Microsoft Windows Removes the 'Blue Screen of Death' Error Message After 40 Years

Microsoft is changing the "blue screen of death" error message on Windows starting later this summer as the company is now retiring the iconic crash notice which it used for as much as 40 years.

The "blue screen of death" is an error message that users do not want to see when starting up their Windows PCs, but that will no longer be the case in the coming months.

Microsoft Windows Removes the 'Blue Screen of Death'

According to a new post by Microsoft on its blog, the company is now on its way to removing the "blue screen of death" (BSOD) error message on Windows starting later this summer. The change will arrive alongside Microsoft's release of a new Windows 11's 24H2 patch.

Not only would the blue screen colorway be axed by Microsoft, but also the long messaging that comes alongside it is saying goodbye as well. Moreover, the iconic sad face, characterized by a colon and the left parenthesis, is also getting removed.

It was revealed that this change is part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative, which focuses on increasing "resiliency and security" in Windows systems, offering a "simplified UI for unexpected restarts."

What Is Replacing the Blue Screen of Death?

Instead of the blue screen, Microsoft will now give users the "black screen of death" as dubbed by the tech industry. Alongside this, users will still see the "stop code" to help identify the root of the issue, as well as the faulty system driver that is related to it.

Windows 11's black screen of death has been around for several years now, but the blue screen's departure is only finalized after 40 years. The "blue screen of death" error message has been around since the first release of Windows in 1985.

The Dreaded but Iconic Blue Screen of Death

While there are plenty of reasons that could trigger the BSOD, there was one problem in the past that was caused by Microsoft itself, with the company fixing this by removing the patch it sent out to users.

The BSOD is a stop error that prevents the computer from booting the operating system to prevent further damage or risks to one's device, files, and more. It could also be triggered when the computer gets infected by a virus or malware, or hardware issues on the likes of GPUs, RAMs, power supplies, and more.

One of the fixes to the BSOD is to pay close attention to what it is saying on the screen, particularly the error codes that it brings to help them further identify the issue that causes it. Next, users may attempt to troubleshoot the main problem if they have properly identified the problem or replace the component that has already failed.

If apps or software trigger the BSOD, they may either update them or remove them from the PC to avoid the error message that prevents Windows from starting up.