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Fix It Yourself · Troubleshooting

Windows unexpected restarts BSOD

Published 25 August 202613 min read
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Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD? Here's How to Fix It

A blue screen of death at 11pm, mid-document, with unsaved work. Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors have a talent for terrible timing. But here's the thing: the vast majority of these crashes follow a short list of patterns, and once you know which pattern you're dealing with, the fix is usually well within reach. This guide walks through every layer, from the quick two-minute checks to the command-line tools that sort the stubborn cases, in the order that actually makes sense to work through them.

TL;DR

Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors are most commonly caused by dodgy drivers, corrupted system files, or faulty RAM. Start by reading the stop code in Event Viewer, then update or roll back drivers, run Windows Memory Diagnostic, and use SFC and DISM to repair system files. Most cases are sorted within 30 minutes without touching any hardware.

⏱️ 13 min read ✅ 80% success rate 📅 Updated July 2026

Key Takeaways

  • Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors always leave a stop code. Find it in Event Viewer before doing anything else.
  • Driver problems cause the majority of blue screen of death errors. Update or roll back drivers first.
  • Faulty RAM produces crashes that mimic software faults. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic to rule it out.
  • SFC and DISM repair corrupted system files safely without touching your personal data.
  • System Restore is underused. If crashes started recently, it can undo the damage in under 30 minutes.
  • Malware, including rootkits, can cause genuine Windows stop errors. Always scan if the cause isn't obvious.

At a Glance

  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Time Required: 15 to 30 mins
  • Success Rate: 80% of cases sorted without hardware changes

What Causes Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD?

The blue screen of death isn't random, even when it feels that way. Windows forces a stop error specifically to prevent further damage when something in the kernel goes badly wrong. The stop code on that blue screen is the system's best attempt at telling you what broke. The problem is most people see the screen for half a second and then the PC reboots before they can read it. We'll fix that in the first solution below.

Driver faults are the single most common cause of Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors. Graphics drivers, storage controller drivers, and network adapter drivers all run in kernel space, meaning a bug in any of them can crash the entire operating system instantly. A Windows update that pushes a new driver version, or a manual driver install from a dodgy third-party site, is often all it takes. The stop code DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is the classic giveaway here.

System file corruption is the second big culprit. Windows Update occasionally leaves files in a broken state after an interrupted install, and over time disk errors can corrupt core system files too. When a critical Windows process tries to load a corrupted file, you get CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED or similar stop errors. The good news is that SFC and DISM can repair this without reinstalling Windows.

Hardware problems sit in third place but they're the ones people worry about most. Faulty RAM is particularly sneaky because it produces crashes that look exactly like software faults. WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR often points to a hardware issue at the CPU or memory level. Overheating is another one worth checking, especially on laptops or desktops that haven't been cleaned in a while. A CPU or GPU that's throttling hard due to heat can trigger system crashes that look like software problems on the surface.

Finally, malware. Rootkits in particular install themselves at the kernel level and can directly cause blue screen of death errors and system crashes. If you've ruled out drivers and hardware and the crashes are still happening, a Microsoft Defender Offline scan is essential. Third-party antivirus tools can also conflict with Windows kernel components and produce genuine stop errors, so that's worth testing too.

Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD: Read the Stop Code First

Before touching anything else, you need the stop code. Everything else flows from that. If you caught the code on screen, great. If not, Event Viewer has it stored.

1

Find Your BSOD Stop Code in Event Viewer Easy

  1. Open Event Viewer
    Press Windows + R, type eventvwr.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to System logs
    In the left panel go to Windows Logs, then System. Click Filter Current Log on the right and filter by Critical level.
  3. Find the BugCheck entry
    Look for a source named BugCheck near the timestamp of your last crash. Double-click it. The stop code appears in the General tab, for example: 0x0000007E or a text name like DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.
  4. Cross-reference the code
    Search the code on Microsoft's Bug Check Code Reference to understand exactly what failed. This tells you whether to focus on drivers, RAM, or system files next.
You now know what type of failure triggered the Windows unexpected restarts BSOD. Every fix below becomes more targeted with this information.
Reliability Monitor is an easier alternative if Event Viewer feels overwhelming. Search for it in the Start menu, open View reliability history, and look for red Critical events on the timeline. It shows application names and error types in plain language.

Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD Quick Fixes

These take under 15 minutes and fix a surprising number of cases. Start here before anything else.

2

Disconnect External Devices and Reboot Easy

  1. Shut down completely
    Don't restart. Shut down fully, then wait 15 seconds.
  2. Unplug everything non-essential
    Remove USB hubs, external drives, docks, webcams, drawing tablets. Leave only keyboard and mouse.
  3. Boot and observe
    Use the PC normally for 20 to 30 minutes. If the blue screen of death doesn't return, one of those devices or its driver is the cause. Reconnect them one at a time to identify which.
Crashes stop after disconnecting devices? The culprit is a peripheral driver. Update or uninstall that device's driver via Device Manager.
3

Install Pending Windows Updates Easy

  1. Open Windows Update
    Press Windows + I, go to Update and Security, then Windows Update.
  2. Check for updates
    Click Check for updates. Install everything listed, including optional driver updates if shown.
  3. Restart when prompted
    Don't defer the restart. Some patches only fully apply after a clean reboot.
Windows stop errors caused by known bugs in older builds are often patched in cumulative updates. This takes 5 minutes and costs nothing to try.

More Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD Solutions

If the quick fixes didn't sort it, these intermediate steps dig into the actual root cause. Driver problems and system restore are the two most effective tools at this level.

4

Update or Roll Back Drivers via Device Manager Medium

  1. Open Device Manager
    Press Windows + X and select Device Manager from the menu.
  2. Focus on the high-risk categories
    Expand Display adapters, Network adapters, Storage controllers, and System devices. These are the driver categories most commonly linked to Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors.
  3. Update each driver
    Right-click a device and select Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers. Repeat for each category. For GPU drivers specifically, it's better to download the installer directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel's website rather than relying on Windows Update alone.
  4. Roll back if crashes started after an update
    Right-click the suspect device, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver. This reverts to the previous version. If Roll Back Driver is greyed out, the previous version wasn't stored and you'll need to download an older version from the manufacturer's site manually.
  5. Restart and test
    Reboot after any driver change and use the PC for 20 to 30 minutes to confirm the blue screen of death doesn't return.
Driver-related stop errors like DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA are frequently sorted by this step alone.
5

Use System Restore to Undo Recent Changes Medium

  1. Open System Restore
    Press Windows + R, type rstrui.exe, and press Enter.
  2. Choose a restore point
    Select a restore point dated before the crashes started. Click Scan for affected programs to see what will change. System Restore rolls back drivers, registry settings, and system files but leaves your personal documents untouched.
  3. Run the restore
    Confirm and let it run. The PC restarts once during the process. Total time is usually 15 to 30 minutes.
System Restore is reversible. If the restored state causes a different problem, you can open rstrui.exe again and choose Undo System Restore to go back.
Very effective when Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors started after a specific software install, driver update, or Windows Update that went wrong.
6

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic Medium

  1. Launch the tool
    Search for Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Start menu and open it.
  2. Start the test
    Choose Restart now and check for problems. The PC reboots and runs the test automatically before Windows loads. The standard test takes around 10 to 20 minutes.
  3. Check results
    After Windows reloads, open Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs, System, and filter for the source MemoryDiagnostics-Results. If errors are reported, your RAM is faulty and needs replacing. If the test passes, RAM is not the cause of your system crashes.
If Memory Diagnostic finds errors, do not ignore it. Faulty RAM causes data corruption and unpredictable crashes. The only fix is replacing the affected memory module. See Tom's Hardware's RAM guide for compatible replacement options.

Advanced Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD Fixes

These are the tools that fix the cases everything else misses. They're not difficult, but they take a bit more time and involve Command Prompt. Worth it.

7

Repair System Files with SFC and DISM Medium

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
    Press the Windows key, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
  2. Run System File Checker
    Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. The scan checks every protected Windows system file and replaces corrupted ones from a local cache. Don't close the window. It takes 5 to 15 minutes. You'll see one of three results: no integrity violations found, Windows Resource Protection found and repaired corrupt files, or Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
  3. Run DISM if SFC couldn't fix everything
    If SFC reported unfixable files, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. DISM connects to Windows Update and downloads fresh replacement files, then repairs the Windows image. This takes 10 to 25 minutes depending on your connection speed.
  4. Run SFC again after DISM
    Once DISM finishes, run sfc /scannow one more time. Now that the image is repaired, SFC can fix files it couldn't reach before. Restart the PC after both scans complete.
Microsoft's own documentation on using System File Checker confirms these tools are safe and designed specifically for this type of repair. They do not affect your personal files.
SFC and DISM together fix the majority of Windows stop errors caused by system file corruption, including CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED and SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION.
8

Check Disk Integrity with CHKDSK Medium

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt
    Same as above: Windows key, cmd, Run as administrator.
  2. Run CHKDSK
    Type chkdsk C: /f /r and press Enter. The /f flag fixes file system errors. The /r flag locates bad sectors and recovers readable data. Because C: is the active system drive, Windows will ask to schedule the scan for next restart. Type Y and press Enter.
  3. Restart and let it run
    Reboot the PC. CHKDSK runs before Windows loads and can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour depending on drive size and how many bad sectors it finds. Don't interrupt it.
  4. Check results
    After Windows reloads, open Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs, Application, and look for a Wininit source entry. This contains the full CHKDSK report including any bad sectors found and repaired.
If CHKDSK finds and marks bad sectors, that's the cause of your Windows unexpected restarts BSOD. A drive with many bad sectors is failing and should be backed up and replaced soon.
9

Scan for Malware with Windows Defender Offline Medium

  1. Open Windows Security
    Go to Settings, Update and Security, Windows Security, then Virus and threat protection.
  2. Run a Full Scan first
    Under Current threats, click Scan options and select Full scan. This checks every file on the drive.
  3. Follow with a Defender Offline scan
    Back in Scan options, select Microsoft Defender Offline scan and click Scan now. The PC restarts and runs the scan before Windows loads. This catches rootkits and kernel-level threats that hide during normal Windows operation and can cause genuine blue screen of death errors.
  4. Test third-party antivirus conflict
    If you have a third-party antivirus installed and the crashes persist after scanning clean, try temporarily uninstalling it. Some security tools conflict with Windows kernel components and produce real system crashes. If stability improves without it, contact the vendor for an updated version or switch to a different product.
Malware-related Windows stop errors are less common than driver issues but they do happen. This step is essential if you've ruled out drivers and hardware.

