This error can happen for various reasons and numerous issues. The most common causes of BSOD are those related to the hardware and driver issues of these that are outdated or do not work correctly. They can also be caused by software problems or other crashing apps.
In this way we can summarize that blue screen errors occur when:
- Windows encounters an error from which it cannot recover without losing data.
- The system detects that critical operating system data is corrupted.
- Windows detects that hardware has failed unrecoverably.
Whatever the reason why this error appears, the truth is that what it will cause is panic taking advantage of us if we don’t know how to act. That is why we are going to see different actions that we can carry out to make sure that it does not appear again.
How to fix the problem
Next, now that we know we’re experiencing BSODs in Windows 7, the next steps are to diagnose and fix the issues. Therefore, we are going to see some ways to fix the appearance of the blue screen in Windows 7.
Install Windows Updates
A very useful way to prevent and repair the appearance of the blue screen in Windows 7 is keeping our computer updated regularly. By installing these security updates it will help us to always get the latest version of the software we are using.
By default, Windows 7 is not configured to carry out system updates automatically as Windows 10 and Windows 11 do. This means that if we have not configured the automatic update options, we must carry it out automatically. Handbook.
To do this we must click on the Start menu and click on Control Panel and Windows Update. Later we click on “Check for updates” and from this section we can select and install them.
Install the latest drivers
Having outdated or outdated drivers can cause a wide variety of problemss in the performance of our computer. And it is that the drivers are very important for the proper functioning of the PC because they allow the operating system and applications to communicate and connect with the hardware. If these drivers are not up to date, our computer does not have the necessary knowledge and resources to understand these connections.
To do this, click on the Start menu icon and select the Control Panel. Here we click on the section Device administrator. This will make a new window appear with all the hardware elements of our equipment. Generally, if any of them are not up to date, a yellow triangle with a question mark next to it will appear.
We can also check if we have the latest version available by clicking on each one with the right button and selecting Update driver software. Later we can choose to have Windows detect it automatically or select it if we have downloaded it to our hard drive from the website of each manufacturer.
check disk errors
It is possible that an error in the hard drive can also be the main cause of the appearance of the blue screen in Windows 7, so it is advisable to check if there is an error in our hard drive, something that we can do by using of the command prompt tool.
To do this, in the Start menu search box we write cmd and run it as administrator. In the next window, we click Yes to start the Command Prompt. In it we write the following command and press Enter:
chkdsk c: /f
This command allows us to search for errors in the C drive, which is the system where it is usually used in most computers. In case it is not the letter of the main drive of the system, we change C to the corresponding letter.
When the program asks us if we want to schedule this check for the next system reboot, we type Y to be Yes and press Enter.
Finally, we restart the computer to complete the verification process.
Run startup repair
The boot recovery feature of Windows 7 is similar to those of later versions. It is a recovery tool which is used to be able to fix any problems that may prevent Windows from running properly, by finding and repairing missing or problematic files that are used to load the system. That is why it becomes one of the most effective ways to fix blue screen problems in Windows 7.
To run it, it will be necessary to boot from the Windows installation disk and once we have selected both the language and the region, click on the button repair the computer.
Then we click on startup repair and the system will immediately start scanning our computer to try to find a solution to the problem. If a solution to our problem is found during the process, the system will find it and apply it to later restart normally.
Run memory diagnostic
RAM memory is also a component of our system that can cause the appearance of the blue screen in Windows 7. In order to identify any problem with RAM, it is important that we run a memory diagnostic check that we must carry out from the system boot disk.
Once, we have inserted the Windows boot disk, we start the computer and boot from it. We select the language and the region and then we click on repair the computer. Then we click on the option Windows Memory Diagnosticfrom the options that appear in the next window and then Restart now and check for problems.
Once the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool is run, and the process is complete, the computer will start automatically.
Repair the MBR
The MBR (Master Boot Record) refers to the information on our hard drive that is responsible for identifying the operating system, so it is essential that it works and starts normally. If this information becomes corrupted, it can lead to serious problems, including the blue screen of death.
To repair the MBR we start the system with the boot disk and select Repair the computer. Then click on the option Symbol of the system we write the following commands pressing Enter after each line
bootrec / fixmbr
bootrec / fixboot
bootrec / scanos
bootrec / reconstruirbcd
Once finished, we close the Command Prompt window and restart the computer. In case the MBR was faulty, it should now be fixed and will not cause the blue screen to appear.
Restore the system
If none of the above has worked and we continue to have problems with the appearance of the blue screen in Windows 7, we can choose to restore the system to a previous version that we have saved where everything worked correctly. And it is that there may be some files or configurations that we have defective in the system which affects BSOD problems.
To do this, we boot the system with the installation disk or unit and click on Repair the computer. Within the available options, click on Restore the system and follow the instructions on the screen until the restoration process is complete.