What Is BSOD?

Date First Published: 4th December 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Software

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Medium

Difficulty Level: 5/10

CONTENTS

Causes Of A BSOD
BSOD Troubleshooting
History

Learn about what BSOD is in this article.

Stands for Blue Screen of Death. A BSOD is a full-screen, blue error message displayed by Windows when it has run into a critical error that causes the computer to stop responding to prevent data corruption and hardware damage.

The term blue screen of death comes from the fact that a blue screen with white text displays when the computer has encountered a fatal error and must be immediately restarted. The entire system has to stop and it is not possible to go back and save data, which can cause users to lose unsaved files they were working on.

Causes Of A BSOD

A BSOD can be caused by any error that causes Windows to stop running safely. It is a full system failure at the Windows kernel level due to a problem with drivers or hardware. It is not to be confused with an app or software crash, where Windows continues to run, but the app becomes unresponsive. Examples of errors that can cause a BSOD are:

Boot loader errors
Driver malfunctions and conflicts
Hardware faults
Kernel crashes
Low disk space
Viruses and malware

A BSOD is caused by a Windows STOP error that results in a very serious system crash. When a STOP error occurs, the BSOD is displayed along with a message that provides information about the error.

BSOD Troubleshooting

Below are some steps to take to troubleshoot a BSOD:

Take note of the error code and reboot the computer. When a computer restarts after receiving a BSOD, it goes through an automatic troubleshooting and repair process, but you can troubleshoot the error on your own if Windows cannot repair the issue.
Think back to what you did before the BSOD happened. Consider whether you updated a new driver or installed a new app. If so, that might be what caused the BSOD.
Download and install the latest drivers for your computer hardware from the manufacturer's website. An incorrectly installed or outdated driver can cause a BSOD, so this might fix BSOD caused by driver problems.
Consider a system restore if the BSOD persists after installing a new program, Windows update, or hardware. Windows has a feature called System Restore, which stores a copy of the operating system and apps, allowing it to be restored to a previous state if any problems happen.
Run an antivirus scan if the BSOD is persistent. Viruses and malware can cause Windows to stop responding to prevent further damage to the computer.
Reset Windows. This is a last resort option that you should only consider if you have tried all of the above and cannot resolve the BSOD.

History

A BSOD, caused by a STOP message has been around since the first version of Windows. The BSOD contained hardware information that was unhelpful to most users up to Windows 7. As of Windows 8, the BSOD has a lighter blue background, reduced the amount of information, made the error messages more readable, and provided more helpful information to users.