How to fix SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error on Windows 10

One of the common errors for Windows 10 users is the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION and the text “Your PC encountered a problem and needs to restart. We are just collecting some information about the error, and then a reboot will be performed automatically.”

This manual provides details on how to fix the SYSTEM SERVCIE EXCEPTION error, what can cause it, and the most common variants of this error, indicating the priority actions to eliminate it.

What is the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION is a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) error that can appear at any time while using your PC. BSOD errors can be a nightmare for those who try and fail to fix them. As a rule, such errors can appear for various reasons. The most common causes include missing files, disk corruption, compatibility issues, and driver issues. If you do not eliminate the error, it will constantly pop up every time, interfering with normal work with your PC. Luckily, it has been more than three years since SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION became known in Windows 3. We now know the most effective and workable solutions to fix this problem.

Official patch from Microsoft

But let’s assume that the described methods did not produce results, and the user again sees failure 0x0000003b on the screen. On Windows 7 (x64), the solution to this problem may be to use the officially released patch from Microsoft that resolves this glitch.

You can download the Hotfix file directly from the download section on the company's website. Some experts, as an interim solution to the problem, recommend installing a special update - the KB980932 package, which in some cases can also fix failures.

Download Windows Recovery Tool

There are special recovery utilities for Windows that can solve problems related to registry corruption, file system malfunction, and Windows driver instability. We recommend using Advanced System Repair to fix the "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION" error on Windows 10.

Before jumping into the instructions, take a minute to review the most common reasons why a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error may occur. Sometimes the Blue Screen of Death shows the name of the .sys file that is causing the problem. This information can help you identify a more specific cause so you don't have to go through all the possible solutions. The name of this file should be located at the very bottom of the error information. If the file name is not listed there, the only way to find out is through so-called dump files that are created by Windows during BSOD crashes. You can view them by installing a special Microsoft utility called WinDbg Preview . The utility is available in the official Microsoft Store. After downloading and installing the application, follow these steps to analyze which file may have caused the crash:

1. Type WinDbg Preview in the search box next to the Start menu, right-click on it and select Run as administrator .
2. Agree with the window that appears and wait for WinDbg to open.
3. Now, click the File menu and select Start debugging at the top of the list on the left.
4. Then click Open dump file and select which dump file you want to read. The folder containing the dump files should be located at this path C:\Windows\Minidump\. Select the date closest to when the error occurred. If there are no such files in the folder, then most likely your system does not record memory dump reports. To enable this feature, follow the instructions listed after these steps.
5. Wait a moment for the selected dump file to download.
6. Now look for the !analyze -v line somewhere near the bottom of all the text. Click on it and wait for the analysis to complete.

After completing all these steps, you will finally be able to see the full picture of what may be causing the error. Scroll down a bit and find an entry called IMAGE_NAME . Next to it you will see the name of the file that is causing the error.

To enable dumping:

1. Open This PC and right-click on the empty space under your drives. Select Properties .
2. Then click Advanced system settings .
3. Go to Advanced tab and click Settings under Startup and Recovery .
4. Make sure you have the same settings as in this screenshot.

Once you know which file is causing the error, take a look at the list of the most popular .sys files and their functions below:

dxgkrnl.sys , nvlddmkm.sys and atikmdag.sys are files related to video card drivers. Sometimes they may become corrupted or no longer supported. Therefore, it is worth checking your driver for faults and downloading new ones if necessary.

ks.sys can indicate a problem with many things, but most often it is related to the installation or launch of Skype. The reason usually lies in the webcam or sound card drivers. Some users have been able to resolve this issue by installing alternative drivers for their webcam or sound card.

netio.sys is often associated with network adapters and Wi-Fi. In this case, the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error may occur suddenly while surfing the Internet or when network resources are under high load (for example, when using torrent clients). The solution may be to download original drivers from the manufacturer's website for your laptop or motherboard on your PC.

With the above said, you can now choose the right and most promising solution from the list below. If you are still not sure which solution will work for you, try doing everything in order until the problem is eventually resolved.

Checking PC RAM

This critical error can occur on systems with faulty (but working) RAM. To make sure of this, you need to check it for the presence of “broken” cells of memory banks.

For these purposes, there are many test utilities like MemTest64 and Memtest86+.

There is a simpler “old-fashioned” way - remove all the RAM sticks from the motherboard and insert them back one by one, checking the functionality of the system. All manipulations with devices are carried out only with the computer turned off and plugged in. Using this elimination method, it is easy to find the faulty module and replace it with a new one.

Owners of just one stick of RAM will have to either test it on another PC or use a program. We will use the popular and free MemTest64.

To do this we do the following:

1. Download the program from https://www.techpowerup.com/memtest64.

1. When launched, MemTest64 detects the RAM modules installed in the system. Select the maximum amount of memory to be tested and click “Begin Test”.

