How to Fix NTOSKRNL.exe Blue Screen of Death Error on Windows

How to Fix NTOSKRNL.exe Blue Screen of Death Error on Windows

/ Shayne Sherman

Have you encountered a blue screen of death error on your computer, and it points to an NTOSKRNL.exe as the root cause of the problem?

Well, recent reports from users who also experience the same problem on Windows exist. However, before encountering the blue screen of death message on your computer, you probably noticed that your computer was slowing down, had higher than normal CPU usage, and had random system restarts.

Before getting all stressed out about the problem, breathe deeply, calm down, and we got you. This kind of problem on Windows can be easily fixed by doing a few troubleshooting methods on your computer.

Let’s get started.

Method 1: Update Your Device Drivers

The first thing you should do if you encounter a blue screen of death error on your computer is to update all your device drivers. Some of your drivers may be outdated or corrupted, which causes performance issues on your system.

To do this, you can follow the steps below.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + S on your computer and search for Device Manager.

Step 2. After that, click on Open to launch the Device Manager.

search device manager

Step 3. Now, click on each device inside the Device Manager to expand it.

Step 4. Lastly, right-click on the device driver and click on Update. Follow the on-screen prompts to update your device drivers.

update microphone driver

Repeat the process above until you have updated all your device drivers. After that, restart your computer and observe if your system’s blue screen of death error still occurs.

On the other hand, if the issue continues, you can proceed to the following method below to try and fix the problem.

Method 2: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

Memory errors and problems on your computer can also cause the blue screen of death error on Windows. To rule out any issues relating to your RAM (Random Access Memory), you can try running Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, which effectively scans your RAM for any errors or problems.

Check out the steps below to guide you through the process.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + S on your computer and search for Windows Memory Diagnostic.

Step 2. Next, click on Run as an Administrator to launch Memory Diagnostic Tool with administrative privileges.

search windows memory diagnostic

Step 3. Lastly, click on the Restart Now and Check for Problems option.

windows memory diagnostic

After that, wait for your computer to reboot and complete the memory diagnostic scan.

A message log would be available for you to view to see if there are any problems with your RAM. If the results come back and your RAM has issues, you should replace it as soon as possible.

Method 3: Run SFC File Checker on Your Computer

If your computer runs into a blue screen of death error, it is possible that some of your system files got corrupted during an update or while using it. If some of these system files are corrupted, then Windows won’t be able to operate normally and will encounter errors.

To fix this, you can use the SFC scan command to check for corrupted system files and attempt to repair them.

Step 1. Press Windows Key + S on your computer and search for Command Prompt.

Step 2. After that, click on Run as an Administrator to open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges.

run command prompt administrator

Step 3. Lastly, inside the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and hit Enter.

sfc scan

Now, wait for the scan to finish, then restart your computer. Use it for a few minutes and observe if the blue screen of death error message is still occurring on your computer.

Method 4: Check for Windows Updates

Another reason for a blue screen of death on your computer is that the current version of Windows has a bug that causes it to slow down and run into an error. Windows is already aware of this issue and might roll out an update soon to address the issue.

To fix this, you can try checking Windows for an update once in a while to see if they would address the issue.

Step 1. On your computer, press the Windows Key to open the Start Menu.

Step 2. After that, click on the Gear icon on the Start Menu to launch the Windows Settings.

restart computer

Step 3. Now, inside Windows Settings, click on Update & Security.

windows update and security

Step 4. Lastly, click on the Windows Update tab, which will automatically check for any update available on your operating system.

check updates

Follow the on-screen prompts to install the Update on your computer correctly. Now, restart your computer and observe if the BSOD error would still occur on your computer after installing the latest Windows update.

On the other hand, if the error message still appears, you can try doing the last method below to solve the issue on your computer.

Method 5: Run Windows Check Disk

Try running a check disk scan using the command prompt. CHCKDSK is a system tool for windows that scans system files and checks their logical integrity. It is possible that your hard drive encountered an error or has a problem that causes Windows not to load correctly.

Step 1:  Press the Windows key + S and search for Command Prompt.

run command prompt administrator

Step 2: Right-click on the command prompt and run it as Administrator.

Step 3:  A pop-up screen will appear; Click Yes.

Step 4:  Type “chckdsk” in the command prompt and press enter

chkdsk command

Now, wait for the scan to finish running on your computer and reboot your system. After that, use it usually to see if the issue is still occurring on your computer.

On the other hand, if the issue still occurs on your computer, the last resort would be to reinstall a fresh copy of Windows on your computer.

Shayne Sherman
Meet the author

Shayne is an expert on all things Microsoft Windows and computer security. As a Windows user of over 30 years, he has been featured on Business Insider, Yahoo, Tech Republic, Hacker Noon, Techopedia, and many other publications. Aside from entertaining at his home theater, he enjoys spending time with his family, including his English bulldog, Fergie.