Blue Screen of Death: Why is my laptop or desktop showing a blue screen error? What is the Blue Screen of Death error and how to fix it?

Thousands of Windows users worldwide are experiencing the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error, which causes systems to abruptly shut down or restart. Microsoft has identified a recent CrowdStrike update as the cause of this problem. The error has particularly affected several companies, banks and government agencies in the US and Australia.

Details about the blue screen error:

Users have shared images on social media of their screens displaying a recovery message: “It looks like Windows didn’t load properly. If you want to restart and try again, select Restart PC below.” The BSOD, also known as a black screen error or STOP code error, occurs when a critical problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly. Users may see a notification like “Windows has shut down to prevent damage to your computer.”

Also read: Microsoft outage causes airlines to cancel flights

What is the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)?

BSODs occur due to errors in driver software or hardware problems. A BSOD means a complete system failure at the Windows kernel level caused by problems with Windows drivers or hardware, not an application crash. Unlike browser crashes, where Windows continues to run, an app blue screen is rare because apps run at a higher level in the operating system.

Steps to troubleshoot blue screen errors:

Blue screen errors can be caused by both hardware and software issues. If the error was caused by a recent hardware installation, users should shut down their PC, remove the new hardware, and try restarting. If restarting is difficult, users can try starting their PC in Safe Mode. For detailed steps on how to boot into Safe Mode, refer to Windows Help guides.

Troubleshooting Additional solutions:

Users should consider updating Windows with the latest patches via Windows Update. If these steps don’t resolve the issue, you can seek additional help or roll back Windows to an earlier restore point. The Blue Screen of Death troubleshooter in the Help app may also help.

Microsoft is addressing the issue and users are advised to follow the troubleshooting steps below to reduce the impact of the BSOD error.

(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)