Finally, Deleting (Part Of) System32 Can Actually Fix Your Computer

A CrowdStrike update that caused thousands of computers and servers to infinitely reset and “blue screen of death” finally has a solution, and it involves deleting (part of) System32. Yes, really, deleting one file in Windows’ basic system directory apparently solves the problem that caused what some have called the biggest server outage in history.

According to TechRadar, the fix to the issue involves booting Windows in Safe Mode, navigating to the CrowdStrike directory within System32, and deleting one file that matches a certain alphanumeric code. Meanwhile, Microsoft officially advises customers to restore from a backup if possible, and if not, attach the disk to a virtual machine for an offline repair.

In online circles, “deleting System32” is a well-known (if ancient) prank that trolls pulled on unsuspecting Windows users. It involves telling the user that deleting the folder will make their computer go faster (often through a specific command line); of course, in reality, deleting this folder would make their computer not work correctly.

Though it’s not clear how many machines were affected by the July 19 outage, it had a major impact on airlines, hospitals, banks, and tech companies. Per NYT, it even reportedly caused payment processors like Visa to suffer major downtime. Hundreds of flights were grounded as a result, and emergency 911 lines in multiple US states were also affected. Logistics companies like UPS and FedEx also experienced disruptions due to the snafu.

Initially feared to be a security incident or coordinated cyberattack, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz went to social media to quell those concerns. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said that the issue has been identified and a fix has been deployed, though it’ll likely take some time for the affected systems to recover.