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Here are some excellent tips sent in by a community member at large, to help us all avoid getting a dreaded BSOD. These are not only frustrating, they can also sometimes signal a major failure.

• Check your hardware. Sometimes people will receive a Blue Screen of Death after adding new hardware to their system. If the hardware that is recently installed does not have the correct drivers, chances are it will be unstable and will crash the system. To prevent this from happening, make sure you install the drivers from the hardware manufacturer’s website. Drivers will not only help the computer detect what you have installed, it will also help you to not get a Blue Screen of Death. Remember, drivers sometimes get confused with software. Make sure they are the drivers and not the software that comes with the device.
• Driver Updates. Drivers sometimes have updates. If you do not update the drivers for a specific hardware device, that device may become unstable. This is similar to looking for drivers in the first place, but you should always look for driver updates whenever you can. A good way to check for new updates on their site, is to bookmark the page where the drivers are usually found. Check this site at least once a month, to see if it is updated. Always make sure when you install the new drivers, you uninstall the old ones. Conflicts between new, and old drivers can cause very bad issues.
• Use Linux. Now, you are probably thinking that I am telling people to use Linux when I say this, but I am not. You can use Linux to solve a software related issue. If you know a certain program that is causing a Blue Screen of Death, remove it with Linux. It is a great backup operating system that will allow you to find software related problems that you know are causing the Blue Screen of Death. A good Linux distribution you can use is Ubuntu. It is free and open source, that you can download from mirror’s online or get a CD for free from their site. You can also use Safe Mode which brings me to my next tip.
• Process of Elimination. When you enter the Safe Mode screen, you have the options to start it without networking or to start it normally. If you think it is a internet problem, trying booting with Safe Mode with networking off. This will give you a chance to see if you get a Blue Screen without being connected to the internet, while your drivers are still off. Having your drivers and hardware disabled allows you to troubleshoot the issue without having to get a Blue Screen of Death. By using the simple method of process of elimination, you can pin-point a accurate reason why the blue screen is occurring. Did you just install a new device? Try to remove it and see if you get another Blue Screen. Have you tried to uninstall certain software? Try to uninstall it and see if you get another blue screen. Those are some examples of what I am trying to mean. Eliminate problems that could cause the issue, making it easier to find the reason.
• AVOID WINDOWS VISTA. This tip speaks for itself. Simply do not use Windows Vista. Vista is unstable and at during this time, people have been getting many driver related issues. Any having driver relating issues, causes what? You guessed it. Blue Screen’s of Death. Sure, Windows Vista may be a good Operating System sometimes when it works, but when it doesn’t you will at least know why. Try to not use Windows Vista until they have updated the problems. Second guess getting it if you have a idea about buying it. I would suggest waiting for the operating system to become more stable with new Service Packs that come with updates and “Fixes” for drivers.
• Bonus Tip: Don’t try to read the Blue Screen of Death. Reading the Blue Screen will just cause you confusing and make yourself look like a fool. It will only help to write down the STOP number near the bottom of the screen and search it by using Google to help you solve the situation. This is yet another way to help you solve the issue if everything else fails.

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How to Avoid the Blue Screen of Death

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Brandon is a community member who works for Geek Squad. He sees customers come in every day with nearly the same problems, and came up with his top five tips for getting your own machine back up and running, whether you own a PC or a Mac.

Google is your friend Knowledge is power, even when working on a computer problem. There are thousands of websites and resources out there in Internet-land that can help you decipher that odd error message, sound or whatever problem you are experiencing.

Ask the dumbest questions possible Start from the ground up. Many times, the simplest fix can be the one that works. Don’t try to over-think the problem, or assume it’s something awful and too hard to fix.

Read the Manual… especially when it comes to add-on devices such as a sound card or modem. You will usually find the answer you need simply by reading the manual that came with the product. An addendum to this is that you can go to the manufacturer’s website, and read their “FAQ” or similar page. Many vendors have these with the answers to the most common/frequent questions and complaints. Remember: RTFM. (Read the FINE Manual).

Backup BEFORE you begin This is imperative… especially if you’re going to open the case to work on something physical. Regular backups outside your machine are always a good idea, anyway. You can backup to another machine, a CD or DVD, or even to an online service.

Be patient and calm This is the biggest tip I can give you. Computer repair can be a long process, especially when it comes to software. Most people have the capacity to fix their own machine, but aggravation often causes them to just give up. Stay calm, walk away when you need to. You might be surprised what you can fix on your own with some patience and research.

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Top 5 Tips on Repairing Your own Computer: PC and Mac