That’s another reason why drivers can cause computer crashes.
And as with all things man-made, there’s always a chance that something might go wrong, or that one driver might not be compatible with another, especially since many device manufacturers produce their own drivers.
All your hardware needs to be “driven” somehow.ĭrivers are just pieces of software coded by human beings. The same goes for audio drivers, graphics drivers, Blu-ray drivers, and even drivers for the “mainboard” your processor sits on.
The driver directly interfaces with Windows and plugs deep into the “kernel” (think of it as the heart of Windows). For example, your Wi-Fi driver needs to control the way your Wi-Fi adapter works: when it connects to a network, when it goes into standby, and which Wi-Fi standard to use. In order to work properly, drivers have deep access to all the hardware in your PC as well as to the Windows operating system itself. That’s why driver problems can lead to so many computer crashes - if the driver malfunctions, your PC can’t access its internal components. All your hardware components, such as your graphics card, network adapter, or sound card, have drivers. OK, so what are these drivers, and why does my PC keep crashing?ĭrivers are a type of software that allow Windows to communicate with the hardware in your PC. And usually, it’s because those drivers are outdated. According to Microsoft's own research, about 70% of all “stop” errors - the dreaded blue screen of death that shows when your PC crashes - are due to driver-related problems. Why Does My Computer Keep Crashing? | PC Crashes | Avast Logo Ameba Icon Security Icon Security White Icon Privacy Icon Performance Icon Privacy Icon Security Icon Performance Icons/45/01 Security/Other-Threats Icons / 32 / Bloatware removal Icons / 32 / Registry Cleaner Icons / 32 / CleanUp Icons / Feature / 32 / Mac Icons / 32 / Browser cleanup Icons/32/01 Security/Malware Icons/32/01 Security/Viruses Icons/32/01 Security/Other-Threats Icons/32/01 Security/Passwords Icons/32/01 Security/Ransomware Icons/32/01 Security/Business Icons/32/02 Privacy/Browser Icons/32/02 Privacy/IP adress Icons/32/02 Privacy/VPN Icons/32/02 Privacy/Proxy Icons/32/02 Privacy/Streaming Icons/32/03 Performance/Celaning Icons/32/03 Performance/Drivers Icons/32/03 Performance/Gaming Icons/32/03 Performance/Hardware Icons/32/03 Performance/Speed Icons / 32 / Bloatware removal Icons / 32 / Registry Cleaner Win Icons / 32 / CleanUp Icons / Feature / 32 / Mac Icons / 32 / Browser cleanup Icons/60/02 Privacy/02_Privacy Icons/60/01 Security/01_Security Icons/60/03 Performance/03_Performance Icons/80/01 Security/IoT Icons/80/01 Security/Malware Icons/80/01 Security/Passwords Icons/80/01 Security/Ransomware Icons/80/01 Security/Viruses Icons/80/01 Security/Other-Threats Icons/80/03 Security/Business Icons/80/02 Privacy/Browser Icons/80/02 Privacy/IP adress Icons/80/02 Privacy/VPN Icons/80/02 Privacy/Proxy Icons/80/02 Privacy/Streaming Icons/80/03 Performance/Celaning Icons/80/03 Performance/Drivers Icons/80/03 Performance/Gaming Icons/80/03 Performance/Hardware Icons/80/03 Performance/Speed Icons/80/03 Performance/03_Performance Icons/80/02 Privacy/02_Privacy