Blue Screen of Death error

This page provides details on why the system sometimes crashes with a Blue Screen of Death error, what are the possible causes for that and how to troubleshoot it.

Understand Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) and common causes

A BSOD is a Windows system crash that occurs unexpectedly and forces a restart. It indicates the system hit a critical error and stopped to prevent damage.

Common causes include overheating, corrupt system files or registry entries, faulty or incompatible drivers, unstable overclocking, failing hardware, and other OS-level issues.

Collect the error details from the blue screen

You need the exact Stop code and any driver or file names shown on the BSOD to diagnose the issue.

1. When the BSOD appears, write down the Stop code and any referenced driver or file (for example, nvlddmkm.sys).
2. After the restart, locate the Windows minidump files (typically in C:\Windows\Minidump). These contain diagnostic data about the crash.

Analyze the crash with Microsoft tools

Use Microsoft’s tools and guides to interpret the Stop code and minidump, then identify the driver or component that caused the crash.

1. Start with the Microsoft guide to troubleshooting Blue Screen errors. Match your Stop code and follow the recommended actions.
2. For deeper analysis, open the minidump in Windows Debugger (WinDbg) using the Microsoft debugging tools for stop errors. Review the bug check, implicated driver(s), and call stack.
3. Address the root cause indicated by the analysis. Common fixes include updating or rolling back drivers, removing overclocking, checking system temperatures and hardware health, and repairing corrupted system files.

Report the issue to Microsoft support

If you still need help, report the BSOD to Microsoft Support. Provide the Stop code, driver/file names from the blue screen, and your minidump files to speed up diagnosis.