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Introduction:
When your computer suddenly stops functioning and shows you a
blue screen with an error message this usually sends panic to
most users. In this tutorial I will attempt to explain why this
has happened and what you can do to troubleshoot the error.
<>The Kernel:
When working in a Windows operating system, there is a core
piece of software that is designed to control all of the
hardware operation within the system called the "Kernel". When the
Kernel finds a
problem in the system it will shut down the operation of the
hardware to a bare minimum and take a picture of the exact
location that it found to be the problem. It then displays this
error information on a pre-defined "Blue Screen". At this point,
the system is not useable because the Kernel has shut operations
down to avoid further damage.
Blue Screen
Errors also known as STOP errors can be caused from any of the
following:
- Bad memory
module
- Poorly
written device drivers
- Corrupt
Windows Registry
-
Incompatible DLL File
When faced with a blue screen, many attempt to copy and paste
the information and become frustrated when they find that they
are not able to do so. As I have stated above, the Kernel
handles all of your hardware operation, so your mouse, keyboard,
printer and so on, will not function. You will either need to
write the information down on a piece of paper or take a picture
of the screen with a digital camera. You will at least have the
information to use for troubleshooting or show to a capable
technician so that they can fix the problem. <>Troubleshooting The Error:
In most cases, a simple reboot of the operating system will
allow users to gain access to their operating system again.
Until the error has been fixed, you will be faced with another
blue screen once the Kernel happens upon the unrecoverable
error. There are a few things that you can do to get help for
this error:
- Type the error
message in to the search engine of your choice to see if there
is a fix available.
- Sign-in to a
newsgroup or computer help forum and
post the error message in there to see if you can get any
feedback on the error.
- Take the
computer to a repair shop.
For those of you
that are reading this tutorial and did not save the error
message in any way. There is a way to find the information in
your operating system. Here's how:
<>Windows Debugging Tools for Windows Vista, XP, 2000
and NT:
To gain access to the error message you will need to download a
free Windows Debugging Tool that can access the memory dump
where the information resides. The link below will take you to
Microsoft's web site where you can download the tool for your
version and architecture (32 bit, 64 bit):
Note: Vista
users, please read below before downloading the debugging tool.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx
The debugging tool will automatically install to your system in
the Program Files folder. To use this tool follow the
instructions outlined in the Microsoft Knowledgebase Article
below:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263
If you are using Windows Vista, there is a much simpler method
available to you:
- Go to Start
- Select
Control Panel
- Select
System and Maintenance
- Select
Problem Reports and Solutions
From here,
you will be able to see the error message that was displayed
in your blue screen and view possible solutions that
Microsoft has already identified regarding your particular
error.
<>CHKDSK
Tool:
Depending on
the cause of the error, a tool that can be helpful in
resolving these issues is the CHKDSK tool. CHKDSK has the
ability to check your hard disk for errors and automatically
fix them. We have written a tips for using CHKDSK which you
can access by clicking the links below:
Check your hard disk for
errors (Vista)
Detect and
Repairing Disk Errors (XP)
If we can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to
contact us by e-mail or
register at our Free Computer Help
Forums.
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