If you're seeing Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors alongside other unusual behaviour, like files being encrypted or browser redirects, the problem may go deeper than a standard crash. For those situations, see our Windows malware removal guide for a full step-by-step process.

Preventing Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD

Most of these crashes are preventable. The ones that aren't (hardware failure) can at least be caught early enough to avoid data loss.

Keep Windows Update running on its default schedule and don't defer cumulative updates for more than a week or two. A lot of stop errors are caused by bugs that Microsoft already patched. Similarly, only install drivers from your hardware manufacturer's official site or from Windows Update. Random driver downloads from forums or driver-updater utilities are a common source of Windows unexpected restarts BSOD problems. Beta drivers are fine for enthusiasts who know what they're doing, but for a stable daily-use machine, stick to the WHQL-certified releases.

Create a System Restore point before any significant change. Before a driver update, before a new software install, before a major Windows feature update. It takes 30 seconds and has saved hours of troubleshooting more times than I can count. You can do it manually by searching Create a restore point in the Start menu.

Monitor your temperatures. Tools like HWiNFO64 or the monitoring built into your GPU vendor's software show real-time CPU and GPU temperatures. If your CPU is regularly hitting 90 degrees Celsius or above under load, the cooling system needs attention before it starts causing system crashes. Desktops that haven't been cleaned in a year or more often have enough dust on the heatsink to cause thermal throttling and instability.

Keep at least 10 to 15% free space on your system drive. Windows needs working room for updates, temp files, and virtual memory. A drive that's nearly full contributes to stop errors in ways that aren't always obvious. And run CHKDSK and Windows Memory Diagnostic every few months if your machine gets heavy use. Catching a failing drive or a dodgy RAM stick early means you can replace it before it causes data loss.

If you're managing multiple Windows machines and want to understand how driver updates and patch management affect system stability at scale, our Windows Update troubleshooting guide covers the common failure patterns in detail.

Windows Unexpected Restarts BSOD Summary

Windows unexpected restarts BSOD errors are almost always traceable to one of four things: a driver problem, system file corruption, faulty hardware (usually RAM or a failing disk), or malware. The stop code in Event Viewer tells you which direction to look. From there, the fix is usually a driver update or rollback, an SFC and DISM scan, or a CHKDSK run. System Restore handles the cases where a recent change broke something. Hardware faults need physical attention, but even then, Windows Memory Diagnostic and CHKDSK give you a clear diagnosis before you spend money on parts.

Work through the tiers in order, read the stop codes, and don't skip the memory test. The majority of blue screen of death cases are sorted well before you reach the advanced steps. And if you get stuck, the crash dump files in C:\Windows\Minidump contain the full technical picture for anyone who knows how to read them, including our remote support team.

For related stability problems that sometimes appear alongside Windows stop errors, our Windows performance and slowdown guide covers the overlap between system instability and general sluggishness.

Frequently Asked Questions

The stop code on a blue screen of death names the specific failure type. DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL points to a driver accessing memory it shouldn't. WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR usually means a hardware fault, often RAM or CPU. CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED means a core Windows process crashed, often due to system file corruption. You can look up any stop code on Microsoft's documentation at learn.microsoft.com for a precise explanation.

Open Event Viewer by pressing Windows + R and typing eventvwr.msc. Go to Windows Logs, then System, and filter for Critical events. Look for a BugCheck source entry near the time of the crash. The stop code and parameters are listed there. Reliability Monitor (search it in the Start menu) also shows a timeline of Critical events and is easier to read.

Yes, completely safe. Both are built-in Microsoft tools. SFC (System File Checker) scans and replaces corrupted Windows system files. DISM repairs the underlying Windows image that SFC pulls replacements from. Neither tool deletes your personal files. Just don't switch the PC off mid-scan, as that can cause more corruption.

If the test reports errors, one or more of your RAM sticks is faulty. There's no software fix for bad RAM. You'll need to replace the affected module. If you have two sticks, try removing one at a time and re-running the test to identify which one is bad. Faulty RAM causes random BSODs, data corruption, and crashes that look like many different stop errors.

Yes. Certain malware, particularly rootkits, installs itself at the kernel level and can trigger blue screen of death errors and system crashes. Run a full Windows Defender scan and follow it with a Microsoft Defender Offline scan, which runs before Windows loads and catches threats that hide during normal operation. If you have a third-party antivirus, temporarily disable it to rule out a conflict with Windows itself.