You got a B.S.O.D. (Blue Screen of Death, known as Bug Checks), now what?

Applies to:

Windows Server 2012

Windows 8

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows 7

Windows Server 2008

Windows Vista

Windows Server 2003

Windows XP

 

For example, when you get a Stop A.  What do those “Arguments” mean?

Once you install the “Debugging Tools for Windows”, which is available from here:

Download and Install Debugging Tools for Windows
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/hardware/gg463009

3: kd> .bugcheck
Bugcheck code 0000000A
Arguments 00000000`00000018 00000000`00000002 00000000`00000000 fffff802`d154b7bf

The arguments are ‘Parameters” that can be passed.

In the example above, we got a Stop A.  You could use the Debugger.CHM file to find out what the Arguments/Parameters mean for that specific bug check.

Bug Check 0xA: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Parameter

Description

1
Memory referenced

2
IRQL at time of reference

3
0: Read

1: Write

4 Address which referenced memory

I’m also able to get this information by typing “!analyze -show A”

3: kd> !analyze -show A
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (a)
An attempt was made to access a pageable (or completely invalid) address at an
interrupt request level (IRQL) that is too high.  This is usually
caused by drivers using improper addresses.
If a kernel debugger is available get the stack backtrace.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000000, memory referenced
Arg2: 0000000000000000, IRQL
Arg3: 0000000000000000, bitfield :
    bit 0 : value 0 = read operation, 1 = write operation
    bit 3 : value 0 = not an execute operation, 1 = execute operation (only on chips which support this level of status)
Arg4: 0000000000000000, address which referenced memory

Based on this information, I know that in the example above for my Stop A:

18 was the memory referenced

The IRQL was at 2

It was a Read

And the address which referenced memory was fffff802`d154b7bf.

The nice thing about the Debugger.CHM and the MSDN library (link below) is that they list the common

  • Cause(s)
  • Resolution(s)

Bug Check Code Reference
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff560129(v=vs.85).aspx

This has all the list of every single bug check code that we have:

Code Name

0x00000001 APC_INDEX_MISMATCH

0x00000002
DEVICE_QUEUE_NOT_BUSY

0x00000003
INVALID_AFFINITY_SET

0x00000004
INVALID_DATA_ACCESS_TRAP

0x00000005
INVALID_PROCESS_ATTACH_ATTEMPT

0x00000006
INVALID_PROCESS_DETACH_ATTEMPT

0x00000007
INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT

0x00000008
IRQL_NOT_DISPATCH_LEVEL

0x00000009
IRQL_NOT_GREATER_OR_EQUAL

0x0000000A
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

0x0000000B
NO_EXCEPTION_HANDLING_SUPPORT

0x0000000C
MAXIMUM_WAIT_OBJECTS_EXCEEDED

0x0000000D
MUTEX_LEVEL_NUMBER_VIOLATION

0x0000000E
NO_USER_MODE_CONTEXT

0x0000000F
SPIN_LOCK_ALREADY_OWNED

0x00000010
SPIN_LOCK_NOT_OWNED

0x00000011
THREAD_NOT_MUTEX_OWNER

0x00000012
TRAP_CAUSE_UNKNOWN

0x00000013
EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST

0x00000014
CREATE_DELETE_LOCK_NOT_LOCKED

0x00000015
LAST_CHANCE_CALLED_FROM_KMODE

0x00000016
CID_HANDLE_CREATION

0x00000017
CID_HANDLE_DELETION

0x00000018
REFERENCE_BY_POINTER

0x00000019
BAD_POOL_HEADER

0x0000001A
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT

0x0000001B
PFN_SHARE_COUNT

0x0000001C
PFN_REFERENCE_COUNT

0x0000001D
NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE

0x0000001E
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

0x0000001F
SHARED_RESOURCE_CONV_ERROR

0x00000020
KERNEL_APC_PENDING_DURING_EXIT

0x00000021
QUOTA_UNDERFLOW

0x00000022
FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000023
FAT_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000024
NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000025
NPFS_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000026
CDFS_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000027
RDR_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000028
CORRUPT_ACCESS_TOKEN

