Millions of Microsoft Windows users experienced the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) error on Friday (19 July, 2024) forcing their computers to shut down or restart unexpectedly. Services worldwide were disrupted due to technical issues at Microsoft and the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.
This issue is connected to a recent update of the CrowdStrike agent, Falcon Sensor, which has caused systems to crash and display the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD). The problem impacted various sectors, including airports, government offices, media houses, businesses, and emergency services, on Friday.
Advertisement
What is the Blue Screen of Death on Windows?
According to Microsoft, the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error occurs when Windows encounters a critical issue, causing the system to shut down or restart to prevent damage to the computer.
How to Resolve the CrowdStrike BSOD Issue?
The recent BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) issue on Windows 10 is caused by an update to the CrowdStrike Falcon software. CrowdStrike has provided a temporary manual solution while they work on a permanent fix. Here’s what you need to do:
- Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment (WRE).
- Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike.
- Find and delete the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”.
- Reboot your computer normally.
This fix is temporary, as CrowdStrike and Microsoft are expected to release an official update to resolve the issue soon.
Services Affected in India
The check-in systems at airports across India, including major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, suffered disruptions, leading to considerable inconvenience for passengers. Airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa, and SpiceJet were particularly affected.
Delhi airport officials later confirmed that the check-in counters were operational again after a three-hour disruption due to a Microsoft issue, which lasted from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. IndiGo had to cancel 32 flights across India.
In a post on social media platform X, SpiceJet said, “A global technical outage has affected the aviation industry. SpiceJet is ensuring that all its flights scheduled for today will depart. We are working closely with airports and relevant authorities to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety and comfort of our passengers. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.”
Also Read: Major Security Breach at WazirX: Over $230 Million in Crypto Withdrawn
This technical glitch was part of a larger global Microsoft outage, which left users worldwide unable to access its cloud computing platforms, resulting in numerous flight cancellations. Thousands of users reported issues with Microsoft 365 apps and services on Downdetector.com, a site that tracks service disruptions.
According to the outage tracking website Downdetector, some users also reported issues with other popular apps as well, such as Instagram, Amazon, Gmail, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Bank of India, and HDFC Bank.
Want to learn the art and science of managing your money? The 1% Club can help. Details here
