9 Ways to Fix "System Thread Exception Not Handled" Windows Error

Get your computer back in action by fixing this annoying crash

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: March 24, 2025 Fact Checked

Are you getting a "System Thread Exception Not Handled" error and you're not sure how to fix it? If so, you're not alone. This blue screen of death (BSOD) means that there's something wrong with one of the system files in your computer. It can usually be fixed by updating or reinstalling your drivers, but there are a number of other fixes you can try, too. Keep reading to learn more.]

Ways to Fix System Thread Exception Not Handled

First, try updating your drivers. You can also try reinstalling your GPU drivers with DDU, as these drivers are a main culprit of this error. Otherwise you can try running the BSOD Troubleshooter, DISM, and SFC. Revert back to old hardware if the error started happening after you updated your hardware.

1

Update your drivers.

Download Article

Updating certain device drivers may fix the issue. Bad drivers are one of the leading causes of the System Thread Exception Not Handled error. If a bad driver is the cause, you can update your drivers using these steps:
- Boot in Safe Mode. To do this, press and hold the ⇧ Shift key while on the Windows sign-in screen, then select Power > Restart.
- Right click the Start button and select Device Manager.
- Expand Network Adapters and Display Adapters.
- Right click each device and select Update driver. After the drivers have been updated, restart your PC to see if the error still occurs.

2

Reinstall your drivers.

Download Article

Use DDU to completely remove your GPU drivers. Sometimes, new NVIDIA or AMD GPU drivers can have bugs that cause crashes, or your drivers might not have installed correctly and are now corrupted. The best way to fix this is to use DDU to uninstall your drivers, then reinstall them from your GPU's website.
- Download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller).
- Restart your computer in Safe Mode. To do this, press and hold the ⇧ Shift key while on the Windows sign-in screen, then select Power > Restart.
- Navigate to where you downloaded DDU and run it.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall your GPU drivers. DDU will restart your PC once it's done uninstalling the drivers.
- Go to your GPU manufacturer's website and download your desired driver. You can try the newest driver, or you may want to go back one or two versions if you're concerned that the newest driver is causing the error.
- Install the drivers once they are finished downloading, following all on-screen instructions.

3

Run the BSOD Troubleshooter.

Download Article

Run the BSOD troubleshooter to identify the issue. Windows has a number of built-in troubleshooters to help you figure out why certain things are happening on your computer. One of these troubleshooters can help you with BSOD errors.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- In the taskbar search bar, type "Get help".
- Open the Get Help application.
- In the Get Help app, search for "Troubleshoot blue screen error".
- Click on Troubleshoot blue screen error.
- Go through the troubleshooter to identify the issue, then follow the on-screen steps to fix the problem.

4

Clear the CMOS.

Download Article

Remove the CMOS battery to wipe your BIOS settings. If you have recently changed some settings in your BIOS and are now getting the System Thread Exception Not Handled error, those changes could be the culprit. The best and easiest way to fix this is to remove the CMOS battery to clear out those custom settings, then to put it back into your mobo.
- Locate the coin battery on your motherboard.
- Remove the battery using the latch, and leave it out of the motherboard for a few seconds.
- Place the CMOS battery back in the motherboard.

5

Run DISM and SFC.

Download Article

Use DISM and SFC to try and repair your computer. Windows has two built-in repair commands, Windows Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and Windows System File Checker (SFC).^{[2]
X
Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source} These tools can help you identify problems on your computer and fix them. To run DISM and SFC, follow these steps:
- Open up the Command Prompt. Type "Command Prompt" into the taskbar search bar and open up the Command Prompt app.
- Run the following commands. You can run both of these tools but Windows recommends running DISM first.
  - DISM: Dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
  - SFC: SFC /scannow
- Restart your PC. After the commands have finished running, restart your computer to see if the error has been resolved.

6

Revert back to old hardware.

Download Article

Sometimes, updating hardware can cause the System Thread Exception Not Handled error to occur. If you recently upgraded some of your hardware, try putting the old hardware back in your computer to see if that fixes the error (if you still have them and if they're still working).

7

Revert to a System Restore Point.

Download Article

Use a System Restore Point. If you're not able to pinpoint and solve the cause of the System Thread Exception Not Handled error, you can try rolling back to a previous System Restore point. This can help if you have some severely corrupted driver updates on your system and updating/reinstalling the drivers doesn't work. Your system may have made a restore point before the error started to occur.^{[3]
X
Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- Open the System Restore menu. In the taskbar search bar type "Recovery", and open the control panel option Recovery from the menu.
- Select "Open System Restore".
- Pick a restore point from the list. If you've made previous restore points you should see them here, or you can select one that your computer created.
- Allow the computer to restore itself. Once the restoration process is complete, your computer should restart to the loaded restore point.

8

Reinstall Windows.

Download Article

Try reinstalling Windows to wipe out bad driver issues. If you don't have a System Restore Point or doing a System Restore didn't fix the issue, you can try reinstalling Windows. This is a last resort, but if nothing else fixes the error, you may want to consider this option.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source} However, if the errors persist after reinstalling Windows, the issue is likely with your hardware.
- Restart your PC and hold F8 when the boot screen is visible. This will take you to the Windows Recovery Environment.
  - Some devices may require you to hold down Fn+F8 instead of just F8.
- Navigate to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. Select to either keep your files or remove everything and follow the on-screen instructions to refresh your Windows installation.
- Wait for the process to finish. Once your computer has finished reinstalling your operating system, you should be able to get back into your PC without the error loop occurring.

9

Bring it to a computer repair technician.

Download Article

Contact a local computer repair shop for help. If you have exhausted all other options, a professional computer repair specialist might be able to help. The specialist may be able to diagnose the problem more effectively after seeing your PC in person. This is especially helpful if you can't figure out what is causing the System Thread Exception Not Handled error.
- A repair technician can help identify what hardware or software is broken. Make sure to ask your repair technician about warranty options if your computer's parts are still relatively new.
- To find a computer repair shop, look on your favorite search engine. Look for professional shops that have a number of good reviews, or get suggestions from friends and family for repair shops.
- If you have a laptop and you're getting the CPU over temperature error, going to a repair shop is the best bet. Laptops are difficult to fix on your own as the parts aren't always the easiest to remove or replace.