0x00000029
SECURITY_SYSTEM

0x0000002A
INCONSISTENT_IRP

0x0000002B
PANIC_STACK_SWITCH

0x0000002C
PORT_DRIVER_INTERNAL

0x0000002D
SCSI_DISK_DRIVER_INTERNAL

0x0000002E
DATA_BUS_ERROR

0x0000002F
INSTRUCTION_BUS_ERROR

0x00000030
SET_OF_INVALID_CONTEXT

0x00000031
PHASE0_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000032
PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000033
UNEXPECTED_INITIALIZATION_CALL

0x00000034
CACHE_MANAGER

0x00000035
NO_MORE_IRP_STACK_LOCATIONS

0x00000036
DEVICE_REFERENCE_COUNT_NOT_ZERO

0x00000037
FLOPPY_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x00000038
SERIAL_DRIVER_INTERNAL

0x00000039
SYSTEM_EXIT_OWNED_MUTEX

0x0000003A
SYSTEM_UNWIND_PREVIOUS_USER

0x0000003B
SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

0x0000003C
INTERRUPT_UNWIND_ATTEMPTED

0x0000003D
INTERRUPT_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

0x0000003E
MULTIPROCESSOR_CONFIGURATION_NOT_SUPPORTED

0x0000003F
NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTES

0x00000040
TARGET_MDL_TOO_SMALL

0x00000041
MUST_SUCCEED_POOL_EMPTY

0x00000042
ATDISK_DRIVER_INTERNAL

0x00000043
NO_SUCH_PARTITION

0x00000044
MULTIPLE_IRP_COMPLETE_REQUESTS

0x00000045
INSUFFICIENT_SYSTEM_MAP_REGS

0x00000046
DEREF_UNKNOWN_LOGON_SESSION

0x00000047
REF_UNKNOWN_LOGON_SESSION

0x00000048
CANCEL_STATE_IN_COMPLETED_IRP

0x00000049
PAGE_FAULT_WITH_INTERRUPTS_OFF

0x0000004A
IRQL_GT_ZERO_AT_SYSTEM_SERVICE

0x0000004B
STREAMS_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x0000004C
FATAL_UNHANDLED_HARD_ERROR

0x0000004D
NO_PAGES_AVAILABLE

0x0000004E
PFN_LIST_CORRUPT

0x0000004F
NDIS_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x00000050
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

0x00000051
REGISTRY_ERROR

0x00000052
MAILSLOT_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000053
NO_BOOT_DEVICE

0x00000054
LM_SERVER_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x00000055
DATA_COHERENCY_EXCEPTION

0x00000056
INSTRUCTION_COHERENCY_EXCEPTION

0x00000057
XNS_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x00000058
FTDISK_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x00000059
PINBALL_FILE_SYSTEM

0x0000005A
CRITICAL_SERVICE_FAILED

0x0000005B
SET_ENV_VAR_FAILED

0x0000005C
HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000005D
UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR

0x0000005E
OBJECT_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000005F
SECURITY_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000060
PROCESS_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000061
HAL1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000062
OBJECT1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000063
SECURITY1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000064
SYMBOLIC_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000065
MEMORY1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000066
CACHE_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000067
CONFIG_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000068
FILE_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000069
IO1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000006A
LPC_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000006B
PROCESS1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000006C
REFMON_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000006D
SESSION1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000006E
SESSION2_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000006F
SESSION3_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000070
SESSION4_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000071
SESSION5_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000072
ASSIGN_DRIVE_LETTERS_FAILED

0x00000073
CONFIG_LIST_FAILED

0x00000074
BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO

0x00000075
CANNOT_WRITE_CONFIGURATION

0x00000076
PROCESS_HAS_LOCKED_PAGES

0x00000077
KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR

0x00000078
PHASE0_EXCEPTION

0x00000079
MISMATCHED_HAL

0x0000007A
KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR

0x0000007B
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE

0x0000007C
BUGCODE_NDIS_DRIVER

0x0000007D
INSTALL_MORE_MEMORY

0x0000007E
SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

0x0000007F
UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP

0x00000080
NMI_HARDWARE_FAILURE

0x00000081
SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

0x00000082
DFS_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000085
SETUP_FAILURE

