How to fix “Critical Process Died” Blue Screen Error on Windows 10/8?

Critical Process Died error displays a blue screen of death (BSOD) on Windows 10 or 8 and an error code 0x000000EF. This means that a vital system process in your computer died. The process can be so serious that it could destroy your memory, your hard disk or, even although very rare, your processor. But no worries, we have got everything in place. Read on and trace the solutions to this problem. We have also covered list of solutions to fix DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION BSOD in Windows 10.

If this is your very first time you are experiencing this problem, your computer will restart and likely it’ll be back to normal. But if you’ve experienced this error message several times, there is need of doing something about your PC. This is because it is an indicator that a critical system procedure is at fault.

Run SFC Scan

Running SFC scan is among the most cliche solutions for problems related to Windows, but unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out in all situations. However, in this case, it might actually be of help, this is because it conserves system files. Changed or corrupted system files are precisely the cause of our problem. If you’re not sure how SFC scan is done, do the following:

1. Right-click on your Start Menu button, and then choose Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Enter the following line: sfc/ scannow and press enter.
3. Wait for the procedure to finish (this might take a few minutes).
4. Restart your computer.

See if the message ‘Critical process died’ error will still cause BSODs. If not, your computer is all set. It has helped to fix many errors such errors as Kernel Security Check Failure But If this error is still appearing then, below are a few more solutions.

Run DISM to fix Windows 10’s system image

2. Open Command icon as an Administrator.
3. Type the following rule: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
4. Hit Enter and run the command.
5. Wait for it to complete the scan. The process might take up to 10 minutes or longer to complete, so you need to be patient. If the progress bar seems to stick at 20%, don’t allow that to worry you, it happens regularly, you only need some patience.
6. After the DISM scan is done, restart your computer.

In addition, the following methods work as well.

1. Mount the Windows 10 .iso file by simply double-clicking it.
2. Open Command PowerShell or Prompt as administrator.
3. You can run these commands to Check for system health.
   • dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
   • dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth
   • dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

4. Run the following command: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:X and SourcesInstall.wim:1 /LimitAccess

Note: Replace letter X with a drive letter where the Windows 10 ISO is mounted.

Update Device Drivers

In most cases, buggy drivers might also cause Critical Process Died and blue screen of death error. The best way of dealing with it is trying to update all your device drivers to the newest versions to fix it.

There are two ways of getting the right drivers for the video card and monitor: you can do this either manually or automatically.

Manual driver update – If you choose to update your device drivers manually you simply need to go to the website of the manufacturing company for both your device. This is followed by searching for the latest correct driver for each. Be sure to select only tools that are well-matched with your variation of Windows 10.

Automatic driver update – If you don’t have enough time, patience or sometimes computer skills needed to update your device drivers yourself, you can instead, choose to do it automatically via Driver Easy. Driver Easy will recognize your system automatically and find the right drivers for your correct hardware devices, and the variant of Windows 10, and this will download and set them up correctly. This will keep your PC away from Critical Process Died and other BSOD.

Download and install the Driver Easy. Run Driver Easy and then click the Scan Now key. Driver Easy will automatically scan your computer and will be able to detect any problem with the drivers. Click the Update key next to any flagged tool to download and install the right version of this driver automatically (you can simply do this with a FREE version).

Another option would be clicking the Update All to download and install the right version of all the drivers automatically. However, ensure you download all the missing or out of date drivers on your system (this usually requires the Pro version which is packaged in full support and comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be signaled to upgrade once you click Update All).

Scan the Malware

With around 200,000 new malware trials released every day, no device or computer connected to the internet would be said to be truly safe. Although current anti-malware solutions offer a suitable level of defense against the newest cyber threats, your operating structure can still become tainted, and sometimes this might happen without your knowledge.

We recommend the users to have an on-demand malware scanner like AdwCleaner, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, SUPERAntiSpyware or HitmanPro. These advanced security resolutions can work alongside your existing virus scanner, which might increase your chances of being infected with even the most horrible cyber-bugs before they can bring any damage.

Keep in mind that the best way of dealing with this is by always addressing the core cause of the infection—don’t just put a simple cover on it. You might need to disable Flash in your net browser, and then installing an ad-blocker, as well as avoiding visiting unsafe sites that are full of invasive ads. This method help in most of the BSOD like Critical Process Died and many other BSOD.

Uninstall the Latest Updates

Some users have found out that the most recent Windows 10 updates in essence triggers this problem. This could be a severe issue, since Windows 10 is basically ‘all about updates,’ and some of the updates are necessary for the system to run as it should.. However, if a cumulative update is one of the sources of your headaches, there would be no problem in deleting it, or hiding it. Once you’ve deleted it, you will have no troubles with it anymore.

Below is a step-by-step procedure of uninstalling the latest updates.

1. Go to Settings.
2. The second process is navigating to Windows Update
3. The next step will be selecting the ‘Update history’ button
4. Go to Uninstall Updates
5. Select the update(s) that you have decided to uninstall
6. Lastly, click Uninstall

Cumulative updates are made up of all released updates beforehand. When there is a new cumulative update released by Microsoft and you download it, it’ll be easier to receive an update you previously had to uninstall since it caused Critical Process Died BSODs.

Reinstall Your Operating System (Last one)

When everything else fails to work, it’s time now to reinstall the operating system. Sometimes it’s just easier and quicker to support significant information and start from zero than spending hours and hours trying to get the right solution.

Grab a USB drive to back up your music, documents, videos,  pictures, and everything else that you are not ready to lose. This is followed by finding the official installation standard of Windows 10. Allow the installer to wipe out your whole system partition and complete the setting up procedure.

Read Also How to fix following BSoD:

• System Thread Exception Not Handled
• Memory Management BSoD
• Clock Watchdog Timeout

Before you start setting up your favorite software and your system drivers, spend a few hours with your Windows 10 to avoid of any additional errors to confirm that the reinstall has dealt with the Critical Process Died problem. Once you’re sure, add the programs slowly, always take a lot of time to make sure that everything is working as it should.