How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on Windows 10 & 11

What a Blue Screen of Death actually is in 2026

A Blue Screen of Death isn't Windows breaking for no reason. It's Windows catching a fatal error — usually deep in the kernel where it talks to hardware and drivers — and stopping on purpose so it doesn't corrupt your files. On Windows 10 and Windows 11 you'll see a sad face, a short message, a QR code, and most importantly a stop code in plain text near the bottom, such as PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA.

Two things matter on that screen. First, the stop code — that's your single best clue and the first thing any technician asks for. Second, whether a driver file name appears (something ending in .sys); if it does, write it down too, because it often names the exact culprit.

The QR code just links to a generic Microsoft help page, so don't waste time scanning it. After the count-down, Windows reboots and writes a small crash file called a minidump — we'll use that later. A one-time blue screen after a Windows update or a power blip is usually nothing. A blue screen that repeats, especially with the same stop code, is a real fault worth chasing down.

Common stop codes and what they mean

The stop code narrows the problem from "anything" to a short list. Here are the ones we see most often, what usually causes them, and the first DIY move for each. Codes can have more than one cause, but this is where to start.

Stop code	Most likely cause	First DIY action
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED	Corrupted system file or bad update	Run SFC + DISM; uninstall recent update
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL	Faulty driver or bad RAM	Update/roll back drivers; run memory test
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA	Failing RAM or a driver reading bad memory	Run Windows Memory Diagnostic
KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE	Outdated driver or memory/disk corruption	Update all drivers; run chkdsk
DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION	Old SSD firmware or a stuck driver	Update SSD firmware + storage/chipset drivers
VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE	Graphics driver crash (nvlddmkm/amdkmdag)	Clean-reinstall the GPU driver
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR	Hardware fault — CPU, RAM, or overheating	Check temps; reseat RAM; test components

Notice the pattern: codes mentioning memory, page, or WHEA lean toward hardware, while process, driver, and security check codes usually mean software you can fix yourself. Keep your exact code handy — it decides which of the steps below you actually need.

The exact fix order that clears most blue screens

Work through these in order and stop as soon as the crashes stop. Don't skip ahead — doing them out of order is how people spend a whole evening and fix nothing. If Windows won't even stay on long enough to try, hold the power button to force-shut-down twice during boot; on the third start Windows opens the Recovery environment automatically.

1. Read and note the stop code (and any .sys file name). This decides everything below.
2. Undo what changed. If the crashes started right after a new app, driver, or update, that's almost certainly it. Roll it back first.
3. Boot into Safe Mode. From the Recovery screen choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart, then press 4 or 5. Safe Mode loads only essential drivers, so if it's stable there, your problem is a driver or app.
4. Update or roll back drivers. In Device Manager, focus on display, storage, and network drivers. If a driver was updated recently, use Roll Back Driver; if it's old, update it from the maker's site (not just Windows Update).
5. Uninstall the most recent Windows update. Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates. Remove the latest quality update and reboot.
6. Test your memory. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (search "mdsched") or MemTest86 overnight. Any errors mean a failing RAM stick.
7. Check the disk and system files. Open an admin terminal and run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then chkdsk /f /r.
8. Rule out overheating. If it crashes under load or the fans scream, your CPU or GPU may be overheating from dust or dried thermal paste. Clean the vents and watch temperatures.
9. Reset Windows as a last software step. Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC, keeping your files. If a clean Windows still blue-screens, it's hardware.

How to read a minidump (the file that names the culprit)

Every blue screen drops a small crash log in C:\Windows\Minidump. That file usually names the exact driver that caused the crash — which turns guesswork into a targeted fix. You don't need to be a developer to get the headline answer.

The easy route is a free tool called BlueScreenView (by NirSoft). Install it, open it, and it lists every crash with the stop code and the offending driver highlighted in pink. If you see nvlddmkm.sys, that's your NVIDIA graphics driver; iaStorAC.sys is Intel storage; a Wi-Fi or VPN driver name points there. Update or roll back exactly that component.

For a deeper look, Microsoft's WinDbg can analyze the dump and run !analyze -v to spell out the faulting module, but that's where most people hand it off. If your Minidump folder is empty, go to System → About → Advanced system settings → Startup and Recovery, and confirm it's set to write a Small memory dump so the next crash gets captured. Still struggling to make sense of it? Reading minidumps live is exactly what our Windows technicians do every day.

Hardware vs. software: which one is it?

This is the question that decides whether you're 20 minutes from fixed or shopping for parts. A few honest signals:

It's probably software if…

• The crashes started right after an update, a new app, or a driver change.
• The PC is rock-solid in Safe Mode.
• The stop code mentions a process, security check, or a named .sys driver.
• BlueScreenView keeps blaming the same driver file.

It's probably hardware if…

• You get WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, or memory-test errors appear.
• Different stop codes show up randomly with no pattern.
• It crashes even in Safe Mode, or even after a clean Windows reset.
• It's tied to heat or load — gaming, rendering, or a hot room triggers it.

The usual hardware suspects are RAM (random crashes, memory-test errors), a failing SSD or hard drive (freezes, disk stop codes, and a real risk to your files — see our data recovery service if files start disappearing), overheating from dust or dead fans, and a tired power supply on desktops. And don't forget malware — a rootkit can trigger blue screens that look like driver faults, so a malware scan is worth it if nothing else adds up. If your machine won't power on at all rather than blue-screening, that's a different problem — see laptop won't turn on.

When to stop DIY and get a technician

DIY is great until it isn't. Stop and get help when any of these is true: Windows won't stay on long enough to run the steps, you're getting a hardware stop code and need to know which part to replace, the same crash returns after a clean reset, or your files or work are on the line and you don't want to risk making it worse. Guessing at parts is expensive; reading the dump first is cheap.

This is exactly what remote support is built for. A RemoteFix 24/7 technician connects securely to your machine, reads the live stop code and minidump, rolls back the bad driver or update, runs the memory and disk tests with you, and tells you straight whether it's fixable in software or whether a part has failed. It's a flat $149.99 USD from anywhere, with No Fix, No Fee — if we can't help, you don't pay. Many of our blue-screen jobs are remote workers, expats, and nomads who can't just walk into a shop.

If your PC also feels slow or pins itself at full load between crashes, these are worth a read: why is my computer so slow and how to fix 100% disk usage. Wherever you are, we've got you: