Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Why does computer blue screen?

1. New Hardware - while the hardware can sometimes be bad, the real culprit is typically outdated, or just buggy, drivers. If you've just installed new hardware then it's likely to be related to the problem. Make sure you're running the latest drivers for that device that you can, and check with the manufacturer's support site for specific information. Conversely, if you've just updated drivers, that would also be something to be suspicious of.

2. New Software - it's rare these days, but occasionally software can cause this as well. If you've just installed new software then I'd be very tempted to uninstall it and see if the problem goes away. I'd also make sure that your Windows is as up-to-date as possible by visiting Windows Update.

3. Viruses and Malware - Since they're written specifically to cause damage, this is occasionally the result. Make sure your virus and spyware scanning software is up to date with the latest databases and scan regularly.

4. Old or Broken Hardware - If you're positive nothing's changed and you've been using your system like always and these problems just started happening without any real cause, then you do need to consider that you're experiencing a hardware malfunction. One of the most common is a stuck or broken power supply fan which is now allowing your computer to overheat. However, everything from memory to your add-on cards to the motherboard itself could all cause issues here. It may be time for some hardware diagnostic work.

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