Have you ever encountered any frustrating moments while working on your laptop or computer? Recently I started getting a blue screen on my Windows 10 laptop without any warning. When you are working on a really important project and suddenly an incident like this happens, then it might be the most frustrating situation. So, if you’re also facing the sudden blue screen on your Windows 10, 8, or 7 computers, this article will guide you on how to fix that.
Well, there may be many reasons why you might encounter a blue screen on your system so in this article we will understand what the blue screen actually is and how to fix it when it occurs.
In Windows, the blue screen error is abbreviated as BSOD, which means “Blue Screen Of Death.” If the system is facing some issues, it might show you the blue screen, that you can fix by performing some required steps. This article will guide you on how to fix the blue screen of death in Windows 10, 8, 7 computers or laptops.
What is the Blue Screen Error in Microsoft Windows?
When any error encounters the system, then it will show you a typical old sad face. The system will explain to you about the error, which will state that “The system ran out with an error, and needs to restart.” Sometimes Windows try to resolve it by running a scan, and sometimes the error is severe, which requires external methods to resolve the issue.
You will get several tools from Microsoft to understand the error. Like, you will get a barcode, which you can scan from a smartphone and understand the error. Also, Microsoft gives you a stop code, which you can check to resolve the issue.
Some of the common stop codes are:
- 0x000000EF or CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
- 0x1000007E or SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
- 0x0000000A or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
- 0x00000117 or VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED
- 0x00000050 or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
- 0x0000003B or SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
- 0x0000004D or NO_PAGES_AVAILABLE
Not only these but there may be hundreds of stop codes that might be visible on your blue screen and for each stop code, there’s a mitigation process. But, in this article, I’m sharing a basic guide to fix the blue screen error that works for most stop codes.
How to Fix Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in Windows 10, 8, 7
To resolve the blue screen errors, you can go through Microsoft help to understand different ways of resolving the blue screen errors. Microsoft has launched a complete tutorial to fix blue screen errors from your Windows computer.
Whether you’re using a Windows 10, 8, or Windows 7 computer, here are some of the most basic ways of resolving the blue screen error from your Windows computer.
1. Detach Every USB Device & Shutdown
If your Windows computer encounters a blue screen error, the first thing you can do is detach every USB device connected to it and then force shut down the computer.
Well, everybody knows that one of the most common and widely known methods to fix any problem in a computer or laptop is restarting it. So, with the BSOD error in Windows, you can force the shutdown of your Windows computer and turn it on again to see if the error is fixed.
2. Open Windows in Safe Mode
Safe Mode is a very important feature of a Windows computer. It lets you have an idea about the cause of the error. When you start your Windows laptop or computer in safe mode, Windows starts in a basic state with a very limited set of system files and drivers. It helps you observe the cause of the error.
If the error doesn’t persist in safe mode, this means the default settings, system files, and drivers aren’t causing the problem. Now, assuming that you are facing a blue screen error on your system, let me tell you how you can start Windows in safe mode.
- First of all, you need to enter Windows Recovery Environment (winRE). To do this, you will need to press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your Windows computer. And then turn it on. When the Windows starts, press the power button again and hold for 10 seconds to turn it off, at the moment when you see any sign that Windows has started (something like the manufacturer’s logo). Repeat this at least 3 times and upon the last restart, you should enter the WinRE.
- Once, you’re in Windows Recovery Environment, choose the “Troubleshoot” option from the first screen you’ll see, after that choose “Advanced Settings” in the next screen, and then choose the “Startup Settings” option.
- On the “Startup Settings” screen, click the Restart button to restart your Windows system.
- Once your system is restarted successfully, you’ll see some options including the Safe Mode at the 5th number. So, you will need to press F5 to open your Windows computer in Safe Mode.
That’s it. Now you should monitor your system in Safe Mode. If it’s working perfectly in Safe Mode, it means the blue screen error is not occurring due to any default settings, system files, or drivers. Maybe it’s because of any newly installed application or anything else that you’re unable to encounter. So, you should now focus on other things.
On the other hand, if the BSOD error persists even in the safe mode, you should double-check your default system settings, files, and drivers. If any system drivers are asking for updates, you should update them at the earliest. Or if not fixed, you may also dare to format and reinstall your Windows computer.
Related Post: How To Get Rid of Black Screen on Laptop
3. Uninstall the Newly Installed Applications
This is one of the most common reasons for many Windows problems. Sometimes users install applications from an untrusted source which leads to creating problems with their Windows computers.
If your system is working absolutely fine in safe mode, you should try uninstalling all the newly installed applications from your Windows computer. It’s possible that any of your newly installed applications are creating the problem.
Uninstalling an application from your Windows computer is the easiest task. If you’re using a Windows 10 computer, go to Settings » Apps, click the application you want to uninstall from the list of apps and then click the Uninstall button. For Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can do this by navigating to Control Panel » Uninstall a program.
4. Rollback Drivers to the Previous Version
Before this blue screen problem occurred, if you updated your drivers, you should try to roll back the drivers to the previous version to see if the problem is solved. Sometimes updating a driver to a new version fixes some issues but sometimes creates many. So, if you recently updated any of your drivers, you should try rolling them back.
To roll back any of your device’s drivers that you updated recently, just go to Device Manager, choose the device you want to roll back the driver for, right-click on the driver, click on “Properties”. In the Driver properties popup, from the Driver tab, click the “Roll Back Driver” button.
5. Update Your System
Sometimes system updates can also become the main reason for getting the blue screen error. To check the current version of Windows 10, go to the settings and navigate to System > About. For Windows 7 and Windows 8, you can simply check this from Control Panel by searching for “which operating system your computer is using”.
You will find the current version of the operating system that you are working on. If you are using an outdated version of Windows, then you try updating it to the latest version.
Outdated Windows and drivers can create multiple problems in the operating system. This might also be a reason for BSOD errors. So, you can try fixing the blue screen error in your Windows 10, 8, or 7 system by updating your system to the latest version.
6. Change in Hardware
Blue Screen error can occur suddenly, and if it is related to the hardware, it is the early sign of changing the hardware. Sometimes, the hard drive can also give you a blue screen, which means you need to change it and take the backup as soon as possible. There is no solution to repair your hard drive, and it is a considerable risk to deal with the data.
Final Thoughts
Windows blue screen error of death (BSOD) is a frustrating process, giving you multiple problems while working on a laptop or desktop. This is due to some errors that your system might face, and you can resolve them by using the above solutions. If the problem is minor, it can be fixed easily using some potential solutions as given above, but problematic drive errors can not be fixed without changing the hardware.
So it is best to change the hard drive on time and keep the backup from the system. It will help you get the data securely, and you will not lose data from the system.
I hope the above-mentioned solutions for fixing the blue screen error on your Windows laptop or computer will work for sure. Do let us know which of the above-provided methods worked for you.
