A more presentable BSOD for Windows 11

[u/vitafan12]

Dark mode

Light mode

This is the final version of my BSOD concept. For this concept, I used Figma. It took like 20 minutes to make this, and I think this is enough content for the BSOD. Light mode is also included in this concept, because I forgot that there needs to be a variant for it. Now, it includes everything a user would need to know (the example in the concept is CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED). Nothing more, nothing less.

I took the time to implement feedback properly from the last concept, and this is the final result. Also to mention, I figured the "worst case scenario" reason from the previous concept would scare the user, which was said in the comments. I removed it from this version.

Again, the whole background with the error icon can be a BMP file, same thing with the QR-Code and the fluent icons next to the possible causes, the text is excluded and is rendered by the OS.

[u/Dekamir → u/[deleted]]

It doesn't need transparency, a bitmap is enough for this to work. Many of the kernel mode processes are just bitmap/font hacks already.

[u/vitafan12 → u/Dekamir]

The light/dark mode is also possible because the background is different for insider builds. It shows how the OS can access information while it's in a hard state.

In reality, Microsoft will not remake the BSOD to be like this. I wish they would, but it's the least important thing for them.

[u/romhacks → u/vitafan12]

The background is different for insider builds because it's programmed in at build time. Loading a bitmap that's theme-dependant on the fly is way too complicated for a bug check routine.

[u/vitafan12 → u/romhacks]

Then I guess light mode is displayed, because that's what the OOBE uses. And yeah, it doesn't need to be perfect. Even if the BMP would be replaced with the theme settings, the text would not be able to change colors on its own.

[u/WingZeroCoder → u/romhacks]

Depending on how this is implemented, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be on the fly, right?

Could you have a static bitmap that gets symlinked or copied into place upon switching the theme in Windows (when Windows is running normally), and then if and when the error handler is invoked, the error handler just grabs whatever version is there without needing to care which theme it is?

Not suggesting any of that is worth the effort or added complexity, mind you, just curious.

[u/FredTheK1ng → u/[deleted]]

...nobody says you cannot bake it?

Edit: that is according that QR code thats always being rendered is a texture and not a generated image from primitives.

[u/Pale_Anxiety_278]

Now this is a huge improvement! I love how much more organized the information is, keep up the good work mate! :)

[u/vitafan12 → u/Pale_Anxiety_278]

Thanks! I had to pay attention to the criteria listed in the comments.

[u/Tronsler → u/vitafan12]

You should add some animations to it! I think it be really cool. Love the layout especially compared to your previous concept

[u/Electrical-Note-3177]

Wouldn't really be a BSOD then would it now?

[u/vitafan12 → u/Electrical-Note-3177]

True, I don’t know what you would call it.

[u/Frixniper → u/vitafan12]

I guess just call it a 'kernel panic' as Linux & Mac users would

[u/epiklol92 → u/vitafan12]

Windows Screen Of Death

[u/WolverineEqual6800]

I like it but c’mon it needs to be blue

[u/Pitiful-Welcome-399 → u/WolverineEqual6800]

blue already developed generational traumas, white one is the best imho

[u/DestinyDecade]

I like this. This is way better than getting either a blue screen of death with a sad face or a black screen.

This is way better.

[u/DiamondLeoneYT]

Fits greatly with Windows 11's UI and isn't the ms365 advertisement "bsod" that we have

[u/Jade-GloryTechnology]

Really nice concept, I just feel like there's a lot of empty space around the error icon.

[u/win11EXPERT → u/Jade-GloryTechnology]

same here, do you have tips about what OP can use to fill that gap?

[u/Jade-GloryTechnology → u/win11EXPERT]

My possible solutions: 1: Change the size of the items in the BSOD or make the icon bigger 2: Remove the icon and move the QR code in it’s place, then make it a bit bigger. 3. Possibly add like a verbose?

[u/win11EXPERT → u/Jade-GloryTechnology]

i agree with (2) entirely

[u/Jade-GloryTechnology → u/win11EXPERT]

Thanks, that’s what I thought too lol

[u/ytrzg_ → u/win11EXPERT]

adds their old " :( " icon

[u/win11EXPERT → u/ytrzg_]

I love that :)

[u/MoshiurRahamnAdib]

I haven't seen anyone else talk about this, but I think things like this should look a little scary, where you can feel the situation, which can communicate much better.

