Fix System Thread Exception Not Handled Windows 10 Error

The system thread exception not handled or "system_thread_exception_not_handled" is a blue screen known as the "Blue Screen of Death."

It is an error that occurs the moment you start your computer or ten to fifteen seconds later. This error gets your computer stuck in a reboot loop. While in the reboot loop, you will not be able to use your computer at all. 

Below, we will see what the system thread exception not handled error means and how to fix it.
 

 

What Is the System Thread Exception Not Handled Error?

If or when the system handler doesn't detect a certain error, a system thread in your computer generates an exception for that error. Since the handler does not catch and fix the error, you get a blue screen of death so that your computer can "rest" to try and find info about the error to fix it.

In some lucky cases, the stop code might be accompanied by the file name that is causing the error, such as atikmdag.sys, nvlddmkm.sys, igdkmd64.sys, etc. However, this is not always the case; most of the time, you will get the following numbers: 0x0000007E, 0x1000007E. 
 

When and Why Does This Error Occur?

This stop code is usually caused by incompatible drivers, system incompatibility, memory conflicts, and IRQ conflicts. For example, when you try to run a program that requires a certain version of graphic drivers, this stop code will pop up to you if your drivers are outdated. 

Another possible reason to get this stop code is if your graphic drivers are infected with malware, which is common, as graphic drivers are prone to malware and viruses.

If the file name accompanies the stop code, you will know which graphic driver is causing the problem; if you update or repair this graphic driver, the problem will be solved.

Below are some of the file names that you might get:

• Atikmdag.sys – it is a .sys file associated with ATI Radeon Family which was developed by Advanced Mirco Devices, Inc. (AMD) for Windows OS.
   
• CMUDA.sys –  this is the driver that is associated with USB device audio.
   
• Nvlddmkm.sys – this graphic driver is for the Nvidia Windows kernel driver and it is related to your Nvidia video card. 
   
• Bcmwl63a.sys – this is for the Broadcom 802.11 Network Adaptor; it requires a wireless driver that Broadcom Corporation developed. Now, if this is installed in the wrong way or is outdated, you will most probably get the “system thread exception not handled” error.
• Dxgmms2.sys – this is associated with the DirectX drivers.
   
• Ntfs.sys – this is for the Windows NT Server.

If you get any of the previous file names, it means the graphic driver is outdated; all you need to do is uninstall and reinstall it or update the driver. The examples above don't include all file names that you might get; so if you get any other file name, you need to look up which graphic driver it belongs to in order for you to be able to solve the problem. 

However, there is a possibility, as mentioned before, that no system file will come up. If this happens, you will need to update all major drivers on your computer; this includes any network, LAN, wireless drivers, sound and audio drivers, and display drivers (graphic drivers).
 

How to Fix the System Thread Exception Not Handled Error

1. Boot into Safe Mode

The first thing you need to do before attempting to fix the error is to boot into Safe Mode; this will allow your computer to break out of the endless reboot loop that it is stuck in.

There are several ways to boot into Safe Mode; we will list down all of them.

Boot Into Safe Mode from the Sign-In Screen

1. Hold down Shift and select the Power button followed by Restart.
    
2. When your PC restarts, the "Choose an option" screen will appear.
    
3. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings. Then click on Restart.
    
4. When your PC reboots, press F5 to boot your computer in Safe Mode with Networking.
    

Boot Into Safe Mode from Settings

1. Click on the Start button > Settings.
    
2. Go to Update & Security then click on Recovery.
    
3. Under Advanced startup, click on Restart now.
    
4. Follow steps 2, 3, and 4 from the section above.
    

Boot Into Safe Mode from a Blank Screen

If you're unable to reach the Settings or the sign-in screen, then follow these steps.

1. Hold down the power button on your device for 10 seconds to switch it off and press the power button again to boot it.
    
2. Your PC will then start and the manufacturer's logo will appear; hold down the power button again for 10 seconds.
    
3. Press the power button to start your device.
    
4. Your computer will then boot into the Windows Recovery Environment.
    
5. Follow steps 2, 3, and 4 from the first section.
    

2. Find Which Graphic Driver Is Corrupt

If the system file name accompanies the stop code, then you will simply need to uninstall and reinstall that certain driver. If not, then you will have to look for the file that is faulty. This is how you go about doing that:

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows key + R to get the “Run” dialogue box.
    

2. You will get a box; enter "eventvwr."
    

3. Scroll down until you see the “Windows logs” and click to see the menu drop-down.
    

4. Click on “System” in this drop-down menu; you will be able to view all recent events.
    

5. Look for the “system_thread_exception_not_handled” error and see which driver it is associated with. 
    

3. Update, rollback or reinstall your drivers

This depends on which driver is faulty; the responsible driver will decide whether you should update, rollback, or reinstall it. If the driver is outdated, then you will most probably fix the whole problem by updating it. However, if you have updated it not long ago, then it would be best to reinstall or roll back the driver. 

How to update drivers on Windows 10

1. In the search box on the taskbar, look for "Device Manager."
    

2. Navigate to find the needed device and expand it.
    

3. Right-click on the driver you want to update and click "Update Driver."
    

4. Windows will look for the latest update of the driver and will update it for you. If Windows doesn't find an update, you can try manually looking for one on the device manufacturer's website.
    

How to rollback drivers on Windows 10

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Device Manager.
    
2. Expand "Display Adapters."
    
3. Double-click on the display device.
    
4. Select the "Driver" tab.
    
5. Click "Roll Back Driver" to restore it.

To reinstall a certain driver, you need to uninstall it first > go to the manufacturer's website > find the device you need and download it. 
 

4. Rename the Faulty Driver

After receiving the "system thread exception not handled" error, you will need to rename the faulty files.

1. Drivers files are found at C:\ Windows\ System32\ drivers. 
    
2. Look for the faulty driver > Click on it and press F2.
    
3. Replace the filename extension with ".old" and hit enter.
    
4. Restart your computer.
    

5. Repair your system files

Windows users have the SFC and DISM tools for this purpose; these tools can find and fix any system-related issues. This is how you use them: 

DISM

1. Run Command Prompt as Administrator > type in DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and press Enter.
    
2. Windows will start scanning.
    
3. After it finishes scanning, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth.
    
4. All problems found during the scan will be fixed. 

SFC

1. Type "cmd" in the Start bar. 
    
2. Right-click on Command Prompt > run it as administrator.
    
3. Enter sfc/scannow.
    
4. Windows will scan and fix the corrupt files.
    

6. Restore your PC to an earlier version

As a last resort, if the issues don't get resolved, you will need to restore your PC. System Restore is a Windows feature that restores your PC to an earlier version. 

1. Search for Control Panel. 
    
2. In the Control Panel search bar, look for Recovery.
    
3. Click on Open System Restore.
    
4. Click on Next and select a restore point from the list. (These restore points are created when you install software updates).
    
5. Click on Finish. 

You need to be patient as all of the mentioned steps need time.