Microsoft has confirmed that this summer, the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD), a hallmark of Windows for nearly 40 years, will be retired. It will be replaced by a "Black Screen of Death" that visually resembles Windows' standard update process.

Along with abandoning the familiar blue background, Microsoft has redesigned the critical error screen. Notably, they've removed the frowning smiley face and QR code. The error code information remains, while new details about the driver that caused the system crash have been added. This change will help technicians diagnose issues faster without needing to analyze full memory dumps using specialized tools.

The "Black Screen of Death" will debut in a Windows 11 update scheduled for late summer. The release will coincide with the launch of Quick Machine Recovery - a feature designed to rapidly restore computers that fail to boot properly.

These changes are part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative, aimed at improving Windows' security and stability following last year's CrowdStrike incident that affected millions of devices worldwide.

Source