How to Check Blue Screen log: 4 Ways to Access Crash Files
BSOD logs help troubleshoot the error quickly
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Key notes
- A proper understanding of how to check blue screen logs is imperative if you want to effortlessly eliminate the error.
- There are several ways to find the logs, and you can choose one that seems simple and lists the required information.
- Most usually use the Event Viewer, while others prefer the Control Panel, amongst other methods.
The Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) is one of the most well-known and feared errors that crash Windows, and requires extensive troubleshooting. And that’s why you must know how to check the blue screen log.
Thankfully enough, Windows 10 comes with a neat way of storing all kinds of information, including the BSoD log file. So, let’s walk you through everything about Windows blue screen log.
Where do I find the Blue Screen log?
There are various ways you can find blue screen logs in Windows, and here are some of the methods:
- Event Viewer – If you wanted to find out the BSOD log file location in Windows 10, it’s the Event Viewer. The log file lists every BSOD error and a detailed report on it.
- Control Panel – Control Panel is a quick way to check BSOD log files, though it isn’t as informative.
How can I check Blue Screen log?
1. Use the Event Viewer
1. Press Windows + X to open the Power User menu, and then click on Event Viewer to launch the app.
2. Hover over the Action menu, and then click the Create Custom View link.
3. Select a time range from the Logged dropdown menu when the BSoD happened, and tick the Error checkbox in the Event level section.
4. Select the Event logs menu, and tick the Windows Logs checkbox.
5. Once done, click on OK to proceed.
6. Give the custom view a name, and then press OK. (The Event Viewer will now show the information based on the filters you applied.)
7. Sort the information by date using the Date and Time header.
8. Look at the error events at the time of your last BSoD. For more details regarding the error, click on the Details tab.
You can use Event Viewer to see a Blue Screen log file. Windows Event Viewer shows a log of application and system messages.
This includes errors, information messages, and warnings, and it is a useful tool for troubleshooting all kinds of different Windows problems. So, if you were wondering how to see blue screen log, this is probably the most effective method.
2. Via the Control Panel
- Press Windows + S to open Search, type Control Panel in the text field, and click on the relevant search result.
- Click on System and Security.
- Next, choose System and Maintenance.
- Click on Maintenance here, and then select View reliability history.
- Now, locate the red cross marks, since these are critical errors, including BSOD.
- To view the log file, simply click on an event at the bottom.
Control Panel also allows you to view the critical errors encountered on the PC, and it’s slightly easier than Event Viewer, but not as detailed.
3. Use your Registry Editor
- Press Windows + R to open Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
- Paste the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl
- Right-click on the right side, hover the cursor over New, select DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it DisplayParameters.
- Type 1 under Value data, and click OK to save the changes.
- Once done, restart the computer.
If you were unable to view the Blue Screen Event ID or other relevant information in the error log, making changes to the registry should fix things.
4. Use a third-party BSoD viewer
If all of the steps mentioned above seem too complicated, then you could make use of a third-party event viewer. These apps will usually do the exact same thing as the Windows Event Viewer, but with fewer steps.
For more details on how you can use a third-party BSoD viewer, check out this in-depth guide. Even more, for this particular situation, we recommend using NirSoft’s BlueScreenView.
The tool scans your systems for the BSoD crash file and returns the information in one single table, so you can easily analyze it. This way, you’ll easily see the cause of the event and the location.
There are several underlying causes that trigger a BSOD, and unless you know how to check the blue screen log, it will be difficult to fix things.
And now that you know it, find out the best tools to seamlessly fix BSOD errors in no time.
Did you ever encounter a Blue screen of Death error while using Windows? Tell us about your experience in the comments section below.
