3.1 - CompTIA A+ Core 2

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) causes

Bad hardware, bad drivers, or bad applications.

Fixes for startup/shutdown BSODs

Use Last Known Good Configuration, Windows System Restore, Windows Safe Mode, reseat/remove hardware, and run hardware diagnostics.

Fix for degraded performance (Task Manager)

Check for high CPU utilization and high I/O in the Processes tab.

Fix for degraded performance (Windows Update)

Install the latest patches and drivers.

Fix for degraded performance (Disk space)

Check the disk for available space and defrag (dfrgui.exe).

Common boot error types

‘Operating system missing/not found’ and ‘Boot loader replaced or damaged.’

Fixes for boot errors

Check BIOS settings to ensure the correct boot order is selected, check boot drives to remove unnecessary installation media, use Windows Startup Repair, or modify the Windows Boot Configuration Database.

Windows Boot Configuration Database (BCD)

A database that stores boot configuration settings, accessible via Windows Recovery Console or BCEdit.

Causes for frequent shutdowns

Overheating/high CPU usage, faulty hardware components, application instability, or malware infections.

Common service not starting errors

'Device not starting' and 'One or more services failed to start.'

Fix for “service not starting” errors

Use Device Manager or Event Viewer. Also, check for service dependencies, account permissions (i.e., Run as Administrator), system files (sfc), or reinstall the application.

Fixes for application crashing

Check Windows Event Viewer, Windows Reliability Monitor, try reinstalling the application, or contact app support.

Low memory warnings

They indicate that your computer is low on memory (RAM).

Fixes for low memory warnings

Close unnecessary applications using Task Manager, increase the size of the page file (virtual memory), or consider upgrading your RAM if hardware limitations persist.

USB controller resource warnings

Insufficient system resources, meaning not enough available USB endpoints.

USB controller resource warnings (fix)

Move the device to a different USB interface or match the USB interface to the USB device.

Fixes for system instability

Run a full Windows diagnostic, hardware check, System File Checker (sfc), and an anti-malware scan.

Fix for 'No OS found' error

Check BIOS settings/boot order and proper cable connections (Molex/SATA).

Fix for slow profile load

Unnecessary startup programs and services, temporary files, remote DC connection issues.

Fix for time drift

Enable automatic time setting in Windows settings (Settings → Time & language → Date & time).