The blue screen of death (BSOD) is a horrific sight. This screen appears whenever Microsoft Windows encounters a critical issue - one that it simply cannot recover from. Oftentimes, it’s due to faulty hardware or a driver crashing.
When you hit this error screen with a blue background, it means that your PC ran into a problem and hit “stop” code. After it displays the error message, the system performs some housecleaning behind the scenes and then restarts. Unfortunately, this means you have no opportunity to save your work, so the blue screen of death often results in a loss of data.
Still, blue screen errors are pretty rare. If you encounter them frequently, you have a severe issue with your computer. Generally, this means you either need a professional to resolve the issue or to replace your computer entirely.
However, even the rare instance of a BSOD is incredibly frustrating. Moreover, it has the potential to be quite costly, especially in terms of wasted time and lost data.
Oftentimes, the average user has no idea what happened when this error pops up. This means that it’s also hard for some programmers and developers to make a recommendation in remote instances. Moreover, there are so many potential causes that it’s hard to nail down what happened.
When you need professional assistance wherever you are, the technicians at HAILaGEEK are ready! Our techs offer repairs and support when and where you need it. Download the app, and request a geek to your location now.
When you encounter a blue screen of death, it’s generally due to an issue with the hardware itself or the driver software (device drivers). Occasionally, low-level software in the Windows kernel causes an issue.
However, your standard apps and programs won’t cause a BSOD. When an app crashes, it rarely takes the entire operating system with it.
Generally, a BSOD occurs whenever Windows encounters what we call a “STOP Error.” This is a critical failure that leads to the operating system crashing and stopping. At that point, the only option your OS has left is to restart the computer.
Unfortunately, as mentioned above, this leads to data loss when a program has no chance to save any open data.
When you see a blue screen of death, what you don’t see is the actions the system takes. First, Windows automatically generates a “minidump” file. This contains general information about the crash and saves it in a safe place.
Technicians use these minidump files to help root out the cause of the BSOD. What your BSOD looks like depends on what version of Windows you have. In versions up to Windows 7, the BSOD looked a lot like a terminal screen - displaying a ton of information in a very basic format.
With Windows 8 and 10, the BSOD is far simpler, displaying a quick message. While this might seem less helpful, it’s not that big of a deal. Oftentimes, the blue screen of death moved away so fast that it was impossible to read everything.
Moreover, there are easier ways to access the details necessary for troubleshooting.
Below, we offer some general guidance for how to deal with a blue screen of death. Remember, when you use HAILaGEEK, you have access to trusted technicians who meet you at your convenience. If you hit a snag at any point, visit the app and have one of our techs meet you where you are!
Since there are so many causes behind a BSOD, it’s helpful to start with a simple fix. From there, work your way into more complex, difficult troubleshooting options.
Typically, your BSOD does not identify the actual cause. However, if you see the error more than once as you run a specific program, that’s a decent sign there’s a connection.
Usually, as we mentioned, an app crash does not take the entire system down. But, it’s not impossible. Check to see whether there’s an updated version of the app available. If not, try to uninstall the app and see whether that helps.
Since the issue might not be a program you actively used before the BSOD appeared, it’s important to consider programs that run in the background. Moreover, it’s a good idea to check idle programs as well as those running on a virtual desktop.
Be sure to uninstall any software that seems to be active whenever the Blue Screen occurs.
It’s possible for defective memory to cause a Blue Screen error. Specifically, this refers to the Random Access Memory (RAM) in your computer. If you have frequent BSODs, this is one of the potential culprits to consider.
Thankfully, Windows has its own built-in tool to check memory!
Hit the Start menu and type “memory” into the search box. When you see “Windows memory diagnostic” in the results, click on that. Next, click on “Check for problems the next time I start my computer.” You’ll have to restart your computer in order to run the test.
Once your computer restarts, you have to locate the results yourself. Open the Start menu again and search for “event viewer.” Click on that once it appears in the search results.
In the leftmost pane, click on “Windows Logs” and then “System.” Then, click “Find” in the pane on the right and search for “memory diagnostic.”
