Error codes

0x0000008E

KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

What it means

A driver or Windows component hit an error in kernel mode and nothing was there to catch it, which is the older cousin of 0x1E.

Common causes

• An outdated driver, most often graphics or chipset
• A hardware fault in RAM or on the board
• Malware that patches kernel code

How to fix it

1. Open the crash dump in WhoCrashed or BlueScreenView: it usually names the driver file that caused it (for example nvlddmkm.sys is the NVIDIA driver).
2. Update the graphics, chipset and network drivers from the maker's site (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel or your board vendor), not from a driver-updater tool.
3. Open Terminal (Admin) and run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. Restart afterwards.
4. Run the free Windows Defender offline scan from Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.