Latest news with #BSOD
WIRED
14 hours ago
- WIRED
So Long, Blue Screen of Death. Amazingly, You'll Be Missed
Jun 27, 2025 1:37 PM After a long and storied history, the BSOD is being replaced. WIRED takes a trip down memory lane to wave goodbye to the iconic screen we all love to hate. A blue Windows error message is shown on a laptop. Photograph:For decades, the Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD to its friends, has instilled a mix of panic, dread, exasperation, and rage across countless Windows users. But now, Microsoft is getting ready to retire it. According to a Microsoft blog post, the Windows 11 crash screen—or, as the company puts it, 'unexpected restart screen'—will soon adopt a distinctly more minimalist vibe. Along with scrapping the blue (in favor of a perhaps even more dread-inducing black), the revamp also ditches the sad face emoji and QR code. All that remains is a single ominous sentence—'Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart'—along with a stop code and details of the errant driver that contributed to your PC's misfortune. A Black Screen of Death is something Microsoft has teased before. But why now? Why no more blue? And where did the Blue Screen of Death come from in the first place? Out of the Blue: Before the BSOD To be clear, there was no grand plan behind the Blue Screen of Death. Its origin story is a patchwork of coincidences and iteration. Even the term itself likely evolved organically, perhaps derived from 'Black Screen of Death,' used by InfoWorld's Robert X. Cringely while writing about a bug that affected networked PCs running Windows 3.1. That screen, you'll note, wasn't even blue. Early versions of Windows did have blue screens, but they weren't really about death. Windows 1 (1985) would spew white-on-blue garbage when confronted with the wrong version of DOS during boot. Windows 3.1 (1992) used the same scheme for important system messages that required user input and for the rudimentary task manager that let you kill unruly apps or reboot. At most, this was Blue Screen of Mild Dilemma territory. When things went really bad, you'd get dumped back into DOS. Which also wasn't blue. Windows 95 moved things on a bit by not kicking you back to DOS when it imploded. But its system error screens still gave you the option to limp along, even if Windows by then was one wobble from collapse. A Blue Screen of Potentially Delayed Death, then. But BSOPDD never caught on as an acronym because it's far too silly . Blue-Sky Thinking: Evolution of the BSOD The real BSOD, the one burned into tech lore, arguably arrived with Windows NT 3.1 (1993). When the system hit a critical error, it threw up a wall of white text on a blue background, which might help engineers diagnose an issue—or make the average user stare at it and weep. So why blue? Years ago, former Microsoft architect John Vert explained that the color scheme matched his workstation boot screen and text editor. And when Windows crashed, the display adapter was forced into text mode with a basic color palette. Vert added that he was unaware of other Windows blue screens. In short, then, he chose what he knew and liked. Yet those arbitrary decisions stuck for nearly two decades, aside from minor tweaks to simplify the output to make it a little less terrifying. Significant changes arrived with Windows 8 (2012), which was the first real attempt to make the crash screen user-friendly. But this being Microsoft, that effort included a huge, obnoxious, almost sarcastic sad-face emoji above text that read, 'Your PC ran into a problem that it couldn't handle, and now it needs to restart.' At least the shade of blue was nicer. Later, Windows 10 (2016) added a QR code, so that rather than scrawl down error messages, you could use your phone to quickly jump to a support page. (And then probably reboot anyway, when you realized it wasn't any help.) Then came Windows 11 (2021), which briefly made the dramatic visual change of turning the BSOD black, matching the system's login and shutdown screens. That was subsequently reverted, perhaps in response to the anguished cries of confused users and support desk engineers alike. So, what's different this time? Back in Black: Why Microsoft Is Ditching the Blue In 2024, a botched CrowdStrike update rendered countless PCs unusable, taking down airlines, railways, banks, TV stations, and more. What had they in common? All proudly displayed the Blue Screen of Death. It's not hard to imagine Microsoft wanting to distance itself from that imagery by making its crash screen less iconic, less memorable, less memeable , and less noticeable. Not that Microsoft would ever say that. Officially, the new crash screen is part of the broader Windows Resiliency Initiative, designed to, well, make Windows more resilient. And the redesign specifically is all about clarity and simplicity. According to David Weston, Microsoft Vice President, Enterprise and OS Security, it 'improves readability and aligns better with Windows 11 design principles, while preserving the technical information on the screen for when it is needed.' There's arguably an added bonus, too: removing all distinct visuals from the Windows crash screen gives Apple one less thing to poke fun at. So no more sneakily adding BSOD colors and :( to macOS PC icons. Sad face indeed. Feeling Blue: Microsoft Might Regret the Change But before WIRED suggests black looks good on everyone, including the Windows Lock Screen, let's ask: Should Microsoft think again, as it did in 2021? A whistle-stop tour of color theory books will tell you blue is widely regarded as positive, right across cultures. It's the most favored hue and associated with calmness, serenity, and competence. It's the sky and the sea—the 'everything's probably