Windows 10 May 2020 Update is crashing some PCs – and there’s a fix you might not like

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Windows 10 May 2020 Update has just been released, and as far as Windows 10 updates go, the release has been pretty smooth – however, some people are complaining that the new update is causing their PCs to encounter the dreaded Blue Screen of Death.

According to Windows Latest, it seems Windows 10 May 2020 Update can crash your PC while it installs if you have older drivers or unsupported hardware.

The Blue Screen of Death error occurs when your PC becomes completely unresponsive, and it seems trying to install the update without updating your drivers first could cause serious problems.

So, before you download and install Windows 10 May 2020 Update, you should make sure you update all your drivers first. Check out our guide on how to update your drivers in Windows 10 for steps.

However, if you’ve already installed Windows 10 May 2020 Update and are encountering this problem, then there does seem to be a fix – but it’s rather extreme, and you may not be happy about it.

Fresh install

It seems one way to fix this issue is to perform a fresh install of Windows 10 May 2020 Update. This should remove any troublesome drivers and applications and allow the update to install correctly.

However this is a rather drastic move, as it will remove other programs you’ve installed, and could even remove your files and folders as well. So, it’s not a fix that should be undertaken lightly. But, if you’re stuck with a PC that won’t work, it might be your only option until Microsoft releases an official fix.

If you are struggling with the update, make sure you check out our guide to Windows 10 May 2020 Update problems and how to fix them.

Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he's reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.

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