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Windows

Fixing a Windows blue screen (BSOD)

Blue screen with a stop code, or a restart loop. The stop code is the only clue that survives the restart — capture it first.

Advanced45–90 min6 steps

Read before you start

Note the stop code before anything else. Back up as soon as the machine stays on long enough.

This guide is for you if

  • Blue screen with a stop code
  • Restart loop during startup
  • Crashes during heavy work

Step by step

Work top to bottom

0 of 6 steps done

  1. Record the stop code

    Photograph the screen. The code looks like CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED or MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, plus a file name if one is listed. Everything else is guesswork without it.

  2. Undo the last change

    If it started after an update, driver or new hardware, remove that first. Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates.

    A machine that only crashes after one specific action is naming its own culprit.

  3. Boot into Safe Mode

    Hold Shift while choosing Restart → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → Safe Mode. If it is stable there, the fault is a driver or startup app.

  4. Test the memory

    Run Windows Memory Diagnostic with the extended test. Faulty RAM is one of the most common causes of random blue screens — test one stick at a time if you have two.

  5. Check the drive and system files

    In an elevated Command Prompt, run sfc /scannow, then chkdsk C: /f. Both are safe; chkdsk may schedule itself for the next restart.

  6. Repair the boot or reinstall

    Use a Windows recovery USB → Startup Repair first. Only reinstall after your files are copied off, and choose 'Keep files' if you are unsure.