Way to Fix Green Screen of Death on Windows 10/11

Read time: 7 minutes

When using Windows 10/11, you may encounter a green window displaying a sad emoticon, along with a message that reads, “Your Windows Insider Build has encountered an issue and must restart. We are currently gathering error information, and your system will automatically restart for you. Completion progress stands at xyz%.

The issue known as the “Green Screen of Death” is akin to the “Blue Screen of Death,” signifying a critical failure in Insider builds or Creator editions of the Windows Operating System, rendering your computer inaccessible. In this blog post, we will explore methods to resolve this problem.

Windows Insider Program: An overview

As previously mentioned, GSOD (Green Screen of Death) arises from issues within the Insider build of the Microsoft operating system. To comprehend the Insider build, it’s important to be familiar with the Windows Insider Program. Microsoft introduced the Windows Insider Program on September 30, 2014, with the objective of engaging external experts in collaboration to enhance its operating system, specifically Windows 10.

In this initiative, Microsoft opened the door for countless enthusiasts to participate in previewing the development of their operating system, Windows 10. They were encouraged to provide feedback and collaborate with the company’s software engineers, with participation requiring a valid license. This program was subsequently expanded to encompass Windows 11 and Windows Server, and the community of engaged members grew to a remarkable 10 million strong.

The primary objective of this initiative was to investigate, identify, and enhance software releases. Windows Insider Versions were first introduced with the launch of Windows 10 and subsequently with the initial release of Windows 11. These versions allow members to test Windows Insider Preview Builds on their personal computers, providing a preview of Windows operating systems through designated channels. These channels include the Dev Channel, Beta Channel, and Release Preview Channel, through which Insider Preview Builds are made available to members.

1. Peripheral devices connected to your PC.
2. Malfunctioning of hardware.
3. Corruption of system files.
4. Incompatible/outdated drivers.
5. Excessive usage of memory space.
6. Third party programs.

1. Turns screen of your computer green with display of an error message.
2. You cannot access your system.
3. System repeatedly restarts.
4. Loss of unsaved data may occur without prior warning or information.

To resolve this problem, start by examining whether any peripheral devices are connected to your computer. This issue could potentially stem from any troublesome peripheral device, such as a mouse, keyboard, USB flash drive, hard disk drive, projector, USB hub, barcode reader, microphone, or others. If your computer is equipped with any of these peripherals, detach them. If multiple devices are connected, try removing them one at a time; this approach may help identify the specific device responsible for the issue. After removing all peripheral devices, restart your computer and assess whether the problem has been resolved.

It is always recommended that you should regularly update operating system and drivers on your computer as need of update may lead to many errors due to no support or incompatibility.

Follow the steps given below to update Windows OS

1. Go to start
2. Type settings in search box and click Open
3. Select Update and Security
4. Select Windows Update
5. Click Check for updates
6. Download and install updates if available

First start your PC in safe mode in Windows.

[Note: Running of Windows in safe mode means use of limited set of files and drivers. And when you run Windows in safe mode and no error occurs, it indicates that the error is not happening due to default setting and basic device drivers.]

1. 1. Go to Start and type Device manager and open.
   2. Right-click the driver you wish to update.
   3. Select Update Driver
   4. Follow instructions to complete the process.

Once all the drivers are updated, boot your computer in normal mode and check if the issue still exists.

This is built-in utility of Windows which helps you to scan file systems drives for bad sector(s) and errors and then repairs them automatically. To run this command, follow the steps given below:

1. Go to start and type cmd in search box.
2. Select Run as administrator under Command Prompt
3. Type chkdsk C:/f/r/x
4. Press Enter
5. Wait till the process is over.
6. Restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved.

This built-in utility of Windows scans system files for corruption or damage and once it finds, it repairs the same of its own. Follow the steps given under to run this command:

1. 1. Follow steps 1-2 of method 3.
   2. Type sfc /scannow and press enter.
   3. Once the process is over restart your computer.
   4. If the issue is still not resolved then run the following DISM commands:

Once the process is over, see if issue is resolved.

Antivirus tools may also cause GSOD as they may cause burden on processor of computer. Follow the steps given below to uninstall third party anti-virus tool:

1. 1. Go to Start
   2. Type settings and open
   3. Select Apps and then Apps and features
   4. Click the third party antivirus tool from the list of apps
   5. Select uninstall
   6. Similarly uninstall apps and components related to the uninstalled anti-virus tool.

Note: As every antivirus software suite includes auxiliary applications upon installation, it’s essential to also remove these applications. You can recognize them by the name associated with the antivirus tool in question.

Repairing of Windows OS may help you as it is purposed to fix errors, malfunctioning etc. in the OS. In case Windows is having severe problem or is corrupt then you need to reinstall Windows. Latter may cause loss of data wherein you will need to recover data using any Windows Data Recovery tool. To repair Windows follow the steps given under:

1. Go to Start and type settings and open
2. Select Update and Security
3. Select Recovery
4. Select Get started
5. Press Reset this PC
6. Restart your computer

Conclusion

This blog post delves into the topic of GSOD (Green Screen of Death), exploring the reasons behind its occurrence and offering diverse solutions for resolution, all while emphasizing the significance of comprehending the Windows Insider Program. Our ongoing commitment is to assist you in addressing a range of PC and system errors, along with the recovery of lost data across different scenarios. We trust that you will discover this content to be valuable and informative.