Testing your memory will take a long time, and you will not be able to use your computer.

1.Install the latest Windows updates

Windows updates are not flawless and are still plagued with bugs that can disrupt various system processes. It is possible that the latest update currently installed on your system is the culprit behind the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error. So, checking and installing new bug fix updates could potentially resolve the issue. You can also uninstall the most recent update if you suspect it may be causing the problem.

To install new updates:

1. Left-click on the Start Menu in the bottom left corner of the screen and select Settings . Or use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut.
2. Then select Update & Security .
3. In the left pane, select Windows Update .
4. Now click Check for updates .
5. Wait while Windows scans for updates and installs them if found.
6. Once completed, restart your computer and check if the problem is still there.

To remove the latest updates:

1. Repeat the first 3 steps above.
2. Then in Windows Update, click View update history in the right pane.
3. Select Uninstall updates from the top and remove the most recent update by installation date.
4. Now you can restart your computer and see if anything has changed.

Solving Blue Screen Error Code 0x0000003b: Determining the Cause

But first you need to find out which service or program that uses the specified drivers could be the root cause of the failure.

To do this, you need to enter the system configuration section (msconfig in the Run console) and set the startup type to diagnostic. If the culprit of the error is a third-party user process, the best option would be to roll back the system to the last working state (either through a forced reboot, or through the start menu with selecting the last working state).

If a system service causes failure 0x0000003b Windows 7 (x64), the solution to this problem may be to boot from the installation or recovery disk and check the system components and then restore them through the command line (Shift + F10) by entering the command sfc / scannow.

Update your drivers

As we mentioned earlier, drivers often play a big role in the appearance of SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION. Graphics adapters, network adapters, and other important devices may not be configured correctly due to driver issues. This is why it is important to update them regularly. Please note that sometimes new drivers can cause problems. In this case, Windows remembers the previous driver, allowing you to roll back to it if necessary. If you already know which driver is associated with the error from the above, update it first. Both instructions for updating and rolling back drivers manually are below:

To update drivers manually:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager .
2. In the tab that opens, right-click on the problematic driver, select Update driver and follow the instructions on the screen.
3. Windows will begin searching for available updates and will automatically install them on your computer.
4. Sometimes there are faulty drivers (marked with a yellow rectangle), which means they are faulty and should be updated immediately.

To roll back drivers:

If you know that a driver was updated before receiving the error, you can find and roll back it to a previous version. Here's how:

1. Go to Device Manager as we did above.
2. Locate and right-click on the recently updated driver.
3. Select Rollback and follow the instructions.
4. Once completed, restart your computer and see if the problem goes away.

You can also use IObit Driver Booster for automatic updates. This is much faster than doing all the steps manually, since the utility will find outdated or faulty drivers and update them on its own. Here is the link to download it.

Driver Booster start screen

Driver Booster scan results

Driver Booster Tools Section

Why does it crash?

The most common reason is a conflict between installed hardware and certain software, when unsigned drivers or programs from unverified sources are installed. They can cause the system to crash and the following picture to appear on the screen:

Top error 0x0000003B also appears due to incorrect access to the OS kernel. The reasons for this phenomenon can be very diverse - from overheating of processors to an inappropriate version of the graphics adapter driver.

I am sure that you are more interested not in the origin of the problem, but in its elimination. Let's move on to a review of the methods.

Check the integrity of system files.

As we mentioned at the beginning, BSOD problems can also occur due to missing or corrupted files. Such files are usually very important for the proper operation of many Windows services. If some of these files are located outside of their native environment, then this can cause crashes. Below we'll use DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) scans that will detect and repair missing components. Be sure to run both of them, as they may have different effects on solving the problem. Here's how:

Using DISM

1. Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Press Enter and wait for Windows to finish scanning and fixing.
4. After that, do the SFC scan below.

Using SFC

1. Open Command Prompt by entering cmd in the search box next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and then Run as administrator .
3. Once the console opens, type sfc /scannow command and press Enter .
4. Once the repair process is complete, restart your computer and check if the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error appears again.

Fighting a virus attack

Every year the number and quality of viruses is growing, somewhat outstripping the protective capabilities of antiviruses. The most dangerous of them are disguised as system files. Their copies cannot be distinguished from the original by name, but they are located in different folders. With such a “castling” of drivers, we may see a critical error 0x0000003b on the screen and not know about its real cause.

To exclude the possibility of PC infection, we will use the powerful anti-virus utility Dr.Web CureIt!

For this:

1. Follow the link https://free.drweb.ru/cureit to the official website of the Dr.Web company.

Immediately click on the link to download the free utility. We agree to the developer's terms and conditions and download CureIt!

