The document provides information on resolving the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) in Windows operating systems. It defines what a BSOD is, potential causes like outdated drivers or overheating, and tools that can be used to analyze dump files and debug errors like BlueScreenView, WinDbg, and WhoCrashed. The document recommends starting with simple solutions, carefully analyzing the first BSOD, and using a "trial and error" approach to methodically test hardware, software changes, safe mode, and ultimately reinstalling Windows if needed. Two examples of resolved BSOD cases involve faulty RAM and a non-functioning graphics card fan.

1. Anton Balzan
HOW TO RESOLVE THE DREADED
‘BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH’

2. OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Know what are ‘Stop Errors’ in Windows OS and why
you get them.
• Know what they look like when they appear on the
screen.
• Know what tools are used to analyse and debug the
errors.
• Know the solving methods of troubleshooting the
errors and implement the solutions.

3. WHAT IS THE BSOD?
• Stop errors (or more commonly called the ‘Blue
Screen of Death’) occur when a major issue
prevents Windows from continuing to run and also
to prevent further damage to your computer.
• Your computer can get a BSOD for multiple
reasons which indicate a fatal software or
hardware issue has occurred.
• Are quite rare to happen.

4. WHY DO I GET BSOD?
• Old hardware and outdated drivers.
• Infected computer (Viruses, malware and other
malicious software).
• Incompatible hardware and application software.
• Over-heating (insufficient or faulty cooling).
• Fault or incorrect value in the Windows Registry.
• Missing or corrupted files (These could be the system
or application files).
• Can occur if there's not enough free space on your
primary partition used for the Windows Operating
System.

7. TOOLS FOR ANALYSING BSOD
• BlueScreenView
• NirSoft Utilities
• Windows debugger – WinDbg (recommended)
• WhoCrashed
• Windows Diagnosis and Recovery Toolkit –
WinDaRT
• The dump files are saved in the
C:Windowsminidumps using the date as a name and
the file extension is .dmp

8. DEMONSTRATION
• Using the Nirsoft Utilities programme, lets create
a BSOD and analyse the dump file created.

9. BSOD SOLVING METHOD
• We use a method called ‘TRAIL and ERROR’ because we
don’t know EXACTLY where the problem is.
• It is not an easy error to fix hence why it takes time and
effort to find a solution.
• Definition: A method of reaching a correct solution or
satisfactory result by trying out various means or theories
until the error is sufficiently reduced or eliminated.

10. THE 1ST BLUE SCREEN IS IMPORTANT
• The first blue screen is important because then you can
quickly look back and see what changes you have made to
your computer and very likely find the cause much faster.
• Check the event viewer logs first. This sometimes does
help however it doesn’t always give an accuracy on what
the issue is.
• STOP messages are identified by an 8-digit hexadecimal
number on the bottom of the screen error, but also
commonly written in a shorthand
notation; e.g., a STOP 0x0000000A may also be written
Stop 0xA

11. THINK BACK (HARDWARE)
Did you install any New Hardware on your computer?
• New CPU
• New RAM
• New Hard Drive or Solid State Drive (SSD) including external
enclosure drives
• New Graphic Card
• New Motherboard
• New Power Supply
• New additional cooling fans you fitted in your computer
• If you have, disable or replace new hardware that could be the
problem. You may have hardware which is incompatible with your
computer or OS.

12. THINK BACK (SOFTWARE)
Did you install New Software applications recently?
• New or upgraded drivers for any of the hardware on your
computer (Such as drivers for your graphic card, sound
card and Network Interface Card).
• New applications (such as a new Anti-Virus, Sage
accounting, online games or other bespoken applications).
• New Windows updates (unlikely to be the cause but it can
happen).
• Any other major change you might have made.
Revert any changes made to see if this fixes the
problem.

13. REVERT OR GOING BACK (SOFTWARE ONLY)
• Start-up using Last Known Good Configuration to undo recent
registry and driver changes.
• Roll Back the driver using Device Manager.
• Un-install any recent Windows updates.
• Un-install the last installed application.
• Use the System Restore checkpoints.
• Run the verifier.exe in Windows to verify if any unsigned drivers are
present on your computer. Replace the drivers with signed ones.
• Run the SFC.exe (System File Checker) to check the integrity of all
the Windows systems files. Have the Windows installation disc handy
in order to replace corrupted or missing DLL files.
• Repair the Windows OS using the Windows RE disc.
• Clean installation of the Operating System (last resort).

14. SYMPTOMS OF BSOD
• Heat - check all fans Including – CPU heastsink fan,
fan inside the power supply, graphic card fans and
verify vents are not blocked with dust. Heatsink fan is
working and assembled properly to the processor
chip.
• Ensure you apply enough ‘Thermal Paste’ to the CPU
before fitting the heatsink fan on top of it.
• Noise - cables too close to the fan blade.
• Replace slow turning fans or defective fans.
• Burning smell / smoke (unless you have a dead
animal in your PC) 

15. FIND A PATTERN
When does the Blue Screen occur?
• When I play a game?
• When I play a video file?
• When I play an audio file?
• When I open a web browser? Or using Add-ons?
• When I open specific software?
• When I open multiple windows at the same time?
• OR at RANDOM times?

