How to Fix Valorant Blue Screen Errors on Windows: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Valorant, Riot Games’ competitive first-person shooter, has quickly become a household name among the online multiplayer community. Yet, for a notable segment of Windows PC gamers, its thrill is frequently interrupted by the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), with related error codes tying to components such as vgk.sys or ntoskrnl.exe. These crash events can sour the gaming experience and, at worst, hint at deeper issues within the system. Addressing these errors requires a combination of targeted troubleshooting and a foundational understanding of both Windows internals and Valorant’s anti-cheat mechanisms. This comprehensive guide explores the verified methods to fix Valorant blue screen errors on Windows PCs, providing actionable steps, technical analysis, and a critical look at the strengths and risks associated with each solution.

Understanding Valorant’s BSOD Problem on Windows​

Before diving into solutions, it's crucial to understand the underlying causes. Blue screen errors when playing Valorant are often associated with system-level failures — such as memory violations, driver conflicts, or critical process crashes — which trigger Windows’ built-in protection mechanisms. The appearance of vgk.sys (associated with Riot Vanguard, Valorant’s anti-cheat engine) and ntoskrnl.exe (the Windows NT operating system kernel) in crash logs suggests that deep system hooks or conflicts are at play.
Multiple forums, including KeenGamer and Reddit, feature numerous threads with similar player experiences: launching Valorant, playing for a few minutes, and abruptly facing a blue screen. Reports from Microsoft’s own support forums corroborate that crashes often coincide with recent updates, driver changes, or security feature toggles. Thanks to both user experiences and technical documentation, a clearer roadmap for resolving these issues emerges.

1. Disable Fast Startup​

Fast Startup in Windows is meant to reduce boot times by saving system information to a file on shutdown, blending elements of a cold shutdown and hibernation. However, this can sometimes lead to conflicts, especially when security software like Riot Vanguard needs a "clean start" to correctly hook into the Windows kernel.

How to Disable Fast Startup​

• Open the search bar and type “Control Panel.”
• Set the view to “Large icons,” then navigate to Power Options.
• Click “Choose what the power buttons do.”
• Select “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”
• Uncheck “Turn on fast startup (recommended).”
• Save your changes and restart your computer.

Technical Strengths​

Disabling Fast Startup has been validated by user testimonies on the Microsoft Community and tech forums. Players report a reduced frequency of vgk.sys-related BSODs after performing this step.

Potential Risks​

Turning off Fast Startup may slightly increase boot times. However, this is usually negligible on modern SSD-equipped systems and is easily reversible.

2. Update Graphics Drivers​

Aging or corrupt graphics drivers are a perennial source of BSODs, especially those tied to ntoskrnl.exe. This is particularly true when game engines push GPU features or API calls that the installed driver version cannot handle reliably.

How to Update Graphics Drivers​

• For NVIDIA GPUs: Visit the NVIDIA GeForce Drivers page, download the latest driver for your model, and install it.
• For AMD GPUs: Go to AMD’s support page and do likewise.
• For Intel integrated graphics: Use Intel’s driver support assistant.

After updating, restart your computer. If you recently updated your drivers just before the BSODs started, consider rolling back to the previous stable version.

Technical Strengths​

Microsoft, NVIDIA, and AMD documentation uniformly recommend updating drivers as a first response to BSODs spanning games and productivity software. The value of fresh drivers is confirmed by widespread user reports and Riot’s own support recommendations.

Potential Risks​

Occasionally, newer drivers introduce regressions. If a fresh driver causes further instability, rolling back may be necessary.

3. Erase Problematic Data Files​

Some Valorant players have found success deleting specific .dat files associated with Riot Vanguard. The rationale: corrupted or inconsistent initialization data may prevent Vanguard from safely loading its kernel modules, triggering crashes.

How to Erase the Files​

• Open File Explorer and navigate to the Windows folder that contains Riot Vanguard’s install files.
• Locate and delete the following:
• vgkbootstatus.dat
• 392667600.dat (if present)
• Restart your computer.

Technical Strengths​

This fix draws from user experiences shared on community forums and is tacitly acknowledged in troubleshooting flowcharts posted by Riot’s technical support representatives.

Potential Risks​

Deletion of these files may force Vanguard (and thus Valorant) to perform a full initialization on the next boot, which can extend load times for the first launch. Extreme caution should be exercised to avoid accidental deletion of unrelated system files.

4. Execute a System File Scan​

Corrupt or missing Windows system files can precipitate BSODs, especially when games or anti-cheat engines attempt to interact with low-level components. The built-in System File Checker (SFC) tool systematically verifies and replaces critical files.

How to Run a System File Scan​

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
• Allow the scan to complete and follow any on-screen instructions regarding repairs.
• Restart your PC.

Technical Strengths​

According to Microsoft official documentation and numerous tech guides, SFC is a first-line defense against unexplained system instability.

Potential Risks​

If underlying hardware issues (such as failing storage) exist, SFC may not be able to fully repair every file, and recurring corruption may hint at deeper hardware troubles. In rare cases, SFC reports “corruption” where none exists (e.g., after major Windows updates), but this is typically a transient nuisance.

