15 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Blue screen of death: what it means and when to call someone
One blue screen is usually nothing. Several in a week is your computer telling you something. Here is how to read it, what to try, and what a fix usually costs.
The "blue screen of death" is Windows stopping everything because something went badly wrong, usually a driver, a failing part, or a damaged Windows file. It looks alarming, but one blue screen on its own is usually nothing to worry about. A pattern is different. On newer Windows 11 updates the screen may be black instead of blue; it means the same thing.
Write down the stop code
Every blue screen shows a "stop code" in capital letters near the bottom. Take a photo of it with your phone. It is the single most useful thing you can give a technician, and it narrows the cause down immediately. Common ones:
- CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
- A core part of Windows failed. Often damaged system files or a failing drive.
- MEMORY_MANAGEMENT
- Frequently a memory (RAM) fault, sometimes a driver.
- IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
- Usually a driver, often after an update or new device.
- INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
- Windows can't reach the drive it starts from. A failing drive, or a setting changed after an update.
- VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE
- The graphics driver or graphics card stopped responding.
What to try yourself
- Think about what changed. A new printer, a new program, a Windows update the day before? That is often the cause.
- Unplug anything you added recently (drives, docks, new devices) and see if it stops.
- Run Windows Update. Driver fixes often arrive that way.
- Back up your files now, while the computer still starts. If it's a failing drive, this is the step that matters most.
When to call someone
- More than one or two blue screens in a week
- It blue-screens on startup and won't get to the desktop
- The stop code mentions the boot device or memory
- It started after a drop, a spill or a power surge
What a fix usually costs
| Diagnosis | Free |
|---|---|
| Software cause: driver, damaged Windows files, bad updateYour files are kept | $80–180 |
| Failed part: usually the drive or memoryAn SSD often leaves it faster than before | $120–350 |
We find the cause before quoting, so you know which of the two it is before paying anything.
See computer repairs, or Windows reinstalls and upgrades if Windows itself needs rebuilding.