16. IS THE ISSUE HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE?
• Safe Mode is a mode where only basic files and drivers
are loaded to run Windows for performing diagnostics.
• Using safe mode is an effective way to eliminate hardware
or software as the cause of blue screen based on the
outcome, but it doesn’t always work.
• Repeat the steps that causes the Blue Screen when in Safe
Mode.
• If the Blue Screen occurs when in Safe Mode, then it is a
Hardware Problem.
• If no Blue Screen occurs when in Safe Mode, then it is a
Software problem.

17. BLUE SCREEN IN SAFE MODE (HARDWARE)
• Do a visual inspection inside of your computer
making sure all fans are running, dust free and
clean inside.
• Run the ‘Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool’ if
you suspect RAM is the issue. If your memory
RAM test fails, replace the RAM immediately.
• Replace faulty Hardware with new Hardware but
ensure that it’s compatible with your
Motherboard, Power supply, RAM. etc. etc.

18. NO BLUE SCREEN IN SAFE MODE (SOFTWARE)
• Update software manually (This includes Service packs, updates,
patches for the OS, MS Office and all applications installed on your
computer).
• Update, roll back, disable or uninstall drivers in Device Manager.
• Check for any updated drivers from Windows updates or the
manufacturing website.
• Run a registry cleaner to remove bad and orphaned entries left over
from a badly behaving uninstall. (CCleaner.exe is recommeded)
• Flash/update the BIOS and if major configuration settings were made,
reset the values to their default settings. Overclocking the CPU is
sometimes a culprit which causes to system to hang causing a BSOD
• Disable the caching and shadowing options on systems prior to 2005.

19. TIPS (DO)
• Do the easiest thing first.
• Visually inspect inside of your computer and make sure ALL fans are
functional and running.
• Clean inside of your computer to remove dust which can trap the heat.
• Use the HW monitor option in the BIOS to verify the fan speeds, if
applicable. If not, download a freeware application called from ‘Open
Hardware Monitor’. See http://openhardwaremonitor.org/
• If troubleshooting another PC and you are unable to boot up from safe
mode, or safe mode with command prompt, then use the ‘Debugging
Mode’ option in advanced boot menu via a null modem serial cable to
transfer the dump file to a working computer to perform anaylsis.

20. TIPS (DON’T)
• Don’t ignore Blue screens as it will not solve the problem.
• Never install cleaning or fixing software that are offered on the
internet to resolve your blue Screen of death as 90% of the
time, they will not work. They simply want to sell their product
and some of them can be fake and malware/virus related.
• Never delete files that are part of the operating system. In
Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 some files are protected by
“TrustInstaller” to prevent user’s from accidently deleting
important files such as the ‘Windows’ folder in C:Windows.
Not all files are protected so before deleting any files, ensure
you have copies/backups made before deleting them.

21. LAST BUT NOT LEAST:
If all else fails, do the following:
• Remove the system hard drive and replace it with a blank
drive. Install a fresh copy of Windows. If this works, it's
unlikely to be a hardware issue. At worse, it may be time
to start over with a fresh copy of Windows, although
reinstalling your software applications may make the
problem reoccur.
• Send the PC in for repair - someone else can deal with it.
• The computer is outdated and old. Perhaps it is time to
aquire a new PC?

22. CASES OF BSOD THAT WERE RESOLVED 1
1. A user reported at random the BSOD error occurring from
time to time on the computer. After carrying out a
investigation, it was learnt that the user had recently bought
and installed a new Memory RAM chip on the
motherboard. The old memory chip was removed so as we
may run a test on the new one. The ‘Windows Memory
Diagnostic Tool’ built in to Windows reported faults found
in the RAM. We ran the same test on the old RAM chip and
no errors and faults were found and it passed the test. This
was reported back to the user and the new RAM was taken
back and replaced with another one. This was tested and
passed the diagnostic test and the BSOD error was resolved
and never occurred again.

23. CASES OF BSOD THAT WERE RESOLVED 2
• A user reported that when opening multiple windows at the
same time, a BSOD appeared on the screen. After analysing the
dump file, the analysis pointed to the NVIDIA graphic card.
Starting with the easiest thing, the computer was booted into
Safe Mode and the user opened up multiple windows at the
same time again which triggered the BSOD. This indicated that
the problem was Hardware related and not Software so the
computer was shutdown and the case was opened up. Not much
dust was around the graphic card area but none the less, we
cleaned the area on and around the card. The computer was
turned on and straight away it was identified that the fan built
onto the graphic card was not turning. The card was taking
back to the store and replaced under warranty. After installing
the new replaced graphic card, the computer was turned on and
the fan worked. The user was able to open multiple windows
with no BSOD issues after installing the replaced graphic card.

24. CONCLUSION
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Know what are ‘Stop Errors’ in Windows OS and why
you get them.
• Know what they look like when they appear on the
screen.
• Know what tools are used to analyse and debug the
errors.
• Know the solving methods of troubleshooting the
errors and implement the solutions.

25. USEFUL LINKS
• http://www.maximumpc.com/blue-screen-of-death-
survival-guide-every-error-explained/
• Test speed of hardware fans
http://openhardwaremonitor.org/
• Debugger programs:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/windows/hardware/ff551063(v=vs.85).aspx
• http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/6292/how-to-
troubleshoot-the-blue-screen-of-death/