their hearing aids. These controls adjust the balance between streamed audio and sound picked up from the surrounding environment, helping customers choose what they want to focus on. Ambient sound control availability will vary based on the model of hearing aids.

These features require both your Windows device and hearing aid to support Bluetooth LE Audio. Note that not all Windows 11 PCs or hearing aids, even ones that support Bluetooth LE, have support for LE Audio. To learn more about LE Audio compatibility on Windows, please visit this link: Check if your Windows 11 PC supports Bluetooth Low Energy Audio . To learn more about LE Audio compatibility with hearing aids, consult your manufacturer or audiologist.

We’ve also enhanced the Bluetooth & devices settings page to provide additional functionality. Customers will now be able to:

  • Monitor essential Bluetooth device details when available, such as battery life and connection status, through an expandable menu for each connected device.
  • For audio devices, effortlessly access the System > Sound > Properties page to control audio settings for that device.

These new enhancements are available for hearing aids and all other devices on this page. To try out this feature, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices .

Managing hearing aids in Settings.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Bluetooth – Audio quality, glitches, choppiness, and stuttering.

Audio mic test utility to test audio in different processing modes

Windows now offers a convenient way to test the difference between Default and Communication mode audio. This new utility can be found under the microphone properties via Settings > System > Sound . You can select the mode and record/listen to audio in both modes, allowing you to easily compare audio processing modes for applications built for the Windows ecosystem. Some audio drivers come with special audio effects for communications, and the toggle lets users hear how audio captured in your microphone sounds when recorded by a communications application versus a non-communications application. It’s important to note that the utility is for testing purposes only and will not affect the actual mode of the audio. You can use this to try out the Voice Clarity feature in the last flight!

New mic test utility in Settings.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Audio and sound.

Changes and Improvements

  • Starting with Build 26-xx today, Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 24H2. This denotes that Windows 11, version 24H2 will be this year’s annual feature update. As mentioned here , Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year.
  • Plugging in to use a Windows Mixed Reality headset will not work starting with this build. Windows Mixed Reality  is no longer available to users as Windows Mixed Reality has been announced as deprecated . This includes the  Mixed Reality Portal app , and  Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta. Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam through November 2026, if users remain on their current released version of Windows 11 (version 23H2) and do not upgrade to this year’s annual feature update for Windows 11 (version 24H2). This deprecation does not impact HoloLens.
  • Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG) is no longer available as a feature on demand starting with this build. Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Office and Edge has been announced as deprecated .

[Copilot in Windows*]

  • We are trying out a new experience for Copilot in Windows that helps showcase the ways that Copilot can accelerate and enhance your work. This experience will show when you copy text – since Copilot supports helpful actions that you can take with text content. In this scenario, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help (there are several different treatments so you may notice a different visual effect). When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch Copilot with the action ready-to-go. We will also support the ability to launch Copilot if you start dragging an image – just drag the image file onto the Copilot icon in the taskbar, and Copilot will open. You can then drop the image into the text box in Copilot and type an action that you would like to take on the image content.

Copilot actions you can take when you mouse over the Copilot icon on the taskbar after copying some text.

  • After temporarily disabling this experience to fix an issue, we are trying out opening Copilot automatically when Windows starts on widescreen devices again with some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. This can be managed via Settings > Personalization > Copilot. Note that this is rolling out so not all Insiders in the Canary or Dev Channels will see this right away. We’re trying this experience out on devices that have minimum diagonal screen size of 27” and pixel width of 1920 pixels and limited to primary display screens in multi-monitor scenarios. As a reminder, we regularly try out different experiences with Windows Insiders that may not ever ship, and others could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.

New Copilot Settings page.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We have updated the energy saver icon for desktop PCs (PCs without batteries). This icon is shown on the system tray when energy saver is enabled, under quick settings, and under Settings > System power & battery.

Different energy saver icons on the system tray for desktop PCs and laptops.

[File Explorer]

  • [ADDED 2/9] The preview thumbnail title in the taskbar, ALT + Tab and Task View for File Explorer windows will now indicate if that window includes multiple tabs.

