1. Note the stop code
The blue screen shows a stop code like SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA. Photograph or write it down — this tells us exactly what failed.
2. Check Event Viewer
Search 'Event Viewer' → Windows Logs → System. Look for Critical or Error events just before the crash time. These show the exact driver or service that failed.
3. Update or roll back drivers
Most BSODs are driver-related. Device Manager → right-click any device with a yellow warning → Update driver. For recent BSODs, roll back the driver that was installed last.
4. Run Memory Diagnostic
Search 'Windows Memory Diagnostic' → Restart now and check for problems. This takes 10–20 minutes. RAM failure causes random, unpredictable BSODs.
5. Check disk health
Open Command Prompt as Administrator → type: chkdsk C: /f /r → press Enter → type Y to schedule → restart. A corrupted disk causes many stop codes.
6. Run SFC and DISM
Command Prompt (Admin) → sfc /scannow (takes 15 min). Then: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. These repair corrupted Windows system files.
Recurring BSODs that return after driver updates, RAM tests that find errors, or disk checks that report failures all indicate hardware that needs professional assessment.