A stop code or the name shown beside “What failed” can point toward a driver, but neither proves that the driver caused the crash. To investigate, compare the crash with recent changes and Windows logs, inspect any crash dump, then test a plausible suspect with a reversible change. Use Driver Verifier only for targeted, advanced troubleshooting because it can trigger more crashes.
What a BSOD message can—and cannot—tell you
Windows blue screens are also called stop-code errors, bug checks, or stop errors. Record the stop code and any file or module named after “What failed” before restarting. These details help narrow the search, but the cause could be a device, its driver, related software, or other hardware. Microsoft’s support guidance puts it plainly: “A hardware device, its driver, or software might have caused this error.” Microsoft’s blue-screen guidance treats the message as a starting point for troubleshooting, not a definitive diagnosis.
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Start with recent changes and built-in Windows checks
1. Note what changed before the crashes
Write down when the crashes began and whether you had recently installed or updated a driver, connected hardware, installed software, or changed a service. A change that repeatedly precedes the same crash is more useful than a single coincidence; avoid assuming that the newest driver is automatically at fault.
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2. Check Device Manager
Open Device Manager and look for devices marked with a warning. Inspect the device associated with the suspected driver and review its events for relevant problems. A warning or event is a clue to follow up, not proof that the device caused the blue screen.
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3. Compare the System log with the crash time
Open Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs > System, and examine errors around the time of the crash. Events close to the crash can help identify a device or driver to investigate. They do not, by themselves, establish what caused the stop error.
Use a crash dump for deeper evidence
If Windows saved a dump, analyze it with WinDbg. Microsoft’s dump-analysis guidance describes using !analyze to inspect stop-code details and examine modules involved in the crash. Small memory dumps are typically stored in %SystemRoot%Minidump; because they contain less information than larger dumps, they may not provide enough evidence to identify the root cause.
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Look at dump findings alongside the stop code, recent changes, and event timing. A module named in analysis is a lead for investigation, not automatic proof that its driver is defective.
Test a plausible driver change safely
If the evidence points toward a recently changed driver or device, use a reversible test where possible. Depending on the situation, roll back the driver, temporarily disable the device, or uninstall the suspect driver or device. Then observe whether the same crash returns. Change one plausible cause at a time so the result is interpretable; if the crash stops, that supports the suspicion but does not rule out related software or hardware.
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If Windows will not start normally
Use Safe Mode to troubleshoot from a reduced-driver and reduced-service environment. If the system is stable there, that is useful context, but it does not identify a particular driver on its own. From Safe Mode, investigate recent changes and use an appropriate rollback or removal step for the suspected device or driver.
Use Driver Verifier only for targeted advanced diagnosis
Driver Verifier can stress drivers to expose faulty behavior, but it can also make the computer significantly slower and provoke additional crashes. It is not a first check, and you should not verify every driver at once. Use it only when you have a specific suspicious or recently changed driver to test and a recovery route if Windows becomes difficult to start.
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How to weigh the evidence
- Stop code or “What failed” name: quick clues that help focus the investigation; not conclusive proof.
- Device Manager and Event Viewer: accessible built-in checks that can connect a device or event to the crash window, but may not reveal the root cause.
- WinDbg and a useful dump: more technical analysis with deeper bug-check and module information; a small dump may be limited.
- Driver Verifier: a targeted advanced test with meaningful performance and crash risk.
Microsoft publishes more than one broad estimate for stop-error causes on its troubleshooting page: one section estimates 70% are due to third-party driver code, 10% to hardware, 5% to Microsoft code, and 15% unknown because memory is too corrupted to analyze; another separately says about 75% are caused by faulty drivers. Microsoft does not state a year for these figures on the retrieved page. They are different estimates, not a combined breakdown or a reliable probability for any one computer’s crash.
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