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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Black Screen of Death is incredibly annoying, but often easily diagnosed.
- The most common culprits are outdated software or faulty drivers.
- With a few quick fixes and basic maintenance, you can restore your computer and avoid costly repairs.
Why is it that your computer always decides to crash at the worst possible time? You could be in the middle of a productive work session when suddenly the Black Screen of Death rears its ugly head (or Blue Screen, if you’re still running an older OS than Windows 11). Even the most well-maintained isn’t immune.
Also: How much RAM do you need in 2025? My expert advice for Windows and Mac users
Usually, these problems are caused by something simple, like running too many processes in the background, causing your computer to run out of RAM and crashing under the heavy duress.
Restarting your computer and closing extra apps is often the easiest solution, but sometimes, you’ll need to take a more hands-on approach with your Windows PC.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
It’s vital that you learn how to identify and address these issues early. Doing so will help extend your device’s lifespan, boost performance, and, most importantly, save you money. This guide marks the beginning of a new series in which I show you the best ways to troubleshoot common PC problems. For this first entry, I’m going to explain how to overcome slowdowns, what to do when you encounter the Blue Screen of Death, as well as a few other quick fixes.
Squashing sluggish performance
Let’s say you’re still dealing with a performance dip, even after closing all the extra apps and browser tabs on Chrome. Your PC still feels as slow as molasses. The best thing to do here is to install the latest Windows 11 patch from the Windows Update section of the Settings menu. Microsoft regularly rolls out several fixes every second Tuesday of each month. On top of addressing security vulnerabilities, they also come with performance improvements.
However, you may want to hold off on installing. Recent reports state the October 2025 patch has been known to cause a “serious recovery mode glitch”. A workaround is available, although I wouldn’t blame you if you skip it.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
Outside of downloading the most recent Windows update, I recommend disabling unnecessary startup programs to free up system resources. Follow this path: open Task Manager from the Start menu, head to the “Startup Apps” tab as indicated by the throttle icon, and right-click a program. Click “Disable” to turn off whatever you don’t want launching. It’s a small tweak that can make your PC noticeably faster.
Just be careful not to get too zealous. I recommend closing out processes you recognize. If you’re not sure what something is, a quick Google search can usually give you an idea.
Also: I tested the best antivirus software for Windows
I also suggest running an antivirus to clear out any malware lingering in your files. Windows Security is a highly capable first-party anti-virus program. Under the Virus & Threat Protection tab, hit Quick Scan to quickly check “folders in your system where threats are commonly found”. Scan Options provides access to additional scan tools.
If you prefer a third-party app with more robust features, check out ZDNET’s list of the best antivirus software for Windows. Malwarebytes stands as the best Windows 11 antivirus, but there are other great options.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
Blue or Black Screen?
With the release of update KB5062660 for Windows 11, Microsoft replaced the Blue Screen of Death with the Black Screen of Death (BSOD), and it’s just as unsettling. This error screen appears whenever some sort of critical system failure occurs; there isn’t a single culprit that is solely responsible for the BSOD.
Also: I ditched Linux for Windows 11 for one week – and found 9 big problems
The first thing you should do when a crash occurs is take note of the error code displayed at the bottom center of the screen. These codes point to what could be the cause of the crash, but not the exact culprit. Dell has a short list of common error codes on its website, such as DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION, which indicates that your drivers are either out of date or incompatible with your computer.
Because these codes are inherently vague, it’s difficult to provide solutions to these problems without knowing exactly the cause. For this instance, I’m going to focus on the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION code. It’s a solution that usually solves the BSOD.
Microsoft
First, you’ll need to boot your PC into Safe Mode, which is a stripped-down version of Windows 11 that only loads essential files and services. It also makes the Black Screen of Death less likely to appear. Upon launching the Settings menu, go to System > Recovery > Advanced Startup > Restart Now. If your PC crashes before you can get to this menu, hold down the Shift key while restarting to enter Advanced Startup mode.
From there, follow this path: Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart, then hit F5
to reboot Windows 11 in Safe Mode.
Alyson Windsor/ZDNET
While in Safe Mode, open the Device Manager > expand “Display adapters” > right-click the entry > Update Drivers > “Search automatically for drivers.” Restart your computer after the update finishes to exit Safe Mode.
If the BSOD persists, the culprit might be another hardware driver, so continue updating other components. You can also remove any recently installed drivers by expanding the same hardware component entry and going to Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver. It can take a bit of trial and error; however, in most cases, performing these steps will resolve the Black Screen of Death without needing a full system reinstall.
Easy fixes for BSOD
Here are a few other fixes that you can perform in just a few minutes to resolve the Black Screen of Death.
- Sometimes, a newly installed app can trigger the BSOD. Perhaps something went wrong during installation. You can try uninstalling the program directly, but if your Windows PC crashes before you make any leeway, boot into Safe Mode first, then remove the app.
- Corrupted system files are another frequent culprit of BSOD. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. Type in “chkdsk” and press Enter to run a scan. If the scan detects any errors, follow up with “chkdsk /r” to repair damaged files.
- Heat is the computer killer. Excessive temperatures lead to performance throttling and possible physical damage. Check out my guide on how to properly clean your PC. To make a long story short, grab a can of compressed air and blow away the dust collecting in vents.
I’ve been writing about software and consumer electronics for nearly a decade, and in that time, I’ve seen just about every kind of PC problem imaginable. Learning how to troubleshoot and maintain my own system has become a vital part of my life.
Also: Why this Lenovo PC is my top choice for professionals and creators – even though it’s for gaming
Through years of hands-on experience, I’ve learned that most PC problems are easy to fix once you know what to look for. My goal is to help you understand how to diagnose common computer issues before they turn into major headaches. The advice I share isn’t a strict rulebook. It’s primarily a starting point to help you build good habits.
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