1. Open the utility (no installation required) and agree to the terms of the free license.

Select the item “Select objects to scan.”

ABOUT.

Click on the drive on which Windows is installed (drive C:).

We start the check with the button of the same name and wait for it to finish.

1. After some time, CureIt! will display the results of the scan with possible options for neutralizing them. It is advisable to destroy the virus if it has not become part of the code in the system file (becomes a parasite). In this case, select the “Treat” option.

2. Reboot the computer and monitor its operation.

If the annoying BSOD still makes itself felt, then we move on to looking for problems in the computer hardware.

Scan your hard drive for damage.

Another important method to try if you haven't resolved the error yet is scanning your drive for signs of damage. You can easily do this with the steps below:

1. Open Command Prompt the same way we did above.
2. Then you should paste the chkdsk /f /r C: command and press Enter . If necessary, replace "C" with the letter of your hard drive.
3. The system will scan for correct configuration and physical errors, and then automatically correct them.

Viruses

If the system has been exposed to viruses and does not boot even after applying the solutions described above, you will have to check it. But how to do this, since the start turns out to be impossible?

This is where disk programs with the general name Rescue Disk come to the rescue, with which you can boot like a recovery disk and use an in-depth scan of all existing partitions. Perhaps this will help solve the problem.

Disable/uninstall third party software.

Third-party software such as antivirus may cause some services to malfunction. It may conflict with some process on your system. For some reason, even legitimate Windows processes can become entangled with malware protection protocols, resulting in some glitches. Since you may not know this, try disabling your non-native antivirus if you have one installed. There is also a list of programs that may cause BSOD problems on some systems. Among them are McAfee Antivirus, Virtual CloneDrive, Xsplit, MSI Live, BitDefender, Cisco VPN and Asus GameFirst service. Apart from the fact that antivirus or third-party utilities can be the culprits of such errors, unwanted or malicious programs can also have the same consequences. If you remember installing a new program recently, try uninstalling it and see if anything changes. Maybe this will just solve the problem. If you don't know how to properly remove malware, we recommend downloading an excellent and proven antivirus from MalwareBytes (use the button below).

Fix BSOD 0x0000003b

Basically, this error haunts Windows 7 64-bit users and reports problems with RAM. There are two reasons for this: a physical malfunction of the RAM modules installed in the PC or a failure in one of the system drivers (Win32k.sys, IEEE 1394). There are several special cases, which we will also consider below.

Method 1: Automatic fix

Especially for such cases, Microsoft has developed a special fix that solves our problem. It comes in the form of system update KB980932, which you need to download and run on your PC.

Download update

1. After downloading, we will receive a file called 406698_intl_x64_zip.exe, which is a self-extracting archive containing the KB980932 update. You can unpack it manually using some archiver, for example, 7-Zip, or by double-clicking it, proceed to the installation.
   After launching the file, click “Continue”.

2. Select a location to unpack the archive.

3. In the next window, click OK.

4. Go to the folder that you specified in step 2 and start the update.

Use a system restore point.

If nothing works and attempts to find the right solution lead to constant failures, system recovery may be the way out. If you haven't installed Windows just now, there must be some fallback point in the system when the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error did not appear. So let's get your system back to this point by doing the following:

1. Right-click on This PC and then Properties .
2. In the window that opens, go to System Protection and click on Restore .
3. Then click Next and select a date during which everything worked without problems. You can also click on Search for affected programs , which will show you what will be changed after you run the repair.
4. When finished, click Next and start Recover .

Checking the serviceability of the hard drive

In rare cases, the critical error 0x0000003b can be caused by your computer's hard drive. This occurs due to microdamage to the recorded sectors on the pancakes. If there was part of the system driver in such a sector, it may not start or may fail.

You can test the hard drive with the Victoria HDD program. It is considered the most accurate indicator of the state of the rewritable ROM area, which is capable of replacing damaged “crumbled” sectors with new ones from an unreadable area, thereby extending the life of the device.

To work with Victoria HDD:

1. Download it from the website https://victoria4.ru.

1. We launch the program without installation. The user will see a working window with a very large number of settings in English. Here we mark the hard drive we need (if there are several of them).

1. First of all, go to the HDD status menu “SMART” and click “Get SMART”. The device poll result should be at the “GOOD” level.

1. Next, go to the “Tests” tab, where we specify the “Remap” action and launch the test using the “Start” button.

1. Upon completion of the check, the program will display results with a sector map explaining what kind of error was detected.

If there are only a few slow cells, then after replacing them the computer should fully restore normal operation. The discovery of dozens or more damaged clusters indicates that the hard drive is rapidly deteriorating (“crumbles”).

The way out of the situation is to replace the hard drive and then install the operating system on it.