Why Is My Laptop Showing A Blank Blue Screen
The reason why your laptop is showing a blank blue screen is because of corrupted system files, malware, outdated drivers or a loose HDMI cable.
Table of Contents
Possible Causes
- Corrupt system files
- Virus or malware
- Old programs or drivers
- Failing hardware
- Small storage space
- New programs or drivers
- BIOS
- Loose hardware/cables
Buggy software updates
Sometimes, the updates sent by the operating system are corrupted. This error occurs unintentionally, and the OS takes full responsibility for fixing it. However, until the OS fixes the error, users will have to face the issue of a blue screen of death (BSOD).
Viruses in the system
Your laptop is always vulnerable to viruses or other malware. They could travel into the system through external devices like the USB or other peripheral devices. You should have an antivirus application that can detect viruses and other malware and troubleshoot the problem before it causes troubles like showing a blank blue screen on your laptop.
Outdated drivers
Laptops with outdated drivers or old programs will routinely show a blue screen. You will have to uninstall those programs and install their latest version to avoid the problem.
Dying hardware
The first thing you should do after you get a BSOD error is to run a hardware diagnostic test. It is a good way of analyzing the problem. Replace the problematic hardware device.
Small storage space
When the laptop runs low on storage, it causes problems.If you have unnecessary files installed on your device, you should eliminate them to create enough space for your laptop to function nicely.
New programs or drivers
Has the BSOD issue risen after you have installed a new program or driver? You should uninstall the recently installed application or go back to the older version of the driver to fix the BSOD problem.
BIOS
BIOS incompatibility is a leading cause of blue screen errors. Even though outdated BIOS doesn’t cause many problems, you should still update it for optimal performance.
Loose hardware
If RAM sticks are not seated properly in the motherboard, it will lead to constant BSOD errors. You should get the inside of your laptop checked by an expert so that the problem can get resolved timely.
Is Blue Screen Of Death Fixable?
Yes, blue screen of death (BSOD) is indeed fixable if you address the root cause of the problem. Not only that, your operating system will also release software that can fix the BSOD issue. Or, if the issue stems from any hardware or driver, replacing them would resolve the problem.
Can Hard Drive Failure Cause A Blue Screen?
Yes, a hard drive failure may be causing a blue screen on your system. BSOD errors may indicate a problem with your hard drive. If the crash is triggered whenever you try to open a file, the reason could well be a near-dying hard drive. Replacing the old drive with a new one will be a quick solution.
Can RAM Cause A Blue Screen?
Yes, faulty RAM sticks are notorious for causing a blue screen.
To check if the RAM sticks are problematic, you should:
- Choose “Start.”
- Go to the “Control Panel.”
- In the search bar, type “Memory.”
- Choose the Administrative Tool option.
- Go to Diagnose your computer’s memory problems.
- Select the Restart now and check for problems option.
- This option will prompt a scan.
- Your computer will now restart.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
- The system will tell if the RAM sticks were a problem at the end of the scan.
Blue Screen Of Death BSOD error codes
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors have their own set of meaning and codes. For example, a 0x0000009F error could denote a power setting issue which usually means your driver is inconsistent or in an invalid power state.
Error Code | Error Name | Meaning |
0x0000009F | Power setting issue | This error usually means that your driver is inconsistent or in an invalid power state. |
0x00000050 | Page fault in nonpaged area | When your memory address is wrong, it leads to this error. |
0×40000080 | Dust error | This error indicates that something is wrong with the hardware drivers. |
0x000000FE | Memory and graphics card issue | If there is a race condition in the Usbccgp component, it will lead to this error. |
0x00000073 | Vista error | This error occurs when the core system hives cannot link in the registry tree |
0x0000001A | Memory related error | Memory management error in the system shows this error. |
0x000000EA | Thread stuck in device driver | An issue with the video driver will probably cause this error. |
0x000000D1 | Incompatible driver | If the driver you recently installed is incompatible, your system will show this error. |
0x0000008E | Outdated BIOS | This error shows that your BIOS isn’t updated. It can also indicate that the driver you installed isn’t compatible with your operating system. |
How do I fix a blank blue screen on my computer?
To fix a black blue screen on your computer, upgrade graphics card, clean boot your system, change power settings or clean up viruses.
Upgrade Graphics Card [Method 1]
- Go to Control Panel
- Click System and Security
- Choose Device Manager
- Scroll down and see the drive, Graphics Card.
- Double-click on it
- Tap on the Driver tab and click Update
- Click on the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option to update the latest drivers.
Clean Boot [Method 2]
- Click Start
- Type MSConfig
- Select “System Configuration”
- Select the “Hide all Microsoft services” box that you will find under the Services button and click on the Disable all button
- Click Open Task Manager, that you will find under the Startup tab
- In the Task Manager, select the items and click Disable
- Click OK on the Startup tab
Change Power Settings [Method 3]
- Click Power Options on Control Panel
- Select Change Plan Settings
- Choose “Change Advanced Power Settings”
- Under PCI express, turn off Link State Power Management in “Plugged in” and “On battery.”
Clean Up Viruses [Method 4]
- Run the antivirus program.
- See if there are any corrupted files.
