Why does bsod exist

The dreaded Windows blue screen of death. Microsoft reorg From devices to big data, what it means for business Ballmer's letter to the troops North Star: 6 things that have to go right. Featured AI is learning to talk back. Here's what it means for you Your Raspberry Pi 4 may have just got an unexpected speed boost Managers aren't worried about keeping their IT workers happy.

That's bad for everyone Black Friday Buying Guide My Profile Log Out. Join Discussion. Add Your Comment. Freshworks expands into IT operations management running its familiar playbook Cloud. How that's changing the customer and employee experience Artificial Intelligence. Xero posts half-year net loss as investment in product development grows Cloud. Exchange Server bug: Patch now, but multi-factor authentication might not stop these attacks, warns Microsoft Security.

Workday adds scheduling, labor optimization tools for frontline workers Cloud. Coursera introduces LevelSets proficiency tests Enterprise Software. For example, programming errors such as trying to call something that does not exist or doing something that is not allowed. A BSoD can also occur with bad hardware , like bad memory that prevents data from properly being read or written.

Write down the important parts of the error message. These error messages are usually long because they point to the locations of the error, which usually are not necessary.

Write down any of the information mentioned below. You don't have to write anything down if you have a digital camera or smartphone and can take a picture of the error message. If you can't access the System Recovery Options menu on your computer, you can access it using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or using a system repair disc if you created earlier. If you can't recover Windows 7 in any other way, you can reinstall Windows 7 using your original Windows 7 installation disc or setup files.

Reinstalling Windows 7 will delete any programs you've installed and will restore the default Windows settings. You'll need to restore your user files, and reinstall any programs you've installed using the original installation discs or files. To format your hard disk during Windows 7 installation, you'll need to start your computer using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive.

Turn on your computer, insert the Windows 7 installation disc or USB flash drive, and then shut down your computer. On the Install Windows page, enter your language and other preferences, and then click Next.

If the Install Windows page doesn't appear, and you're not asked to press any key, you might need to change some system settings. On the Please read the license terms page, if you accept the license terms, click I accept the license terms , and then click Next. On the Which type of installation do you want? On the Where do you want to install Windows? Click the partition that you want to change, click the formatting option you want to perform, and then follow the instructions.

Follow the instructions to finish installing Windows 7, which include naming your computer and setting up an initial user account. Windows 7 More Follow the instructions on your screen. Check for solutions Open Action Center by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel , and then, under System and Security, clicking Review your computer's status.

Click Maintenance. Check for updates Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button. If a driver isn't self-installing, follow these steps: Update a driver You must be logged on as an administrator for this procedure.

Do one of the following: If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts. Log on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights.

Check for hard disk errors Open Computer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Computer. Click Start. Run Startup Repair using preinstalled recovery options Remove all CDs, DVDs, and other media from your computer, and then restart it using the computer's power button. Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next. Run Startup Repair using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or a system repair disc If your computer's system is severely damaged and you can't access the System Recovery Options menu on your computer, you can access it using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or using a system repair disc if you created one earlier.

To use this method, you need to restart your computer using the disc or USB flash drive. Restart your computer using the computer's power button. If prompted, press any key and then follow the instructions that appear. Run System Restore using preinstalled recovery options Remove all CDs, DVDs, and other media from your computer, and then restart it using the computer's power button. Run System Restore using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or a system repair disc If your computer's system is severely damaged and you cannot access the System Recovery Options menu on your computer, you can access it using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or using a system repair disc if you created one earlier.

To use this method, you need to restart your computer using the disc. Restore from a system image using preinstalled recovery options Remove all CDs, DVDs, and other media from your computer, and then restart it using the computer's power button. Restore from a system image using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or a system repair disc If you can't access the System Recovery Options menu on your computer, you can access it using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, or using a system repair disc if you created earlier.

Install Windows 7 using the Custom option and formatting the hard disk To format your hard disk during Windows 7 installation, you'll need to start your computer using the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive. Restart your computer. Press any key when prompted, and then follow the instructions that appear. When you've finished formatting, click Next.

