Stay calm, and don't worry about losing your files if your computer fails to boot while playing a game, and you're shown a Blue Screen of Death error message or an error code, such as the ones below:

    • 0x0000009F (Power supply issue)
    • 0x00000050, 0x40000080 (Dust-related issue)
    • 0x000000FE, 0x000000124 (Memory and graphics card issue)
    • 0x0000007E, 0x0000008E, 0x00000073, 0x000000116 (Driver issue)
    • 0x0000000A, 0x0000001A, 0x000000EA, 0x000000BE, 0x000000D1, 0x000000FC (Driver issue)

Blue Screen error on a Windows PC

If your computer is experiencing the same issue or error, don't worry. Here, we'll provide five solutions to fix it and help you recover lost files with data recovery software like the Data Recovery Wizard Pro.

Part 1: Fix Blue Screen Errors When Starting or Playing Games

As you can see, the different blue screen error codes refer to different issues. But don't worry. Refer to the quick fixes and methods here to get rid of this error right away.

Quick fix: Restart your computer, and unplug and reseat the RAM and graphics card.

If you're experiencing a blue screen error for the first time while playing or launching a game, try these quick fixes:

1. Restart your computer.

2. Try reseating the memory or video card, or replace them.

Then, restart your PC and launch the game again to see if the issue still persists. If it does, don't worry. Proceed immediately to remove this error from your Windows 10, 8, or 7 computer by following the methods provided right here.

Method 1: Update your graphics card, chipset, and other important drivers

When the graphics card or chipset driver on a Windows 10, 8, or 7 computer is problematic, you might encounter a blue screen error. The best approach is to update all crucial drivers on your PC, including graphics, chipset, firmware, and so on:

Step 1: Click on "Control Panel," and then choose "System and Security."

Step 2: Under System, click Device Manager, and then find and double-click the hardware category – graphics card, computer chipset, even hard drive – in the list.

Step 3: Click the “Driver” tab, then click “Update Driver.”

Update drivers to fix the Blue Screen Error

Step 4: Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software” to let Windows search for and update the latest driver for the selected device.

Repeat this process for each driver, until you've updated them all. Restart your computer and see if the error has been eliminated.

Method 2: Perform a Clean Boot in Windows

We recommend that you perform a clean boot on your Windows computer first because a clean boot helps to determine whether a background program or game is affecting the performance of your computer.

Step 1: Click "Start," type msconfig in the search box, and then select "System Configuration."

Step 2: On the Services tab, check the Hide all Microsoft services check box, and then click Disable All.

Fix blue screen error with a clean boot

Step 3: Click Open Task Manager on the Startup tab.

Step 4: In the Task Manager's “Startup” tab, select an item and click “Disable.”

Step 5: Close the Task Manager, click "OK" on the "Startup" tab of the System Configuration window, and then restart your computer.

Step 6: After the computer restarts, check if the blue screen error is still present. Run the game and see if the same error occurs again.

If so, continue using the following methods to resolve the error.

Method 3: Repair Your BIOS Settings

Step 1: Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and delete all the files contained within this folder. Also, delete the $Windows.~BT folder located in the root of the C: drive.

Step 2: After deleting these files, restart your computer. Enter the BIOS (by pressing F12 or Delete during startup), and then enable UEFI boot.

Step 3: If you have overclocked your processor, reset all of the overclocking options to default.

Method 4: Change Your Power Settings

Step 1: Open the Control Panel, click on "Power Options," and then select "Change plan settings."

Step 2: Click on “Change advanced power settings.”

Step 3: Under PCI Express, set Link State Power Management to Off for both Connected and Battery settings.

Fix a blue screen error by changing power settings.

Method 5: Remove and Clean Malware, Viruses

Malware, viruses, or unknown viruses can also cause blue screen errors on a Windows computer. You can run an antivirus or malware removal tool on your computer to remove any viruses or malware.

You can try CCleaner or some other highly-rated virus cleanup tool online.

Note: If an antivirus tool detects a file as infected with a virus or malware, it might remove the file entirely to eliminate the threat, which can result in significant data loss.

If you are dealing with a lost file, stay calm and try not to make any changes to the device or computer. Proceed with the recovery process as soon as possible in Part 2.

Part 2: Recover Files After Blue Screen Error

By now, you should have successfully fixed the blue screen of death error on your computer. However, methods like Method 5 can lead to data loss issues on your computer.

If you lost files from your computer, don't worry. Professional data recovery software – tools Data Recovery Wizard can help you deeply scan and retrieve all lost data from the blue screen or any other issues on your PC:

Just download it, and follow the instructions to restore your lost files from your computer in 3 simple steps.

Step one: Choose a location.

Launch the Data Recovery Wizard program, and select the disk where you lost your data on your computer.

Select the partition from your computer you want to recover

Step 2: Click on "Scan".

Just be patient and wait for it to end.

Scan your computer to find the data you need

Step 3: Click Restore.

Locate the necessary files or data and proceed with recovery.

Recover data from your computer

Here are some tips to help you find the data you need: 1. Define your objective: Determine the type of data you're looking for and specific details, such as statistics, research reports, articles, images, etc. 2. Use search engines: Utilize search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo with precise keywords to locate your data. For instance, if searching for global population data, enter "global population statistics." 3. Specialist databases: Access academic or industry-specific databases like PubMed (medicine), JSTOR (academic articles), or World Bank (economic data). 4. Government websites: Many government agencies publish official data, such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or China's National Bureau of Statistics. 5. Academic journals: Look for scholarly articles related to your topic, which often include detailed research data. 6. Social media and forums: Search platforms like Twitter, Reddit, or LinkedIn for public opinions and trends. 7. Datasets and repositories: Platforms like Kaggle, Data.gov, or UN Data offer extensive collections of open datasets. 8. Libraries and archives: For historical or specialized data, libraries and archives can be invaluable resources. 9. Citation tracking: Examine references in literature to discover additional relevant data sources. 10. Stay updated: Subscribe to newsletters or RSS feeds in your field to stay current with the latest data. Remember to verify the reliability of sources and respect copyright and usage terms when using data.

Filter – Click this option to quickly find the file you need.

Search - search for it by file name or type.

Attach file – Click this option if you've lost the name or path of a file.