BSOD or computer operating system failure – one way you can avoid it.

A BSOD, or other computer operating system (OS) failure is usually a big inconvenience and waste of valuable time.

(BSOD = Blue Screen Of Death).

Perhaps you remember all the stress, pain and other feelings associated with the experience?

Should your computer be crucial for your everyday business or personal tasks, then you simply cannot afford a failed operating-system.

Should you have some computer software causing some system problems and creating plenty of computer downtime, then you need a solution also.

In these cases, prevention is usually better than cure.

One of the better methods of keeping your PC healthy is by using a Virtual PC.

A Virtual PC means that you can use more than one operating system at once on your Windows PC. A bit like ‘picture in picture’.

Some important points about using a Virtual PC:

1. You might use your virtual PC to trial software before installing it on your main OS. Thus giving you the opportunity to determine the way the product works, as well as see the way it will continue to work in conjunction with the other software installed on your computer.

2. Test upgrades to currently installed software before installing it on your main computer operating system. This enables you to test compatibility with other programs prior to installation.

3. Additionally you can run older programs if you have one that won’t install or run correctly on your main operating system, but which is fine on an older version of Windows. This can also help if you have software which only runs on 32 bit and you have upgraded your OS to 64 bit.

The key benefit of this is that you can’t damage the main operating system because the host (your main PC) and the virtual PCs are totally separate from each other (even though they are running on the same computer hardware). So, what you do on one operating system won’t affect the other.

Microsoft has a program called Microsoft Virtual PC, which is free. Microsoft Virtual PC runs on Windows 7 (though not every version – just Professional or Ultimate). If you are thinking of upgrading to Windows 7, but are hesitating because you have lots of old programs, then Microsoft Virtual PC will help you. More information from Wikipedia.

I have used Microsoft Virtual PC for some time now and have found it very useful indeed. Windows 7 is much better than Vista (and I had got Vista running very slickly).

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1. New computer – information, progress and tips.
2. My experience with Windows 7 Beta
3. Conficker Eye Chart – Test your computer
4. Defrag your computer – which is the best way?
5. Are you worried about losing the data on your PC?