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Fix UNEXPECTED STORE EXCEPTION in Windows 10

How to Fix UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION Error in Windows 10

UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION is a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) error that occurs after a system crash or fatal system error and forces the PC to restart. If you're getting this error, follow the troubleshooting guide below to fix it.

UNEXPECTED STORE EXCEPTION

It is difficult to determine what causes the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error since there could be several reasons. In many cases, corrupted drivers cause this error. In other cases, antivirus software is the cause. Fortunately, it is possible to fix this error by trying several different methods.

You might need to turn off the Fast Startup feature, disable antivirus software, reset Microsoft Store apps, scan and repair system files with the System File Checker (SFC), perform a clean boot, update drivers, and check disk drives for errors. Read the guide below for a possible solution.

Note: If you cannot log in to Windows and receive the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error each time you restart the computer, you need to boot Windows into Safe Mode with Networking.

If you are not sure how to boot into Safe Mode (or Safe Mode with Networking), read this guide and use the "Interrupt Windows Boot Process" method described in the link.

Alternatively, you can use a Windows Installation CD/DVD/USB and boot Windows into Safe Mode with Networking using the Automatic Repair (Advanced Startup) screen.

Video Showing How to Fix the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION Error

Table of Contents:

Turn off Fast Startup

First, try to disable the Fast Startup feature. This has helped many people - the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error disappeared. The Fast Startup feature on Windows 10 (and Windows 8) provides a faster boot time when starting up the computer.

It is a useful feature and one that most people use without their knowledge. However, some people disable it immediately when they receive a new computer running the Windows operating system. Leaving Fast Startup enabled should not harm your PC since it is a Windows feature, but it could be the reason for the BSOD error.

To disable Fast Startup, go to Search and type "power". Click on the "Choose power plan" result to open it.

turn off fast startup feature step 1

In the Power Options window, click "Choose what the power buttons do".

turn off fast startup feature step 2

Click on "Change settings that are currently unavailable" and then uncheck the "Turn on fast startup (recommended)" option if it is enabled.

Click "Save changes" to save the changes made, restart your computer, and check if the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION blue screen error is now gone.

turn off fast startup feature step 3

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Temporarily Disable Antivirus Software

As mentioned in our introduction, installed antivirus software (third-party) may be causing the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION BSOD error. To check if this is the case, temporarily disable the software (and its firewall), restart the computer, and check if the problem persists.

If disabling (or uninstalling) the antivirus software resolves the issue, we recommend that you switch to other antivirus software or reinstall the currently-installed product.

If you are not sure how to disable your antivirus software, read this guide, in which you will find instructions on how to disable some of the most popular antivirus programs.

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Re-register Microsoft Store Apps Using PowerShell

PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft consisting of a command-line shell and associated scripting language.

You can access PowerShell by right-clicking the Start menu icon in Windows and selecting the "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" result.

re-register microsoft store apps using powershell step 1

Now copy and paste this command (without quotation marks at the beginning and end) into the PowerShell window:

"Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}"

To paste it, simply right-click on the Powershell background, and the command will appear - press Enter to execute this command. Close PowerShell and restart the computer to check if the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error is now fixed.

re-register microsoft store apps using powershell step 2

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Scan and Repair System Files

You can also run System File Checker, a Windows utility that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files.

To run it, you need to open elevated Command Prompt. Type "command prompt" in Search and right-click the "Command Prompt" result. Select the "Run as administrator" option from the contextual menu.

scan and repair system files step 1

To execute the command, type "sfc /scannow" in Command Prompt and press Enter. System File Checker will start and take some time to complete the scan.

Wait for the scanning process to complete and restart the computer. Check if the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION blue screen error persists.

scan and repair system files step 2

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Perform a Clean Boot

When you start Windows using a normal startup operation, several applications and services start automatically and then run in the background. These programs include basic system processes, antivirus software, system utility applications, and previously installed software.

These applications and services can cause software conflicts and also cause the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION stop error. A clean boot is performed to start Windows using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update, or when you run a program in Windows.

Type "system configuration" in Search and click on the "System Configuration" result to perform a clean boot.

perform a clean boot step 1

In the System Configuration window, click on the "Services" tab and mark the "Hide all Microsoft services" checkbox. Then, click on "Disable all".

perform a clean boot step 2

Click the "Startup" tab and click "Open Task Manager".

perform a clean boot step 3

Under the Task Manager Startup tab, select all enabled applications one by one and click "Disable". Once all programs are disabled, close Task Manager and click "OK" in the System Configuration Startup tab.

Restart the computer and check if the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error occurs.

perform a clean boot step 4

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Check Your Disk for Errors

There is a built-in Windows tool to check the integrity of disks. It examines disks and corrects many types of common errors. You can run this tool from the command line or through a graphical interface. In this guide, we show how to run it through Command Prompt.

Open Command Prompt with administrative privileges, type the "chkdsk C: /r" command, and press Enter on the keyboard. Replace "C" with the letter of your hard drive (if it is not the C: drive you want to scan or the Windows operating system resides on another drive).

check your disk for errors

You will be asked if you want to restart your computer to perform the scan. Type "Y" and press Enter.

Wait for the chkdsk process to finish and check if this command resolved the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error.

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Update Drivers

The UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error may occur due to corrupt, missing, or outdated drivers. You can update drivers by opening Device Manager.

Right-click the Start button and select the "Device Manager" result from the contextual menu, or type "device manager" in Search and click the "Device Manager" result.

update drivers step 1

In Device Manager, you will see a list of devices connected to your computer. Look for the device with a yellow exclamation mark beside it. If you see an entry like this, you need to update its drivers.

To do so, expand the device section and right-click the hardware installed on the computer. Select "Update driver" from the contextual menu.

update drivers step 2

You will be asked whether you want to search for driver software automatically or browse the computer for driver software. If you select the first option, Windows will search your computer and the internet for the latest driver software for your device.

If you select the second option, you must locate and install the drivers manually. Using this option requires you to download drivers on your computer or USB flash drive. You must download the latest drivers for your device manually by visiting the device manufacturer's official website.

Select the option you prefer and follow the instructions. Once updates are installed, restart the computer and check if the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error persists.

update drivers step 3

We hope that you were able to fix the UNEXPECTED_STORE_EXCEPTION error by applying one of our solutions. If you know of other solutions to this problem not mentioned in our guide, please share them with us by commenting below.

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About the author:

Rimvydas Iliavicius

Rimvydas is a researcher with over four years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. He attended Kaunas University of Technology and graduated with a Master's degree in Translation and Localization of Technical texts. His interests in computers and technology led him to become a versatile author in the IT industry. At PCrisk, he's responsible for writing in-depth how-to articles for Microsoft Windows. Contact Rimvydas Iliavicius.

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