Blue Screen of Death
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
The 'Blue Screen of Death' (commonly abbreviated to BSOD) is a regular annoyance that occurs frequently with the Windows series of operating systems. The 'Blue Screen of Death' happens at entirely random intervals but usually after having spent considerable amounts of time typing up an important essay or having spent hours coding your latest project.
It usually begins with the 'victim' happily clicking/ typing away having done tremendous amounts of productive work. Suddenly, the familiar desktop/ web browser / word processing package disappears, and is replaced with a 'Blue Screen'. This is usually accompanied by a 'beep'. In most cases, on this 'Blue Screen' there will be cryptic information towards the top and towards the bottom a series of instructions.
This is when you will start to feel adrenalin pumping towards all parts of your body. You will frantically press 'Escape' and various buttons on the keyboard. That is, until, you realise you have lost.
Now here is the sequence of events after this occurrence:
1.You will, calmly as possible, hit the reset button in the desperate hope that your work will still be there once you have rebooted. After you find out that it is no longer there, you will proceed to step 2.
2. You will start kicking/punching/destroying the computer.
3. After finding out that there is absolutely no way to get your work back even with the help of a bit of violence you either
a) Cry or in some serious cases b) have a nervous breakdown.
The key to beating the 'Blue Screen of Death' is to know that it will come back. Be prepared. Save your work periodically. Remember the 'Blue Screen of Death' can strike at any time.
For a more permanent solution, switch to an operating system where the 'Blue Screen of Death' does not occur, such as Linux or FreeBSD.
It usually begins with the 'victim' happily clicking/ typing away having done tremendous amounts of productive work. Suddenly, the familiar desktop/ web browser / word processing package disappears, and is replaced with a 'Blue Screen'. This is usually accompanied by a 'beep'. In most cases, on this 'Blue Screen' there will be cryptic information towards the top and towards the bottom a series of instructions.
This is when you will start to feel adrenalin pumping towards all parts of your body. You will frantically press 'Escape' and various buttons on the keyboard. That is, until, you realise you have lost.
Now here is the sequence of events after this occurrence:
1.You will, calmly as possible, hit the reset button in the desperate hope that your work will still be there once you have rebooted. After you find out that it is no longer there, you will proceed to step 2.
2. You will start kicking/punching/destroying the computer.
3. After finding out that there is absolutely no way to get your work back even with the help of a bit of violence you either
a) Cry or in some serious cases b) have a nervous breakdown.
The key to beating the 'Blue Screen of Death' is to know that it will come back. Be prepared. Save your work periodically. Remember the 'Blue Screen of Death' can strike at any time.
For a more permanent solution, switch to an operating system where the 'Blue Screen of Death' does not occur, such as Linux or FreeBSD.
