The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), the oldest feature in Microsoft Windows, has been a staple for 40 years. However, now Microsoft Windows is saying goodbye to its BSOD error message in Windows 11. The officials have confirmed that it will soon be renamed the Black Screen of Death. The new design eliminates the old blue color, sad emoji, and QR code to support a simplified black screen.
Introducing Blue Screen of Death
The old ‘BSOD’ has been around since 1985 when Windows 1.0 made its first entry. Due to its bright blue color, it was named the Blue Screen of Death. It is a severe error screen that comes up on PCs using the Microsoft Windows operating system during a system crash. There is a difference in the screen text. However, it is often accompanied by a sad face. For the past 40 years, the BSOD has been prevalent in pop culture, with ample memes, subreddits, and T-shirts made on it.
Black Screen of Death in Windows 11
The new, simplified BSOD seems more like a black screen seen during a Microsoft Windows update. However, it will let the stop code and error system driver, which is rare in a crash dump. IT admins need to extract dumps from computers and analyse them using tools like WinDbg to identify the root causes of the issues.
This is an effort towards clarity and better information access, which lets us and users really identify the root cause of the issue and its solution. It clearly identifies the information on what exactly the issue is and where it is, whether it is a Windows issue or a component issue.
Microsoft states that this feature will be launched in an update for Windows 11 late this summer. This will be complemented by a new Quick Machine recovery feature, developed to restore machines that cannot boot quickly. These updates in Microsoft Windows BSOD are associated with the greater effort to enhance the resiliency of Windows in the face of the Crowdstrike incidence that happened last year. The incident caused a great number of Windows machines to boot.
More Updates
Apart from this, Microsoft envisions launching features like Connected Cache to protect internet bandwidth. Universal Print allows users to launch their print requests from anywhere in the firm to any authorised printer. Another top-notch update that automatically downloads Windows security updates will be there. The update will be automatically installed once a month without any restart. The users can also get access to a short-term cloud PC with Windows 365 Reserve.
Noteworthy is that users on previous versions of Windows 11 will still be welcomed with the known sad face emoji with a blue background and white text.
Common Causes of the BSOD
There are some factors that cause BSOD on Microsoft Windows, arising from different hardware and software problems. These errors can shut down the computers or cause them to restart suddenly. It also pops up a warning message for the users. Here are the common issues:
Hardware Issues
- Malfunctioning RAM
- Overheating components
- Failures of the hard drive
- Problems with the power supply
- Clashing hardware
Driver Issues
- Old drivers
- Corrupted drivers
- Clashing drivers
Software Issues
- Clashing software
- Problems between different programs
- Poor drafting of software
- Code errors
Operating System Issues
- Corrupted registry entries
- Faulty system files
Malware Issues
- Viruses
- Maligned software
- Trojans
Tips to Prevent BSOD
To reduce the chances of facing BSOD errors, you must follow these tips:
Keep System Up-to-date– Ensure that the system is updated and the drivers are the latest
Use Supportive Software- Ensure compatibility of the software with the version of Microsoft Windows.
Maintain Hardware- Maintain a clean, dust-free, and ventilated environment for your computer
Track System Temperatures- Use software to monitor the temperatures of the system and prevent overheating.
Be Careful with Overclocking– Be careful with overclocking and examine for stability.
Use Quality Hardware– Spend on reliable systems, mainly power supplies and RAM
Regular Maintenance– Conduct disk cleanups, defragmentation, and other maintenance activities.
Data Backup– Back up your data and files regularly to reduce the chances of data loss.
Install Good Antivirus Software– Ensure that your system is safeguarded from malware that may result in system instability
Avoid Installing Unknown Software– Restrict the automatic installation of programs to minimise possible conflicts.
How to Fix BSOD Errors?
Resolving the BSOD errors in Microsoft Windows often requires troubleshooting to find the root cause. Some of the strategies that you can adopt include:
Find the error message- Identify the particular error code or message show on the blue screen.
Boot in safe mode– Through this, you can start Windows with fewer services and drivers.
Undo recent updates- You should try uninstalling or removing the new software or hardware that the BSOD error refers to.
Update drivers– You must confirm that the device drivers are updated, mainly for graphics cards, storage devices, and network adapters.
Run Windows Update– Install the newest system updates and patches.
Check Malware Risk– Conduct a full system scan with the help of reliable antivirus software.
Run system file checker– Use the SFC/scannow command to find and fix the corrupted files.
Use Blue Screen troubleshooting–
Troubleshoot error– Go to the Get Help app and find the troubleshoot BSOD error option to get guidance on fixing the error.
Check hardware– Enable diagnostic tests on RAM, hard drives, and other elements.
Restore system– Go for system restore to restore your PC to a previous state of working.
Reinstall Windows– Finally, you can consider a clear Microsoft Windows installation.
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