Simply put, BSOD is a sign that all is not well with your computer. Microsoft first introduced the BSOD in Windows 95. The original iteration primarily offered some cryptic words alluding to the issue, but not a lot more. When Windows 2000 was launched, the BSOD had also evolved to include a list of troubleshooting ideas that users could try to identify and fix the issue. Fast-forward to Windows XP, and users receive yet more advice on the BSOD, providing error codes you could Google for more information. Windows 8 saw the addition of an emoji – the ‘sad face’ to demonstrate empathy with how the user would feel after having their session rudely interrupted. And that’s largely where things have stayed…until now.
The introduction of Windows 11 saw a major transformation as the BSOD turned black to coincide with its logon and shut-down screens.
Or at least it was black for a few months. In a patch that was released not long after the black screen of death was introduced, Microsoft said:
“We changed the screen color to blue when a device stops working or a stop error occurs as in previous versions of Windows.”
While it wasn’t made clear what was going on or why the outcome is still the same - all is not well with your computer. Putting colors to one side, let’s consider what the BSOD is trying to tell you:
Error code: this typically starts with ‘0x’ and can tell an IT professional exactly what the issue is.
Stop code: similar to the error code, the stop code makes it a little easier to start identifying what the type of fault is, for example, ‘CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED’.
QR code: introduced in Windows 8, the QR code directs you straight to the right support page.
Memory dump: Windows 11 introduced a new feature, which automatically generates a file named ‘minidump’ following a crash to help IT professionals establish the root cause.
So what should you do when faced with the BSOD?
It may sound cliché, but turn your computer off and on again. This usually resets the PC and sorts out whatever caused the device to crash. However, if the problem persists, reboot your PC into Safe Mode and try the following fixes:
Once done, restart your system to check if the BSOD error is gone.
Perhaps the most annoying thing about the BSOD is its unpredictability since it can appear at any time without warning. However, intelligence gathered from Microsoft suggests there are times when users are more prone to encounter the nasty interruption:
Recent computer changes: it’s common for new programs, hardware, and system updates to trigger the BSOD. If this occurs simply roll back the changes made.
Hard drive space: when the hard disk has less than 15% of its capacity free, it increases the likelihood of an incident.
Malware and viruses: if the master boot record becomes infected, start the PC in Safe Mode and perform a full scan using the antivirus software.
Hardware driver updates: already Windows 11 is notorious for triggering the BSOD after rolling out updates, like KB5012643 and KB5013943.
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