Why does my Windows 10 screen have a blue tint but no stop code error?

A blue tint without a BSOD stop code is almost always caused by Windows Night Light being enabled (Settings → System → Display), a corrupted ICC color profile, or a faulty GPU driver rendering incorrect color output. Disable Night Light first, then reset your color calibration profile. If the tint persists, uninstall and reinstall your GPU driver using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode.

What is the most common cause of BSOD stop codes on Windows 10?

The most common causes are: (1) outdated or incompatible device drivers — especially GPU, network, and storage drivers; (2) corrupted Windows system files (fixable with SFC and DISM); (3) faulty or failing RAM (diagnosed with Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86); and (4) a recent Windows Update that introduced a driver conflict. Always check the minidump file in C:\Windows\Minidump with BlueScreenView to identify the exact crashing module.

How do I fix the KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE blue screen on Windows 10?

Boot into Safe Mode (hold Shift + Restart → Troubleshoot → Startup Settings → F4). Run 'sfc /scannow' in an elevated Command Prompt, followed by 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth'. Then open Device Manager and roll back any recently updated drivers, especially display adapters and network adapters. If the error occurs during Windows 10 installation, it usually indicates incompatible RAM or a failing hard drive — test both before retrying the install.

How do I stop Windows 10 from constantly blue screening after a Windows Update?

Go to Settings → Update & Security → View Update History → Uninstall Updates. Remove the most recently installed cumulative or optional update. Alternatively, use System Restore to roll back to a point before the update. To prevent the update from reinstalling automatically, use the 'Show or hide updates' troubleshooter from Microsoft (support.microsoft.com/kb/3073930). Then check Device Manager for any driver flagged with a yellow warning sign and update it from the manufacturer's website.

Blue Tint Screen Windows 10: Fix Every Blue Screen (BSOD) Stop Code

Q: How do I fix the 0xc000021a (stop code 21a) blue screen loop in Windows 10?

Stop code 0xc000021a means a critical Windows subsystem process (winlogon.exe or csrss.exe) terminated unexpectedly. Boot into WinRE (force three failed boots or use installation media), open Command Prompt, and run: 'sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows' followed by 'DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth'. If that fails, run 'bootrec /rebuildbcd' and attempt Startup Repair. As a final step, perform an in-place upgrade repair using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

Fix blue tint screen, BSOD, and every Windows 10 stop code with step-by-step commands. Covers memory management, kernel errors, driver failures, and more.

Last updated: March 1, 2026

Last verified: March 1, 2026

2,204 words

Key Takeaways

Most Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) events on Windows 10 are caused by faulty or incompatible drivers, corrupted system files, failing RAM, or a recent Windows Update that introduced a conflict.
A persistent blue tint or plain blue screen (not a BSOD stop code) is usually caused by Night Light settings, an outdated GPU driver, or a misconfigured display color profile.
The fastest reliable fix path is: (1) boot into Safe Mode, (2) run SFC /scannow and DISM, (3) update or roll back the suspect driver, (4) check RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic, and (5) use BlueScreenView to identify the crashing module.

Fix Approaches Compared
Method	When to Use	Time	Risk
SFC + DISM scan	Corrupted system files suspected (ntoskrnl.exe, ci.dll, cdd.dll)	10-30 min	Low
Driver rollback / update	BSOD started after driver install or Windows Update (nvlddmkm.sys, atikmdag.sys, ndis.sys)	5-15 min	Low
Windows Memory Diagnostic	Stop codes: MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, PFN_LIST_CORRUPT, BAD_POOL_HEADER	30-90 min	None
System Restore	BSOD began after a specific date change or update	15-30 min	Medium (may lose recent apps)
Startup Repair (WinRE)	PC cannot boot past the blue screen loop	15-45 min	Low
Reset Night Light / ICC Profile	Screen has a persistent blue tint but no stop code shown	2-5 min	None
Reinstall Windows 10 (in-place upgrade)	Repeated BSODs across multiple stop codes, no single fix works	60-120 min	Low (keeps files)
BIOS/UEFI firmware update	Stop codes: ACPI_SYS, INTELPPM_SYS, hardware-related errors	20-40 min	High (do last)

Understanding Blue Screen Errors in Windows 10

Windows 10 displays a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) — also called a stop screen — whenever the operating system encounters a fatal error it cannot recover from. The screen shows a stop code such as CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE, MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, or SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION. A separate but frequently confused issue is a blue tint on the screen with no stop code, which is a display or driver color-profile problem.

Part 1: Fix a Blue Tint (No Stop Code)

If your screen simply looks blue or has a blue color cast:

Step 1: Disable Night Light

Open Settings → System → Display.

