Common BSOD Error Codes and Fixes

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) — every IT pro has seen it. Here’s how to diagnose and fix the most common errors.

CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED

Meaning

A critical system process crashed.

Fix

# Check for recent crashes
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName="System";ID=1001} -MaxEvents 10

# Run system file checker
sfc /scannow

# Check disk
chkdsk C: /f /r

# Update drivers, especially chipset and storage

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (D1)

Meaning

A driver tried to access memory it shouldn’t.

Fix

# Boot to safe mode
# Uninstall recent driver updates
# Roll back to previous version

# Check for problematic drivers
driverquery /v | findstr /i "error"

# Update BIOS and chipset drivers

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

Meaning

System tried to access invalid memory.

Fix

# Check RAM
mdsched.exe

# Update drivers
# Check for malware
# Update Windows

KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR (7A)

Meaning

Couldn’t read/write data to disk.

Fix

# Check disk health
Get-PhysicalDisk | Get-StorageReliabilityCounter

# Run chkdsk
chkdsk C: /f /r /x

# Check cable connections
# Test with different SATA port

SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

Meaning

A driver didn’t handle an exception properly.

Fix

# Update graphics drivers
# Disable overclocking
# Check for Windows updates
# Run verifier to find driver:
 verifier /standard /driver mydriver.sys

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE / VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

Meaning

Graphics driver timed out.

Fix

# Roll back graphics driver
# Update to latest driver
# Disable overclocking
# Check GPU temperature

# Disable TDR in registry (temporary):
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers" -Name "TdrLevel" -Value 0 -Type DWord

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Meaning

Driver accessed memory at wrong IRQL.

Fix

• Update all drivers
• Check for conflicting software
• Run SFC and DISM
• Test with clean boot

BAD_POOL_HEADER

Meaning

Memory pool corruption, usually driver-related.

Fix

# Update network drivers especially
# Run Memory Diagnostics
mdsched.exe

# Check for malware

ACPI_BIOS_ERROR

Meaning

BIOS/ACPI issue.

Fix

# Update BIOS
# Reset BIOS to defaults
# Disable C-States in BIOS

MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION

Meaning

Hardware failure — CPU, RAM, or power.

Fix

# Check CPU temperature
# Test RAM with MemTest86
# Check power supply
# Update BIOS

Quick BSOD Checklist

1. Write down the error code
2. Check Windows Event Viewer → System log
3. Run sfc /scannow
4. Update drivers
5. Check RAM and disk health
6. Check temps

Tools to Have

• WhoCrashed — Analyzes crash dumps
• BlueScreenView — View crash info
• WinDbg — Advanced dump analysis
• MemTest86 — RAM testing

Wrap-Up

BSODs are scary but usually fixable. The error code tells you where to look. Start with drivers, then hardware.

Questions? Drop them below!