Anyone else have blue screen of death with fix driver installation

Community Feedback
1

Blue screen of death when downloading “fix drivers”. No tech help after 6 days.

2

Hello @Janet_Laster
Are you referring to Norton Driver Updater?

You contacted official Norton support 6 days ago?
What did Norton support do/say?

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Yes, many users have reported experiencing the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) after using or installing Norton Driver Updater. These crashes are often caused by the tool installing incorrect or incompatible drivers for specific hardware configurations, leading to system instability.

The primary fix is to access the system in Safe Mode and revert the drivers or uninstall the Norton Driver Updater software.

Steps to Fix the BSOD

If your computer is crashing, follow these steps to regain access and resolve the issue:

  1. Boot into Safe Mode

You need to access Windows with only essential drivers loaded to prevent the crash from recurring immediately.

  • Restart your computer. When you get to the sign-in screen (or during the boot process if it crashes before that), hold down the Shift key and click Restart.
  • After the PC restarts to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  • After the computer restarts again, press 4 or F4 on your keyboard to start your PC in Safe Mode (or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking).
  1. Revert the Drivers

Once in Safe Mode, you can use the Norton Driver Updater’s own revert feature or Windows’ built-in Device Manager to roll back the problematic drivers.

  • Using Norton Driver Updater:
    • Open Norton Driver Updater.
    • Click Solve now (if prompted).
    • Select the hardware component that is causing issues, or filter by Last updated to view recent changes.
    • Select the relevant driver and click Revert selected.
  • Using Device Manager (if Norton is inaccessible):
    • Right-click the Windows Start button and select Device Manager.
    • Expand the category for the hardware component that received the update (e.g., Display adapters, Sound, video and game controllers).
    • Right-click the specific device and select Properties.
    • Go to the Driver tab and click Roll Back Driver (if available).
    • If the option is grayed out, you may need to visit the hardware manufacturer’s website directly to download and install a previous, compatible driver version.
  1. Uninstall Norton Driver Updater

Many users and experts in the Norton community recommend avoiding third-party driver updater tools entirely, as they are a frequent source of system instability.

  • In Safe Mode, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Apps & features).
  • Locate Norton Driver Updater in the list, click the three dots/options menu, and select Uninstall.
  • Restart your computer in normal mode.

For future driver updates, it is recommended to use official sources:

  • Rely on the built-in Windows Update feature for most drivers.
  • Download specific drivers directly from your computer manufacturer’s (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo) or the hardware component manufacturer’s (e.g., NVIDIA, Intel, Realtek) official support website.

If issues persist, you can contact Norton Support for official assistance.

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3

Today i used Driver Updater first time. After download startet “repair driver..” and bang, laptop was “killed”. I needed a clock reset for the system. Two times it happend. WTF is this sht programm doing?
Now i am searching how to stop the 60 days test period. Cause i don’t wanna pay for this sh*t after day 61. Any one else with the same problems? I am from germany and please pardon for my bad english

4

Hello @Sandra_Winter1
Yes, other users have reported issues with Norton Driver Updater causing system instability, though specific mentions of a “clock reset” are less common. Driver updater tools can sometimes install incompatible or incorrect drivers, leading to system crashes or “bricking” (rendering the laptop temporarily unusable).

Potential Reasons for the Issue

  • Incompatible Drivers: The most common cause for system crashes after using driver update software is the installation of a driver that is not fully compatible with your specific hardware configuration.
  • System File Corruption: Incorrect driver installation can sometimes corrupt critical system files, leading to instability or boot issues.
  • Hardware Conflicts: New drivers might conflict with existing hardware components or their settings, leading to the system becoming unstable.

Steps for Recovery and Prevention

  • Use System Restore: The quickest way to fix system instability caused by a driver update is to use Windows System Restore to revert your system to a state before the drivers were installed. You can access this from the Windows Recovery Environment if you cannot boot normally.
  • Access Safe Mode: If the system is unstable, try booting into Windows Safe Mode to uninstall the problematic drivers via the Device Manager.
  • Contact Norton Support: Since this is a recurring issue with their software, it’s recommended to report the problem to the official Norton Support team. They may have specific guidance or known fixes for this behavior.
  • Avoid Third-Party Driver Installers: Many tech experts advise against using automatic driver updater tools and recommend obtaining drivers directly from the manufacturer’s official websites (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo, or motherboard manufacturer) or through Windows Update to ensure compatibility and stability.

Note: AI sourced content may include mistakes

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Hello @Sandra_Winter1

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