Blue Screen of Death - 5 Steps to Fix BSOD on Windows XP

OK, you are in the middle of doing something on your computer like checking out a web page, answering an email, editing photos, chatting with a friend or anything else you like doing. All at once, a blue screen covered with a bunch of details you don't understand pops up. Oh no, you've just discovered what is known as the Blue Screen of Death! What do you do now? Is your PC really dead?

The blue screen usually occurs when your Windows operating system (OS) detects a problem or error that will not allow it to continue working properly. Most likely, if you can use your computer, but it frequently crashes to the Blue Screen of Death, you have a simple problem such as incompatible software or driver issues which can be easily fixed.

There are many articles and websites that goes into great detail on how to fix the Blue Screen of Death yourself. However, most of us are not smart enough to understand all the technical stuff involved in DIY computer repair. For that reason, I'm going to tell you a few basic things you can try that should solve the simpler problems that might be causing your blue screen on Windows XP.

Step 1 First of all, reboot (restart) your computer. Sometimes, the problem is simple enough that the computer can fix itself while loading your OS. If it still crashes after this, go to the next step and continue following each step until your PC is working properly.

Step 2 Reboot your PC again. Keep pressing the F8 key on your keyboard. This should bring up a screen which lets you choose how you want to load Windows. Choose the "Last Known Good Configuration" option. Does this let you get back on your PC?

If it still crashes to the blue screen after letting you on, try to remember if you made any changes recently. Did you download and install a program from Internet or from an installation disc? The program might not be compatible with the OS you are running. Let's uninstall it and see if that solves your problem.

Step 3 Uninstall any new software. Click on your START menu, click on Control Panel, and then click on Add or Remove Programs. Find the new program you installed, click on it and click on Change/Remove. Follow the instructions on the Uninstall Wizard that pops up. Reboot your PC. Did this solve your problem?

If you can't boot into Windows because of Blue Screens Of Death, you might have a hardware problem. Have you added any new hardware lately such as a printer, fax, scanner, or any USB connected devices? The drivers for these devices may be causing issues with your system.

Step 4 Turn your computer off. Disconnect any new hardware devices and turn computer back on. Click on START menu, right click on My Computer, click on Properties. In the window that pops up, click on Hardware, click on Device Manager, locate the device you are uninstalling and right click on it, and click on Uninstall. Reboot your PC. Most times this will fix the Blue Screen of Death.

Step 5 As a final resort, restore your system to a previous Save Point. Click on START menu, click on All Programs, click on Accessories, Click on System Tools, click on System Restore. Click on "Restore my computer to an earlier time" and click next. Choose a highlighted date and time from the calendar from before your problem started and click next.

If you are still getting the Blue Screen of Death after going through these steps, then you may have a more serious problem that requires the help of a computer technician.