You can find this applet by name in your Control Panel, or just type Problem Reports and Solutions in Vista's search box. Once loaded, click 'Check for new solutions' in the left-hand column.

If Vista finds any conflicts, it will list them in the main window, along with any potential resolutions. The most common cause of this conflict is improperly installed drivers for a piece of hardware you recently installed. First, disconnect the hardware, and uninstall the drivers for it completely. If that fixes the blue screen, you can search for updated drivers or contact the manufacturer. If you haven't installed any new drivers recently, you'll need to do some more detective work.

Start by examining the blue screen to see if it lists a specific driver. Looking at the blue screen, check the text at the very bottom of the screen. You'll probably see a file name.

This is the driver that caused the problem. If you've narrowed your search of offending drivers down to those associated with your videocard, turn off the system, disconnect the power, and remove and reseat the videocard.

Next, go into the BIOS press F2 or Delete when your BIOS prompts you to do this, or consult your user manual or motherboard manufacturer's website and check the bus speed for your videocard. We typically recommend leaving the PCI-E frequency set to Auto in the BIOS, but if you've overclocked your system, it can inadvertently knock the bus speed beyond a stable spec, which can cause blue screens. You're more like to experience this IRQL error when switching form one videocard brand to another, as the drivers will conflict with each other.

The safe way to swap videocards is to completely remove all remnants of your old videocard drivers. Reboot the computer, holding down the F8 key to enter safe mode. Run the Driver Cleaner utility to scrub away any remnants of the previous drivers that a typical uninstall overlooks.

After you reboot, install the appropriate drivers for your new videocard. It's not entirely necessary to use a third-party utility, though if problems linger when trying to uninstall drivers on your own, it's worth a shot. When the error is related to an audio driver, take note of the program that was running when the BSoD occurred. Make sure the offending application's sound options are configured correctly -- it's especially important that it uses the correct audio device -- and download any patches available that address known issues.

You should update your soundcard's drivers as well. If you're using an add-in soundcard, verify that the motherboard's onboard audio is disabled in the BIOS, so the two audio drivers don't conflict with each other. System services known to cause this error include virus scanners and backup utilities. Do not run more than one antivirus application on your computer at the same time! This is one of the easier BSoDs to diagnose, as faulty memory sticks are almost always to blame.

If you get this error, think for a second: Are those DIMMs you just added compatible with your motherboard? Your motherboard manufacturer's website will have a list of specific brands verified to work with your particular board, although these are often incomplete. Next and more importantly , are they installed in the correct slots?

Some motherboards are more finicky than others when it comes to proper slot placement, and the situation is compounded when dealing with a dual-channel, tri-channel, and quad-channel configurations.

Most motherboards that run dual-channel require that you install matching sets of RAM in the same-color slots, while others, such as some MSI boards, require that you install them in alternate slots. When in doubt, poke your head in the user's manual. Once you've verified that your RAM is installed correctly and is compatible with your motherboard, check to make sure they're running within spec. It's possible you may have set your memory's latency timings too aggressive, or maybe the sticks can't handle the frequency you're trying to run them at.

If the problem persists, the the problem is likely a bad stick. To find out which stick is bad you can simply remove one stick, then run your system for a while to see if the blue screens stop. Then swap the sticks and run your test again. If the machine blue screens with one stick, but not the other, you've found your culprit. Type the name of the program in Vista's search box, and once selected, it will run the next time you reboot. Because most RAM sold today includes a lifetime warranty, be sure to check with your vendor before you toss out a bad stick.

While many blue screens can be traced back to a new hardware install or bad memory, this particular error screams in capital letters that something is fishy with your hard drive. The error that gets displayed depends on the file system your OS is using. In most cases, the file system will be NTFS. With really old systems, the error will read FAT If you get this error, be sure to do one thing immediately, before you even being to contemplate its cause: Back up your important data.

The easiest solutions are often the most overclocked, but they can also be the most effective. Checking your hard drive's cable connections falls into this category. SATA cables are notorious for working themselves loose --we've had this happen to us on many occasions.