dxgkrnl.sys Blue Screen of Death error on Windows

A Blue Screen of Death error is always a very worrying sight. When it occurs, Windows crashes and you lose all unsaved work forever.

Many Windows users have reported receiving the error BSOD SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (dxgkrnl.sys). If you are looking for solutions to this BSOD (blue screen of death), then read on.

In this post, you will find several solutions that could resolve the issue. However, before we look at the solutions, let’s learn more about this error and its possible causes.

What is the dxgkrnl.sys BSOD error?

The dxgkrnl.sys is a Microsoft DirectX system driver file and the process is known as DirectX Graphics Kernel. The original version of the file is safe but you cannot ignore the possibility of a malware disguising as dxgkrnl.sys file to avoid visual detection.

The original location of Dxgkrnl.sys file is C:\Windows\System32\drivers folder. If you find Dxgkrnl.sys named file in another folder, it might be a malware or virus. Some of the best practices to avoid Dxgkrnl.sys BSOD errors are keeping your system clean and healthy.

This means scanning your system for malware, keeping Windows updated, and uninstalling programs that you don’t need. Now, let’s look at the solutions.

Solution 1 to dxgkrnl.sys error – Install all pending Windows updates

Dxgkrnl.sys is an integral component of the Windows system which gets updated with Windows updates. You need to install all pending Windows updates and keep you Windows updated to the latest version and to avoid dxgkrnl.sys related errors. Here are the steps to follow in order to do this:

Press Windows logo key and X simultaneously on the keyboard to bring up the Context menu
Select Settings
In the Settings window, click Update & Security

In the next window, click Check for updates

If you see any available updates, download and install them
Restart your computer to let the changes take effect

Use your computer as normal and see if the error is generated again. If the problem is not resolved, move on to next solution.

Solution 2 to dxgkrnl.sys error – Disable SLI

This solution is applicable to users who have an NVIDIA graphics card installed on their computer. NVIDIA graphics settings include an SLI feature that allows for the use of two graphics cards for better performance.

For various reasons, the SLI feature does not work well in Windows 10 and that could be the cause of the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (dxgkrnl.sys) BSOD error. A simple solution to this problem is disabling the SLI feature and see if it helps fix the issue. Here are the steps to follow in order to do this:

Open the NVIDIA control panel. You can access the NVIDIA control panel by double-clicking on its icon in the bottom right corner of the task bar
Navigate to 3D Settings and click Set SLI Configuration
Click Do Not Use SLI Technology

Click Apply to save changes
Close all windows

Now use your computer and see if the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (dxgkrnl.sys) BSOD error is generated. If you still encounter the BSOD ((dxgkrnl.sys) error, move on to the next solution.

Solution 3 to dxgkrnl.sys error – turn off NVIDIA Surround

This solution is also applicable to users who have an NVIDIA graphics card installed on their computer. NVIDIA offers 3D Surround that enables the user to combine multiple monitors (up to 5) for the immersive gaming experience.

Many users have reported NVIDIA Surround causing problems in Windows 10 which then results in BSOD errors. You need to turn off the NVIDIA Surround feature and see if this fixes the issue. Here are the steps to follow to do this:

Right-click on your Desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel

Go to the navigation pane in your left and expand 3D Settings
Click Configure Surround, PhysX

Under Surround configuration, uncheck the option – Span displays with Surround

Click Apply and then OK to close NVIDIA Control Panel

Use your computer as normal and see if the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (dxgkrnl.sys) BSOD error is generated. If the problem remains unresolved, move on to next solution below.

Solution 4 to dxgkrnl.sys error – run SFC scan

There is the possibility that some system files have become corrupt and that this is causing the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (dxgkrnl.sys) BSOD error. Windows has an in-built tool known as System File Checker that checks the integrity of system files and replaces corrupt files with good cached versions. The SFC commands needs to be executed from the elevated command prompt. Here are the steps to follow in order to do this.

On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and X at the same time to bring up the black context menu
Click Command Prompt (admin) from the list
In the command prompt window, type SFC /scannow and hit the Enter key on your keyboard

You will see the System File Checker tool running in the command prompt window. Wait for the program to finish its operation

Check whether you are getting the (dxgkrnl.sys) BSOD error. If the problem persists, move on to the next solution.

Solution 5 to dxgkrnl.sys error – run DISM commands

There is the possibility that SFC was not able to restore all corrupt system files and hence the issue remains unresolved. Windows has a DISM software tool that can fix system files errors that the SFC tool was unable to fix.

DISM is short for Deployment Image Servicing and Management. It is a command-line tool that is used to service Windows setup, Windows images, and the Windows Recovery environment. You need to use the use the//ScanHealth and //RestoreHealth commands to scan the windows image for corruption and perform repairs automatically. Here are the steps you need to follow to do this.

Press Windows logo key + R simultaneously on the keyboard to bring up the Run command console
In the Run command box, type cmd and click OK

In the list of results, right-click cmd and select Run as administrator

In the command prompt window, type the following commands. Wait for first command operation to complete before typing next command
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

(Note- DISM commands can take around 10-15 minutes to complete as it also checks the registry for any corruption. You need to be patient and wait for the command operation to complete before performing the next step)

Close command prompt window

Solution 6 to dxgkrnl.sys error – run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

Fixing the Blue Screen of Death error has never been easy so Microsoft now offer a Blue Screen Troubleshooter that could help fix the problem for you. Here are the steps to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter.

Click Start
Click Settings – (the gear icon that appears in the left pane)

In the Settings window, click Update & Security
In the Update & Security window, click the Troubleshoot option in the left pane
In the right pane, look for the Blue Screen option and click the Run the troubleshooter button that appears below the option

Follow the on-screen instructions to help the blue Screen troubleshooter fix the problem

Check whether the issue has been resolved. If you still get the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (dxgkrnl.sys) BSOD error, move on to the next solution.

Solution 7 to dxgkrnl.sys error – update graphics driver

Another potential reason for seeing this error is outdated graphics drivers. Several users have reported that they were able to fix the problem by updating their graphics driver.

There are two ways to update your graphics drivers – manually and automatically. The automatic driver update option offers two main advantages. Manually updating drivers can take time and resources while an automatic driver update tool can update not only your graphics drivers but also other outdated drivers in a matter of minutes.

Also sometimes you might download wrong drivers when you take the manual route. This happens more when you have to search for relevant drivers over the Internet. With the automatic driver update option, there is no such risk.

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

You can update device drivers automatically
The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

Start Download

Solution 8 to dxgkrnl.sys error – check for hardware failure

If none of the above solutions have worked for you, there is the possibility that the problem is with your hardware, RAM or another system component. In cases such as this you will need to take the PC to a repair store and get it checked.