The CRITICAL_SERVICE_FAILED BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) error may appear during the initialization process for Windows Vista and XP, Windows 2008, and Windows 7 and 8. This error usually appears when the operating system encounters a problem with a newly installed hardware or device driver. This error results to the emergency shutdown of the computer to prevent damage and avoid possible loss of data from unsaved work.

This error is usually caused by a missing or corrupted device driver, or incompatibility issues with a newly installed hardware or driver.

This BSOD error is also known as CRITICAL_SERVICE_FAILED and “STOP 0x0000005A“. Some users of Windows have reported this error, which normally appears on the screen during the initialization of the system.

You can resolve the CRITICAL_SERVICE_FAILED BSOD error by rebooting and checking the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List to verify that recently installed drivers and hardware are compatible with the version of the operating system that you are using. You have to remove and replace devices and drivers that are not compatible with your operating system.

To uninstall the hardware or driver that is causing the error in Windows 8, press the Windows key and X together, click on Control Panel, and then choose Programs and Features. Highlight the application to uninstall using the arrow key, and then click Uninstall. In Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7, the uninstall process can be done by successively clicking on Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs for Windows XP and Programs and Features for Windows 7 and Vista, and then selecting the software to uninstall and clicking Remove/Uninstall.

You can also resolve the BSOD error by installing the latest device drivers. You can verify the availability of driver updates from the official download site of the manufacturer. For video and chipset drivers, you can download appropriate and updated versions from the download sites for AMD, ATI, Intel, and Nvidia. Alternatively you can use Driver Reviver to update your drivers quickly an easily