7 Ways to Fix SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR BSoD 0x0000018B

The SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR BSoD (Blue Screen of Death), with code 0x0000018B, appears due to a fatal error in the secure kernel of Windows.

Common causes for the blue screen error include corrupted system files, outdated or incompatible drivers, the presence of malware, conflicting apps or services, and an improper Windows install.

Before you proceed, reboot the PC, install all pending Windows updates, and disconnect any non-critical hardware. For most of you, this should quickly fix things!

How can I fix SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR blue screen on Windows?

1. Repair the corrupted system files

1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Command Prompt in the text field, and click on Run as administrator.
2. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
3. Paste the following DISM commands individually and hit Enter after each: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
4. Once done, run this command for the SFC scan: sfc /scannow
5. Finally, reboot the PC and check for improvements.

Corrupted system files are one of the most common causes behind any BSoD, including SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR. So, to fix things, run the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) scans, and these will replace any problematic files with a new copy.

2. Disable Hyper-V

1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Turn Windows features on or off, and click on the relevant result.
2. Now, uncheck the Hyper-V option if the checkbox is ticked, and click OK to save the changes.
3. Reboot the PC and verify whether the Secure Kernel Error blue screen is fixed.

3. Update all the drivers

1. Press Windows + X to open the Power User menu, and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the different entries here, individually right-click on the device listed underneath, and select Update driver.
3. Click on Search automatically for drivers and wait for Windows to install the best locally available version.
4. Similarly, update the other drivers and then reboot the PC to apply the changes.

If you haven’t done so in the recent past, updating the drivers will help fix SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR in no time. Because, in 2 out of 5 cases, a driver-related file was responsible for the BSoD!

When Windows can’t find a better version, go to the manufacturer’s website, locate the new releases, and manually install the latest driver.

4. Scan the PC for malware

1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Windows Security, and click on the relevant result.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.
3. Click on Scan options.
4. Select the Full scan entry and click on Scan now.
5. After the scan is done running, restart the computer and check for improvements.

5. Perform a clean boot

1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type msconfig in the text field, and hit Enter.
2. Go to the Services tab, tick the checkbox for Hide all Microsoft services, and click on Disable all.
3. Go to the Startup tab, and click on Open Task Manager.
4. Select any app here that reads Enabled under the Status column, and click on Disable.
5. Go back to System Configuration and click Apply and OK to save the changes.
6. Finally, click on Restart in the confirmation prompt.
7. After Windows loads in a clean boot state, verify whether the blue screen error is fixed.

If the SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR BSoD doesn’t appear again, one of the apps or services disabled during the Clean Boot was the underlying cause. So, again, launch System Configuration, re-enable each component one at a time, and restart the PC after each.

As soon as the Windows blue screen reappears, the last enabled component is to blame, and you will have to completely remove it.

6. Reinstall the Virtual Machine software

1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and hit Enter.
2. Select the affected virtual machine software that’s throwing the BSoD, and click Uninstall.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process and then reboot the computer.
4. Finally, reinstall the software from an official source.

In the past, VirtualBox repeatedly threw the SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR bug check due to compatibility issues. If a reinstall doesn’t work, perhaps you may consider switching to another top-rated Virtual Machine for Windows!

7. Perform an in-place upgrade

NOTE

The steps listed here are for Windows 11. If you are running the previous iteration, learn how to perform an in-place upgrade on Windows 10.

1. Go to Microsoft’s official website, select the OS edition and language, and download the Windows 11 ISO.
2. Double-click the ISO file, and select Open in the confirmation prompt.
3. Run the setup.exe file.
4. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
5. Click Next to proceed.
6. Review Microsoft’s license terms and click on Accept.
7. Make sure the setup reads, Keep personal files and apps, and click on Install.
8. Wait for the process to complete. It may take 45-90 minutes.

If an in-place upgrade, too, fails to fix SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR in Windows 11, the last option is to reinstall Windows. Since it might lead to data loss, I recommend moving any critical files from the system file to external storage.

Before you leave, discover all the causes of BSoD and the blue screen error fixes, and take suitable steps to prevent such errors from reappearing!

For any queries or to share which fix worked for you, drop a comment below.