Windows Blue Screen of Death Gets Revamp
The infamous Windows "blue screen of death" is to turn black. Microsoft has also downgraded efforts to help users identify and solve a problem.
The screen, which dates back to the very first editions of Windows, is formally known as a critical error message. It appears only when Windows has experienced a problem that means it's no longer safe to operate, meaning it can't simply display a warning message overlaid on the various open windows and desktop.
Error Code Confusion
Depending on the version of Windows and the problem, the user seeing the blue screen of death would have to either manually restart the computer or leave it to automatically restart. They'd also usually have little idea of what specifically caused the problem. Later versions included error codes, though these often offered little help to the average user. This was particularly frustrating if the computer got caught in an endless cycles of restarts and error messages.
That changed in 2016 when Microsoft revamped the screen to include a QR code. The user could then scan the code on a phone and get taken to a dedicated page that at best explained the problem and at worst gave clearer details for the user to pass on to somebody offering tech support.
Black And Blue
Now Microsoft is making several changes, which are coming in Windows 11 24H2, which is this year's "major update" to the system. The most immediately visible is that the screen will be black rather than blue. Confusingly, it will be green during the Windows Insider testing process. (Source: lifehacker.com)
There will no longer be a "frowny face" made up of a colon and opening parentheses. Also the detailed message of "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting some error info, and then we'll restart for you" is being replaced by the much simpler "Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart."
The QR code is being replaced completely. Instead the error code and brief reason for the problem will now appear in small text at the bottom of the page. (Source: pcworld.com)
What's Your Opinion?
Does the color change matter? Is it a smart idea to remove the QR code? Have you ever found the blue screen of death's error message or QR code link helpful in fixing an underlying problem?
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Comments
BSoD is still BSoD
The key point to remember is that the acronym "BSoD" remains valid whether people refer to the "Blue Screen of Death" or the "Black Screen of Death." This consistency makes the change historically accurate, regardless of past or present usage. :-)
But what color is the text? ;-)
Is black actually a (screen) color? And will the OS restart automatically, whether the user has had time to read the message or not?
I'll give Microsoft some credit, grudgingly, but I (and they) have gone through many versions where the BSoD was so rare I don't even recognize your descriptions of it. I don't think I've ever seen the QR code!
Personally, I think the change to black is meaningless, but stupid, especially if the test version will be green - just leave it blue, already! The lack of a QR code, though, suggests that a database of error codes (at the QR's web location) may not be maintained.
What QR code?
Dennis, you are aware of the problems my notebook has and I cannot remember a single BSOD that had a QR code on it - in fact, I have never seen a QR code on a BSOD. I am not aware of any of that assistant that you mentioned MS makes available to users either. That sounds like a very good step forward towards helping customers deal with them. It's a shame they are dropping it. I agree with Doulosg, it sounds like this move by MS is a move away from helping users with BSOD issues. Time will tell.