CrashWhyCompare
BlueScreenView alternative
BlueScreenView is a well-known free tool for reading blue screen dump files. CrashWhy covers a different part of the same question — including crashes that never leave a dump.
Short answer
If you have a minidump file and want its raw details — bug check code, parameters and the drivers on the stack — BlueScreenView does that well and is free. If your PC restarts or shuts off without a blue screen, or you want to know why it restarted overnight, a dump viewer has nothing to open; CrashWhy reads the Windows event logs that record those cases.
Side by side
| BlueScreenView | CrashWhy | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | NirSoft (Nir Sofer) | oddlab |
| Price | Freeware | Free; Pro $19 one-time |
| Latest version (checked 2026-10-16) | 1.55 | First public release coming soon |
| Main source | Minidump files from blue screens | Windows event logs (41, 6008, 1001, 1074, WHEA, Windows Update), plus dumps when Microsoft's debugger is installed |
| Shows | Each crash: dump file, time, bug check code and string, parameters, suspected driver; drivers in the stack | Each event: plain-English cause, evidence, next step; repeat count |
| Shutdowns with no blue screen (Event 41, code 0) | No dump is written, so nothing to list | Explained as power loss / hard hang |
| Why it restarted (Windows Update, a program) | Not covered | Event 1074 and update history |
| Runs in the background, alerts on repeats | No — you open it when needed | Yes (tray app; outside-Windows alerts in Pro) |
| Installation | Portable, no install needed (setup version also offered) | Installer |
| Windows versions listed | XP through Windows 10 on the official page | Windows 10 and 11 |
BlueScreenView facts from the official page, nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html, checked 2026-10-16. Product names belong to their owners. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
When to use which
- Use BlueScreenView when you already have dump files and want the raw technical details, without installing anything.
- Use CrashWhy when you don't know what happened — blue screen, power-off or a planned restart — and want one plain answer plus a warning if it happens again.
- They can be used together: CrashWhy tells you which crash to look at, a dump viewer shows its details.