[Bluetooth]

  • Today, when discovering available Bluetooth devices to connect to, Windows filters out device classes that are uncommon. Customers who wish to override this filter and see all nearby devices available to pair can do so by choosing “Advanced” for the “Bluetooth devices discovery” setting. Starting with this build, we are removing that option and introducing some changes to the add device workflow to streamline this experience. Now, discovery will always scan for all devices, but only show common device types by default. Whenever an “uncommon” device is found during the discovery process, an option to “Show all devices” will be displayed to the customer.
  • Windows Insiders who use the Color Management Control Panel to make changes to their color profiles can now use the all-new Color management settings page located under Settings > System > Display > Color management . This new settings page will allow users to add or remove color profiles, as well as set default color profiles for the connected displays. In addition, auto color management can now be found on the new Color management settings page.

Old Color Management Control Panel and new Color Management settings page.

[Registry Editor]

  • The Registry Editor now supports limiting a search to the currently selected key and its descendants.

New search in subtree option for searching in Registry Editor.

[Developer APIs]

  • Starting with this build, we are introducing the Power Grid Forecast API. This API empowers app developers to optimize app behavior, minimizing environmental impact by shifting background tasks to times when more renewable energy is available in the local electrical grid. The result is lower carbon emissions for app users. Please note that forecast quality varies by region and is not available globally. While the API is available in this build, we are still working on public documentation, sample code, and we have a couple of bug fixes checked in. All of this should make its way to Insiders in the coming weeks.
  • We are adding an energy saver notification callback setting GUID to represent the new energy saver experience introduced in Build 26002 . Apps can subscribe to the energy saver status by passing the appropriate GUID to the PowerSettingRegisterNotification API and can implement different behaviors to optimize energy or performance depending on the current energy saver status. More details can be found in here .
  • We are making a minor extension of the existing Effective Power Mode API to interpret the new energy saver levels when determining the returned effective power mode. Documentation will be updated shortly.
  • Developers can use the Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG) framework to help secure Windows keys with virtualization-based security (VBS). See this blog post here for details .

[ Settings ]

  • You can go Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners to choose to setup Windows protected print mode but clicking the setup button under “Printer preferences”. This experience will continue to be refined in future flights.
  • We moved the option to show your Wi-Fi password to the top of the Wi-Fi properties page under Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi.
  • [ADDED] We have updated the UI for Storage Spaces under Settings > System > Storage > Storage Spaces to more intuitively reflect Spaces. Some key changes include: remove confusing and/misleading status icons, replace links to Disk Management with links to Disks & Volumes, share drive labels and letter, when applicable, offering an explanation for a term when hovering over it, and adding upgrade and delete pool. This UI change should provide greater ease of storage management on Windows.  
  • We’ve adjusted the text in the notification when a PC detects a slow charger.

Updated notification when a PC detects a slow charger.

  • You can now use the Camera app to join a Wi-Fi network. Just scan a QR code with Wi-Fi details and a link will be provided that will open Settings to quickly get the new Wi-Fi profile added and connected. As a reminder, starting with Build 25977 in the Canary Channel you can create your own QR code for Wi-Fi and share it with others. This also works for mobile hotspots too.

Scan a QR code with Wi-Fi details in the Camera app to quickly connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Fixes for known issues

  • We fixed the issue where in some multi-monitor configurations, a display would appear as frozen in Build 26040.
  • Fixed a DWM issue in Build 26040 causing some rendering issues.
  • Fixed an issue causing Build 26040 flight to fail to install for some Insiders with error code 0x80188306.
  • Fixed an issue causing the print queue to not open in recent Canary Channel flights.
  • Did some more work to help improve the launch performance of File Explorer.
  • Fixed multiple crashes impacting system tray and its flyouts.
  • The volume slider in quick settings will now make a sound when adjusted again.
  • When using the save dialog, if you try to save a file to Gallery in File Explorer, it will now save to your Pictures library rather than showing an error.

Known issues

  • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR GAMERS – UPDATED!] Some popular games may not work correctly and cause a bugcheck (green screen) when launched on the most recent Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel. Please be sure to submit feedback in Feedback Hub on any issues you see with playing games on these builds.
  • Content in some video streaming apps from the Microsoft Store may not play. As a workaround, try streaming from a browser.
  • [ NEW ] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing an increase in Insiders experiencing black screens starting with Build 26040 (including when waking your PC from sleep). If you encounter this, pressing WIN + CTRL + Shift + B may resolve it.
  • [ADDED] A Display Connection section is incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, will crash Settings. This section will be removed in a future flight. 
  • [ADDED 2/9] IMPORTANT NOTE FOR DEV DRIVE USERS: Insiders on Build 26052 who have Dev Drives and might need to rollback will need to back up their Dev Drives BEFORE rolling back as rolling back will cause Dev Drives to break and data on them to be lost.
  • Keyboard navigation from settings subpages back to the top-level Settings page is broken.

