If you've ever gotten a Windows BSOD, (and if you haven't, count yourself one of the lucky ones!) you know it strikes fear in the heart of the most intrepid computer user. This probably goes double for techs. Nothing says something has gone terribly wrong with your system quite as effectively as a BSOD.

Well, the diabolically funny folks at SysInternals created a screensaver that not only simulates a BSOD, it actually simulates the startup screen of whatever system it's running on, then produces a blue screen error. Basically, you install it and set it as your screensaver, and when the system goes to the screensaver it cycles through what appears to be a system startup (it actually pulls the startup info from your own systems configuration for extra realism) to BSOD every 15 seconds or so, making it appear as though your system can't be started. SysInternals was bought last year by Microsoft, and I thought that would be the last we'd see of the BSOD screensaver. I was wrong!  Proving they have a sense of humor too, MS has made it available from their own site.

Pretty funny practical joke, and completely harmless, though beware of having someone overreact and actually damage their system. I once put this on the system of an old boss, (Yes, that was Paul, for those of you who know him - 'nuff said.) and after a number of cycles he was about ready to format his computer and start over (this was someone with about 20 years of tech experience - it's that realistic). I jumped in before it was too late, but he didn't have much of a sense of humor about it, so pick your prankees carefully, or just put it on your own system to stymie your coworkers. 

You can download the BlueScreen Screensaver here.
 

        

 

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