Where to Find Windows System Crash Logs?

Nothing is more frustrating than your Windows computer suddenly freezing or displaying the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). These unexpected interruptions, known as system crashes, can disrupt your work and leave you wondering what went wrong. Fortunately, your Windows operating system keeps a detailed record of these events.

This article will guide you through understanding and using Windows system crash logs to diagnose problems and will introduce a powerful method for how to fix Windows crash issues when your PC won't even boot.

What are Windows system crash logs?

Before diving into solutions, it's essential to understand what these logs are. This section explains the purpose and importance of crash logs in troubleshooting system errors.

Windows system crash logs are detailed records created by the operating system whenever a significant error occurs that causes the system to shut down or restart unexpectedly. Think of them as a black box for your computer. These logs contain critical information about the state of your system at the moment of the crash, including the date and time, the source of the error (e.g., a specific application or driver), and a unique Event ID.

By analyzing this data, you or an IT professional can pinpoint the root cause of the instability, whether it's faulty hardware, a buggy driver, or a software conflict. Understanding the information in a system crash log Windows 10 provides is the first step toward a stable and reliable computer.

How to View Windows 10 Crash Logs with Event Viewer

Finding these logs is easier than you might think. We'll show you how to access and navigate the built-in Windows tool designed for this very purpose. The most reliable method to view system logs is by using the Event Viewer, a native Windows utility. It categorizes events, making it easier to find the critical errors that lead to a crash.

Step 1. Click on Create a Custom View on the right window. As you click on Create Custom View, a new window will pop up.

Step 2. Choose a time period you want to view. Then check the boxes next Critical, Warning and Error in the Event levels section.

Step 3. Select the By log option. Then click the drop-down menu next to Event logs, and then select Application, Security and System.

Step 4. Then click OK to save the settings. Name this custom view and then click OK to start to view the Windows 10 crash log. 

Step 5. Then you can view all the Windows 10 crash logs during the tome period you select.

Further reading: Can you repair PC boot when Windows system crashes?

Sometimes, a severe system crash can damage critical boot files, preventing Windows from starting at all. When a crash corrupts the Master Boot Record (MBR) or other boot information, your PC can get stuck in a restart loop or fail to load Windows entirely. In these situations, accessing the Windows system crash logs is impossible. This is where a dedicated disk management tool becomes essential.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is a comprehensive and reliable Windows computer management software designed to handle a wide range of disk and partition-related tasks. It's more than just a partition manager; it’s a full-fledged toolkit that can help you solve complex problems, including boot failures. When you need to know how to fix Windows crash issues that prevent startup, its "Repair Boot" feature is a lifesaver.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on a working PC, click "Recovr"-"Boot Repair" and then click the "create a bootable disk" option to create a WinPE "Boot Repair" disk.

Step 2. Boot the PC that cannot boot into WinPE. It will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and start the boot entries scan process. All boot entries will be displayed.

Step 3. Select the repairable boot entries you want to repair and click the "Repair" button to start the repair.

Step 4. Once the repair is repaired successfully, you can remove the bootable disk and boot the PC from the original system drive.

Beyond boot repair, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional also offers other powerful functions like migrating your OS to an SSD, cloning entire disks for backup, recovering lost partitions, and converting disks between MBR and GPT without data loss. It's an indispensable tool for proactive PC management.

Ending

Navigating the complexities of a Windows crash can be daunting, but you're now equipped with the knowledge to tackle the problem head-on. By learning how to check Windows system crash logs, you can uncover the root cause of instability and take targeted action.

For more severe issues like a complete boot failure, tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional provide a robust and user-friendly solution to get your system back up and running. Being proactive and understanding these diagnostic and repair methods ensures that a system crash is just a temporary setback, not a digital disaster.