What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
A year of recurring blue-screen crashes does not point to one diagnosis. Microsoft says unexpected restarts can stem from hardware, a device driver, or software. The exact stop code and any module named after “What failed” can help narrow the investigation, but neither proves the cause on its own. These steps apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11.
What a year of BSODs does—and does not—tell you
A blue screen, also called a stop-code error or bug check, is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. The length of time it has been happening does not identify the failed component. Microsoft lists hardware, drivers, and software among possible causes of unexpected restarts. See Microsoft’s stop-code troubleshooting guidance and its overview of Blue Screen errors.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Because no stop code, crash dump, computer model, or diagnostic result is available here, it is not possible to identify a root cause or promise a particular fix. Start by collecting the error details, then test plausible causes one change at a time.
What to record at the next crash
Write down the exact stop code shown on screen and, if present, the module name following “What failed.” Also note what you were doing, whether the crash occurs under the same conditions, and any hardware, driver, application, or Windows changes made around the time the problem started. A code or module can direct attention toward a device or software component, but requires further evidence to establish responsibility.
#1 Best Overall
- CEL Doctor: The ANCEL AD310 is one of the best-selling OBD II scanners on the market and is recommended by Scotty Kilmer, a YouTuber and auto mechanic. It can easily determine the cause of the check engine light coming on. After repairing the vehicle's problems, it can quickly read and clear diagnostic trouble codes of emission system, read live data & hard memory data, view freeze frame, I/M monitor readiness and collect vehicle information
- Sturdy and Compact: Equipped with a 2.5 foot cable made of very thick, flexible insulation. It is important to have a sturdy scanner as it can easily fall to the ground when working in a car. The AD310 OBD2 scanner is a well-constructed mechanic tool with a sleek design. It weighs 12 ounces and measures 8.9 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches. Thanks to its compact design and light weight, transporting the device is not a problem. The buttons are clearly labelled and the screen is large and displays results clearly
- Accurate Fast and Easy to Use: The AD310 scanner can help you or your mechanic understand if your car is in good condition, provides exceptionally accurate and fast results, reads and clears engine trouble emission codes in seconds after you fixed the problem. This device will let you know immediately and fix the problem right away without any car knowledge. No need for batteries or a charger, get power directly from the OBDII Data Link Connector in your vehicle
- OBDII Protocols and Car Compatibility: Many cheap scan tools do not really support all OBD2 protocols. AD310 scanner as it can support all OBDII protocols such as KWP2000, J1850 VPW, ISO9141, J1850 PWM and CAN. This device also has extensive vehicle compatibility with 1996 US-based, 2000 EU-based and Asian cars, light trucks, SUVs, as well as newer OBD2 and CAN vehicles both domestic and foreign. Pls confirm with our customer service whether it is compatible with your vehicle before purchasing
- Home Necessity and Worthy to Own: This is an excellent code reader to travel or home with as it weighs less and it is compact in design. You can easily slide it in your backpack as you head to the garage, or put it on the dashboard, this will be a great fit for you. The AD310 is not only portable, but also accurate and fast in performance. Moreover, it covers various car brands and is suitable for people who just need a code reader to check their car
Work through the least disruptive checks first
- Undo a recent hardware addition. If the crashes began after you installed a device, shut down the PC, remove that hardware, and check whether the problem continues.
- Use Safe Mode if Windows will not stay running. Start Windows in Safe Mode, then continue troubleshooting. Microsoft includes Safe Mode among its recommended steps for persistent stop-code errors.
- Check Device Manager. Look for devices marked with a warning. Update the relevant driver; if that does not help, disabling or uninstalling the device can help test whether it is involved. Use Windows Update or the PC/device manufacturer’s driver source when a driver update is indicated.
- Check free disk space. Microsoft gives 10%–15% free space as a general rule of thumb for stop-code troubleshooting, while noting that the amount needed depends on the system configuration. It is guidance, not a universal threshold.
- Install available Windows updates. If the crashes started after a recent update, driver, or application change and the earlier checks do not resolve them, consider an appropriate recovery option rather than repeatedly making unrelated changes.
Microsoft’s troubleshooting steps cover hardware removal, Safe Mode, Device Manager, disk space, and Windows updates.
Use logs and diagnostics to gather evidence
- Event Viewer: Check the system log for errors around the time of a crash. Nearby events may provide useful context, but an event appearing at the same time does not by itself prove it caused the crash.
- Windows Memory Diagnostic: Run the built-in memory test if memory is a concern. A test result is one piece of evidence, not a complete diagnosis of every possible BSOD cause.
- Memory dumps: If you are comfortable with advanced troubleshooting, analyze available crash dumps. Their contents can help focus an investigation; a dump is not guaranteed to identify the root cause without interpretation.
These evidence-gathering options are described in Microsoft’s Blue Screen error guidance.
Rank #2
- 【1】*** MUST see the 3rd pictures in listing that highlights the correct PCI slots to work ***. Using this kit wrongly on motherboard other PCIe port is not the reason of "Doesn't Work". Please make sure the motherboard has PCI slot before placing the order. The Large Desktop PC motherboard diagnostic card is NOT a PCIe card but a Standard PCI card. If the PC has PCIe express slots only, please see my other listing with the "V8 PCIe Diagnostic Kit" instead. ***DO NOT push the Wrong pins with excess force to avoid issue. MUST MAKE SURE PSU 4 / 6 / 8 pin power connector pins match and fit to the tester exact same 4, 6, 8 pins CORRECTLY although the PSU tester is fault tolerant and preventive.
