How to Fix PC Randomly Blue Screening while Gaming (BSOD)

Why Does My PC Keep Blue Screening When Playing Games?

Your PC keeps showing a blue screen when you are playing games because of  corrupt drivers, malware or loose RAM sticks. A blue screen of death is commonly known as a fatal system error or stop error. 

 

Possible Causes 

• New programs or drivers
• Corrupt system files
• Virus or malware
• Old programs or drivers
• BIOS
• Failing hardware
• Small storage space
• Loose hardware/cables

 

New Programs Or Drivers

If you have recently installed a program, delete it. The BSOD error may be caused by this new program. It is also true for updated drivers. In case you have updated the drivers, you should roll it back to revert to its original pre-update version to fix the issue of a blue screen.

 

Corrupt System Files

Buggy updates are one of the leading causes of corrupt system files. Microsoft inadvertently sends such updates. In most cases, the company sends an update to fix the damage. However, if it is not available, you should consider uninstalling the updates. Going with a System Restore is a good option to deal with the problem.

 

Virus Or Malware

Viruses can seep into your system at any time. These viruses disrupt the smooth operation of applications and lead to frequent BSOD errors and crashes. It is best to install an anti-virus program to keep the system safe from any malicious attacks. 

 

Old Programs Or Drivers

Sometimes “old” programs or drivers cause your PC to show the stop error. Uninstalling them and replacing them with their latest versions is a good way to end the problem of BSOD.

 

BIOS

Outdated BIOS is rare, and most of the time, it works well. However, BIOS incompatibility does lead to blue screen errors.

 

Failing Hardware

Hardware that is near its useful life may lead to BSOD error. Running a hardware diagnostic test is a good way of analyzing the problem. The problem could be the motherboard, hard drive, or RAM. Replace the component which is causing the problem.

 

Small Storage Space

If the PC’s internal storage is low, it could cause various problems. Deleting unnecessary files may help resolve the issue. Create enough space for the new program before installing it to avoid crashes.

 

Loose Hardware/Cables

Loose cables, badly seated RAM sticks, etc., can lead to BDOS errors. It is better to check that all the hardware is firmly plugged in, and if you have any doubts, the best thing is to unplug all components and replug them.

 

 

How Do You Fix The Blue Screen Of Death BSOD?

To fix the BSOD problem, users must download the latest hardware drivers. Removing memory cards and sticks is a tested way to resolve the problem. 

 

Here are some methods that can help you resolve the problem:

Upgrade Graphics Card [Method 1]

1. Go to Control Panel.
2. Click System and Security.
3. Choose Device Manager.
4. Scroll down and see the drive, Graphics Card. 
5. Double-click on it.
6. Tap on the Driver tab and click Update.
7. Click on the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option to update the latest drivers.

 

Clean Boot [Method 2]

1. Click Start.
2. Type MSConfig.
3. Select “System Configuration”.
4. Select the “Hide all Microsoft services” box that you will find under the Services button and click on the Disable all button.
5. Click Open Task Manager, which you will find under the Startup tab.
6. In the Task Manager, select the items and click Disable.
7. Click OK on the Startup tab.

 

This will restart the computer, and the program will likely be resolved.

If it doesn’t, you can keep trying the following steps:

 

Change Power Settings [Method 3]

1. Click Power Options on Control Panel.
2. Select Change Plan Settings.
3. Choose “Change Advanced Power Settings”.
4. Under PCI express, turn off Link State Power Management in “Plugged in” and “On battery”.

 

Clean Up Viruses [Method 4]

Another easy method of fixing the issue is to run the anti-virus program and see if there are any corrupted files. Fix them to resolve the BSOD issue.

 

Use SFC Scan [Method 5]

1. In the Windows search bar, type cmd.
2. Select “Run as Administrator” in Command Prompt.
3. Type SFC/scannow and then hit Enter.
4. Let the process begin.
5. Once the process is completed, close Command Prompt.
6. Restart your computer.

The issue would be resolved by now.

 

System Restore [Method 6]

You should do a quick system restore if all else fails to solve the issue. For that:

1. Go to the Windows search bar and look for “Create a restore point”.
2. Choose System Restore.
3. Click Next – that will appear twice.
4. Select Restore.
5. Tap on Scan.
6. The process will start.
7. Click Next when it ends.
8. Tap Finish.

 

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Error Codes?

You will see one of many Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error codes when your PC crashes.

 

Error Code	Error Name	Meaning
0x0000009F	Power setting issue	It shows the driver is inconsistent or in an invalid power state
0x00000050	Page fault in nonpaged area	This shows that your memory address is wrong
0×40000080	Dust error	There are some faults in the hardware drivers
0x000000FE	Memory and graphics card issue	This error occurs because of a race condition in the Usbccgp component
0x00000073	Vista error	It indicates that the core system hives are unable to link in the registry tree
0x0000001A	Memory related error	This shows that there is a memory management error in your system.

 

BSOD Memory Management While Gaming

The BSOD memory management error occurs while gaming when your system has severe memory management issues. Memory management is a process through which a system controls memory use. It frees up memory whenever you close a program.