0x0000008B
MBR_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH

0x0000008E
KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

0x0000008F
PP0_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000090
PP1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x00000092
UP_DRIVER_ON_MP_SYSTEM

0x00000093
INVALID_KERNEL_HANDLE

0x00000094
KERNEL_STACK_LOCKED_AT_EXIT

0x00000096
INVALID_WORK_QUEUE_ITEM

0x00000097
BOUND_IMAGE_UNSUPPORTED

0x00000098
END_OF_NT_EVALUATION_PERIOD

0x00000099
INVALID_REGION_OR_SEGMENT

0x0000009A
SYSTEM_LICENSE_VIOLATION

0x0000009B
UDFS_FILE_SYSTEM

0x0000009C
MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION

0x0000009E
USER_MODE_HEALTH_MONITOR

0x0000009F
DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE

0x000000A0
INTERNAL_POWER_ERROR

0x000000A1
PCI_BUS_DRIVER_INTERNAL

0x000000A2
MEMORY_IMAGE_CORRUPT

0x000000A3
ACPI_DRIVER_INTERNAL

0x000000A4
CNSS_FILE_SYSTEM_FILTER

0x000000A5
ACPI_BIOS_ERROR

0x000000A7
BAD_EXHANDLE

0x000000AB
SESSION_HAS_VALID_POOL_ON_EXIT

0x000000AC
HAL_MEMORY_ALLOCATION

0x000000AD
VIDEO_DRIVER_DEBUG_REPORT_REQUEST

0x000000B4
VIDEO_DRIVER_INIT_FAILURE

0x000000B8
ATTEMPTED_SWITCH_FROM_DPC

0x000000B9
CHIPSET_DETECTED_ERROR

0x000000BA
SESSION_HAS_VALID_VIEWS_ON_EXIT

0x000000BB
NETWORK_BOOT_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x000000BC
NETWORK_BOOT_DUPLICATE_ADDRESS

0x000000BE
ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY

0x000000BF
MUTEX_ALREADY_OWNED

0x000000C1
SPECIAL_POOL_DETECTED_MEMORY_CORRUPTION

0x000000C2
BAD_POOL_CALLER

0x000000C4
DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION

0x000000C5
DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL

0x000000C6
DRIVER_CAUGHT_MODIFYING_FREED_POOL

0x000000C7
tIMER_OR_DPC_INVALID

0x000000C8
IRQL_UNEXPECTED_VALUE

0x000000C9
DRIVER_VERIFIER_IOMANAGER_VIOLATION

0x000000CA
PNP_DETECTED_FATAL_ERROR

0x000000CB
DRIVER_LEFT_LOCKED_PAGES_IN_PROCESS

0x000000CC
PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL

0x000000CD
PAGE_FAULT_BEYOND_END_OF_ALLOCATION

0x000000CE
DRIVER_UNLOADED_WITHOUT_CANCELLING_PENDING_OPERATIONS

0x000000CF
TERMINAL_SERVER_DRIVER_MADE_INCORRECT_MEMORY_REFERENCE

0x000000D0
DRIVER_CORRUPTED_MMPOOL

0x000000D1
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

0x000000D2
BUGCODE_ID_DRIVER

0x000000D3
DRIVER_PORTION_MUST_BE_NONPAGED

0x000000D4
SYSTEM_SCAN_AT_RAISED_IRQL_CAUGHT_IMPROPER_DRIVER_UNLOAD

0x000000D5
DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_IN_FREED_SPECIAL_POOL

