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

4 min read •
Beginner BSOD Windows Fix Troubleshooting

Quick Answer: Note the stop code on the blue screen (e.g., IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL). Restart your PC. If it boots, update all drivers (especially GPU), run sfc /scannow in admin Command Prompt, and check for Windows updates. If it keeps crashing, boot into Safe Mode (hold Shift while clicking Restart) and uninstall recently installed drivers or software.

Step 1: Note the Stop Code

The blue screen shows a stop code like:

  • IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
  • CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
  • SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
  • KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR
  • PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
  • DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION
  • WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR

Write it down or take a photo. This tells you what category of problem caused the crash.

Step 2: Restart and Check If It Recurs

If the BSOD was a one-time event, a simple restart might be all you need. Windows recovers from most single crashes automatically.

If it happens repeatedly, continue with the fixes below.

Step 3: Update Drivers

Bad drivers cause the majority of BSODs. Update these first:

  1. GPU driver — the #1 cause. Go to NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel's website and download the latest driver
  2. Network driver — Device Manager → Network adapters → right-click → Update driver
  3. All other drivers — Device Manager → right-click any device with a yellow triangle → Update driver
# Update all drivers via Command Prompt (admin)
pnputil /scan-devices

Roll Back a Driver

If BSODs started after a driver update:

  1. Device Manager → right-click the device → Properties
  2. Driver tab → Roll Back Driver

Step 4: Run System File Checker

Corrupted system files cause crashes: 

# Open Command Prompt as admin
sfc /scannow

Wait for it to complete (can take 10-30 minutes). If it finds and fixes issues, restart.

If SFC reports it could not fix some files: 

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Run DISM first, then SFC again.

Step 5: Check for Windows Updates

Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates

Install all available updates, including optional ones. Many BSODs are caused by known bugs that Microsoft has already patched.

Step 6: Test Your RAM

Bad memory causes random crashes, data corruption, and BSODs:

  1. Search for Windows Memory Diagnostic in Start menu
  2. Click Restart now and check for problems
  3. The test runs before Windows boots (takes 10-20 minutes)
  4. Results appear after login — check Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System for results

For a more thorough test, use MemTest86 — runs from a USB drive and tests all memory.

Step 7: Check Your Disk

Failing storage drives cause KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR and CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED: 

# Check disk health
wmic diskdrive get status
wmic diskdrive get model,size,status

# Run disk check (admin Command Prompt)
chkdsk C: /f /r
# It will ask to schedule for next restart — type Y

Common Stop Codes and Fixes

Stop Code Likely Cause Fix
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Bad driver, faulty RAM Update drivers, test RAM
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED Corrupted system files Run sfc /scannow, DISM
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION Incompatible driver or software Update/rollback drivers, uninstall recent software
KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR Failing disk or bad RAM Check disk health, test RAM
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Bad RAM or driver Test RAM, update drivers
DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION Storage driver issue Update SATA/NVMe driver, check SSD firmware
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR Hardware failure (CPU, RAM, motherboard) Hardware test, check temps
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED Driver conflict Boot Safe Mode, uninstall recent drivers
BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO Corrupted registry Run sfc /scannow, restore from recovery
CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT CPU issue, overheating Check temps, reset overclock, update BIOS

Boot Into Safe Mode

If Windows keeps crashing before you can do anything:

  1. Power on your PC
  2. When you see the Windows logo, hold the power button to force shutdown
  3. Repeat this 3 times — Windows will enter Recovery Mode
  4. Click Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart
  5. Press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode (or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking)

In Safe Mode:

  • Uninstall recently installed drivers or software
  • Run sfc /scannow
  • Update drivers
  • Run antivirus scan

View Crash Logs

# Event Viewer
eventvwr.msc → Windows Logs → System → look for "BugCheck" errors

# Or use Command Prompt
wevtutil qe System /q:"*[System[Provider[@Name='Microsoft-Windows-WER-SystemErrorReporting']]]" /c:5 /f:text /rd:true

Check Temperatures

Overheating causes BSODs, especially WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR and CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT:

  • Download HWMonitor or Core Temp
  • CPU should stay below 85°C under load
  • GPU should stay below 90°C

If temperatures are high: clean dust from fans, improve airflow, replace thermal paste, or stop overclocking.

Last Resort: Reset Windows

If nothing else works:

  1. Settings → System → Recovery
  2. Click Reset this PC
  3. Choose Keep my files (reinstalls Windows but keeps personal files)

This reinstalls all drivers and system files while keeping your documents, photos, and downloads.

See Also