Tech Tip: What to do if you get a Blue Screen error in Windows

Description: Here is a how to guide on what to do with a blue screen error on a Windows computer.

A blue screen error is a critical failure on a Windows computer. They will appear suddenly, provide a little information, and restart the computer. And they can be quite scary for people.

Here's some brief tips for what to do when a blue screen shows up:

1. Write down any Stop error codes that it shows. There are only a few seconds for this before the computer restarts.
   
   • These will typically come in the format 0x… (e.g. 0x00000050)
     
     
     
     
2. On a computer (likely another) do a search for that error code.
   
   
   
   
3. Follow any instructions found in the search. Typically these fall into a few categories:
   
   • Reinstall Device Drivers - For how to do this, click here.
   • There is a virus - For how to start a virus removal, click here.
   • There is a hardware problem - If the malfunctioning hardware is known, replace it or please take it into your nearest Micro Center for service.
     
   • There is a corruption in the Operating System - This requires either running a repair on the operating system or reinstalling it completely.
     
     • To run a System File Check please follow this guide: How to Run System File Checker in Windows 7.
       
     • To reinstall the Operating System follow this guide: How to install Windows 7.
   • The Micro Center Tech Support Chat line is an excellent resource: chat.microcentertech.com.
     

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Resolving Windows Update Error 8007005 in Windows 7

Description: This is a technical article on the topic of troubleshooting and resolving Windows Update error 0x8007005 or 8007005 in Windows 7.

The most common cause of this is an antivirus program preventing the Windows Update from completing. In this case, the fix is to temporarily disable your Antivirus program. This article will show how to disable ESET Antivirus, although the steps may be different for other antivirus programs this can be used as a general guide.

1. Close any open programs on the machine.
2. Within the system tray, locate the antivirus program in the bottom right corner of the screen. If it doesn’t appear automatically, click the arrow pointing up or to the left to show more icons.
   
   


3. Right-click on the Antivirus program.
4. Select the Temporarily Disable Protection option, or whatever option best represents this idea.
   
   


5. If prompted to confirm, choose the affirmative option such as Yes or Continue.
   
   


6. Some antivirus programs will prompt you for a time. Typically 30 minutes is enough time, but if multiple updates are required it may be good to choose an hour or more.
   
   


7. Once it has been turned off, a popup may appear in the bottom right asking to turn it back on. Ignore this message.
   
   


8. Click on the Start button in the bottom left, then in the "Search Programs and Files" box type in "Windows update" (without the quotes) and press enter.
   
   


9. If there are Updates available, Windows will show the available updates on the screen.
   
   


10. Click on "Install Updates" to install all important and recommended updates.
    
    


11. If no updates are available, click on "Check for Updates" in the top left to check for any available updates.
    
    


12. If any updates are found, click on "Install Updates" to install all important and recommended updates.

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.