 

Several third-party tools like BlueScreenView and WhoCrashed help you identify the root causes of the problems.

 

Some possible causes of the problem are:

• Faulty memory
• Virus infection
• Corrupted system files

 

To fix the problem, you can try the following fixes:

1. Update the video card driver
2. Run a disk check
3. Use Windows memory diagnostic tool
4. Rollback after an update
5. Run SFC scan
6. Scan for viruses or other potential malware
7. Go with a System Restore

 

Why Do I Get TheBSOD When Launching A Game?

You can get the BSOD message on your PC when launching games because of corrupt system files, small storage space, BIOS, loose cables/hardware, or old programs acting up. 

 

To fix the issue:

1. Use system restore
2. Boot into Safe mode and troubleshoot
3. Check for hardware problems
4. Installed updated drivers
5. Reinstall Windows

 

Why Is My Computer Blue Screening And Crashing When Installing Games?

The reason your computer is blue screening and crashing when installing games is because it possibly has corrupted drivers or incompatible graphics drivers. This may cause a blue screen erroror result in frequent crashes.

 

To fix the issue:

• Simultaneously hold Windows + Shift + Ctrl + B buttons to restart the graphics driver

 

In case this doesn’t help:

1. Hold Windows + X keys
2. Tap on Device Manager
3. Choose Display adapters
4. Find the Current Display Adapter button and right-click on it
5. Choose Properties
6. Select Driver
7. Choose Rollback driver

 

Why Do I Get TheBSOD When Downloading Steam Games?

You’re getting the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) when downloading steam games because you don’t have administrative access. 

 

This issue can be fixed by:

1. Unplugging the computer chord and replugging them.
2. Refreshing your Steam client files.
3. Opening up your cmd.exe and typing SFC/scannow.
4. Pressing the Windows and R keys.
5. Now type “msconfig”.
6. Tap on the Service button and choose “Hide All Microsoft Services”.
7. Choose “Disable All”.
8. Click Apply.
9. Restart your PC.

 

Why Am I Getting A Blue Screen While Playing Games On Windows 10?

The reason you are getting a blue screen while playing games on Windows 10 is because you haven’t installed recent updates – you can head to Windows Settings to check for updates.

 

You can also try the following steps: 

1. Check for the anti-virus program on your PC to see if it is causing any crashes.
2. Get your hardware drivers checked for any issues.
3. Ensure that your PC’s specs are compatible with the game.

 

Why Am I Getting A Blue Screen While Playing Games On Windows 11?

The reason you are getting a blue screen while playing games on Windows 11 is that there are corrupted hardware drivers or corrupted system files on your PC. Even though timely troubleshooting is required, you can restart the PC to see if that fixes the issue. 

 

If it doesn’t, follow this:

1. Go to the Safe mode.
2. Click on the Start menu button.
3. Choose Power.
4. Click on Restart while simultaneously holding the Shift button.
5. Wait for the reboot, which will take you to another menu.
6. Now go to Advanced options.
7. Select Troubleshoot.

 

Why Am I Getting BSOD When Launching Fortnite?

The reason you are getting a blue screen when launching Fortnite is that it has the Battleye anti-cheat software included in it. This means that any recent updates in the software will affect the smooth operations of the game.

 

To fix the issue:

1. Access C:\ProgramFiles\EpicGames\Fortnite\Binaries\Win64\BattlEye.
2. Choose Uninstall_BattlEye.bat file.
3. Tap on the Install_BattlEye.bat file.

 

Note: the “C:\” location is not the same for all PCs. You will have to navigate the device where you have installed the game.

 

Why Am I Getting BSOD When Launching Minecraft?

The reason you are getting BSOD when launching Minecraft is because your Windows isn’t updated.

 

1. Click on the Windows logo that appears on the bottom pane of the screen.
2. Click on Settings and then choose Windows Update from the left pane.
3. Choose Check for Updates to see that everything is up to date.
4. Also ensure that your audio and graphics card drivers are updated.
5. Check your anti-virus software to see whether it is blocking your game.
6. Fully reset the games and launcher settings.

 

Why Am I Getting BSOD When Launching League of Legends?

The reason you are getting BSOD when launching League of Legends is because the game hasn’t been downloaded completely or the file is corrupted. Any graphics cards incompatible with the game may also lead to a blue screen.

 

To fix it:

1. Uninstall the game.
2. Reinstall it while making sure that you are on the latest patch.
3. All the in-game graphics-related settings should be set to minimum.

 

Why Am I Getting BSOD When Launching Valorant?

The reason you are getting BSOD when launching Valorant is that the game file is corrupt or hasn’t downloaded properly. If this isn’t the case, try finding out if you have an outdated graphics card.

 

To fix the issue:

1. Allow access to the Vgk.sys file.
2. Press Windows + E keys and hold it until the File Explorer folder opens.
3. Go to C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard.
4. Right click on the VGC.sys file and choose “Properties”.
5. Click on the Security option.
6. Tap Edit.
7. Select the first group.
8. Choose the Full Control option.
9. Choose Apply and then OK.