This should show you the test results. If there are any problems to report, defective memory might be your problem.
Not sure what to do next? Call on a technician from HAILaGEEK for help!
Similarly, a problematic or faulty hard drive might be the core cause of a blue screen of death. To check your hard drive for errors, follow this process.
• Open the Start menu and search “this PC.”
• Click that when it appears in the results.
• Right-click on the C drive.
• Choose “Properties.”
• Click on the “Tools” tab and navigate to the “error checking” section.
• Hit “Check” and follow the instructions it provides. This helps you manually check your hard drive.
Oftentimes, the blue screen of death is the result of hardware issues, not software problems. While it doesn’t hurt to check apps, this is why it’s a good idea to check your hard drive and RAM.
Another easy, quick way to troubleshoot frequent BSODs is to uninstall external peripherals. Here are some examples:
• Scanners
• Printers
• External storage devices
• USB docking stations or port adapters
• USB monitor adapters
• USB webcams
The list goes on. Often, these devices require drivers or special software. Uninstall all of these and monitor your computer.
All hardware requires “driver software” to work with Windows. When a manufacturer of a peripheral, addon card, or feature chip submits driver software to Microsoft for inclusion with Windows, the driver undergoes testing at the Windows Hardware Quality Labs.
These drivers are known as “WHQL drivers.” By comparison, drivers that the manufacturer makes available to consumers to download directly from their website are known as “manufacturer’s drivers.”
When you’re trying to fix a blue screen of death (BSOD), one of the best tactics you can try is uninstalling the manufacturer’s drivers and installing the WHQL drivers instead. Microsoft releases updates often, and they only test these updates with WHQL drivers.
So, while your manufacturer’s driver for your killer graphics card may have been working great for the last year, last night’s Windows update might be causing it to fail, and switching to the WHQL driver for your graphics card might fix the problem.
When it comes to removing hardware from your PC, it’s a drag. It takes a lot of time and often feels overwhelming to those unfamiliar with the innards of a computer. However, when you have a recurring blue screen of death, it’s possible for expansion components to be the cause.
In particular, it’s possible for the cause to boil down to an audio card or graphics card. For graphics cards in particular, you can often remove them and plug your monitor into the built-in graphics of the motherboard. There should be a separate HDMI port on the back of your computer that allows you to do this. You will need to uninstall the driver software for the addon graphics card as well.
When you experience the blue screen of death as you attempt to update Windows, there’s a tool called SetupDiag to help. This program analyzes issues with the PC. Then, it suggests why you might see the BSOD when you try to update your system.
To begin, go to the SetupDiag page on Microsoft and download the program. Once you download the file, install and run the program. As it runs, it searches for issues, which it displays for you.
This might help you resolve your Blue Screen issue.
If the above troubleshooting tips don’t put an end to your blue screen of death, there are other root causes to explore. However, it often boils down to two primary causes. You have a software issue that has yet to be isolated. There’s a critical issue with your hardware that your computer can’t repair or replace.
When it comes to a software problem, you can try to clean install Windows. However, this erases the content from your hard drive. That means that to be on the safe side, you have to save your files somewhere external and then reinstall your programs.
Here’s how to run a clean install.
• Open the Start menu and search “reset.”
• Click on “Reset this PC” in the results.
• Then, click “Get Started.”
• Follow the directions it presents to reinstall the operating system.
• It’s possible that at some point these steps might offer you the option to keep your files, as one of the options offered, but saving them to an external drive or cloud is a safer choice.
Once this process completes, you have a fresh, clean version of Windows without any drivers or software that might cause the blue screen of death. If possible, try to limit only the most essential software until you determine the issue is resolved.
Still having issues? Lost in the troubleshooting process? HAILaGEEK technicians are here to help!
Download the app today to have one of our trusted technicians meet you when and where you need help.
Microsoft’s preview of Windows 11 in early 2021 shows a potential change to the blue screen of death. It appears the software giant tested a new design with a black screen.
Whether you have a black or blue screen of death error, though, trust the technicians on HAILaGEEK to help you resolve your issue!
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