Windows Shows a Blue Screen Error
Use Windows stop codes and recovery tools to troubleshoot blue-screen crashes safely and methodically.
Use Windows stop codes and recovery tools to troubleshoot blue-screen crashes safely and methodically.
Symptoms you may notice
- The feature or device does not behave as expected.
- The issue returns after retrying the same action.
- You may see an error message, warning, delay, or missing response related to this problem.
Before you begin
- Connect the device to reliable power if battery level is low.
- Save open documents and close any application that contains unsaved work.
- Write down the exact error message or take a screenshot before changing settings.
Step-by-step troubleshooting
Record the stop code
Take a photo of the blue screen and record the stop code and any driver filename shown. Do not rely on memory because exact wording matters.
What you should see: You should have the precise stop code for later diagnosis.
Disconnect recently added hardware
Power off and remove nonessential USB devices, docks, adapters, printers, and recently added peripherals. Restart with only essential devices attached.
What you should see: Windows should boot without a faulty external device interfering.
Check Reliability Monitor
Search for Reliability Monitor and open the day of the crash. Open the Windows failure details and record the bug check or failed component if shown.
What you should see: The crash should have a timestamp and diagnostic details.
Install stable updates
Open Settings > Windows Update and install normal quality updates. For hardware drivers, prefer the computer manufacturer when a specific driver is implicated.
What you should see: Known Windows defects or driver problems may be corrected.
Run system and disk checks
Open Terminal as administrator and run sfc /scannow. Then run chkdsk C: /scan to perform an online file-system check.
What you should see: System files and the file system should report no uncorrected errors.
Use Safe Mode if normal startup repeatedly crashes
Enter Windows Recovery > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart > Safe Mode. Remove or roll back the application, update, or driver that immediately preceded the crashes.
What you should see: Safe Mode should stay stable long enough to reverse the recent change.
Confirm the problem is resolved
- Repeat the action that originally failed and confirm it now completes normally.
- Restart the affected application or device once more and verify the fix remains in place.
- Confirm that no new warning or error message appears during normal use.
If the problem continues
If none of the steps resolve the problem, stop making additional changes and contact technical support. Provide the exact error text, screenshots if available, the device model, operating-system version, and a list of the steps already completed.