Microsoft Store Update

Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels running version 22401.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

New and improved pages for Microsoft 365 : We’ve improved the Microsoft 365 pages to better describe all the benefits included in the subscription. You can compare between monthly and annual plans to determine what’s best for you, and you can browse the features in various apps included in Microsoft 365.

Example of improved Microsoft 365 page in the Microsoft Store.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

For developers

You can download the latest Windows Insider SDK at  aka.ms/windowsinsidersdk .

SDK NuGet packages are now also flighting at NuGet Gallery | WindowsSDK which include:

  • .NET TFM packages for use in .NET apps as described at aka.ms/windowsinsidersdk
  • C++ packages for Win32 headers and libs per architecture
  • BuildTools package when you just need tools like MakeAppx.exe, MakePri.exe, and SignTool.exe

These NuGet packages provide more granular access to the SDK and better integration in CI/CD pipelines.

SDK flights are now published for both the Canary and Dev Channels, so be sure to choose the right version for your Insider Channel.

Remember to use  adaptive code  when targeting new APIs to make sure your app runs on all customer machines, particularly when building against the Dev Channel SDK.  Feature detection  is recommended over OS version checks, as OS version checks are unreliable and will not work as expected in all cases.

Reminders for Windows Insiders

  • The Canary and Dev Channels receive builds with features and experiences that may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready .
  • Many features in the Canary and Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology , starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in these channels.
  • As the Canary and Dev Channels receive the same builds, some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel.
  • While the Canary Channel is now on Windows 11, version 24H2, this is just temporary. At some point in the future, the Canary Channel will jump ahead to receiving new builds not matched to any specific release in a higher build series.
  • To get off the Canary or Dev Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required . As a reminder – Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  • Copilot in Windows* in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.

Thanks, Amanda & Brandon

how to solve blue screen error in windows 10

Top Contributors in Windows 10: Ramesh Srinivasan  -  neilpzz  -  Horace Wiggins  -  franco d'esaro  -  _AW_   ✅

February 14, 2024

Top Contributors in Windows 10:

Ramesh Srinivasan  -  neilpzz  -  Horace Wiggins  -  franco d'esaro  -  _AW_   ✅

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Sharath Srinivasa

Bluescreen when running “Reset this PC”: INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE

After I installed Windows 10, I went to Settings > Update & security > Reset this PC > Remove everything .   When the reset completed, I received a bluescreen error:  

“Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.   We’re just collecting some error info, and then you can restart.   If you’d like to know more, you can search online later for this error:   INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE”.  

Report abuse

Wasim Asad

  • Microsoft Agent |

We identified an issue that was causing this bluescreen error when performing a Reset soon after installing Windows 10.   ( Update : Microsoft has released Cumulative update for Windows 10: August 18, 2015 , which includes a fix that will prevent customers who have not yet performed the Reset from encountering this error.  If you intend to Reset your PC, make sure you've first installed the latest updates.  This update does not, however, resolve customers who have already encountered this error.  If you're currently experiencing this error, please follow the steps listed below.)

If you performed a Reset and are encountering this error, you should perform a clean install to restore your device.    To do this:

From a different PC, visit the Software download page and run the tool to create Windows 10 installation media.   When choosing whether to download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the tool, you want to choose the version that matches the PC that you are using to create the media – not the version of the PC that is experiencing the bluescreen.

Once the installation media is created, return to the device experiencing the bluescreen, and boot the device directly to the media.   (You may need to change the boot order to boot to the media.)  

Once setup starts, choose a Custom install.

If you are prompted for a product key, you can choose to skip that step.   If you were activated previously after first upgrading to Windows 10, you will be activated again once you connect online.

Performing a clean install will remove your apps, data, and settings and will put your device in the same state as if you were to perform a “ Reset this PC – Remove everything ”.

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    After I installed Windows 10, I went to Settings > Update & security > Reset this PC > Remove everything. When the reset completed, I received a bluescreen error: "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.