5. Turn Off Memory Integrity (Core Isolation)​

Memory integrity — a virtualization-based security feature introduced in Windows 10 and expanded in Windows 11 — is intended to protect against kernel-level malware. However, it can conflict with kernel hooks required by anti-cheat drivers, such as Vanguard’s vgk.sys.

How to Turn Off Memory Integrity​

• Open Windows Security via the shield icon in your system tray.
• Select “Device Security.”
• Click “Core Isolation details.”
• Toggle off “Memory integrity.”
• Reboot your system.

Technical Strengths​

This step has been specifically cited by both community tips and Microsoft’s hardware requirements documents as a common remedy when newer security layers collide with games using aggressive kernel modules.

Potential Risks​

Disabling memory integrity reduces protection against certain types of kernel-based malware. For users in high-risk environments or who frequently download from untrusted sources, this trade-off should be carefully considered. This approach should be weighed against the need for absolute system security.

6. Undo Overclocking​

It is well-established in the PC gaming and enthusiast community that aggressive or poorly tuned overclocking — whether of CPU, GPU, or memory — can cause marginal system instability, leading to BSODs during intense applications such as Valorant.

How to Undo Overclocking​

• If overclocking was set in the BIOS: Enter BIOS/UEFI during boot and restore default (stock) settings.
• If set via software (e.g., MSI Afterburner, AMD Ryzen Master): Restore to “stock” or “default” profiles.

Technical Strengths​

Motherboard manufacturer documentation (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, etc.) and Microsoft’s own troubleshooting guides prioritize returning to default clock speeds as a stability measure.

Potential Risks​

Rolling back overclocks may reduce system performance in some benchmarks or tasks, but almost always returns full system stability.

Additional Ways to Address Valorant BSODs​

If the above methods do not solve the problem, more drastic (but sometimes necessary) steps can be considered:

• Reinstall Valorant: Remove the game completely (including all Riot Vanguard components) and perform a fresh install. This ensures corrupted files or incomplete updates aren’t the root cause.
• Reset Windows: As a last resort, use the "Reset this PC" feature, which can keep personal files but reinstalls Windows core components.
• Install All Windows Updates: Ensuring the OS, drivers, and even optional updates (including BIOS/firmware) are current can clear up obscure incompatibilities.
• Run Valorant as Administrator: Sometimes, permission issues (especially after a major Windows update) can block essential driver or anti-cheat operations.

Critical Analysis: Effectiveness and Trade-Offs​

The methods detailed here are not only widely used but recommended by both official sources (Microsoft, NVIDIA, Riot Games) and experienced community troubleshooters. Disabling Fast Startup, updating drivers, and running SFC are standard mining pool protocols for resolving game-related or OS-wide blue screens. Disabling memory integrity and erasing Vanguard data files, while effective, carry more nuanced risks — particularly concerning security and recurring re-initialization costs.

Notable Strengths​

• Breadth of Solutions: Addressing everything from faulty hardware settings (overclocking) to OS-level inconsistencies ensures comprehensive coverage.
• Technical Verification: Each method is substantiated by documentation either from Microsoft, hardware OEMs, or the developer (Riot Games).
• User-Oriented: Clear, sequential instructions ensure even non-technical users can navigate fixes with confidence.

Potential Risks and Limitations​

• Security Trade-offs: Disabling memory integrity may expose sophisticated users to rare but severe threats. This is not recommended unless other avenues fail, and should be re-enabled after troubleshooting.
• Breaking Updates: Windows or driver updates, if not thoroughly tested, can introduce regressions; always keep rollback options handy.
• Root Causes Remain Elusive: Sometimes, blue screens are symptomatic of deeper hardware problems (e.g., failing RAM, storage, or thermal issues) not resolved by software tweaks.

Conflicting Information and Unverifiable Claims​

While most solutions are verifiable via official documentation and community corroboration, some fringe fixes (such as deleting obscure .dat files) lack full official endorsement, though evidence of their effectiveness is found in aggregated user feedback. Players should weigh anecdotal fixes alongside more systematic ones and proceed with caution, backing up critical data where necessary.

Summary​

Valorant blue screen errors, though disruptive, are both well-understood and widely addressed within the gaming and troubleshooting community. The most reliable solutions focus on system configuration (disabling Fast Startup, undoing overclocks), software hygiene (updating drivers, filing SFC scans), and targeted interventions tied to Riot’s Vanguard anti-cheat system. Players should prioritize security controls and approach potentially risky changes (like disabling memory integrity or deleting Vanguard files) with caution, always documenting their steps for future reference. Ultimately, maintaining an up-to-date, stable Windows environment, with judicious management of both hardware and software, remains the best defense against blue screens and a smooth return to competitive play.
For persistent or highly unusual cases, Riot Games support remains a vital resource; submitting crash logs via their ticketing system ensures that developers can address new patterns of errors as they emerge. As Windows and Valorant both continue to evolve, ongoing vigilance and technical literacy will remain key assets for any PC gamer aiming to escape the blue screen trap.

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Source: KeenGamer 6 Ways to Fix Valorant Blue Screen Errors on a Windows PC