Laptop keeps bluescreening and im not sure why or how to check

Question

Laptop keeps bluescreening and im not sure why or how to check

Joseph Farrugia 0

my fan is currently damaged but it tends to crash within minuets and doesnt seem to overheat, it has happened 3 times 2 twice before doing system updates and once after in the past few days so im not sure if these issues are unrelated or not

Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-21T09:09:53.2433333+00:00

2 answers

Your answer

Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-21T09:09:53.2433333+00:00

Answer 1

Anonymous

Hi Joseph Farrugia

I understand how concerning repeated blue screens can be, especially when they happen within minutes of startup.

Based on the information you provided, the damaged fan may be contributing to the crashes, even if the laptop does not appear to feel excessively hot. Modern laptops can trigger emergency shutdowns or bug checks when temperature sensors detect conditions that are not always noticeable externally.

To narrow this down and perform some initial checks, please let me know:

Which version of Windows are you using (Windows 10, Windows 11, or another version)?
When the blue screen appears, do you see a STOP code (for example, CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, etc.)?
Does the crash occur only under load (gaming, streaming, installing updates), or even when the system is mostly idle?

In the meantime, please try these checks:

Press Windows + X > Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin), then run: sfc /scannow
Wait for the scan to complete and note whether it reports any integrity violations.
Open Reliability Monitor by pressing Windows + R, typing: perfmon /rel
Then select one of the red Windows stopped working entries and click "View technical details". Please share the faulting module name or error details shown there.
Check whether the fan is spinning normally during startup. If the fan is physically damaged, I recommend having it repaired as soon as possible, as continued operation could lead to hardware instability or further damage.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-22T20:53:44.2466667+00:00

every blue screen has happened while i just had chrome open, as for the version ill attach an image id also like to add that the laptop will sometimes freeze on the login screen usually after i enter my password and i am concerned about if this could mean permanent damage, id also like too know weather it is safe to use the laptop in any capacity or if it is better to leave it until replacement fans arrive
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-22T20:54:56.46+00:00

I do not recall seeing a stop code but these are the results from the command prompt
Anonymous

2026-07-23T04:29:03.3366667+00:00
Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Thank you for the additional information.

I recommend trying the following:

Open "Terminal (Admin)" and run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After it completes, restart the laptop and run: sfc /scannow again.

Press Windows + X > "Event Viewer" > expand "Windows Logs" > "System" and look for recent Critical events around the time of a blue screen. If you see a BugCheck event, please share the details.

Monitor temperatures using the laptop manufacturer's diagnostic tools, if available. Even if the laptop does not feel hot externally, a failed fan can cause internal components to reach unsafe temperatures and trigger instability.

Until the replacement fan arrives, avoid gaming, video rendering, or other heavy workloads, and ensure the laptop is placed on a hard, well-ventilated surface.

Regarding permanent damage, occasional blue screens do not automatically mean hardware damage has already occurred. However, continuing to use a system with a known cooling failure increases the risk of additional hardware stress. If the laptop is freezing even during sign-in, minimizing usage until the fan is replaced would be the safer option.
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-23T07:09:36.6866667+00:00

BugcheckCode 257

BugcheckCode 257

BugcheckParameter1 0x10

BugcheckParameter1 0x10

BugcheckParameter2 0x0

BugcheckParameter2 0x0

BugcheckParameter3 0xffff8a00b445b180

BugcheckParameter3 0xffff8a00b445b180

BugcheckParameter4 0x1

BugcheckParameter4 0x1

SleepInProgress 0

SleepInProgress 0

PowerButtonTimestamp 0

PowerButtonTimestamp 0

BootAppStatus 0

BootAppStatus 0

Checkpoint 0

Checkpoint 0

ConnectedStandbyInProgress false

ConnectedStandbyInProgress false

SystemSleepTransitionsToOn 0

SystemSleepTransitionsToOn 0

CsEntryScenarioInstanceId 5

CsEntryScenarioInstanceId 5

BugcheckInfoFromEFI false

BugcheckInfoFromEFI false

CheckpointStatus 0

CheckpointStatus 0

CsEntryScenarioInstanceIdV2 5

CsEntryScenarioInstanceIdV2 5

LongPowerButtonPressDetected false

LongPowerButtonPressDetected false

LidReliability false

LidReliability false

InputSuppressionState 0

InputSuppressionState 0

PowerButtonSuppressionState 0

PowerButtonSuppressionState 0

LidState 1

LidState 1

WHEABootErrorCount 0

WHEABootErrorCount 0
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-23T07:17:51.93+00:00

there was also another with BugcheckCode 131073
Anonymous

2026-07-23T07:41:13.06+00:00
Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Thank you for providing the BugCheck information.

