How To Fix a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)?

A Blue Screen of Death, also called a STOP Error, will appear when an issue is so serious that Windows must stop completely. A Blue Screen of Death is usually hardware or driver related. Most BSODs show a STOP code that can be used to help figure out the root cause of the Blue Screen of Death.

Important: Below are general Blue Screen of Death troubleshooting steps. 

Note: Some of these steps may require you to start Windows in Safe Mode. If that's not possible then skip those steps.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: It might take you several hours to fix a Blue Screen of Death, depending on the STOP Code.

Here's How:

1. The most important Blue Screen of Death troubleshooting step you can take

    is to ask yourself what you just did. 

    Did you just install a new program or a piece of hardware, update a driver,

    install an update, etc.? If so, there's a very good chance that the change you

    made caused the BSOD. 

    Undo the change you made and test again for the STOP Error. Depending on

    what change you made, some solutions might include:

• Startup using Last Known Good Configuration to undo recent registry and driver changes.
• Use System Restore to undo recent system changes.
• Roll Back device driver to version prior to your driver update.

2. Verify that a minimum amount of free space is available on your Windows
    partition. Blue Screens of Death and other serious issues, like data
    corruption, can occur if there's not enough free space on your primary
    partition used for the Windows operating system.
    Note: Microsoft recommends that you maintain at least 100MB of free space
    but I regularly see problems with free space that low. I usually advise
    Windows users to keep at least 15% of a drive's capacity free at all times.

3. Scan your computer for viruses. Some viruses can cause a Blue Screen of
    Death, especially ones that infect the master boot record (MBR) or boot
    sector.

      Important: Make sure your virus scanning software is completely up to date
    and that it's configured to scan the MBR and boot sector.

4. Apply all available Windows service packs and other updates. Microsoft
    regularly releases patches and service packs for their operating systems that
    may contain fixes for the cause of your BSOD.

5. Update drivers for your hardware. Most Blue Screens of Death are hardware
    or driver related so updated drivers could fix the cause of the STOP error.

6. Check the System and Application logs in Event Viewer (8/ 7/ Vista / XP) for
    errors or warnings that might provide more clues on the cause of the BSOD.

7. Return hardware settings to default in Device Manager. Unless you have a
    specific reason to do so, the system resources that an individual piece of
    hardware is configured to use in Device Manager should be set to default.
    Non-default hardware settings have been known to cause a Blue Screen of
    Death.

8. Return BIOS settings to their default levels. An overclocked or misconfigured
    BIOS can cause all sorts of random issues, including BSODs. 
    Note: If you've made several customizations to your BIOS settings and don't
    wish to load the default ones then at least try returning clock speed, voltage
    settings, and BIOS memory options to their default settings and see if that
    fixes the STOP error.

9. Make sure all internal cables, cards, and other components are installed and
    seated properly. Hardware that's not firmly in place can cause a Blue Screen
    of Death so try reseating the following and then test for the STOP message 
    again:

• Reseat all internal data and power cables
• Reseat the memory modules
• Reseat any expansion cards

10. Perform diagnostic tests on all hardware you're able to test. It's highly likely
      that the root cause of any given Blue Screen of Death is a failing piece of
      hardware:

• Test your system memory
• Test your hard disk drive

          If a test fails, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as
       possible.

11. Update your BIOS. In some situations, and outdated BIOS could cause a
      Blue Screen of Death due to certain incompatibilities.

12. Start your PC with essential hardware only. A useful troubleshooting step in
      many situations, including BSOD issues, is to start your computer with the
      minimum hardware necessary to run the operating system. If your
      computer starts successfully it proves that one of the removed hardware
      devices was the cause of the STOP message.

Tip: Typically, the only necessary hardware for starting your PC through to the operating system includes the motherboard, CPU, RAM, primary hard drive, keyboard, video card, and monitor.

Tips:

1. Find that hardware is the cause of your Blue Screen of Death? Try this:

• Replace the hardware.
• Update the hardware's firmware.
• Make sure the hardware is on the Hardware Compatibility List.
• Check with the manufacturer for support information.

2. Find that a software program is the cause of your Blue Screen of Death? Try  this:

• Reinstall the software.
• Check for and install any available program updates.
• Check with the developer for support information.
• Try a competing program.

If you have any queries or suggestions related to this post on 'How To Fix a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)?', you're most welcome in comments..! :)