0x000000D6
DRIVER_PAGE_FAULT_BEYOND_END_OF_ALLOCATION

0x000000D7
DRIVER_UNMAPPING_INVALID_VIEW

0x000000D8
DRIVER_USED_EXCESSIVE_PTES

0x000000D9
LOCKED_PAGES_TRACKER_CORRUPTION

0x000000DA
SYSTEM_PTE_MISUSE

0x000000DB
DRIVER_CORRUPTED_SYSPTES

0x000000DC
DRIVER_INVALID_STACK_ACCESS

0x000000DE
POOL_CORRUPTION_IN_FILE_AREA

0x000000DF
IMPERSONATING_WORKER_THREAD

0x000000E0
ACPI_BIOS_FATAL_ERROR

0x000000E1
WORKER_THREAD_RETURNED_AT_BAD_IRQL

0x000000E2
MANUALLY_INITIATED_CRASH

0x000000E3
RESOURCE_NOT_OWNED

0x000000E4
WORKER_INVALID

0x000000E6
DRIVER_VERIFIER_DMA_VIOLATION

0x000000E7
INVALID_FLOATING_POINT_STATE

0x000000E8
INVALID_CANCEL_OF_FILE_OPEN

0x000000E9
ACTIVE_EX_WORKER_THREAD_TERMINATION

0x000000EA
THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER

0x000000EB
DIRTY_MAPPED_PAGES_CONGESTION

0x000000EC
SESSION_HAS_VALID_SPECIAL_POOL_ON_EXIT

0x000000ED
UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

0x000000EF
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED

0x000000F1
SCSI_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION

0x000000F3
DISORDERLY_SHUTDOWN

0x000000F4
CRITICAL_OBJECT_TERMINATION

0x000000F5
FLTMGR_FILE_SYSTEM

0x000000F6
PCI_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION

0x000000F7
DRIVER_OVERRAN_STACK_BUFFER

0x000000F8
RAMDISK_BOOT_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x000000F9
DRIVER_RETURNED_STATUS_REPARSE_FOR_VOLUME_OPEN

0x000000FA
HTTP_DRIVER_CORRUPTED

0x000000FC
ATTEMPTED_EXECUTE_OF_NOEXECUTE_MEMORY

0x000000FD
DIRTY_NOWRITE_PAGES_CONGESTION

0x000000FE
BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER

0x000000FF
RESERVE_QUEUE_OVERFLOW

0x00000100
LOADER_BLOCK_MISMATCH

0x00000101
CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT

0x00000103
MUP_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000104
AGP_INVALID_ACCESS

0x00000105
AGP_GART_CORRUPTION

0x00000106
AGP_ILLEGALLY_REPROGRAMMED

0x00000108
THIRD_PARTY_FILE_SYSTEM_FAILURE

0x00000109
CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION

0x0000010A
APP_TAGGING_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

0x0000010C
FSRTL_EXTRA_CREATE_PARAMETER_VIOLATION

0x0000010D
WDF_VIOLATION

0x0000010E
VIDEO_MEMORY_MANAGEMENT_INTERNAL

0x0000010F
RESOURCE_MANAGER_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

0x00000111
RECURSIVE_NMI

0x00000112
MSRPC_STATE_VIOLATION

0x00000113
VIDEO_DXGKRNL_FATAL_ERROR

0x00000114
VIDEO_SHADOW_DRIVER_FATAL_ERROR

0x00000115
AGP_INTERNAL

0x00000116
VIDEO_TDR_ERROR

0x00000117
VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED

0x00000119
VIDEO_SCHEDULER_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x0000011A
EM_INITIALIZATION_FAILURE

0x0000011B
DRIVER_RETURNED_HOLDING_CANCEL_LOCK

0x0000011C
ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_CM_PROTECTED_STORAGE

0x0000011D
EVENT_TRACING_FATAL_ERROR

0x00000121
DRIVER_VIOLATION

0x00000122
WHEA_INTERNAL_ERROR

0x00000124
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR

0x00000127
PAGE_NOT_ZERO

0x0000012B
FAULTY_HARDWARE_CORRUPTED_PAGE

0x0000012C
EXFAT_FILE_SYSTEM

0x00000133
DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION

0x00000138
GPIO_CONTROLLER_DRIVER_ERROR

0x00000139
KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE

0x00000144
BUGCODE_USB3_DRIVER

0x0000014B
SOC_SUBSYSTEM_FAILURE

0x1000007E
SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M

0x1000007F
UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP_M

0x1000008E
KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M

0x100000EA
THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER_M

0xC0000218
STATUS_CANNOT_LOAD_REGISTRY_FILE

0xC000021A
STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED

0xC0000221
STATUS_IMAGE_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH

0xDEADDEAD
MANUALLY_INITIATED_CRASH1