How to fix error 0x0000008e in Windows 11

Solution Steps

1. 1 Press Windows key + R, type 'eventvwr.msc', and press Enter. In Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs → System. Look for critical errors that occurred just before the crash. Note the source (like 'nvlddmkm' for NVIDIA or 'dxgkrnl' for graphics). This tells you which driver is likely the culprit.
2. 2 If you identified a specific driver, press Windows key + X and select 'Device Manager'. Right-click the device (e.g., your graphics card) and select 'Properties'. Go to the 'Driver' tab and click 'Roll Back Driver' if available. This reverts to the previous driver that worked.
3. 3 If rollback isn't available, go to the manufacturer's website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and download the latest driver for your hardware. Use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode to completely remove old drivers, then install the new one. DDU ensures no leftover files cause conflicts.
4. 4 Press Windows key + R, type 'sfc /scannow', and press Enter. This scans and repairs corrupted system files that might be causing the exception. Wait for it to complete (may take 15-20 minutes).
5. 5 If sfc finds issues, run 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth' as administrator. This repairs the system image that sfc uses. After that, run sfc again.
6. 6 If the error persists, boot into Safe Mode (press Shift + Restart from the login screen, then Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → press 4). In Safe Mode, uninstall recently installed software or drivers that might be incompatible.