fine' shade. By contrast, black is the absence of color. Cold. Ominous. The void. More importantly, the Blue Screen of Death is recognizable . You can spot it across the room and instantly know something has gone very wrong. A black crash screen, though, risks blending in with update screens. And something you definitely don't want to do is have users in any way confuse the two. As a commenter WIRED spotted put it, 'You wouldn't change the colors of road signs, so why do that to the computer equivalent?' Whatever the reason—ditching a negative image, unifying design, simplifying an experience, or just change for the sake of it—the Blue Screen of Death is on borrowed time. Still, the BSOD acronym will surely live on, because there's no chance Microsoft's 'unexpected restart screen' term will stick. That's not a name; it's a euphemism. It'll always be a Screen of Death to WIRED, whatever its hue, black or blue. The BSOD is dead. Long live the BSOD.
News18
20 hours ago
- News18
From Blue To Black Error: Windows PCs Will Now Crash With A New Message
Last Updated: Windows 11 users will soon get a new black screen error message whenever their system crashes and without any emoji. Windows error message called the Blue Screen of Death is getting a new version after 40 years and Microsoft is replacing the colour blue with black for PC crashes from now on. The company had earlier teased that, 'It is previewing a new, more streamlined UI for unexpected restarts, which better aligns with Windows 11 design principles." And now the changes are gradually going to reflect on the affected Windows screens. BSOD was introduced with Windows 1.0 and has experienced various cosmetic alterations. However, this is the first time in recent years that the Windows error page will undergo a significant update. The Black BSOD Message Upgrade You have probably heard of the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error message, even if you have never used Windows. Although no one wants the error to appear on their computer, you will likely see it more often than you would like. The iconic Blue message of Death with a frowning emoji is now being replaced with a simple green message that reads, 'Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart." It is quite certain that Microsoft had enough of the BSOD screen message during the ill fated Crowdstrike update error situation that caused a massive outage globally. Switching from Blue to black and changing the message is also part of the new Windows identity and the error code now moves to the bottom of the screen. The BSOD error message didn't do much to alleviate the concerns of the consumers and it feels the company wanted a more clearer approach to this situation. Having said that, blue is definitely a more subtle colour than black and some of them might see it as a colour of destruction. So, when does Microsoft plan to incorporate the new black BSOD error message for Windows users? The company says the error message colour upgrade and UI will be available for Windows PCs later this summer on all Windows 11 PCs that are running on version 24H2. 40 years is a really long time for any feature to continue and just like the Notepad getting a new lease of life with Windows 11, it is time to see something different if at all when your system crashes. First Published: June 27, 2025, 15:32 IST
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
Microsoft Retires Blue Screen of Death After 40 Years, Introduces Sleek Black Screen in Windows 11 Update
In a move that marks the end of an era, Microsoft is officially retiring the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), replacing it with a redesigned black error screen as part of its upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2 update. Introduced back in 1985, the BSOD became a universally recognised symbol of system crashes—its electric blue screen and confusing codes instilling dread in generations of PC users. The new black screen aligns with Windows 11's sleek and minimalist interface, offering a more modern look that Microsoft says will improve readability. Unlike its predecessor, the new screen will no longer display the familiar sad-face emoji or QR code. Instead, it will present key technical information in a simplified layout to help IT professionals troubleshoot more efficiently. Microsoft confirmed the change through a blog post, noting, 'The updated UI improves readability and aligns better with Windows 11 design principles, while preserving the technical information on the screen for when it is needed.' This isn't just a cosmetic change. The overhaul is part of Microsoft's broader Windows Resiliency Initiative, a program aimed at reducing system downtime and improving recovery processes. The initiative comes in the wake of a 2024 incident when a faulty update to CrowdStrike's Falcon sensor triggered a widespread BSOD-related outage, disrupting systems across multiple industries. In addition to the new error screen, Microsoft is also rolling out Quick Machine Recovery (QMR), a feature designed to automatically deploy fixes through Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE). QMR is enabled by default on Windows 11 Home devices, while IT administrators can activate it manually on Pro and Enterprise versions. Microsoft acknowledges that unexpected restarts can sometimes lead devices into Windows RE, resulting in delays and added workload for support teams. With QMR, users can resume their work more quickly, often without needing manual IT intervention. The redesigned black screen and QMR features will start rolling out to users later this summer with the release of Windows 11 version 24H2. Microsoft also plans to introduce more customisation tools for IT teams later this year.