Toggle Night Light off. If it is stuck, open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Stop-Service -Name "WSearch" -Force; Get-AppxPackage *Settings* | Reset-AppxPackage

Restart and recheck.

Step 2: Reset the Display Color Profile

Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display settings → Display adapter properties.
Click the Color Management tab → Color Management… → Advanced tab → Calibrate display.
Reset to sRGB defaults.

Step 3: Update or Roll Back GPU Driver

A corrupt GPU driver can cause permanent blue color rendering. Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode, then reinstall the latest driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.

Part 2: Fix BSOD Stop Codes — Step-by-Step

Step 1: Boot into Safe Mode or WinRE

If Windows 10 cannot boot normally:

Hold Shift and click Restart from the login screen.
Navigate to Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Startup Settings → Restart → F4 (Safe Mode).

Alternatively, force three failed boots in a row (hold power button) to trigger Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

Step 2: Identify the Crashing Module with BlueScreenView or Event Viewer

BlueScreenView reads minidump files from C:\Windows\Minidump and shows the exact driver or module that caused the crash. Download it from NirSoft (nirsoft.net) — it is free and portable.

Alternatively, open Event Viewer:

Press Win + X → Event Viewer.
Navigate to Windows Logs → System.
Filter by Critical events around the time of the crash.
Look for source: BugCheck and note the stop code and parameters.

Common crashing modules and their meaning:

ntoskrnl.exe — Windows kernel; usually RAM, overheating, or corrupted system files.
nvlddmkm.sys — NVIDIA display driver; update or reinstall GPU driver.
atikmdag.sys / amdkmdag.sys — AMD display driver; same fix.
ndis.sys / netio.sys — Network driver; update network adapter driver.
dxgmms2.sys / dxgkrnl.sys — DirectX graphics; GPU driver or Windows Update issue.
ntfs.sys / fltmgr.sys — File system; run CHKDSK.
classpnp.sys / storport.sys — Storage driver; check SATA/NVMe drivers and disk health.

Step 3: Run System File Checker and DISM

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following commands in order:

:: Step 1 - Restore Windows image health
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

:: Step 2 - Repair system files
sfc /scannow

:: Step 3 - Verify the result
findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log | more

If SFC reports "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them," boot into WinRE and run sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows from there.

Step 4: Check the Disk with CHKDSK

Disk errors cause stop codes like NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM, INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE, UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME, and CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.

:: Schedule check on next reboot for drive C:
chkdsk C: /f /r /x
:: Type Y and reboot

For NVMe drives, also check S.M.A.R.T. data:

wmic diskdrive get status

Step 5: Test RAM for Memory Errors

Stop codes MEMORY_MANAGEMENT (0x0000001A), PFN_LIST_CORRUPT (0x0000004E), BAD_POOL_HEADER (0x00000019), and BAD_POOL_CALLER are almost always RAM-related.

:: Launch Windows Memory Diagnostic
mdsched.exe

Choose Restart now and check for problems. For a deeper test, download MemTest86 (memtest86.com) and run it from a USB drive overnight.

If errors are found:

Reseat RAM sticks.
Test one stick at a time.
Replace faulty modules.

Step 6: Update or Roll Back Drivers

Roll back a driver:

Press Win + X → Device Manager.
Expand the relevant category (Display adapters, Network adapters, etc.).
Right-click the device → Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver.

Update a driver via PowerShell:

# List all recently updated drivers
Get-WinEvent -LogName System | Where-Object {$_.Id -eq 7045} | Select-Object -First 20 TimeCreated, Message

Uninstall a problem driver completely:

pnputil /delete-driver oem<number>.inf /uninstall /force

Step 7: Fix Specific High-Frequency Stop Codes

CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED / CRITICAL_SERVICE_DIED (0x000000EF) This means a critical Windows process (lsass.exe, csrss.exe, smss.exe) terminated unexpectedly. Run SFC, then check for malware:

MRT /F

KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE Usually caused by incompatible or outdated drivers after a Windows Update. Boot Safe Mode → roll back the display or network driver → run sfc /scannow.

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (0x0000003B) Often caused by antivirus drivers (aswvmm.sys from Avast, mfeavfk.sys from McAfee). Uninstall the AV software using its official removal tool, then reinstall the latest version.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL / DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0x0000000A / 0x000000D1) A driver accessed memory at the wrong IRQL. Use BlueScreenView to identify the driver, then update or remove it.

APC_INDEX_MISMATCH Frequently caused by third-party filter drivers (printer, antivirus, VPN). Disable startup programs in msconfig and test.

INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE Run Startup Repair from WinRE. Also run:

bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal
:: After fix, undo with:
bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot

0xc000021a / stop code 21a Critical user-mode process (winlogon.exe or csrss.exe) failed. Run SFC and DISM. If that fails, perform an in-place upgrade repair.

WDF_VIOLATION (wdf01000.sys) Common on HP laptops after updates. Update the HP Support Assistant and chipset drivers. If on HP, run:

pnputil /enum-drivers | findstr wdf

Then remove outdated WDF co-installers.

VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (nvlddmkm.sys / atikmdag.sys / dxgkrnl.sys) GPU driver timeout. Use DDU in Safe Mode to fully remove the GPU driver, then install the latest version directly from NVIDIA.com or AMD.com.

Step 8: Repair the Boot Configuration Database (BCD)

If the PC cannot boot and shows a blank blue screen or boot loop:

:: From WinRE Command Prompt
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

Step 9: Perform an In-Place Upgrade Repair (Last Resort Before Reinstall)

Download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from microsoft.com, mount the ISO, and run setup.exe. Choose Upgrade this PC now and select Keep personal files and apps. This reinstalls Windows system files without wiping your data and resolves persistent multi-stop-code BSODs that survive SFC and DISM.

Preventing Future BSODs

Enable Windows Update and keep drivers current via Windows Update or manufacturer sites.
Avoid beta GPU drivers on production machines.
Use Reliability Monitor (perfmon /rel) to spot patterns before a full BSOD.
Keep at least 15% of your primary drive free.
Ensure proper PC ventilation; thermal throttling can trigger kernel-level crashes.

Frequently Asked Questions

bash

# ============================================================
# Windows 10 BSOD Diagnostic & Repair Script
# Run all commands in an ELEVATED Command Prompt or PowerShell
# ============================================================

# --- 1. Collect system info ---
systeminfo > C:\bsod_sysinfo.txt
wmic os get Caption,Version,BuildNumber

# --- 2. Check Windows image and repair system files ---
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

# --- 3. Parse SFC log for errors ---
findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log | findstr /i "repair corrupt" | more

# --- 4. Schedule CHKDSK on next boot ---
chkdsk C: /f /r /x

# --- 5. Check disk S.M.A.R.T. status ---
wmic diskdrive get Model,Status,MediaType

# --- 6. Launch Windows Memory Diagnostic ---
mdsched.exe

# --- 7. List minidump files (for BlueScreenView analysis) ---
dir C:\Windows\Minidump /OD

# --- 8. Export System event log crashes ---
wevtutil qe System /q:"*[System[(Level=1 or Level=2) and (EventID=41 or EventID=1001)]]" /f:text /c:20 > C:\bsod_events.txt

# --- 9. List all third-party drivers (non-Microsoft signed) ---
driverquery /FO TABLE /SI | findstr /v "Microsoft"

# --- 10. PowerShell: Find recently installed drivers ---
Get-WinEvent -LogName System | Where-Object {$_.Id -eq 7045} | Select-Object TimeCreated, Message | Format-List | Out-File C:\recent_drivers.txt

# --- 11. Check for corrupt BCD (run from WinRE if PC won't boot) ---
bcdedit /enum all
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

# --- 12. Roll back a specific driver (example: NVIDIA display) ---
# Get the driver INF name first:
pnputil /enum-drivers | findstr -i "nvidia"
# Then remove:
# pnputil /delete-driver oem<NUMBER>.inf /uninstall /force

# --- 13. Disable a specific service causing BSOD (example: Windows Defender filter) ---
# sc config WdFilter start= disabled

# --- 14. Check Night Light registry key (blue tint fix) ---
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore\Store\DefaultAccount\Current\default$windows.data.bluelightreduction.bluelightreductionstate" /v Data
# To reset Night Light:
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CloudStore" /f

# --- 15. Run Windows built-in Startup Repair (from WinRE) ---
# reagentc /boottore
# OR hold Shift + Restart and navigate to Startup Repair

# ============================================================
# After running diagnostics, review:
#   C:\bsod_sysinfo.txt
#   C:\bsod_events.txt
#   C:\recent_drivers.txt
#   C:\Windows\Minidump (open with BlueScreenView)
# ============================================================

Error Medic Editorial

Error Medic's editorial team is composed of senior DevOps engineers, SREs, and Windows systems administrators with 10+ years of experience diagnosing kernel panics, BSOD events, and OS-level failures across enterprise and consumer Windows environments. Our guides are tested on real hardware and kept current with every major Windows 10 cumulative update cycle.

Sources

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