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Thread Stuck in Device Driver: How to Fix & Causes
9 min. read
Updated onAugust 29, 2024
updated onAugust 29, 2024
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Blue Screen of Deatherrors can be quite serious since they are caused by software or faulty hardware. Although these errors aren’t that common, it’s important to know how to fix them.
Therefore today we’re going to show you how to fix the THREAD STUCK IN DEVICE DRIVER_M error onWindows 10.
Why does Stop code Thread Stuck in Device Driver appear on Windows 10?
Thread stuck in device driver erroris somewhat common, and it usually occurs if you have a driver issue on your PC. Incompatible drivers will cause this problem, so be sure to find and remove them.
Similar to theDriver Overran Stack Buffer error, this is a blue screen error, therefore it’s important that you fix it if you want to avoid file loss and other issues.
On other hand, it’s possible that this issue is caused by hardware, just like theMachine Check Exceptionerror, so be sure to inspect your hardware. Before we dig in, here are more similar issues reported by our readers
Where does this error occur and what to expect?
How can I fix the Thread Stuck in Device Driver error?
1. Update yourdrivers
Blue Screen of Death errors can be caused by outdated or buggydrivers, therefore in order to fix THREAD STUCK INDEVICE DRIVERM and many other BSoD errors, it’s important that you update yourdrivers.
Windows 10relies heavily ondriversin order to work with your hardware, therefore it’s crucial that yourdriversare up to date and compatible withWindows 10.
To update yourdriversyou can use Device Manager by following these steps:
Updatingdriverswith Device Manager is fairly simple, but you should know that the Device Manager doesn’t always download the latestdriversfor your device.
To ensure that you have the latestdrivers, we strongly advise that you download yourdriversmanually.
To updatedriversmanually you just need to visit your hardware manufacturer’s website and download the latestdriversfor your device. Bear in mind that you might need to update all yourdriversin order to fix this error.
Searching fordriverson your own can be time-consuming. So, we advise you to use a tool that will do this for you automatically.
Using an automaticdriverupdater, such asPC HelpSoft Driver Updaterwill certainly save you from the hassle of searching fordriversmanually, and it will always keep your system up to date with the latestdrivers.
⇒Get PC HelpSoft Driver Updater
2. Run the BSoD Troubleshooter
If none of the previous solutions resolved the issue, let’s try a few troubleshooting tools. The firsttroubleshooterwe’re going to try is Windows 10’s built-in BSoD troubleshooter.
As you can probably tell, this tool can address all sorts of BSoD problems. Hopefully, the THREAD STUCK INDEVICE DRIVERM error is one of them.
Here’s how to run Windows 10’s built-in BSOD troubleshooter:
Now, problematic apps can obviously cause more than a few isolated glitches. In fact, due to recurrent interferences, your system can end up struggling with severe errors.
3. Run the SFC scan
The next troubleshooting tool we’re going to try here is the SFC scan. This is a command-line tool that scans your system for corrupt files and repairs them.
So, if a corrupt system file is the reason you’re getting the THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER_M, the SFC scan will likely resolve the problem.
Here’s how to run the SFC scan inWindows 10:
4. Run DISM
Another troubleshooting option we’re going to try here is DISM.Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)is a tool that re-deploys the system image.
That can usually lead to resolving various problems, including BSOD errors. We’ll walk you through both standard and the procedure that utilizes the installation media below:
5. Check the hard drive
A broken hard drive is alarming. And the first warning messages come in the form of BSOD issues. So, go and check the current state of your hard drive. To do that, you should run the chkdsk command.
This command will scan your partitions, and apply solutions, if possible. Here’s how to run the chkdsk command inWindows 10:
This is just our example, so keep in mind that you have to perform chkdsk command for every hard drive partition that you have.
6. Install the latest updates
Certain hardware and software have an issue withWindows 10, and sometimes these issues can cause THREAD STUCK IN DEVICE DRIVER_M or any other Blue Screen of Death error to appear.
To fix this error, it’s recommended to useWindows Updateto download the latest patches.
Many of these patches offer new features, security improvements, and various bug fixes related to both hardware and software, therefore we strongly suggest that you download the latest updates if you want to ensure that your PC is safe and free from errors.
7. Remove your antivirus and problematic applications
Even thoughWindows 10comes with Windows Defender that works as a default antivirus program, many users tend to use third-partyantivirus programsfor extra protection.
To fix this problem, it’s advised that you temporarily remove all third-party antivirus tools from your PC.
We have to mention that uninstalling the antivirus software might not be enough since many antivirus tools tend to leave certain files behind even after you remove them.
To completely delete all files associated with your antivirus, we suggest that you download a dedicated removal tool. You may also check outthis amazing listwith thebest uninstaller softwareyou can use right now.
8. Update your BIOS
Few users claim that you can fix this error by performing BIOS update. By updating BIOS you’ll unlock new features of yourmotherboardas well as support for new hardware.
We have to warn you that BIOS update is somewhat an advanced procedure, and you can cause permanent damage to your PC if you’re not careful.
To see how to properly update BIOS, we advise that you check your motherboard manual for detailed instructions.
9. Removeoverclocksettings
Overclocking allows you to achieve better performance by changing the settings of your hardware. We have to mention that overclocking is potentially dangerous, and it can cause BSoD errors such as THREAD STUCK INDEVICE DRIVERto appear.
In the worst-case scenario, overclocking can cause permanent damage to your hardware so keep that in mind.
Since overclocking can cause Blue Screen of Death errors, we advise you to remove any overclock settings andoverclocking softwarethat you have installed.
10. Check your hardware
Hardware issues and overheating can often cause BSoD errors, therefore we urge you to clean your PC with pressurized air. Also, be sure to check if your cards are properly seated and if your cables are properly connected.
If everything is connected properly, try to remove any recently installed hardware. Sometimes new hardware isn’t compatible with your configuration, and if that’s the case you should remove or replace the new hardware.
In addition to new hardware, be sure to check if your hardware is working properly. According to users, a faulty motherboard orgraphics cardcan cause this error to appear, so be sure to check those components first.
Before you go, we also have a great guide on how to fix theError Not Safe Mode Driver, so don’t miss it.
This error can cause certain problems on your PC, but we hope that you managed to fix it by using some of our solutions.
More about the topics:BSoD error codes,driver
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
