Fix Unexpected Store Exception BSoD in Windows 11

BSOD or Blue Screen of Death errors occur when the OS crashes for any reason. As the name suggests, these are followed by a blue screen with the stop code mentioned at the bottom. One of these is the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11.

The Unexpected Store Exception stop code indicates that the store components encountered an unexpected exception. However, the stop code doesn’t divulge much about the underlying issue, so we have dedicated this guide to resolving the error.

Before we head to the fixes, you must know the underlying causes behind the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11. With a basic understanding of these, you will be better positioned to identify and effectively troubleshoot the problem.

Why do I keep getting unexpected store exception?

There can be a bunch of issues that cause the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11, and we have listed them below.

• Problems with the hardware
• Corrupt system files
• Outdated drivers (generally hard drive and graphics)
• Conflicting applications

Of the four issues mentioned above, problems with the hard drive or graphics adapter and conflicting applications are more likely to cause a BSOD error like the attempted switch from dpc.

Let’s now walk you through the methods to eliminate the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11.

How do I fix unexpected exception in Windows 11?

1. Check system components

As mentioned above, one of the prime reasons behind the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11 is hardware issues. So check if the hard drive is correctly connected to the system and if there are no loose connections.

Also, ensure that the graphics adapter is firmly placed. Loose connections are also known to cause the BSOD error. Apart from these two, ensure all the other components are firmly connected and optimally placed to eliminate the error.

2. Update drivers

A driver is a critical piece of software that relays commands between the OS and the device. Running an outdated version may cause issues with the device’s functioning, leading to the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11. Thus, see the guide below to update your drivers correctly. 

1. Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu. Enter Device Manager in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result.

2. Double-click on the Display adapters entry to view the devices under it.

3. Next, right-click on the graphics adapter and select Update driver from the context menu.

4. Select Search automatically for drivers from the options in the Update Drivers window.

5. Windows will now search for the best available driver on the system and install it.

The Device Manager method listed above only looks for newer versions on the system, limiting the possibility of finding one.

So, if you cannot find an update, you can always look up the latest version in Windows Updates or the manufacturer’s website and install it.

Once you update the graphics driver, follow the same process to update the hard drive driver listed under the Disk drives entry in Device Manager.

4. Uninstall conflicting applications

1. Press Windows + I to launch Settings, and select Apps from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
2. Now, click on Apps & features on the right.
3. Locate the conflicting (discussed later) app, click on the ellipsis next to it and select Uninstall from the menu.
4. Click on Uninstall in the confirmation prompt that appears.

While uninstalling an app is simple, identifying the conflicting ones to be removed is the trick. To do that, recollect when you first encountered the error and list apps installed around the same period.

Then, you can start uninstalling them one at a time and check if the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11 is fixed. Also, beginning with the antivirus is recommended since it’s more likely to cause the problem.

5. Run the SFC and Check Disk scan

1. Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu. Enter Windows Terminal in the text field at the top, right-click on the relevant search result, and select Run as administrator from the context menu.
2. Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt.
3. Now, click on the downward arrow at the top, and select Command Prompt from the options. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + 2 to launch the Command Prompt tab in Windows Terminal.
4. Type/paste the following command and hit Enter to run the SFC scan.
   sfc /scannow
5. Once the SFC scan is run, paste the following command and hit Enter to run the Check Disk utility.
   chkdsk /r
6. Press Y and then hit Enter.
7. Now restart the computer for the Check Disk utility to run and fix problems with the system.

The SFC scan detects corrupt Windows system files and, if any are found, replaces them with their cached copy stored on the computer. If it’s unable to find any corruptions, you can try running the Check Disk utility.

Check Disk scans the whole hard drive for problems. Also, it identifies any bad sectors on the drive and tries either to fix them or commands the computer not to use them.

Once the system restarts, check if the unexpected_store_exception error in Windows 11 is eliminated.

6. Update Windows 11

1. Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app, and select the Windows Update tab from the navigation pane on the left.
2. Next, click on Check for updates to scan for any available newer versions of the OS.
3. If any updates are available, download and install them.

Users have noticed that an update is particularly effective in Dell PCs’ unexpected store exception error, or if you regularly have this error stuck at 0.

7. Turn off Fast startup

1. Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu. Enter Control Panel in the text field at the top and click on the relevant search result that appears.
2. Click on System and Security.
3. Next, click on Change what the power buttons do under Power Options.
4. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
5. Untick the checkbox for Turn on fast startup (recommended) and click on Save changes at the bottom.

The fast startup enables the PC to quickly boot when you turn it on by saving specific files during the last shut down. This way, when you turn on the computer, the number of files to be loaded is lesser, thus reducing the boot time.

But it’s also known to cause several problems; hence, you should disable fast startup if you encounter the unexpected store exception error in Windows 11 on startup.

How do I fix Stop error in Windows 11?

You should note that many of the solutions recommended in this article are good fixes for the stop error in Windows 11.

We especially recommend that you try the following:

• Run the SFC and Check Disk scan
• Update drivers
• Update Windows 11

You should be well on your way with any of these three fixes. Additionally, we encourage you to try fixes from our guide on the BSOD error on Windows 11.

What are BSOD errors, and which ones will I likely encounter in Windows 11?

The BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) errors occur due to the abrupt termination of one or more critical processes, causing the system to crash. If you encounter the error, the OS will be reloaded, and all unsaved data will be lost, making fixing them more critical.

Read more about this topic

• Fix: Unexpected Store Exception error in Windows 10/11
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• Solved: Cross Device Experience Host Not Installing

Every BSOD error has a Stop Code or Check Value assigned to distinguish it from the others and help you identify the underlying issue.

Many users have reported encountering the Critical Process Died error, so learning to fix it once and for all is a handy piece of information.

In other cases, you could encounter the Clock Watchdog Timeout error, another very annoying error that can be fixed if the right path is followed.

That’s all there’s to this Windows crash or unexpected store exception error in Windows 11, along with its most effective fixes.

If you encountered it on the previous OS version, learn how to fix the Unexpected_store_exception error in Windows 10.

Please tell us which fix worked for you and the experience of Windows 11 thus far in the comments section below.