- Fix them to resolve the issue.
Use SFC Scan [Method 5]
- In the Windows search bar, type cmd
- Select “Run as Administrator” in Command Prompt
- Type SFC/scannow and then hit Enter
- Let the process begin
- Close Command Prompt after the process is complete
- Restart your device
- The issue will resolve now.
System Restore [Method 6]
- Go to the Windows search bar and look for “Create a restore point.”
- Choose System Restore
- Click Next – that will appear twice
- Select Restore
- Tap on Scan
- The process will start
- Click Next when it ends
- Tap Finish
Why Is My Laptop Showing A Blue Screen On Startup?
The reason your laptop is showing a blue screen on startup is because when a critical error appears in your system, it causes a BSOD error. Pressing the power button for 5-10 seconds helps resolve the issue.
Why Is My Laptop Showing Blank Blue With A Cursor?
The reason your laptop is showing a blank blue screen with a cursor could be because of hardware that’s acting up or a suspicious malware that’s interfering with your software.
Method 1
- Turn off the laptop.
- Connect an external monitor with it.
- Switch on the computer.
- Let it fully load.
- Once it restarts, hold down the Windows + P keys.
- This step will open the Easy Display Switcher.
- Choose the Computer only option.
- Turn off the computer.
- Unplug the external monitor.
- Restart the device.
Method 2
- Repeatedly press the Shift button so that the sticky keys window opens.
- Click the link and go to the Ease of Access Center.
- Go to the bottom right corner of the Set Up Sticky Keys window and choose Cancel.
- Select the Control Panel.Search for the Computer Settings menu.
- Look for the “Recovery” icon.
- Open System Restore.
- Click Next.
- Click Finish.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
Method 3
- In the Windows search bar, type cmd
- Select “Run as Administrator” in Command Prompt
- Type SFC/scannow and then hit Enter
- Let the process begin
- Close Command Prompt when the process ends
- Restart your laptop
- The issue will resolve by now.
Why is my laptop showing a blank blue screen with no cursor?
The reason your laptop shows a blank blue screen without a cursor is if its video card is corrupted.
How to fix the issue:
- Press down the Windows + Shift + Ctrl + B keys.
- Restart the graphics driver
- In case this step doesn’t help:
- Hold the Windows + X keys
- Tap on Device Manager
- Choose Display adapters
- Find the Current Display Adapter button and right-click on it
- Choose Properties
- Select Driver
- Choose Rollback driver
Blue Screen After Windows 11 Update?
A blue screen after Windows 11 updated may denote that the update is incompatible with the device. To fix it, you should uninstall the updates and restart the computer.
How to fix the blue screen after updating Windows 11:
- Go to the Safe mode
- Click on the Start menu button
- Choose Power
- Click on Restart while simultaneously holding the Shift button
- Wait for the reboot, which will take you to another menu
- Now go to Advanced options
- Select Troubleshoot
Laptop Blue Screen After Windows Login?
A laptop blue screen after Windows login problem arises if the hardware or software you installed is not compatible with your device. To fix this issue, you should remove the hardware device that you recently installed.
It help if you go to the Control Panel for software-related issues to uninstall the program/updates.
Here is what you need to do:
- Go to Programs.
- Click on Uninstall a program.
- In the left pane, choose View installed updates.
- Filter out the ones installed recently.
- Choose the update that you would like to uninstall.
- Hit Yes to confirm
How To Fix The Blank Blue Screen On Windows 11?
To fix the blank blue screen on a computer running Windows 11, you need to perform a quick system restore.
- Go to the Windows search bar and look for “Create a restore point.”
- Choose System Restore
- Click Next – that will appear twice
- Select Restore
- Tap on Scan
- The process will start
- Click Next when it ends
- Tap Finish
How To Fix The Blank Blue Screen On Windows 10?
To fix the blank blue screen on Windows 10, you should try uninstalling the updates.
To complete this step, you will have to start your Windows in safe mode and then follow these steps:
- Press the power button for at least 10 seconds or until the device turns off.
- Hold down the power button and turn on the device.
- As soon as the logo appears on the screen or you see something on the screen, press the power button for at least 10 seconds or until the device turns off.
- Now power on the device again.
- As soon as Windows restarts, press the power button once again for at least 10 seconds or until the device turns off.
- Turn on the device again.
- Now when Windows restarts, it enters WinRE.
- Go to Choose an option.
- Choose Troubleshoot.
- Now select Advanced options.
- Go to Startup Settings.
- Select Restart.
As the device restarts:
- Select 5 or press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
- In safe mode go to the search box and type control panel.
- Choose the Control Panel from the listed suggestions.
- Go to Programs.
- Click on Uninstall a program.
- In the left pane, choose View installed updates.
- Filter out the ones installed recently.
- Choose the update that you would like to uninstall.
- Hit Yes to confirm – it is important to mention that some updates will not be uninstalled.
- To complete the process, hit on the Restart Now button.
If you notice that your device is in safe mode even after you have uninstalled the updates, you should:
- Press theWindows+R keys.
- Typemsconfig in the dialog box.
- Click on OK.
- Choose Boot.
- Under Boot options, clear the Safe bootcheck box.