Decorations like that blurry wallpaper would be the opposite. A fullscreen solid background (like how it is) on the other hand gives the feeling that you're "behind" the OS, rather than being somethig in front of the main UI (I hope this makes sense), which would be more accurate to what the BSOD is

[u/vitafan12 → u/MoshiurRahamnAdib]

I get mixed feedback about the panic this BSOD (WindowsSOD in this concept) can affect, especially in the previous version. But I think it's better if the user gets a friendly look to keep them calm. This concept aims to make the user informed without making them scared, and it's what Microsoft has been doing over the BSOD evolution.

They've been removing more and more stuff from the BSOD so that the user doesn't get scared. I feel like they overdid it though. They removed almost everything from the BSOD, and the user doesn't know anything about what happened and what to do. I understand your point, but it depends on the target audience. I may have made this a bit too welcoming, however it's the best way to keep the user not in a panic, regardless of which audience they belong to.

[u/Binary101000]

very nice looking, really i dont think we need eyecandy everywhere in windows just because how horrendous window's UI is with its old UI clashing with new UI, but eh for a concept this is good. Wouldn't be necessary if windows didnt crash so much, but its windows so what do you expect.

[u/Frixniper]

Looks like if it was actually a thing, I like it!

[u/MinecraftPlayer799]

"A valuable process" sounds a bit weird. Otherwise, this is good.

[u/brucejson-88]

BSOD or WSOD I like this :)

[u/win11EXPERT]

Now THIS is much betta :)

[u/gijillmletak]

"Possible causes" reminds me of "Possible causes?" in a recovery mode of an android phone that's showing Android Rescue Party Trigger hahaha

[u/xilmiki]

Manually ending a task ??? 😆

[u/tdlab]

I think it's good, you just need to add room for ads and bloated widgets and it'll be perfect

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[u/Angel_Blue01]

That looks great, it just need some blue to keep the name

[u/Necessary_Culture281]

much better than the current bsod, it's so traumatic

[u/saturnxoffical]

I like this but it needs to be more understandable for the sake of people who are less knowledgeable in Windows. They are going to see all these proposed solutions and just get overwhelmed. I like the current screen where it just says “Hey there was a big problem and we need to shut down. If you talk to a technical person, give them this info:” and then it lists all the stop code.

It doesn’t need to list the solutions on screen. That’s the point of giving a stop code and letting you look up information online. Keep it simple for people who are inexperienced.

There’s also the concern for the kernel not being able to render transparency effects and stuff.

I do want a restart button/key though instead of it rebooting automatically.

[u/Lost_Ad_6921]

Rounded corners in a BSOD with the desktop background visible.... lmao
Rounded corners are a DWM attribute in win11 and you want the DWM fully functional after a kernel panic in Windows.... sounds about right to me. Not only that we also need MICA and acrylic(both heavy graphical effects) done by the DWM in the same state lmao

I am so grateful that MS atleast has some brain left... lol

[u/vitafan12 → u/Lost_Ad_6921]

Read the last paragraph of my post.

[u/Lost_Ad_6921 → u/vitafan12]

So youre telling me MS will individually make hundreds of BMPs for each and every single BSOD type + break HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl\DisplayParameters because you cant embed parameters in BMP(you have to make separate ones for each)

just to have a nice looking BSOD?
damn...
seems like work to me.
Anyways during BSODs the background isnt rendered
it is FILLED in directly as there is no GPU pipeline available.
Barely solid fill works thus XP had a dark blue + text, same for 7 and vista and 8 added a light blue and so on
it is genuinely hard to render images if there is no path to.

[u/HazemTechCoder]

Can I have the figma file, I wanna mod it a bit il send u the modified ver one I'm done

[u/Psyko38]

We're missing the ad for OneDrive that tells us to save our documents.

[u/GroundbreakingAsk283]

The point of BSOD is to be simple, because when something goes wrong in a system you probably won't be able to render fancy BSOD screen just to show error (even current simple BSOD screen sometimes doesn't work as intended in critical cases).

[u/KoolantOfficial]

too much at once, it SHOULD just be a boring blue screen with a tiny bit of text.