Business | Technology
The Blue Screen of Death
There may be few things as frustrating or worrying in personal computing as the Blue Screen of Death. But what is BSOD?
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:19 January 26, 2008
The Blue Screen of Death is just a blue screen with text telling you that something is wrong with your computer. The type of problems that cause BSOD can be either hardware or software related and will sometimes require the help of a technician. Here are a few things to do after encountering the BSOD.
1) Read what the screen says: Often the error message will be useless to the average user, but you may want to give that information to a technician working on your computer.
2) Reboot: You'll have to do this anyway. Sometimes the problem that caused the BSOD simply goes away, but all too often the BSOD will continue until you fix the underlying problem.
3) Consider removing any recently added software: When you install software to a computer, it will often include a small piece of software, called a DLL, whose purpose it to, ironically, keeping software's impact on your system to a minimum. When software is added over a matter of time, a conflict between DLLs will inevitably arise, putting you into what is labeled in the computing world as "DLL hell." This can trigger the BSOD.
4) Ditto for hardware: Hardware doesn't install DLLs, although the software that comes with it might. Instead, new hardware will install a driver, which allows the new software to work with your computer. A poor written driver one can cause problems, including the BDOS.
5) Take it to the shop: The BSOD may indicate that some component in your computer, such as a memory chip, is going bad. You may have to take the computer into the shop to have someone diagnose what is going bad and to install a replacement part.
More from Technology
More from Business
Business Editor's choice
-
‘Wrong Way' Krugman
The source of our economic malfunction lies with government-mandated bank regulations
-
Greek exit could make Eurozone stronger
Departure will show limits of bailouts and allow remaining members to act much more like a unit
-
UAE upholds values of free trade
Recently released statistics confirm an established fact, namely that of the UAE embracing the free trade principle in general and imports in particular
