Posted by GeniusMind | Updated August 2025

Have you experienced a sudden blue screen on your Windows PC, followed by an unexpected restart? This is what’s known as the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) — a serious error that causes your system to crash.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to fix BSOD errors caused by software issues, even if Windows won’t load. We’ll also help you understand when the problem might be hardware-related — and what to do next.

🔵 What Is a BSOD?

A Blue Screen of Death (also known as a stop error) is a critical system error that forces your computer to shut down or restart. It often displays messages like:

CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

These errors can be caused by either software corruption or hardware failure. This article focuses on software-related solutions. If you suspect a hardware problem, stay tuned for our next post (linked at the end).

🔁 What to Do Right After a BSOD

✅ Step 1: Let Your PC Restart

In most cases, after the blue screen appears, your PC will automatically restart.
But if it doesn’t:

👉 Press and hold the power button for 10 to 15 seconds until the PC turns off.
Then, press the power button again to manually restart your computer.

If your PC boots into Windows normally, follow the steps below.

🧑‍💻 Fixing BSOD If Windows Loads Successfully

If you're able to access the Windows desktop:

🟢 Step 2: Run System File Checker (SFC)

Press Windows + R on your keyboard
Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter
(This opens Command Prompt as administrator)
In the Command Prompt window, type:

sfc /scannow

Press Enter and let it run.
This command will scan your system files and automatically repair any corrupted or missing files.

⏳ This process can take several minutes. Do not close the window until it completes.

🛠️ Step 3: Use DISM to Repair the Windows Image

If sfc doesn't fix everything, try this deeper repair tool:


DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This command connects to Windows Update and repairs the core Windows image that could be causing errors.

⚠️ What If Windows Won’t Boot?

If you see the BSOD every time you turn on your PC, and Windows does not load at all:

🔧 Step 1: Trigger Recovery Mode

Turn your PC on
As it starts loading, force it to shut down again by holding the power button
Repeat this process 3 times
On the 4th attempt, Windows will automatically enter the Recovery Environment (WinRE).

🟢 Step 2: Open Command Prompt from Recovery

In WinRE, go to:
- Advanced Options > Command Prompt
Now type this command:


sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows

This runs the System File Checker from outside of Windows, which can help resolve boot issues.

🛠️ Step 3: Check Disk Health

Run this command next:

chkdsk C: /f /r

This checks your hard drive for bad sectors and repairs them.

🛠️ Step 4: Run DISM from Recovery


DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This performs a deeper fix from outside the Windows environment.

🧪 Still Having Issues? It Might Be Hardware

If these commands don't fix the BSOD — or if you're seeing error codes related to memory, disk, or power — it could be a hardware failure.

🔧 Common hardware causes of BSOD:

Failing RAM
Faulty SSD or HDD
Overheating CPU or GPU
Damaged motherboard or power supply

👇 Stay tuned for our next article and video:

👉 How to Identify and Troubleshoot Hardware-Related BSOD Errors

We’ll walk you through step-by-step diagnostics using tools like:

MemTest86 for RAM
CrystalDiskInfo and SMART tools for SSD/HDD
BIOS hardware tests
And more

🔗 Need More Help?

Visit our full guide on the GeniusMind blog:
Every Command Explained – BSOD Troubleshooting Center (link this to your real blog post)

You'll find:

All the commands above explained in detail
Screenshots for each step
Downloadable tools and checklists
Help for both beginners and advanced users

🎥 Watch the Video

For visual learners, we’ve created a full step-by-step video guide on our GeniusMind YouTube channel.

👉 Watch: Fix Blue Screen on Windows – Step-by-Step Guide (insert YouTube link)

And don’t forget to Subscribe — our next video will teach you how to deal with BSOD caused by faulty hardware.

✅ Summary

Problem	Solution
BSOD with normal reboot	Run `sfc /scannow` and `DISM` in Windows
BSOD before boot	Use Recovery Mode to run offline repair commands
Disk corruption	Use `chkdsk /f /r`
Hardware issues	Stay tuned for Part 2: Diagnosing Hardware Faults