Blue screen

A blue screen can be a serious problem in AV or IT installations. A blue screen indicates a system crash or malfunction. Normal operation of the operating system is then no longer possible.

“Blue screen of death” in Windows operating systems

The best known is the Microsoft Windows blue screen, also known as the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD). In the current Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems, for example, the operating system displays a blue screen to indicate that normal system operation has crashed.

How does a blue screen occur?

A blue screen often occurs when incompatible or outdated drivers are installed, defective hardware is installed or there are configuration problems in the system. This error should be rectified as quickly as possible to avoid long downtimes and disruptions of the AV installation. At the same time, the user of the operating system is at risk of data loss or, in the worst case, damage to the hard drive. To find out more about the type of crash, users can find a stop code at the bottom of the crash screen.

By the way: A blue screen differs from a black screen not only in colour. A black screen appears when the video signal fails or a graphic signal can no longer be transmitted. Despite the different causes, the solution to both problems is identical in most cases.

Remote reboot and IP watchdog for convenient troubleshooting of a blue screen

A remote reboot helps to resolve the problem from a central location. Technicians do not need to be physically on site to rectify blue screens or system crashes. They rely on intelligent technologies such as Remote Reboot to resolve the malfunction remotely by triggering a reboot at the touch of a button.

Alternatively, an IP watchdog that checks the availability of devices in the network can help. The watchdog uses a ping request to send a message and checks whether the device can be reached. If the watchdog does not receive a response, it automatically triggers a restart without the need for a technician to intervene. After this restart, the device should work properly again.

This is necessary in the area of digital signage, for example. With digital signage, it is often annoying if the software does not display the desired information, but only a blue screen. This can be particularly frustrating with information boards at bus and train stops. This is exactly where it makes sense to start a remote reboot or have a watchdog installed to make the information available again where it is needed.

Conclusion

A remote reboot and an IP watchdog can help to recognise blue screens and solve the problem quickly. Both measures ensure reliability and help to keep IT and AV systems available. Hanging or frozen software is therefore a thing of the past. In the vast majority of cases, a restart using a remote reboot or the IP watchdog solves the problem of frozen software.

However, there is still a remaining risk that further crashes may occur, for example due to outdated or malfunctioning drivers or defective hardware. To avoid future blue screens, intervention by a technician is then necessary if a restart is no longer sufficient. In these cases, it is then necessary to delete defective drivers, install the latest drivers or replace the defective hardware.