After 40 years of terrorizing Microsoft users, the Windows Blue Screen has retired now. The color of the screen has changed to black, introducing better mechanisms to offer better resilience against cyberattacks.
What is blue screen of death (BSOD)?
Not many people have good memories of the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) because it stops the Windows system from working. It appears with a displeasing emoji that highlights faulty drivers, hardware failure, or software bugs. Moreover, with the sudden appearance of the BSOD, users can lose their unsaved data.
Error sign turns black now
Microsoft is changing the color of the error screen, expected to do it in the coming summer with the Window 11 24H2 update. Now, when an error occurs, the screen changes its color to black. The company aims to make the new user interface simpler and less alarming.
What are the changes to the black screen?
Windows black screen is not only a change of color, but also a change to the complete ecosystem. Now the frowning emoji or QR code will not appear on the screen. Instead, a percentage icon appears in the new interface allows users to track the recovery process. The black screen only tells users that it is time to restart their devices.
Moreover, the new screen will also identify the error that stopped the system. The new update makes it easier for IT admins to identify and revive the systems. David Weston, VP of OS security at Microsoft, said that clarity in the information allows them and their customers to quickly resolve an issue.
Why was a new error interface of Windows blue screen necessary after 40 years?
The replacement of the Windows blue screen to black with other necessary changes shows that Microsoft learned from the past year’s global outage. In July 2024, a CrowdStrike update affected 8.5 million Windows devices, disrupting global businesses. It affected several industries including retail businesses, and flights were delayed.
The incident highlighted the significant need for essential measures to handle crashes. It allows users to understand the core of the problem and control it in a better way.
Windows Blue Screen Redesign and the Windows resiliency initiative (WRI)
With the end of Windows Blue Screen and changing the error color to black, Microsoft also launched the Windows Resilience initiative (WRI). As a big part of the update, it is an effort to make the system more stable and secure. Users can expect the following three improvements in the operating system:
Quick Machine Recovery (QMR)
QMR also automatically detects and fixes the problem using the Windows recovery environment. It acts like a built-in repair mode in the operating system. The primary objectives of WRI are:
- Ensure faster recovery from issues.
- Enhance security.
- Bring clarity to the error messages.
- Turning frustrating errors into manageable solutions.
The new updates of the Windows recovery environment (Windows RE) also enable IT administrators to remotely address loading problems. They can remove troublesome files through a Windows update.
Stronger app and driver controls.
As a part of the Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI), the new update of Microsoft Windows also implements strict protocols. Giving Windows more control over drivers and applications. It restricts errors or applications to crash the entire system.
Microsoft has also emphasized newtwork security companies like Cloudflare, ESET or Sophos to follow strong software security measures such as:
- Proper testing before releasing an update.
- To catch glitches in time, release updates in smaller steps.
The new update also limits the access of antiviruses, restricting their operations within the Windows core part (kernel). Responding to the wakeup call of 2024 CrowdStrike Outage, Microsoft realized the dangers of antivirus tools, having complete access to the system.
Granting temporary administrative access
Windows 11 offers administrative protection allowing users to grant administrative access to someone after verification. After meeting the purpose of performing a specific task, the temporary rights are over. The feature offers the following benefits:
- Minimizing security risks.
- Making users’ systems more controlled.
- Ease for IT teams to manage their company’s data.
Shifting to safer programming language
Microsoft is gradually moving Windows from C++ to Rust. The shift aims to prevent common bugs and address security issues. Moreover, the White House supports this move to make Windows more secure and reliable across the world.
Windows error UI refresh is more than a new look
New windows error UI enables businesses and individuals to quickly resume their work from issues like software bugs or system crashes. The new update shows the following improvements:
Connected cache of Microsoft devices
This feature saves internet bandwidth, especially in offices. All devices do not receive updates from the internet. One major system downloads the update and sends it to all other computers. It saves the internet and reduces load on the network.
Simplifying printing
The Windows 11 update secures and simplifies the printing process. To print a file, users can send it to any approved printer in their office. Ensuring privacy, users can scan QR codes to print the document. The feature minimizes the chances of errors while enhancing IT teams’ control.
Windows 365 reserve
In case of losing or breaking device, users can get their data backed up from Cloud PC online, so the damage does not affect their work.
Hotpatching
Before this update, Windows needed to restart for update installation. With Hotpatching users do not need to wait or stop their work for the restarting process. It automatically installs updates in the background.
Wrapping up
Killing the Blue Screen of Death and turning into black is more than a visual update. It was much needed for Microsoft to prevent global outages again. Moreover, the addition of new features like WRI, QMR, Hotpatching and Universal Print makes users’ systems more secure and stable.
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