What does a blue screen on a computer mean?


Officially called the stop screen, or stop error, the blue screen of death (BSOD) is a most unwanted error, second only to malware or ransomware in indicating that a user is in for a very bad day. It comes with no warning and all unsaved work is immediately lost.

What causes a computer to blue screen?

The blue screen happens when Windows encounters a critical error that stops the operating system from running. These critical errors can be the result of faulty hardware, faulty or low level hardware drivers, or faulty or low level apps that run within the Windows kernel.

Is Blue Screen of Death fixable?

Most Blue Screens of Death are hardware or driver-related, so updated drivers could fix the cause of the STOP error. Check the System and Application logs in Event Viewer for errors or warnings that might provide more clues on the cause of the BSOD. Event Viewer can be opened through Administrative Tools.

Should I be worried if my computer blue screens?

Generally, you only have to worry if it becomes persistent. An occasional blue screen is nothing to worry about. If you are concerned, look up the error code and see if you can find the cause of the blue screen. Blue Screen View might help you track it down.

What causes a computer to blue screen?

The blue screen happens when Windows encounters a critical error that stops the operating system from running. These critical errors can be the result of faulty hardware, faulty or low level hardware drivers, or faulty or low level apps that run within the Windows kernel.

How do I stop blue screen of death?

Shut down the Windows PC that experienced the BSOD. Disconnect all USB-attached devices except for mouse and keyboard (or wireless dongles). Reboot your system into safe mode from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) If you recently installed new software, uninstall that software.

Why is it called blue screen of death?

The term blue screen of death stems from the fact that a blue screen with white text appears describing the error when it occurs. Up to Windows 7, the BSOD was full of hardware information that was useless to most users. This is the old blue screen of death format.

How do I fix the blue screen on my HP?

Update your computer with HP Support Assistant or Windows Update. You can resolve many blue screen errors or messages by updating your computer using either HP Support Assistant or Microsoft Windows Update.

Does overheating cause blue screen?

Excessive CPU heat can often cause the blue screen of death. When a CPU gets hot, it throttles and decreases it’s performance. In severe conditions, high CPU temperature can damage the CPU and motherboard. To prevent this from happening, the blue screen of death appears to inform you that your system is overheating.

Does blue screen mean virus?

Does a blue screen mean a virus? As mentioned above, a computer virus or another type of malware can cause a blue screen crash. You can try our free virus and malware scanner in order to remove such unwanted programs. Also, learn about scareware that trick you into thinking you have a BSOD.

Why is my laptop crashing blue screen?

Blue screens are generally caused by problems with your computer’s hardware or issues with its hardware driver software. Sometimes, they can be caused by issues with low-level software running in the Windows kernel. Regular apps usually won’t be able to cause blue screens.

How do I restart blue screen?

Hold down the power button for five seconds, and hopefully, it will restart without a problem. While the Windows “blue screen of death” (BSOD) is always a scary sight, often Windows will fix it automatically. It will run some data behind the scenes and analyze this for you, then restart your computer.

Why is my laptop crashing blue screen?

Blue screens are generally caused by problems with your computer’s hardware or issues with its hardware driver software. Sometimes, they can be caused by issues with low-level software running in the Windows kernel. Regular apps usually won’t be able to cause blue screens.

What causes a computer to blue screen?

The blue screen happens when Windows encounters a critical error that stops the operating system from running. These critical errors can be the result of faulty hardware, faulty or low level hardware drivers, or faulty or low level apps that run within the Windows kernel.

Can a faulty hard drive cause blue screen?

Sudden reboots are a sign of a possible hard drive failure. As is the blue screen of death, when your computer screen turns blue, freezes and may require rebooting. A strong sign of a hard drive failure is a computer crash when you are trying to access files.

Does blue screen of death delete files?

Although the blue screen error itself will not delete files, when the question appears, you cannot access the data on your computer. And if the BSOD error is related to system problems or hardware issues, you may face the risk of losing data.

How do I restart my laptop after blue screen?

Hold down the power button for five seconds, and hopefully, it will restart without a problem. While the Windows “blue screen of death” (BSOD) is always a scary sight, often Windows will fix it automatically. It will run some data behind the scenes and analyze this for you, then restart your computer.

Does RAM cause blue screen?

Also known as the “Blue Screen of Death,” its appearance can signify that you have a problem with your memory. Even if one stick of RAM memory is faulty, it can affect how your computer performs.

How much does it cost to format a laptop?

Can dust cause blue screen death?

Dust can cause havoc on your pc, 5 years of dust can cause short circuits, fans not working properly and over heating. But the bsods you describe, plus the memtest errors found in your ram stick.

What is blue screen error or black screen error?

Blue Screen errors (also sometimes called black screen errors or STOP code errors) can occur if a serious problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly. You might see a message that says, “Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.”

Can overheating cause blue screen?

Excessive CPU heat can often cause the blue screen of death. When a CPU gets hot, it throttles and decreases it’s performance. In severe conditions, high CPU temperature can damage the CPU and motherboard. To prevent this from happening, the blue screen of death appears to inform you that your system is overheating.

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