After you power on your PC, if you don’t see the desktop loading but a blue screen with error message “SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED“, it can be very frustrating. But don’t worry. You can fix the error with one of the methods in this post.
Blow are three methods to try. You may not have to try them all. Just work your way down the list until you find the one that fixes the problem.
IMPORTANT: You’ll need to be logged into Windows on the problem computer to try any of these solutions. If you can’t log into Windows, restart it in Safe Mode, then try these methods.
Method 1: Update the driver that may cause the problem
Method 2: Check for BIOS update
Method 3: Confirm that any hardware installed is compatible with your Windows
Method 1: Update the driver that may cause the problem
Faulty drivers can cause this error, especially faulty graphics card drivers. You may probably see SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED followed by igdkmd64.sys (see Figure 1-1). igdkmd64.sys is common known as Intel Graphics Kernel Mode driver, which is responsible for powering Windows Operating System. If the drivers are at fault or have conflicts with other drivers or programs, you can’t boot your PC and get BSOD errors.
Figure 1-1
First, use Event Viewer to identify the driver that may cause the problem. Follow these steps:
TIP: If you have difficulty identifying the driver manually, we recommend using Driver Easy to update the driver automatically.
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R key at the same time to invoke the run command.
2) Type cmd and press Enter.
3) Type the command line eventvwr and press Enter. After that, the Event Viewer will start.
4) When the Event Viewer starts, in the tree console, expand entry Windows Logs, then click System.
5) In the right console, click the Source tab to sort alphabetically and try to find the problem driver(for example, igdkmd64.sys). You can locate the System Thread Exception Not Handled error by the “Date and Time”.
After you identify the driver that causes the problem, update the driver.
How to update the driver
You can update the driver either manually or automatically:
Manual driver update – You can update the driver manually by going to the manufacturer’s website and searching for the most recent correct driver. If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy.
Automatic driver update – Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver your PC needs. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running or who the device’s manufacturer. Nor do you need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing. You can simply update all your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 clicks, and you get full support and a 30-day money back guarantee:
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click Scan Now. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Update button next to the driver to automatically download and install the correct version of this driver (you can do this with the FREE version). Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (this requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All).
Here take Intel HD Graphics 4400 for example.
Method 2: Check for BIOS update
The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) incompatibility, memory conflict or the IRQ (Interrupt Request) conflict can be the cause of the error. So you can try to update the BIOS.
You can go to the motherboard manufacturer’s website to check for the BIOS update. Before you head to the website, ensure you know the product name of the motherboard.
If you have no idea the model number of the motherboard, follow these steps:
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows Logo key and R key at the same time to invoke a run command.
2) Type cmd and press Enter.
3) Type below command line or just copy and paste it to the command prompt. Then you’ll get the motherboard manufacturer and the model product number.
wmic baseboard get manufacturer, product Figure 2-1
In our case (see Figure 2-1), the manufacturer is Dell and the product number is 0T1D10.
Alternatively, if you have a pre-built computer instead of building your own, you can head to the computer manufacturer’s website. Look for the computer model and download the BIOS there.
BIOS downloaded file is either in .zip format or in .exe format. It’s a little complicated to install the BIOS. The manufacturer provides the installation instructions on their website. You should be able to see it when you head to the BIOS download page. Just follow the instructions to install the BIOS. If you’re not comfortable installing BIOS yourself, please contact the manufacturer to help with that.
For example:
Method 3: Confirm that any hardware installed is compatible with your Windows (for Windows 10)
Incompatible hardware may also be the cause. This may probably happen if you upgraded to Windows 10. So check to see if there is any incompatible hardware installed. You can get the information about required hardware at Windows 10 Specifications.
We hope these methods help you fix your System Thread Exception Not Handle error. Please comment below if you have any questions or suggestions. We’re always happy to hear of any new solutions.
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