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Is your Windows 11 PC experiencing the critical process died BSOD error? Read this guide, as it features various solutions for this error.
Step 1: Boot Into Safe Mode
In most cases, whenever this BSOD error occurs, you won’t be able to boot into Windows 11 normally. Hence, the only way to fix the error is through safe mode.
Nevertheless, if you can log into your Windows 11 computer normally, skip this section and move on to the other sections below. Otherwise, firstly boot your PC into safe mode using the procedures in this section.
Then, implement the solutions in the next section to fix this BSOD error on your computer.
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- Press and hold your Windows 11 computer’s power button for 5 – 10 seconds until it shuts down.
- Thereafter, press the power button again to turn on the computer. However, while Windows 11 is starting up, press and hold the power button again for a few seconds until the PC shuts down.
- When you boot your Windows 11 computer for the third time, it should boot into the Recovery mode environment.
- Then, click the See advanced repair options option on the Recovery blue screen.
- Following that, select Troubleshoot on the Choose an option page.
- On the Troubleshoot blue screen, click Advanced options.
- After doing that, select Startup settings on the Advanced options page.
- Afterward, click the Restart button in Startup Settings.
- Finally, to boot your Windows 11 computer into safe mode, press “F4” or “4” on your keyboard.
Step 2: Fix Critical Process Died Error From Safe Mode
When you have successfully booted your Windows 11 computer into safe mode, implement the solutions below to fix this BSOD error. Also, if you can boot into your Windows 11 PC normally, carry out the solutions below to fix the error.
Solution 1: Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
One of the quickest and less-complex fixes for this error is to run the hardware and devices troubleshooter. The following steps, including screenshot images, demonstrate how to run the hardware and devices troubleshooter in Windows 11.
- Use the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog. Then, input “msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic” in the Run input box and press the enter key on your keyboard.
- Consequently, the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter should open. Hence, click the Next button at the bottom of the window to proceed.
- Following that, Windows will begin to detect this BSOD error, among other problems. If it detects the error, you will be prompted to fix it.
- After everything, restart your Windows 11 computer. Hopefully, this BSOD error will be resolved.
However, if the error isn’t resolved after implementing this solution, try out the other solutions in the sub-sections below.
Solution 2: Reinstall Corrupt Drivers
A major culprit for this error in Windows 11 is corrupt drivers. If that’s the case, reinstalling the corrupt drivers on your Windows 11 computer should fix the issue.
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Below are the steps to reinstall the corrupt driver(s) in Windows 11.
- On your Windows 11 taskbar, right-click the Start menu button and select Device Manager from the options that pop up.
- On the Device Manager window, locate and right-click any device driver that features a yellow exclamation mark sign. Then, select Uninstall device from the displayed options.
- After that, click Uninstall in the prompt that appears.
- Finally, restart your Windows 11 computer after the driver has been uninstalled. Hence, upon restart, Windows will automatically install the most compatible driver to replace it.
Hopefully, that fixes the critical process died error on your Windows 11 computer. If it doesn’t, check out the third solution in the sub-section below.
Solution 3: Run SFC and DISM Scans
In some instances, corrupt system files can cause this BSOD error in Windows 11. If that’s the case, running the SFC and DISM scans should resolve the error.
Follow the subsequent procedures below to run the SFC, and DISM scans on your Windows 11 computer.
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- Left-click the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar in Windows 11 to start the search feature.
- Then, type “cmd” in the search box. Afterward, right-click the Command Prompt application from the search result and select Run as administrator.
- When Command Prompt opens, run the following commands one after the other to execute the SFC and DISM scans.
sfc /scannow
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- After the scans have been completed, restart your Windows 11 PC. Hopefully, the critical process died BSOD error on your Windows 11 PC will be resolved.
Otherwise, move on to this guide’s final solution below.
Solution 4: Perform a System Restore
This error should also be resolved by running a system restore to a point before your PC starts to experience the BSOD error. Follow the subsequent instructions to perform a system restore on Windows 11.
- Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog.
- In the Run input box, type “rstrui” (without the quotes) and press Enter.
- When the System Restore window opens, click the Next button at the bottom.
- Afterward, check the Show more restore points box.
- Then, select a restore point before the period your PC started experiencing this BSOD error and click Next.
- Thereafter, click the Finish button to begin the system restore. Now, hold back for the restore process to complete.
- After the system restore is completed, your Windows 11 computer should automatically reboot. Therefore, the critical process died error should be resolved on your PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Windows 11, a blue screen of death is mostly caused by a compatibility issue, hardware problem, or corrupt or missing driver.
Yes, you can boot your Windows 11 PC into safe mode. To accomplish that, read How To Start Windows 11 In Safe Mode.
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Yes, the “critical process died” error is a blue screen of death error.
Yes, most blue screen of death in the Windows OS is fixable.
Some viruses, particularly those that affect the master boot record (MBR) or boot sector, can result in a blue screen of death.
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Conclusion
The critical process died error is a common BSOD error in the Windows OS that is mostly caused by corrupt drivers or malicious applications. As a matter of fact, many users have reported that they are unable to start their Windows 11 PCs normally when they face this BSOD error.
Nonetheless, this guide discussed various solutions to resolve this error. However, because you might not be able to log into Windows 11 normally when you face this error, I firstly provided steps to boot into safe mode.
Then, we learned how to fix the issue by running the hardware and devices troubleshooter and reinstalling corrupt drivers. This guide also taught us how to fix the error by executing the SFC and DISM scans and performing a system restore.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →I honestly hope this guide was able to resolve the critical process died BSOD error on your Windows 11 PC. If it was, click on “Yes” beside the “Was this page helpful” question below.
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Finally, visit our Windows 11 Fix Guides page to get more Windows 11 fix guides.
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