This is a common and generic computer error, commonly known as the blue screen of death. The following article will tell you everything about this error: What it means, how to find out what the specific problem is on your PC, and how to fix it.
What is “Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart” error?
Above is a picture of the error screen “Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart”. It’s often called the blue screen of death (or BSOD) error!
The accompanying content can be “We’ll restart for you” or “We’re just collecting some error info, and then we’ll restart for you”.
This error screen usually occurs when the computer shuts down or restarts unexpectedly, or if something is preventing the computer from starting.
At the top of the screen is a sad face, followed by the problem message. Followed by a line that reads:
For more information about this issue and possible fixes, visit https://www.windows.com/stopcode
The most interesting part of this screen is at the bottom, where it lists a stop code. In this example, the stop code is BAD_SYIUS_CONFIG_INFO. Your case may be something different. Stop code is an identifier that helps understand why you are getting this error.
You should write down this stop code for future reference. If you’re in an organization, show this stop code to an administrator so they can help diagnose the problem.
If you are a home user, contact Microsoft support, follow the automated help, then when connected to a support agent you can give them this stop code.
There are hundreds of possible stop code errors. Some other examples are:
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION
How to fix “Your PC Ran Into a Problem and Needs to Restart” error
1. Try disconnecting the newly added peripherals
Have you recently plugged in a new external hard drive, mouse, keyboard, or similar device into your computer? If so, this could be causing the problem.
2. Boot into Safe Mode and then boot normally
Safe Mode is a Windows diagnostic mode. It boots your PC with minimal required programs and services. In Safe Mode, you can fix some system related problems by uninstalling incompatible software/drivers, deleting problematic files, removing viruses, etc.
3. Check the drive
Checking the drive is like running the CHKDSK command, which is used to fix errors like bad sectors and file system errors. If “Your PC Ran Into a Problem and Needs to Restart” appears with “INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE“, it may be due to a file system error on the hard drive.
Step 1. Go to “This PC“. Right-click the drive and select Properties.
Step 2. Go to the Tools tab and click Check > Scan drive.
4. Set aside enough space for the system drive
Windows operating system and some installed applications need enough free space to work properly.
5. Check the system log in Event Viewer
Checking the system log in Event Viewer is very useful to find the culprit of the “Your PC Ran Into a Problem” error in Windows, especially for a problematic device or driver.
Step 1. Click Start and enter event viewer.
Step 2. Right click on “Event Viewer” and select “Run as administrator”.
Step 3. Expand “Windows Logs” and select “System”.
Step 4. Check for errors and correct them according to the information provided.
6. Uninstall recently added software
Software that you download and install may cause unexpected problems. If you get this blue screen error after installing something recently, you should get rid of it. This can often happen with anti-virus software.
7. Roll back to previous driver version
To do this, press the Win+X key and click Device Manager. This tool shows categories like Display adapters and Monitors, which you can double-click to expand and see the devices inside.
Right-click a device and select Properties > Driver. Look at the Driver Date, as this will tell you when the driver was last updated. If that date coincides with when you started having problems, click Roll Back Driver (if available) or Uninstall Device (the device will reinstall when you reboot).
8. Update Windows 10
Windows 10 will update automatically, but there may be an update in the download queue that hasn’t been processed.
Keeping Windows 10 up to date is important because it means you’ll benefit from the latest features and fixes.
9. Check hardware components
- If it’s a desktop computer you can try disassembling and cleaning the components to see if that fixes the problem.
- If you are using a laptop or are not familiar with electronic components, do not disassemble your computer yourself. At that time, you need to go to computer repair centers for hardware check support.
Goodluck for You!
