A user reports their Windows PC crashed, displaying a blue screen before automatically restarting. The computer has now booted to the login screen. What is the most effective initial step to investigate the crash?
Reboot the computer to see if the problem is persistent
The most effective initial troubleshooting step is to perform a simple reboot to determine if the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) was a transient error or a persistent issue. If the error does not recur, it may have been a one-time glitch. If it does happen again, the technician has confirmed a recurring problem and can proceed to more specific diagnostic steps like analyzing the error code, checking recent updates, or running hardware diagnostics. Uninstalling updates or running a virus scan are valid but secondary steps, and reinstalling the OS is a last resort.
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What should I do if rebooting doesn't fix the blue screen error?
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What are blue screen error codes, and how can they help in troubleshooting?
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What other common causes of blue screen errors should I be aware of?