I am getting a Blue Screen on my monitor.  Should I be concerned?

While a BSOD stands for “Blue Screen of Death” this problem is not always fatal. Unfortunately, the reason for this problem is not always very clear. Computer Care Associates works hard to find the cause and remedy the problem.

The Blue Screen Of Death named after the color of the screen generated by the error.  There are various reasons for a blue screen.  It is really important to write down the information from the blue screen.  The problem ranges from “bad software drivers, hardware problems (memory, hard drive), software conflicting with other software, or even a virus in the computer.

How to analyze blue screen errors

Hardware errors are very difficult to analyze.  All you can do is eliminate potential problems.  One blue screen I was getting indicated a problem was with the hardware.  However it didn’t tell me what exactly was causing the problem except for a vague message.

 The first step is find out the cause of the problem is to clarify what exactly is happening.  Is this a software error or an issue with your hardware (hard drive). Write down the error message if you can.

It is very important to note what the “blue screen” says. We use this information to isolate the offending file.  In many cases, the problem can be caused by a bad hard drive, bad software or viruses/spyware.

Besides calling an expert (like COMPUTER CARE ASSOCIATES) what else can I do?

You can run some programs that scan your equipment.

• Memory Check
• Hard Drive Error Checking
• Drivers from the Manufacturer’s website (of your hardware devices)
• Virus and Spyware check

It never hurts to scan your computer with several different scanners.  What one scanner finds, another will not.

TIP:  Be careful and choose wisely, don’t just pile on more software scanners and protection.  Call and ask COMPUTER CARE ASSOCIATES (508-370-8080) 

The bottom line is that a blue screen cannot or should not be ignored.  It is like your body having a temperature.  It is an indication of a problem that needs to be resolved.  At Computer Care Associates, we analyze these problems and come up with a solution.  Unfortunately the resolution is not a quick and simple fix.  However make sure that backup has be done recently and you have the applications (MS Office 2007, Photoshop, etc.) on hand in case it needs to be reinstalled, as well as the Operating System Disk and the Driver Disk.  This can be in the form of “recovery disks” or just disks from the computer manufacturer.