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Troubleshooting Stop Messages

When Windows detects an unexpected problem from which it cannot recover, a Stop error occurs. A Stop error serves to protect the integrity of the system by immediately stopping all processing. Although it is theoretically possible for Windows to continue functioning when it detects that a core feature has experienced a serious problem, the integrity of the system would be questionable, which could lead to security violations, system corruption, and invalid transaction processing.

When a Stop error occurs, Windows displays a Stop message, sometimes referred to as a blue screen, which is a text-mode error message that reports information about the condition. A basic understanding of Stop errors and their underlying causes improves your ability to locate and understand technical information or perform diagnostic procedures requested of you by technical support personnel.

In this tutorial:

  1. Stop Message Overview
  2. Identifying the Stop Error
  3. Finding Troubleshooting Information
  4. Stop Messages
  5. Bugcheck Information
  6. Technical Information
  7. Debug Port and Dump Status Information
  8. Types of Stop Errors
  9. Memory Dump Files
  10. Configuring Small Memory Dump Files
  11. Configuring Kernel Memory Dump Files
  12. Configuring Complete Memory Dump Files
  13. How to Manually Initiate a Stop Error and Create a Dump File
  14. Using Memory Dump Files to Analyze Stop Errors
  15. Using Windows 7 Error Reporting
  16. Using Symbol Files and Debuggers
  17. Being Prepared for Stop Errors
  18. Record and Save Stop Message Information
  19. Check Software Disk Space Requirements
  20. Install a Kernel Debugger and Symbol Files
  21. Stop 0xA or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
  22. Stop 0x1E or KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
  23. Understanding Kernel Stack Overflows
  24. Stop 0x24 or NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM
  25. Stop 0x2E or DATA_BUS_ERROR
  26. Stop 0x3B or SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
  27. Stop 0x3F or NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTES
  28. Stop 0x50 or PA GE_FAULT_IN_NONPA GED_AREA
  29. Stop 0x77 or KERNEL_STACK_INPA GE_ERROR
  30. Stop 0x7A or KERNEL_DATA_INPA GE_ERROR
  31. Stop 0x7B or INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
  32. Stop 0x7F or UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP
  33. Stop 0x9F or DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE
  34. Stop 0xBE or ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY
  35. Stop 0xC2 or BAD_POOL_CALLER
  36. Stop 0xCE or DRIVER_UNLOADED_WITHOUT_CANCELLING_ PENDING_OPERATIONS
  37. Stop 0xD1 or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
  38. Stop 0xD8 or DRIVER_USED_EXCESSIVE_PTES
  39. Stop 0xEA or THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER
  40. Stop 0xED or UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME
  41. Stop 0xFE or BUGCODE_USB_DRIVER
  42. Stop 0x00000124
  43. Stop 0xC000021A or STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED
  44. Stop 0xC0000221 or STATUS_IMAGE_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH
  45. Hardware Malfunction Messages
  46. Stop Message Checklist
  47. Check Your Software
  48. Use the Last Known Good Configuration
  49. Restart the System in Safe Mode
  50. Check Event Viewer Logs
  51. Install Compatible Antivirus Tools
  52. Report Your Errors
  53. Install Operating System and Driver Updates
  54. Install and Use a Kernel Debugger
  55. Check Your Hardware
  56. Check for Nondefault Firmware Settings
  57. Check for Non-Default Hardware Clock Speeds
  58. Check by Running Hardware Diagnostic Tools
  59. Check for SCSI Disk and Controller Settings
  60. Check Memory Compatibility
  61. Check by Temporarily Removing Devices
  62. Check by Replacing a Device