For almost 40 years, when a Windows computer crashed severely, it would display the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), a blue screen with an error message that typically indicated a serious system issue.

It’s been a headache for Windows users for 40 years – but with the stroke of a colour palette, Microsoft has drawn a line under the storied ‘Blue Screen of Death’ (BSOD) critical error screen and is now replacing it with a minimalist black error screen.

One of the most iconic things about Windows is its "blue screen of death," which is now retiring after 40 years.