How can I fix my computer from going to blue screen? Is it about to tear up
when this happens? I did a scan and it was an ad to sell me something. My
computer can't break down; I'm taking some online classes. Thanks.
In this excerpt from
Answercast #6, I look (again) at blue screen problems, suggest a few
solutions, and point you to an in-depth article.
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Blue screen might not be the end
Unfortunately, blue screens can happen for any of a thousand different
reasons. No, it doesn't necessarily mean that your machine is about to die. It
could. Most often, it does not, but there's much too little information here to
actually be specific about the kinds of things that could be going on with your
specific machine.
I do have an article, "Why does my computer blue screen?" that runs down the top issues that will cause a computer to blue screen.
Check for heat
Number one on the list for any computer (for any Windows-based computer) is heat. Make sure that your machine has adequate ventilation; that it's not overheating; that there's not a lot of dust blocking the ventilation. If a machine overheats, then typically the most common symptom is that it "blue screens" or crashes in some other way.
Operating system issues
Beyond that are several things that could be happening. Windows XP is
slightly more fragile when it comes to blue screens. By that, I mean there are
various software scenarios that are more likely to cause Windows XP to blue
screen.
In Windows 7, they've actually done a pretty good job of reducing that,
catching more of those. It catches those in the software, so you will
have more informative error messages, or symptoms, to help us diagnose the
problem more accurately.
But that's what I'll do. I'll point you at that article, "Why does my computer
blue screen?" and have you take it from there. You may end up needing to
find a technician to help you diagnose it further.
