Common Windows 10 Error Messages & Fixes

Windows 10 error messages can stop your work, freeze your screen, or even trigger a sudden restart. This guide explains the most common errors you’ll see—like “Blue Screen of Death,” “Disk Full,” and “Application Unable to Start Correctly”—and walks you through the exact steps to fix each one. Most fixes take less than ten minutes and require no special tools.

Why Windows 10 Shows Error Messages

Windows 10 is a complex operating system that juggles hardware drivers, system files, memory, and thousands of background processes. An error message appears when something in that chain fails—a driver crashes, a system file gets corrupted, or a program requests a resource that isn’t available. Some errors are harmless and disappear after a restart, while others indicate a deeper problem that needs a specific repair.

Understanding the cause matters because the fix depends on it. For example, a “Disk Full” error needs a cleanup, but a “Kernel Security Check Failure” blue screen usually needs a driver update or memory test. Jumping straight to a full Windows reinstall is rarely necessary—most errors have a targeted fix that takes minutes.

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Errors

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is the most alarming Windows 10 error. The screen turns blue, shows a sad face, and displays a stop code like CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, or SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION. These codes tell you which component failed, but the fix is often the same.

1. Restart your PC—a one-off glitch may not return.
2. Check for Windows updates (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update) and install any pending updates.
3. Update your drivers—especially graphics, network, and chipset drivers. Use Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager) and select “Update driver” on each device.
4. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic—type “Windows Memory Diagnostic” in the Start menu, choose “Restart now,” and let the test run.
5. Check disk errors—open Command Prompt as Administrator and run chkdsk /f /r, then restart.
6. Uninstall recently installed software if the BSOD started after a new program or driver.

If the BSOD keeps returning with the same code, search that exact code online—for example, “IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL” often points to a faulty driver. If you can’t identify the culprit, use System Restore (type “System Restore” in Start) to roll back to a point before the errors began.

“Disk Full” and “Low Disk Space” Errors

When your system drive (usually C:) fills up, Windows 10 slows down and shows “Low Disk Space” warnings. This error is common because Windows updates, temporary files, and apps can consume tens of gigabytes over time.

• Run Disk Cleanup—type “Disk Cleanup” in Start, select your system drive, and choose “Clean up system files.” Check everything, especially “Windows Update Cleanup” and “Temporary files.”
• Empty the Recycle Bin—right-click the Recycle Bin and select “Empty Recycle Bin.”
• Move personal files—transfer large files (videos, photos, downloads) to another drive or cloud storage.
• Uninstall unused apps—Settings > Apps > Apps & features, sort by size, and remove what you don’t need.
• Disable hibernate—if you never use it, open Command Prompt as Administrator and type powercfg /h off. This frees up space equal to your RAM size.

A quick check: open File Explorer, right-click your C: drive, and select Properties. If the free space is less than 15% of the drive size, Windows will start to slow down. Keep at least 20-30 GB free on a typical 256 GB drive.

“Application Unable to Start Correctly” (0xc000007b)

This error appears when you try to launch a program, and it usually means a 32-bit/64-bit mismatch or a missing Visual C++ runtime. The error code 0xc000007b is one of the most common on Windows 10.

1. Reinstall the program—download the latest version and install it again.
2. Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables—search “Visual C++ Redistributable” on Microsoft’s site and download both the x86 and x64 versions.
3. Check for 32-bit/64-bit conflicts—if the program is 32-bit, it should run on 64-bit Windows, but a 64-bit DLL in the wrong folder can cause this error. Try reinstalling to the default directory.
4. Run the program as Administrator—right-click the exe, select Properties > Compatibility, and check “Run this program as an administrator.”
5. Update DirectX—some games and graphics programs need a newer DirectX version. Install the latest DirectX End-User Runtime from Microsoft.

If the error persists, the program may be corrupted. Uninstall it completely (including its leftover folders in C:\Program Files and C:\ProgramData) and reinstall fresh.

“Windows Has Stopped Working” and App Crashes

When a specific app crashes, Windows shows “(App name) has stopped working.” This is often caused by a missing DLL, outdated drivers, or a conflict with another program.

• Update the app—check the app’s official website or the Microsoft Store for updates.
• Run the app in compatibility mode—right-click the exe, select Properties > Compatibility, and try “Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 8” or Windows 7.
• Repair the app—Settings > Apps > Apps & features, click the app, and select “Advanced options” > “Repair.”
• Check Event Viewer—type “Event Viewer” in Start, go to Windows Logs > Application, and look for errors with the app’s name. The error details often point to a specific DLL or faulting module.
• Disable add-ons—if the app is a browser or Office program, disable extensions and add-ins.

If the crash happens immediately after launch, try a clean boot: type “msconfig” in Start, go to Services, check “Hide all Microsoft services,” then click “Disable all.” Restart and test the app. If it works, re-enable services one by one to find the culprit.

“No Bootable Device” and Startup Errors

If you see “No bootable device” or “Bootmgr is missing” when you turn on your PC, Windows can’t find the system files needed to start. This is different from a BSOD because it happens before Windows loads.

1. Check your boot order—enter BIOS/UEFI (usually by pressing F2, F12, or Del during startup) and make sure your hard drive or SSD is first in the boot order.
2. Remove any USB drives or discs—sometimes a leftover USB stick causes the PC to try booting from it.
3. Run Startup Repair—boot from a Windows 10 installation USB, select “Repair your computer,” then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.
4. Rebuild the boot configuration—if Startup Repair fails, open Command Prompt from the Advanced options and run bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, and bootrec /rebuildbcd.

If none of these work, your hard drive may be failing. Test it with the manufacturer’s diagnostic tool (if available) or try connecting it to another PC to back up your files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I get “Access Denied” when trying to delete a file?

This usually means the file is in use by a program or you don’t have the right permissions. Close any programs that might be using the file, then try again. If that fails, take ownership: right-click the file > Properties > Security > Advanced > Change owner to your user account, then check “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects.”

How do I fix “Windows Update failed to install” errors?

First, run the Windows Update Troubleshooter (Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Windows Update). If that doesn’t help, stop the Windows Update service, delete the SoftwareDistribution folder (in C:\Windows), and restart the service. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run net stop wuauserv, then net start wuauserv after deleting the folder.

What does “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b)” mean?

It means a required DLL is missing or the wrong architecture (32-bit vs 64-bit) is being used. Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables and DirectX, and reinstall the program. If it’s a game, update your graphics drivers.

Can I fix a BSOD without reinstalling Windows?

Yes, most BSODs are caused by drivers or memory issues, not a corrupt Windows installation. Start with updating drivers and running the Windows Memory Diagnostic. If the BSOD persists, use System Restore to roll back to a working state. Reinstalling Windows should be a last resort.

Why does my PC keep showing “Low Disk Space” when I have free space?

Windows may be showing the warning for a different drive (like a recovery partition) or the system drive is below the threshold. Open File Explorer and check each drive’s free space. If your C: drive has plenty of space, the warning might be for a hidden partition—ignore it if you don’t use that drive.

How do I stop Windows 10 from restarting after a BSOD?

By default, Windows restarts automatically after a BSOD, which can make it hard to read the error. To disable this, go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings, click Settings under Startup and Recovery, and uncheck “Automatically restart.”

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