The Blue Screen of Death, also known as BSOD, is a notification in the Windows operating system that indicates a severe malfunction has occurred on a laptop. The following text will explain how to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.
What is BSOD
The abbreviation BSOD stands for "Blue screen of death", which refers to the appearance of white letters on a blue or blue background on a device’s screen. This occurrence is typically accompanied by device freezing, shutting down, or rebooting. Despite rebooting, the blue screen may reappear on the laptop. Essentially, this signifies a critical failure in the device’s operation and indicates that Windows is unable to continue functioning. This phenomenon can manifest in any Windows operating system version, including Windows 10 and its predecessors. 
Various factors can cause the blue screen of death, such as driver malfunctions, hardware component failures, malicious applications, setting changes, or the installation of certain applications. 
The appearance of the error screen may differ visually depending on the operating system. In Windows 7 and XP, it typically consists of a blue background with text and an alphanumeric code at the end. Windows 8 and Ten may also feature a sad smiley face in addition to the text. Occasionally, the screen may simply be blue with no text. Below are some suggested solutions for users who encounter this problem.
Operating system services
Windows can often be intrusive, but its design makes it easy for users to resolve problems. If you encounter the dreaded blue screen of death on your laptop, there are services available to help you. Simply navigate to the "security" and "troubleshooting" options in your device settings. Scroll down to find "blue screen" and click on "run troubleshooting". Windows will automatically detect the cause of the failure and fix it for you. 
In older operating systems, you can find this utility in the "security and maintenance center" under the "maintenance" tab. Here, you will find a list of errors and potential threats, along with suggestions on how to fix them. Simply run the utility and let the system handle the rest. 
Looking for the cause of BSOD
If the previous advice did not resolve the issue and you are still encountering the blue screen, then you will need to troubleshoot the problem on your own. After another occurrence of the blue screen, take note of the displayed information and search for the corresponding error code. As mentioned before, the code may consist of numbers and letters (0*00000A) or be a series of words separated by underscores (SPIN_LOCK_ALREADY_OWNED). Copy the code and input it into a search engine, where you will find results containing a description of the problem and suggestions for fixing it.
Important! In newer operating systems, a QR code may also appear on the screen along with the error message. If this happens, you can use your smartphone to scan the QR code and directly access the page with a description and solution for the problem.
If your device immediately reboots when encountering the blue screen and you are unable to view the error code, you should install the "BlueScreenView" application on your laptop. This utility scans the system and presents a list of errors. Some of these errors may provide insights into the specific issue. Errors with the .sys extension indicate a system failure and damage to system files, while errors with the .dll extension signal corruption in the DLL services library and the need to download deleted or corrupted files.
To address this, you can utilize the DLL Suite application, which is user-friendly, but requires you to enter the name of the required file into the application’s search bar (you can copy the names from the ones provided by the BlueScreenView utility). DLL Suite will then download the file from the internet and place it where it is needed. 
Another option to consider if your device is constantly rebooting is to disable the automatic restart. To do this, open the "additional system settings" in the properties of "my computer". Then go to "advanced" and select "settings". Uncheck the box next to "automatically restart".
Blue screen without inscriptions
- Access the "System" tab under "System and Security" to explore its additional settings.
- Navigate to the "boot and recovery" section and enable the "log event" option in its parameters.
- Ensure that the "small memory dump" setting is selected below.
Following the subsequent unsuccessful attempt, a minidump directory will materialize, containing files storing valuable information.
Universal variants
The blue screen of death (BSOD) can sometimes be attributed to minor issues such as outdated operating system, viruses, or device overheating. These problems can be resolved by following the simple yet effective steps outlined below, which won’t require much time or effort.
There are instances where the failure is not due to an error, but rather because of a lack of updates, outdated drivers, or viruses. To eliminate these possibilities, it is recommended to access the "Windows Update Center" and install all available updates. Additionally, it is advisable to scan the device for viruses and utilize the DriverPack utility (or any other driver installation tool) to update the drivers for all system components.
Problematic application
If you’ve noticed that the failure occurred after installing a new application, but you’re unable to uninstall it because a reboot starts when the desktop appears, it’s worth attempting to enter the system in safe mode. In safe mode, only the essential services needed for Windows operation are loaded. In this scenario, you’ll be able to uninstall the application and thereby fix the gadget.
Overheating of the laptop
One common reason for encountering the blue screen is excessive heat buildup within the computer’s components. To address this issue, it would be beneficial to install a temperature monitoring application like AIDA64 or CPU-Z. Based on the gathered data, appropriate steps can be taken, such as acquiring a cooling pad or replacing the thermal paste.
Improper operation of system components
The reason behind the failure might be incorrect functioning of the hard disk or RAM. There are specialized tools available to perform their check. One such effective application for checking and fixing hard disk errors is HDD Regenerator. For checking the RAM, Windows 7 and 8 come with a built-in utility known as "diagnose RAM problems", which can be accessed by running the appropriate command in the "run" menu.
If you are using Windows 10 or XP, a great option for testing laptop RAM is memtest86+. However, this program has some nuances. Depending on the downloaded format, there can be various startup options.
- If the file has a .zip extension, it needs to be written to a floppy disk and executed from there.
- If the file has a .exe extension, it can be executed from a flash drive, but it should be set as the bootable option in the BIOS.
- If the file has a .gz extension, it can be directly run in Windows without any installation.
Once you open the app, a blue window will pop up. If there is no red highlighted text inside, it means that the RAM is functioning properly. However, if you see any red text, it indicates errors and you will need to replace the memory.
Helpful suggestion: In order to resolve the issue, you have the option to replace the battery on the motherboard and reset the BIOS configuration. Occasionally, performing a system restoration or reinstalling the operating system can be effective in resolving the problem.
The conclusion presents the most frequently occurring error codes. While different errors have different causes, the treatment methods may be similar.
| Error code | Remedy |
| 0x00000001 0x00000005 0x0000000B0x0000000C 0x0000000E | System errors. Usually resolved by updating the OS and drivers. |
| 0x00000012 | The reason for the error is unknown. It is necessary to investigate all possibilities, including hardware malfunctions. |
| 0x00000018 | The error is caused by a driver, but often by an antivirus program. The treatment involves updating the driver, removing the antivirus, or rolling back the system. |
| 0x00000019 | The problem is related to the hard disk. It is recommended to check for errors. |
| 0x0000001A 0x0000001B 0x0000001C | Memory problems. These can result from viruses, faulty RAM, or permanent memory issues. |
| 0x0000001D | The problem is related to BIOS operation. Updating it may help. |
| 0x00000021 | The problem is caused by memory. The cause may be excessive RAM or insufficient main memory. The error can also be caused by a damaged hard drive or lack of power supply. |
| 0x00000022 0x00000023 0x00000024 0x00000025 0x00000026 0x00000027 | The problem is caused by insufficient memory. You can try defragmenting, but a more reliable solution is to add more memory. |
| 0x00000028 0x00000029 | Windows security system problem. Updating the OS can help. |
| 0x0000002A 0x0000002C | Driver error. The error message usually indicates which driver is causing the failure. It needs to be updated or reinstalled. |
| 0x000000002D | Problem with the hard disk drive connection. |
| 0x000000002B | Either there is not enough space on the C drive or the system needs to be upgraded. |
| 0x0000000002 0x00000003 | Driver or OS needs to be updated. Check the system for viruses. |
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