- 【2】This starter kit comes with 1 large PCI test board and 1 small laptop test board for the old desktop PCs and old laptops diagnosis respectively. The large test board comes with【BIOS SPEAKER】to get the desktop PC motherboard Bios beep codes. The 【motherboard power switch cable】is nice to quick check the sticky or damaged PC motherboard power switch button and cable causing no power ON issue. The【the Anti Static Wrist Strap】is a plus to help discharge static during the PC repairs. The 【ATX PSU tester】in this kit is either Blue or Black Color with EXACT same features to quick test the 20/24 pins PC ATX PSUs.
- 【3】Nice starter kit for old computers no Power On / Auto Power OFF / no POST / no Display / no Boot ...etc. diagnosis. No need to swap Known Good Parts in the computer repairs. Save time and money!! All parts are packed well and stored neatly in a nice 【Portable Carrying Storage Case】. A overall great starter kit to add to our tool boxes! Great for computer class learning and old PCs quick troubleshooting needs as well.
- 【4】Please see the listing for the instruction PDFs. *****【On the listing page】, scroll down to after the "Product Information" table the "Product guides and documents" section, BOTH the pictorial "User Guide (PDF)" and the "User Manual (PDF)" are needed. *****. ***** Besides, please DO NOT discard the ITEM PACKING Included Paper Manual Note Printout since that also contains the complete Instruction folder info!!! *****
- 【5】Online Easy Guide and Pictorial Manuals to guide step by step with complete list of codes description. Downloadable manuals to stay updated. Welcome to conact if any question or need helps. Quality Genuine Computer Hardware Diagnostic Test Starter Kit with Free Lifetime Customer Service Supports from 29 years professional computer hardware work experienced seller.
Interpret common stop codes cautiously
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR
Microsoft describes this stop error as appearing when a hardware error occurs. That points the investigation toward hardware, but the code alone does not tell you which component failed. Microsoft recommends checking Windows Update and updating an implicated device driver where indicated; if a recent update, driver, or app may be responsible, System Restore or Startup Repair may be appropriate. See Microsoft’s WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR guidance.
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0xA)
Microsoft says this error typically occurs when a driver or system memory accesses invalid memory. Faulty or outdated drivers, memory issues, and hardware problems are possible causes, not conclusions about a particular PC. Driver and memory checks can help investigate; see Microsoft’s 0xA troubleshooting guidance.
Rank #3
- It has the characteristics of intuitive and accurate voltage (+/-0.01V) LCD display, automatic error alarm, complete test interface, compact and beautiful appearance and multiple test functions, which is a fast detection of PC power supply. It's your most reliable helper.
- The power tester can easily and intuitively detect whether the output of each circuit of the power supply is normal by connecting the ATX connector of the power supply.
- Power Star Power Tester is a powerful power tester that can detect ATX, BTX, ITX, TFX computer power supply and can display the voltage and PG value of each group on LCD to quickly detect the computer power supply and facilitate the instrument.
- Any voltage or PG problem alerts and displays the voltage value, which solves the problem that a group of first generation low voltage testers cannot be tested! It is very convenient and is a rare recognition tool for power sales personnel and companies!
- Features: LCD displays output voltage, PG and other parameters. If the parameters exceed the normal value, the buzzer gives a warning signal and the corresponding value flashes.
Protect your files before using recovery options
Back up important files before attempting Windows recovery. Microsoft warns that some recovery choices can cause data loss and advises starting with the least disruptive option suited to the situation. What is appropriate depends in part on whether Windows still starts or the PC is trapped in a restart loop; a long history of BSODs alone is not a reason to jump straight to reset or reinstall. See Microsoft’s recovery options for Windows.
Do not replace RAM or buy a generic driver utility based only on recurring blue screens. The built-in diagnostics, targeted driver checks, and crash evidence should come first; without results pointing to a failed component, a hardware purchase is not justified.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 【Diagnose Check Engine Light in Seconds – No Mechanic Needed】The FOXWELL NT301 OBD2 scanner instantly reads & clears engine fault codes (DTCs) with one click. Simply plug into the 16-pin DLC port, turn ignition on, and get accurate results within seconds—No prior car knowledge required. Save hundreds on dealership fees by knowing exactly what’s wrong before you visit a shop. The #1 choice car scanner for DIYers and car owners who want to take control of their vehicle’s health
- 【Clear & Reset CEL with Confidence】Unlike cheap code readers that just erase codes temporarily, NT301 works like all professional vehicle code readers: It clears the check engine light only after you’ve fixed the underlying issue. If the problem isn’t fully repaired, the fault code will reappear. So you’ll never get a false pass. Use the foxwell scanner to verify your repair work and drive with peace of mind
- 【Sm-og Check Helper – Know Your Pass/Fail Status Before the Test】With dedicated one-click I/M readiness hotkeys and a simple Red-Yellow-Green LED indicator, you’ll instantly know if your vehicle is ready for annual testing. Built-in speaker provides clear audio feedback. No guesswork—just confidence before you head to the test center. One less thing to worry about when inspection day comes
- 【Advanced OBDII Modes – O- 2 Sensor & EVAP Testing】NT301 go beyond basic code reading with enhanced OBD2 modes. Run an EVAP system check to assess fuel tank condition, and use the O- 2 sensor test to optimize air-fuel ratio, boosting fuel economy, cutting em- issions, and saving you money at the pump. The code reader for cars and trucks is like having a mini em-issions lab in your glove box
- 【Live Data Graphing – Spot Engine Issues in Real Time】View and log live sensor data in easy-to-read graphs with this OBD2 scanner diagnostic tool. Monitor ox- ygen sensors, fuel trims, coolant temperature, RPM, and more to spot suspicious values instantly. This obd scanner gives you professional-grade insight without the pro price tag—a feature you won’t find on basic $20 car code readers
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Recommended Free Tools
