Computer keeps saying Critical Process Died

[Starlight1012]

My laptop keeps freezing when I login/try to login, and it shows a blue screen saying it ran into an error and “Critical Process Died”. It keeps doing this and restarting, and I’ve tried shutting it down and running system/memory/process checks but there doesn’t seem to be an issue. My computer was fine a few days ago and I remember doing virus check around that time and I don’t remember seeing anything. 

[Raj_05]

Hi @Starlight1012,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

The "Critical Process Died" error on your HP Pavilion x360 laptop is a serious issue often related to system file corruption, faulty drivers, or hardware malfunctions. Here's a step-by-step approach to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Boot into Safe Mode

Safe Mode starts your computer with minimal drivers and services:

• Turn off your laptop.
• Turn it back on and repeatedly press the F8 or Shift + F8 key during startup.
• Select Safe Mode with Networking from the advanced boot options.
• If you can log in successfully, proceed to the following steps.

Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM

Corrupted system files are often the cause of this error.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run the following commands:
   • sfc /scannow
   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Restart your laptop and check if the problem persists.

Update or Roll Back Drivers

Outdated or incompatible drivers can trigger this error:

• Open Device Manager in Safe Mode.
• Look for devices with a yellow warning icon or any recent driver updates.
• Right-click and select Update Driver or Roll Back Driver (if an update was recently installed).

Check for Recent Changes

• If you recently installed software or updates, uninstall them in Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program.
• Check for Windows updates under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and ensure everything is installed correctly.

Scan for Malware

Even if your last scan was clean, it's a good idea to run another deep scan in Safe Mode:

• Use Windows Defender Offline Scan or a trusted antivirus like Malwarebytes.

[Raj_05]

Perform a Startup Repair

Use Windows' built-in repair tools:

1. Create a Windows 10/11 bootable USB drive if you don’t already have one.
2. Boot your laptop using the USB drive.
3. Select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Repair.
4. Follow the prompts.

Reset Windows

If none of the above works:

• Reset your system while keeping your files:
  1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
  2. Click Reset this PC > Keep my files.

Check Hardware

If the issue persists, hardware problems might be the culprit:

• Run HP Diagnostics:
  • Turn off the laptop.
  • Turn it back on and repeatedly press F2 to access diagnostics.
  • Run memory and storage tests.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support