Open Reliability Monitor via Run dialog (Windows R, type control, navigate to Security and Maintenance) or search "reliability" in Windows Search. 2. View the System Stability Index and event timeline to identify stability trends. 3. Examine critical events (red X), errors (orange !), warnings (yellow triangle), and information (blue i) by date. 4. Click events to see details like error codes, affected components, and technical information. 5. Determine when issues started and correlate them with recent software, driver, or system changes. 6. Use error details to search for solutions or share with support. 7. Regularly monitor for early signs of instability, understanding it only tracks data from after OS installation and relies on enabled event logging. Reliability Monitor does not fix issues but provides actionable insights to diagnose and resolve system problems effectively.

The Reliability Monitor in Windows is a built-in tool that helps you track system stability, view recent software and hardware changes, and identify the root cause of crashes, errors, or performance issues. It's especially useful when troubleshooting problems like frequent crashes, failed updates, or app errors. Here’s how to use it effectively.

How to Open Reliability Monitor

1. Press Windows R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type control and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Set "View by" to Large icons or Small icons, then click on Security and Maintenance.
4. Expand the Maintenance section, then click View reliability history.

Alternatively, you can:

• Press Windows S, type reliability, and select View reliability history from the search results.

Understanding the Reliability Monitor Interface

Once open, you’ll see a timeline graph at the top showing a System Stability Index (from 1 to 10). A higher number means better stability. Below the graph is a list of events categorized by date, including:

• Critical events (red "X"): System crashes, boot failures, or hardware errors.
• Error events (orange "!" or "!"): Application crashes or Windows errors.
• Warnings (yellow triangle): Issues like failed updates or driver problems.
• Informational events (blue "i"): Successful installations, updates, or system changes.

Each event includes:

• Date and time
• Description of the issue
• Affected component (e.g., Windows Update, a specific app)
• Associated technical details (like error codes or file names)

Using Reliability Monitor to Troubleshoot Problems

1. Identify When Problems Started

Look at the timeline and find when the stability index dropped. Click on a red or orange event to see details. For example:

• If a crash happened after a Windows Update, it might point to a problematic update.
• If an app crashes consistently, you’ll see repeated errors tied to that program.

2. Check for Recent Changes

Reliability Monitor logs software installations, driver updates, and system changes. Use this to:

• See if a driver update preceded a crash.
• Confirm when a new app was installed that might be causing conflicts.

Example: After installing a new graphics driver, your PC starts freezing. The monitor shows a critical error on the same day — pointing to the driver as a likely culprit.

3. Get Details for Error Troubleshooting

Click any event to expand it. You’ll often see:

• The name of the failing application or service
• Error code (e.g., “Faulting module: ucrtbase.dll”)
• More details like event logs or crash dumps

Use this info to search online for fixes or provide details when asking for help.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Reliability Monitor

• Check it regularly if your system feels unstable — even small drops in the stability index can signal underlying issues.
• It only shows data from the current user account and after the OS was installed — no historical data from before Windows setup.
• It relies on Windows Event Logs, so disabling logging will limit its usefulness.
• It won’t catch every issue (especially malware or network problems), but it’s great for software and driver-related crashes.

Reliability Monitor doesn’t fix problems itself, but it gives you clear clues about what’s going wrong and when. By reviewing the timeline and event details, you can pinpoint recent changes or recurring errors — making it much easier to apply the right fix. Basically, it turns guesswork into targeted troubleshooting.

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