For now, I would recommend:

Run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth from an elevated Terminal and note whether it completes successfully.

Open Device Manager > Display adapters > right-click your graphics device > Properties > Driver tab, and let us know the GPU model and driver version currently installed.

Check whether the laptop manufacturer provides built-in hardware diagnostics (many vendors include these in the BIOS/UEFI or support application) and run the graphics and system tests if available.

Since the cooling fan is known to be damaged, I would avoid prolonged use until the replacement arrives. Short periods of light use are unlikely to immediately cause permanent damage, but continuing to operate a system with impaired cooling can increase the risk of further hardware issues.
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-23T07:54:00.8766667+00:00

driver is NVIDIA RTX 2050
the DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth has failed
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-24T08:52:46.3066667+00:00

what do i do since it has failed
Anonymous

2026-07-26T02:09:23.05+00:00
Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Thank you for the update.

Before trying additional repairs, could you let me know the exact error message that DISM displayed when it failed? The specific error code is important because different DISM failures have different causes.

In the meantime, please try these checks:

Open "Windows Terminal (Admin)" and run: chkdsk C: /scan Let us know if any file system errors are reported.

Open "Device Manager" > "Display adapters" > "NVIDIA RTX 2050" > "Properties" > "Events" tab, and check whether any recent device errors are listed.

If your laptop manufacturer provides hardware diagnostics (Acer, in your case), run the graphics and memory tests if available.
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-07-26T02:51:12.14+00:00

no issues were found with chkdsk C: /scan
none were listed in the events tab either
error code for the DSIM in attached image
Anonymous

2026-07-27T00:36:47.9333333+00:00
Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Thank you for providing the DISM error code.

Before attempting more invasive repairs, I would like to narrow this down further with two checks:

1, Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and run: dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Please let me know whether it reports that the component store is repairable or if it returns another error.

2, Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic:

Press Windows + R

Type mdsched.exe

Select Restart now and check for problems

A failing memory module can sometimes cause file corruption, graphics-related bugchecks, and repair operations such as SFC/DISM to fail.
Anonymous

2026-08-03T01:50:26.07+00:00

Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Have you had the chance to check my answer yet?

Please do keep me updated.
Joseph Farrugia 0 Reputation points

2026-08-07T09:38:26.33+00:00

ive just gotten replacement fans and and it worked fine for a while but its started freezing when i put it in sleep mode for a bit
Anonymous

2026-08-10T03:50:09.6466667+00:00
Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Thank you for the update. Since the cooling fans have been replaced and the system is still freezing when resuming from Sleep, while SFC reported corruption and DISM was unable to complete repairs, this may require deeper diagnostics than we can perform through the forum.

At this point, I recommend contacting your laptop manufacturer's support team (or Microsoft Support if applicable for your device) for hardware and system-level diagnostics. They may be able to analyze crash dump files, check firmware/BIOS issues, and determine whether a repair installation of Windows or additional hardware testing is needed:

Visit  Contact Us - Microsoft Support

Select the product or service you're having issue with.

Click  Get Home Support

Type a brief description of your issue in the search box.

Click Get Help  and select  Contact Support  below.

Go to the Products and services tab, and choose the appropriate product.

On the Category tab, choose the appropriate category or an alternative option.

Go to  Confirm.

Look for and select "Chat with a support agent in your web browser" (during business hours) if available. Explain your situation clearly.

Thanks for your understanding.

Answer 2

BryceSor 5,505 Volunteer Moderator

Hi Joseph Farrugia,

Stop using your laptop until the fan is repaired, computers don't like excessive heat which can damage components.

Once your laptop is repaired, go to C:\Windows\Minidump and share that file using OneDrive or whatever online drive you use, hopefully once I have the file we be able to narrow down why the BSOD.

Have you got the make and model of the laptop please?

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