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Microsoft kills Blue Screen of Death on Windows after 40 years: Here's what's replacing it
Microsoft is finally retiring the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error message in Windows, replacing it with a new one. The BSOD has been a part of Windows for over 40 years, but following a CrowdStrike error that caused millions of devices to boot to a BSOD, Microsoft has decided to replace the legacy error message with a new, simplified format. The new error message, called the Black Screen of Death, departs from the frowning face emoji, white text on a blue background, and QR code, in favour of a simple black screen displaying the error message. David Weston, Microsoft's vice president of enterprise and OS security, explained the change to The Verge, saying: 'This is really an attempt on clarity and providing better information and allowing us and customers to really get to what the core of the issue is so we can fix it faster,' 'Part of it just cleaner information on what exactly went wrong, where it's Windows versus a component.' he added. While the inherent reason behind the change to new error message is apparent, Microsoft doesn't seem to be looking to publicly acknowledge so. The company attributes the change as a move towards 'simplified user interface (UI)'. 'The updated UI improves readability and aligns better with Windows 11 design principles, while preserving the technical information on the screen for when it is needed.' Microsoft added in a blogpost. After the CrowdStrike outage last year, Microsoft had commissioned a Windows Resiliency Initiative which aimed to engrave security measures more deeply into Windows in order to make a crisis like last year's more unlikely. Apart from the new Black Screen of Death error message, Microsoft is also adding a quick machine recovery feature which will allow Windows devices to quickly boot up if a restart was unsucessful.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Microsoft revamps BSOD in Windows 11, ditches the blue for minimalist look
Microsoft replaces the iconic Blue Screen of Death in Windows 11 with a streamlined black version, aiming to offer clearer error messages and faster issue resolution for users New Delhi Microsoft is making a significant change to one of the most recognisable features in Windows history — the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). In an upcoming Windows 11 update, the company will replace the traditional blue error screen with a new Black Screen of Death, offering a cleaner, more informative layout for when things go wrong. The BSOD has existed in some form for nearly four decades, showing up when Windows encounters a serious system error. But this upcoming version strips away the blue background, frowning face emoji, and even the QR code that users could scan for more information. Instead, users will now see a black screen that clearly displays the stop code and highlights the faulty driver or component that triggered the crash. According to The Verge, this redesign aligns visually with the black screen users typically see during system updates — a choice meant to keep things consistent and easier to read. Why has this been done? Microsoft says the goal isn't just to update the look but to make these error messages actually helpful. David Weston, Microsoft's VP of Enterprise and OS Security, explained to The Verge that the update is focused on transparency and faster troubleshooting. The Verge quoted David Weston, Vice President of enterprise and OS security at Microsoft as saying: 'This is really an attempt on clarity and providing better information and allowing us and customers to really get to what the core of the issue is so we can fix it faster. Part of it is just cleaner information on what exactly went wrong, where it's Windows versus a component.' Rollout with system recovery features The Black Screen of Death is expected to arrive later this summer as part of a Windows 11 update. It will launch alongside Quick Machine Recovery, a new feature designed to help restore unbootable systems more quickly — another part of Microsoft's push to improve system stability. These updates come in the aftermath of last year's CrowdStrike incident, which led to widespread system crashes across millions of Windows PCs. Microsoft is now prioritising more resilient error handling to avoid such disruptions in the future.
