Quick fix: my computer shows a blue screen or keeps restarting. What now?

A blue screen or endless restarts is alarming, but often the cause is one bad update or one bad device.

1. Photograph or write down any code on the blue screen. It helps a lot when diagnosing.
2. Unplug everything extra: USB drives, printers, external drives, phones and docks. Then restart. A faulty device can cause crashes.
3. If it starts up, let Windows Update finish and restart once more. Many crashes are fixed by updates.
4. Think about what changed recently. A new program, driver or device right before the trouble began is a strong clue. You can uninstall a recently added program from Settings, then Apps.
5. If Windows shows an automatic repair screen, you can choose Startup Repair. It is built in and safe to try, unless you hear clicking. Then skip it and read the hard drive guide in this topic.
6. On a Mac that keeps restarting, unplug extra devices and restart. If you see a message saying it restarted because of a problem, note it down.

Stop and get help if it crashes again within a day, can't reach the desktop at all, or you hear clicking. If it is running, back up anything important as soon as you can.

Still stuck? Post your make, model and what you see in this topic, or send me a request for a free assessment.