How to Fix Windows 10 Blue Screen Crashes

Windows 10 users are often frustrated by the blue screen of death but there are ways to fix it (Image: GETTY · MICROSOFT)

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Microsoft dropped a bombshell on Windows users last month. The infamous blue screen of death, which usually displays a sad emoji and the message: "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting some error info, and then we'll restart for you", will look dramatically different. Yes, the iconic blue screen will turn black!

However different it looks, the blue/black screen of death won't be going away anytime soon. PC users will know no matter what high-spec laptop you're running or how careful you are, you're sure to come across this fatal error message at least once in a while.

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While upgrades in Windows 11 might help resolve some of these issues, we're confident they won't all be fixed. So, there's no better time to round up the reasons you might currently be starting at Microsoft's most terrifying error screen.

What is the blue screen of death?

First off, what does the blue... or black screen of death mean? In essence, BSOD means your computer has encountered a fatal error. It shows up when your PC has shut down right away to stop the issue damaging the entire operating system.

Everything from apps and programs to networks is halted, and all your unsaved data is deleted. Basically, it's an emergency brake which brings everything crashing to a stop.

Why am I seeing it?

The BSOD should display an error code, which can give you clues to what has gone wrong. Once you've found out what caused your PC to trip-up and fail catastrophically, you should be able to fix it. However, these error codes aren't always easy to decipher. For example, you might see: BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO, PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGE_AREA, or CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.

To help non-techies understand these jumbled codes, we've rounded up some common reasons you might be staring at a blue screen.

1. Not enough space on your system disk. Running out of memory can cause your computer to crash if it can't complete the action it was doing.
2. Faulty device drivers. If you just added or updated a driver for a mouse, keyboard or other piece of hardware, this is likely to be the cause. A new device might not be compatible with Windows 10 at all, meaning you'll have to replace it.
3. Buggy new program. New programs can trigger the BSOD in a similar way to device drivers. They might not be able to run on Windows 10 or have triggered an error in the system.
4. Hard disk is corrupted. This can happen when your system is halfway through a process, like saving a file, or loses access to the file altogether. It can often lead to data loss and is more common on older, heavily used computers.

5. Antivirus software. Sometimes PCs come with several preinstalled, but this can cause clashes. For most personal use, you really only need one – Windows' own Defender tool might be enough.

6. Out of date firmware. Mit Patel,managing director of London-based IT support company Netstar, explained: "Firmware is essentially a bridge between your software and hardware. Your operating system is continuously getting upgraded through patching, and what happens is the hardware can become out of date to that software. To fix that, you should updating your firmware maybe every three to six months." Depending on your PC, this could mean agreeing to automatic prompts, or searching for updates yourself.
7. BIOS misconfiguration. BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System, which your PC uses to startup the computer. An outdated or badly configured BIOS version can trigger the BSOD when you turn your PC on.
8. Outdated Windows operating system or a problem with a Windows update. New Windows updates can cause problems with existing programs on your PC, while older versions might not be supported by Microsoft anymore.

Ultimately, prevention is the best cure. Patel said nowadays laptop users have gotten used to just shutting the lid instead of restarting their machines. This can cause serious problems down the line.

"​​One of the problems of just closing the lid is it doesn't actually refresh the operating system," Patel said. "You have to power it off, and then power it on... at minimum, maybe every couple of days or once a week, you should be restarting your device.

"Yes, it may take 10 seconds to start up at the beginning of the day," he added. "But trust me, you'll save 10 seconds in multiple amounts by just not being slow, or not ever having that blue screen to start with."

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How can I fix the blue screen of death?

As you'll see from the list above, the error screen is most likely to have been triggered by a recent change to your PC. So it makes sense that the easiest fixes are all to do with undoing whatever state your computer has gotten into.

Unplug all your devices

"Sometimes the error can be caused by devices that you've plugged into your laptop or PC, like a USB stick, mouse or webcam," Patel said. "The first thing I would do is remove all those things out of your laptop, and turn it off by holding down the power button for 10 seconds. Then turn it on and see if it actually comes on – this will probably fix 25% of problems."

Delete unneeded files.

This step should work if BSOD was down to too little space on your hard drive. Microsoft recommends you keep at least 100MB free, but even more is better – up to 10% of your total disk space should be empty to keep everything running smoothly.

Open Windows in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a way to help you find problems with your apps and programs by disabling parts of your PC. It's helpful when you need to uninstall device drivers and Windows 10 updates without setting off the BSOD all over again.

You can access Safe Mode by pressing and holding the power button while turning on your computer. Repeat this three times to trigger the advanced startup environment.

Then, go to "Startup Settings" and click "Restart". Once the reboot begins, press "F4" or "4", depending on your keyboard. Once you're in Safe Mode, you can uninstall the troublesome program or driver safely.

Check your updates, drivers and third-party apps

Both downloading new updates and never updating programs and drivers can cause problems with your PC.

To check for new Windows updates, go to your computer's Settings. Click "Update & Security", then "Windows Update". Select "windows update' and follow the prompts.

If you've just updated an existing program, follow these steps instead. Open the Control Panel and go to the "Programs" section, then click "Uninstall a program". Select "Installed updates" and choose the most recent one. Or you can click "Uninstall" to remove the app entirely.

For dodgy drivers, go to "Device Manager" and click on the device causing the issue. Right click to uninstall, or select "Properties" to roll back the driver to an older version. However, be careful – Patel warns it can be hard for users to make sure they're not deleting something important.

Use System Restore to undo changes

If you've added something to the software which made it throw a wobbly, this will reset everything back to its original state – removing new drivers, updates and apps.

You can access System Restore in the same way as System Restore – by rebooting the computer three times. In the menu that appears, you'll find Advanced Options. Select this, then click "System Restore" and choose a restore point just before the blue screen appeared. But be warned – it will delete EVERYTHING on your PC. Do a full backup before following this step.

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Reinstall Windows 10

Something of a nuclear option, but doing a clean installation should fix most errors – in fact, it's almost an Elixir of Youth for your PC which could even make it run faster. You can  perform this before upgrading to Windows 11 to make sure no errors are caused during the upgrade. Just like System Restore, this WILL delete any data that isn't backed up. It can be a long process, so take a look at the steps in this article to get started.

Finally, if you're in any doubt – call in the experts. Making a wrong step could make the problem worse or accidentally delete your data. Patel advises to look for local repair techs with a physical shop and good Google reviews as you'll most likely need to drop the laptop in in person. As for when you should ask for help? "It depends how frustrated you get," said Patel.

How to Fix Windows 10 Blue Screen Crashes

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1479005/windows-10-blue-screen-of-death-crashed-fix-reasons

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