How to fix Windows 11 Green Screen of Death GSoD?

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a notorious Windows error that causes your computer to crash and display a blue screen with an error message. But did you know that there is another type of Windows error that is even rarer and more alarming? It is called the Green Screen of Death (GSOD), and it can also make your computer unusable.

The GSOD is similar to the BSOD, except that it shows a green screen instead of a blue one. It usually occurs on Windows 11 devices that are running beta or preview versions of the operating system. The GSOD indicates that there is a serious problem with your system that needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

The GSOD can disrupt your work or entertainment activities, and it can also cause data loss or corruption. Therefore, you need to know how to prevent and resolve this error before it causes more damage. In this article, we will explain the common causes of the GSOD, how to boot into Safe Mode to troubleshoot the problem, and the five best solutions to fix the GSOD on Windows 11.

What Causes the Green Screen of Death on Windows 11?

The GSOD can be triggered by various factors, such as:

• Faulty or incompatible hardware devices, such as external hard drives, printers, or webcams.
• Corrupted, outdated, or conflicting drivers, especially the graphics driver.
• Outdated or buggy Windows 11 components, such as the kernel, the registry, or the system files.
• Software or driver conflicts, such as antivirus programs, games, or applications that interfere with the system processes.

These factors can cause your system to malfunction, crash, or freeze, resulting in the GSOD. To fix the GSOD, you need to identify and eliminate the root cause of the problem.

How to Boot into Safe Mode to Troubleshoot the Green Screen of Death

Before you try any of the solutions below, you should first boot your computer into Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode that allows your computer to run with only the essential drivers, processes, and applications. This way, you can isolate and remove any potential causes of the GSOD, such as faulty hardware, corrupted drivers, or conflicting software.

To boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer and press the F8 key repeatedly until you see the Advanced Boot Options menu.
2. Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking (if you need internet access) and press Enter.
3. Wait for Windows 11 to load in Safe Mode. You will see a black screen with the words Safe Mode in the corners.
4. Log in with your administrator account and password.

Now that you are in Safe Mode, you can proceed to try the solutions below to fix the GSOD.

Solution 1: Disconnect Peripheral Devices

One of the simplest and most effective ways to fix the GSOD is to disconnect any peripheral devices that are connected to your computer, such as external hard drives, printers, scanners, webcams, or speakers. These devices may be faulty, incompatible, or causing driver conflicts with your system, leading to the GSOD.

To disconnect peripheral devices, follow these steps:

1. Shut down your computer and unplug it from the power source.
2. Disconnect any peripheral devices that are connected to your computer via USB, HDMI, or other ports.
3. Plug your computer back into the power source and turn it on.
4. Check if the GSOD still occurs. If not, then one of the peripheral devices was the culprit. You can reconnect them one by one and test them to find out which one caused the problem. You may need to update, reinstall, or replace the device or its driver to fix the issue.

Solution 2: Update or Reinstall the Graphics Driver

The graphics driver is a software component that allows your computer to communicate with your graphics card and display images on your screen. If the graphics driver is corrupted, outdated, or incompatible with your system, it can cause the GSOD. Therefore, you need to update or reinstall the graphics driver to fix the problem.

To update or reinstall the graphics driver, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + X keys and select Device Manager from the menu.
2. Expand the Display adapters category and right-click on your graphics card. Select Update driver from the context menu.
3. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest driver for your graphics card.
4. If the update fails or does not fix the GSOD, you can try to reinstall the graphics driver. To do this, right-click on your graphics card again and select Uninstall device from the context menu.
5. Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device and click Uninstall.
6. Restart your computer and Windows 11 will automatically reinstall the graphics driver for you.
7. Check if the GSOD still occurs.

Solution 3: Update Windows 11

Another possible cause of the GSOD is an outdated or buggy version of Windows 11. Microsoft regularly releases updates for Windows 11 to fix bugs, improve performance, and enhance security. If you do not install these updates, you may encounter the GSOD or other errors on your system. Therefore, you need to update Windows 11 to the latest version to fix the problem.

To update Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + I keys and select Windows Update from the left pane.
2. Click on Check for updates and wait for Windows 11 to scan for available updates.
3. If there are any updates, click on Download and install and follow the on-screen instructions to install them.
4. Restart your computer and check if the GSOD still occurs.

Solution 4: Uninstall Most Recently Installed Applications

Sometimes, the GSOD can be caused by software or driver conflicts, such as antivirus programs, games, or applications that interfere with the system processes. If you notice that the GSOD started to occur after you installed a new program or driver, you may need to uninstall it to fix the problem.

To uninstall most recently installed applications, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + I keys and select Apps from the left pane.
2. Click on Apps & features and sort the list by Install date.
3. Find the most recently installed applications or drivers that may be causing the GSOD and click on them.
4. Click on Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions to remove them from your system.
5. Restart your computer and check if the GSOD still occurs.

Solution 5: Reset the Operating System with the Cloud Option

If none of the solutions above work, you may need to reset your operating system to fix the GSOD. Resetting your operating system will reinstall Windows 11 and remove any corrupted or conflicting files that may be causing the problem. However, this process will also delete your personal files, settings, and applications, so you should back up your data before proceeding.

To reset your operating system with the cloud option, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + I keys and select Recovery from the left pane.
2. Click on Reset this PC and then click on Cloud download.
3. Choose whether you want to keep your personal files or remove everything and click on Next.
4. Click on Reset and wait for Windows 11 to download and reinstall the operating system from the cloud.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your computer and check if the GSOD still occurs.

What Are Some Common Green Screen Error Messages?

The GSOD can display different error messages depending on the cause of the problem. Some of the more common GSOD error messages are:

• DPC watchdog violation green screen – This error occurs when a system process or driver takes too long to complete, causing a delay in the system response. To fix this error, you need to repair any corruption within the system files, such as the registry or the boot sector. You can use the System File Checker or the Startup Repair tools to do this.
• Inaccessible boot device green screen – This error occurs when Windows 11 cannot access the boot device, such as the hard drive or the SSD, due to a hardware failure, a driver issue, or a malware infection. This error will prevent your computer from booting normally and cause a booting loop. To fix this error, you need to enter Safe Mode and check the status of your boot device, update or reinstall the boot device driver, or scan your system for malware.
• Critical process died green screen – This error occurs when a vital process that is essential for the operation of Windows 11 stops working or terminates unexpectedly. This can be caused by a corrupted system file, a faulty hardware component, or a malicious program. To fix this error, you need to restore your system to a previous state using the System Restore tool, replace any faulty hardware components, or remove any malicious programs from your system.

These are some of the most effective solutions to fix the Windows 11 Green Screen of Death. We hope that this article has helped you resolve this annoying and frustrating error and restore your system to normal. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.