Troubleshooting Tips for Windows’ Black Screen of Death

3 min readJul 19, 2024

The Black Screen of Death (BSoD) in Windows does not typically display error codes in the same way that the Blue Screen of Death does. However, it can be triggered by various underlying issues that might be logged in system error logs or event viewers. Here are some common causes and associated diagnostics for a Black Screen of Death, along with the tools you can use to identify specific error codes or messages:

Common Causes and Diagnostics

1. Display Driver Issues

Symptoms: The screen goes black, sometimes with a cursor visible.
Diagnostics:
Event Viewer: Check for display driver errors in the Event Viewer.
Safe Mode: Boot into Safe Mode and see if the black screen persists. If it doesn’t, it indicates a display driver issue.

2. System Updates

Symptoms: The screen turns black after a recent system update.
Diagnostics:
Windows Update Log: Check the update history to see if a recent update might be causing the issue.
Event Viewer: Look for update-related errors.

3. Hardware Problems

Symptoms: The screen is black, and there may be no cursor or response.
Diagnostics:
Device Manager: Check for hardware conflicts or malfunctions.
BIOS/UEFI: Run hardware diagnostics from the BIOS/UEFI.

4. Corrupt System Files or Boot Sector

Symptoms: The system fails to boot and shows a black screen.
Diagnostics:
SFC and CHKDSK: Use the System File Checker (sfc /scannow) and Check Disk (chkdsk) utilities.
Boot Configuration Data: Use bootrec.exe /fixmbr and bootrec.exe /fixboot commands.

5. Software Conflicts

Symptoms: The black screen appears after installing new software.
Diagnostics:
Safe Mode: Boot into Safe Mode to identify if the new software is causing the issue.
Event Viewer: Look for application errors in the Event Viewer.

Using Event Viewer to Identify Errors

Event Viewer is a powerful tool in Windows that logs system events, including errors that can help diagnose the cause of a black screen. Here’s how to use it:

Open Event Viewer: Press Win + X and select Event Viewer.
Navigate to Logs: Go to Windows Logs > System.
Look for Errors: Check for any critical errors or warnings that occurred around the time the black screen issue started.
Analyze Errors: Right-click on an error and select Event Properties to get more details.

Using Safe Mode

Booting into Safe Mode can help determine if the issue is related to drivers or startup programs:

Enter Safe Mode:

Restart your computer and press F8 (or Shift + F8) before Windows loads.
Select Safe Mode from the Advanced Boot Options menu.

Diagnose in Safe Mode:

If the black screen does not appear in Safe Mode, it’s likely caused by a driver or software that runs during normal startup.

System File Checker and Check Disk

System File Checker (SFC) and Check Disk (CHKDSK) can help repair corrupt system files and disk errors:

Run SFC:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

2. Run CHKDSK:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type chkdsk /f /r and press Enter.

Boot Configuration Data (BCD) Repair

Repairing the Boot Configuration Data can resolve boot-related issues:

Access Command Prompt in WinRE:

Boot from a Windows installation media.
Select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Command Prompt.

2. Run Bootrec Commands:

Type bootrec /fixmbr and press Enter.
Type bootrec /fixboot and press Enter.

Conclusion

While the Black Screen of Death doesn’t typically display error codes directly on the screen, using tools like Event Viewer, Safe Mode, and various command-line utilities can help diagnose and resolve the underlying issues. Regular system maintenance, such as keeping drivers up to date and monitoring system updates, can help prevent these critical errors from occurring.

Happy Troubleshooting!! 😁