Troubleshooting BSOD Errors
Question
An end user reports a Windows based PC just had a BSOD.
The PC rebooted, and the user is now logged back in and working without any issues.
Which of the following should a technician check FIRST to begin troubleshooting?
Answers
Explanations
Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer
A. B. C. D. E. F.B.
When a Windows-based PC has a blue screen of death (BSOD), it indicates a serious error has occurred that the operating system couldn't recover from. A technician must troubleshoot and diagnose the underlying cause of the error.
Since the end user is now logged back in and working without any issues, it means the error was likely a temporary one that was resolved on its own. However, it's still essential to investigate the issue to prevent it from happening again.
The first thing a technician should check is the Event Viewer (option C) to see if there are any logs of the error that occurred. The Event Viewer is a tool that logs significant events on a computer, including system errors, warnings, and information messages. It's the go-to tool for diagnosing system issues, and it can provide details on the cause of the BSOD, such as a hardware failure, driver issue, or software conflict.
Option A (hard drive S.M.) is not the first place to start troubleshooting as there are other possible causes of the BSOD besides a failing hard drive. However, a technician may choose to check the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive to verify its health.
Option B (R.T. data) is not clear and could mean different things, so it's not a relevant option for troubleshooting the BSOD.
Option D (Device Manager) may be helpful to verify that all hardware components are functioning correctly and that the proper drivers are installed. However, it's not the first tool to use when troubleshooting a BSOD.
Option E (BIOS settings) may be relevant if the BSOD is related to hardware, but it's not a common cause of BSODs. Furthermore, the user is already logged in, so it's less likely that BIOS settings are causing the issue.
Option F (Performance Monitor) can be used to monitor system performance and resource usage. It's not the first tool to check when diagnosing a BSOD, but it can help a technician identify performance-related issues that may lead to future BSODs.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. Event Viewer, as it's the first tool to use when diagnosing a BSOD.
