SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED: Windows Blue Screen Fix

Quick answer

The Windows stop code SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (0x0000007E) means: A system thread caused an error that was not handled, usually because of a driver. If it happened once, restart and keep an eye on it. If the blue screen repeats, follow the steps below; it is usually fixed by updating or removing a driver or program.

Before you start: note the stop code shown on the blue screen. If Windows will not start normally, it usually opens Automatic Repair after two failed starts; from there choose Advanced options to reach Safe Mode or System Restore.

Is it serious? Can I keep using my PC?

Severity: Medium

If it happened once, restart and keep an eye on it. If the blue screen repeats, follow the steps below; it is usually fixed by updating or removing a driver or program.

Common causes

Faulty, outdated or incompatible driver
Graphics card driver problem
Recent Windows or driver update

How to fix it

Restart the PC. If the blue screen happened only once and does not return, no further action is usually needed
Find the faulting driver: check Event Viewer and the dump files in C:\Windows\Minidump
Update or roll back the driver of the faulting device in Device Manager (look for yellow warning icons)
Install the latest Windows updates
Clean-install the latest graphics driver from the GPU maker (NVIDIA, AMD or Intel)
Start Windows in Safe Mode (Advanced startup) and troubleshoot from there
Use System Restore or uninstall the latest Windows update from Advanced startup

Frequently asked questions

What does SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED mean?

The Windows stop code SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (0x0000007E) means: A system thread caused an error that was not handled, usually because of a driver.

Is SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED serious?

Severity: Medium. If it happened once, restart and keep an eye on it. If the blue screen repeats, follow the steps below; it is usually fixed by updating or removing a driver or program.

How do I fix SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED?

Start with these steps: Restart the PC. If the blue screen happened only once and does not return, no further action is usually needed; Find the faulting driver: check Event Viewer and the dump files in C:\Windows\Minidump; Update or roll back the driver of the faulting device in Device Manager (look for yellow warning icons); Install the latest Windows updates; Clean-install the latest graphics driver from the GPU maker (NVIDIA, AMD or Intel).

Related codes

0x3B SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTIONAn error occurred while a system service was running, often caused by a driver (frequently graphics) or security software.0x9F DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILUREA driver failed while the PC was entering or waking from sleep or changing power state.0x13A KERNEL_MODE_HEAP_CORRUPTIONWindows detected corruption in kernel-mode memory (the heap).0xA IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUALA driver or system process tried to access memory it was not allowed to use, usually because of a faulty driver.0x19 BAD_POOL_HEADERThe memory pool used by Windows has become corrupted, usually by a faulty driver.0x1E KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLEDA program running in the Windows kernel caused an error that it did not handle.0x3F NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTESWindows ran out of system page table entries, usually because a driver is not releasing memory.0x50 PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREAWindows tried to use memory that does not exist or is not available, often due to a driver, security software or faulty RAM.0xBE ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORYA driver tried to write to read-only memory.