My PC keeps blue screening after launching a game with the “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED” error

Troubleshooting the “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED” Blue Screen Error When Launching Games on Your PC

Encountering blue screen errors can be a distressing experience for gamers and PC enthusiasts alike, especially when they occur consistently during specific activities such as gaming. Recently, users have reported encountering the “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (0xEF)” blue screen error immediately after launching games, despite their system booting normally otherwise. This article explores potential causes and effective troubleshooting steps to resolve this issue.

Understanding the Issue

The core problem involves the PC functioning normally during startup but crashing with a critical blue screen upon launching games. The error code “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (0xEF)” indicates that a crucial system process has unexpectedly terminated, leading to system instability. Given that the problem consistently occurs during gaming attempts, it suggests a possible conflict or failure related to drivers, system files, or hardware interactions specific to gaming workloads.

Sample System Specifications

For context, consider a typical high-performance gaming PC configured as follows:

Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (12 cores, 24 threads)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX (AM5 socket)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5, 32GB (6400 MHz, CL32, XMP enabled)
Case: Lian Li PC-011DX Dynamic
Cooling: Lian Li Galahad 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler
Power Supply: Corsair RM850x 850W, Fully Modular, 80 PLUS Gold
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro M.2 SSD (2TB) x2

Common Troubleshooting Measures

When addressing the “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED” error, several steps should be systematically undertaken:

Update and Reinstall Graphics Drivers
Use official tools like NVIDIA GeForce Experience or Device Manager to uninstall existing GPU drivers completely.
Reinstall the latest drivers from the official NVIDIA website to ensure compatibility and stability.
Check for Windows Updates
Ensure your operating system is fully up to date, as updates often include critical security patches and stability improvements.
Run System File Checker and Disk Checks
Open Command Prompt with administrator privileges and execute:
- sfc /scannow to scan and repair corrupted system files.
- `ch