Alex Ruben
How To Resolve the Unexpected Store Exception Error in Windows 10/11
Dealing with the “UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION” blue screen can be a real pain, especially if it pops up randomly and crashes your work or gaming session. It’s kind of weird, but this error often points to some storage or system file issues, maybe a corrupted driver or a failing disk. Luckily, there are a few things to try that might clear it up. This guide covers some of the most common fixes that have worked for others and could get the system back to normal without the need for intensive reinstallation.
How to Fix the Unexpected Store Exception Blue Screen Error on Windows 10/11
Disable Fast Startup — Because Windows likes to make everything harder than it needs
Fast startup can sometimes cause weird conflicts, especially after Windows updates or driver installs. Turning it off might help stability. On some setups, this fixes the BSOD on first attempt; on others, you might need to reboot a couple of times afterwards.
- Open Settings via the Start Menu or hit Windows + I.
- Go to System > Power & sleep.
- Click on Additional power settings (on the right, under Related Settings).
- In the new window, select Choose what the power buttons do.
- Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable (this might ask for admin credentials).
- Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).
- Click Save changes.
This is one of those “make Windows chill out a bit” fixes that often does the trick.
Run PowerShell Command to Reregister Windows Store Apps — Because sometimes the store or app packages get jacked up
Running this command can repair broken app packages that might be causing issues behind the scenes. Not sure why it works, but it’s worth a shot, especially if the error seems linked to storage or app issues.
- Type Windows PowerShell in the Start Menu, then right-click and select Run as administrator.
- Paste the following command into the PowerShell window:
- Hit Enter. On some machines, this fails the first time, then works after a restart or two.
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
This re-registers all default app packages, which might be corrupted or missing.
Run System File Checker (SFC) — Because Windows’ system files sometimes get corrupted and cause BSODs
This is a classic move. If system files are fudged, SFC will try to fix them. Won’t hurt to run it.
- Open the Start Menu, type cmd.
- Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
- Type
sfc /scannowand press Enter. - Wait. It can take a few minutes. If it finds issues, it’ll attempt to fix them automatically.
- When done, restart your PC and see if the BSOD persists.
Use DISM to Repair Windows Image — Because Windows sometimes needs a full refresh
If SFC doesn’t fix everything, DISM can repair Windows’ underlying image. Kind of like a deep clean.
- Open an Admin Command Prompt again (same as above).
- Type
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthand hit Enter. - Wait. It can take quite a while. Don’t rush it.
- Once done, reboot and see if the error still appears.
Run CHKDSK to Check for Hard Drive Errors — Because your storage might be physically failing
Hard drives or SSDs that are dying or have bad sectors can cause these errors. Running CHKDSK could uncover or fix these problems.
- Open the Start Menu, type cmd.
- Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Type
chkdsk C: /rthen press Enter. - It’ll ask if you want to schedule the check on the next restart—type Y and hit Enter.
- Restart your PC and let CHKDSK run. It might take some time depending on disk size and condition.
Note: If you have your system on a different drive, swap out C: with that drive letter.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
If none of the above helped, check these quick things:
- Update all drivers—especially storage controllers and GPU—via Device Manager.
- Make sure Windows itself is up to date. Sometimes, bugs are fixed with patches.
- If you recently installed new software or drivers, try uninstalling them. Sometimes, new stuff conflicts system-wide.
Wrap-up
Chances are, one of these fixes will solve the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION BSOD. They cover the typical culprits—system file issues, store corruption, or disk problems. If it still persists after trying everything, it might be hardware trouble that needs a deep dive or hardware replacement. Fingers crossed this helps, and that it doesn’t take ages to find out what was wrong.
Summary
- Disable fast startup
- Re-register Windows store apps via PowerShell
- Run SFC and DISM repair commands
- Check your disk with CHKDSK
- Update drivers and Windows
- Remove recent software if no luck