How to Fix Windows 8.1 Crashes

Windows 8.1 sometimes abruptly stops working and crashes. Here are some tips to avoid system crashes by changing appropriate system settings.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Uninstall Incompatible Updates

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    Press Windows Key + C simultaneously.
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    The Charms Bar will appear. Click the Search icon.
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    Type "View installed updates" in the Search Box.
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    Click the Settings icon.
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    Open that from the Search Results.
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    Sort the updates in date-wise manner. Click the "Installed on" column.
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    Uninstall any recently installed updates. To do so, right click an update and select Uninstall option.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Refresh the PC

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    Go to Settings.
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    Go to Change PC Settings.
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    Go to Update and Recovery.
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    Open Recovery, and click "Get started" under "Refresh your PC without affecting your files".
    • You can also get to refresh your PC through search: Press Windows Key + X and select Search. Type "Refresh your PC" in the Search Box. Click the Settings icon. Open that from the Search Results, and follow the on-screen instructions.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Identify Malfunctioning Device Drivers

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    Press Windows Key + X simultaneously.
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    Select Device Manager.
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    Expand the top root entry, i.e. the computer name.
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    Click the View menu, check-up Show hidden devices.
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    Do you see devices with yellow-color exclamation mark? Right click a malfunctioning device and select "Uninstall" option to initialize the driver removal.
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    After successful uninstallation, restart your computer.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Use the System File Checker

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    Insert Windows 8.1 Operating System installation disc in your DVD Drive.
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    Press Windows Key + X.
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    Select "Command Prompt (Admin)".
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    Type the following command; press ENTER:
    • sfc /scannow
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    After successful completion, type "EXIT" and press ENTER.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Clean Boot your PC

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    Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys simultaneously.
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    Click "Task Manager".
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    Click "More details" link at the bottom left.
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    Click the Startup tab.
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    Click the "Status" column to sort the startup items in a relevant manner.
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    Disable all the Non-Microsoft startup programs. To do so, right click a startup item, select Disable option.
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    Exit Task Manager and reboot the PC for the changes to take effects.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I fix Windows 8.1 when it fails the scheduled boot update and no longer wants to start?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Back up what you can to the cloud, then factory reset your computer.
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Warnings

  • Windows PC Refresh feature uninstalls all the third party programs except the Windows Store applications. Do this procedure only if you can afford to lose the programs and have backup of the Product Keys.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 21,615 times.
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Co-authors: 6
Updated: October 8, 2015
Views: 21,615
Categories: System Maintenance and Repair
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