A major outage hit tech giant Microsoft on Friday, impacting users across the globe in countries like India, the US, Japan, and Australia. Downdetector, a website tracking online service disruptions, reported issues with Skype, Office 365, Bing, Azure, Teams, and Xbox.
The outage caused significant disruptions in various sectors. In India, major airlines like Indigo, Vistara, Akasa, SpiceJet, and Air India faced operational difficulties. Airport services were also affected, prompting Bangalore Airport to issue a travel advisory. Similar disruptions were reported at Delhi Airport.
The impact wasn't limited to India. Airlines and banks worldwide felt the sting of the outage. The South China Morning Post reported chaos at Hong Kong's international airport due to the IT breakdown. Australian media outlets, including Channel 10, ABC, and Sky News Australia, went offline. Financial services also took a hit, with reports of an outage at the London Stock Exchange. The situation was even more critical in Alaska, where emergency 911 lines reportedly went down.
The culprit appears to be a faulty update from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, causing users to experience the dreaded "blue screen of death" (BSOD) error. Microsoft acknowledged the problem and stated they're observing service improvements as they work on a solution.
What is the Blue Screen of Death?
The infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a stark blue screen filled with white text. It has struck fear in the hearts of Windows users for decades. This error screen signifies a critical system error that can lead to data loss and unexpected system crashes.
Here's how you can troubleshoot Blue Screen of Death
- Restart your computer: A simple reboot can often resolve temporary glitches.
- Install updates: Ensure your Windows operating system and device drivers are up-to-date.
- Run a virus scan: Malicious software can cause system instability.
- Check your hardware: Verify that all internal components are securely connected and functioning properly.
- System Restore: If the BSOD is recent, consider using System Restore to revert your system to a stable point before the error occurred.
- Memory test: Run a memory diagnostic tool to identify any faulty RAM modules.
- Reinstall Windows: As a last resort, reinstalling the Windows operating system might be necessary.
ALSO READ: CrowdStrike behind Microsoft's global outage: Here's what its CEO said
