FIX: ntoskrnl.exe BSoD errors in Windows 10 [Complete Guide]

Windows 10 is filled with Blue Screen of Death reports (BSOD) and now it’s time to provide a fix for the one caused by the ntoskrnl.exe program. Read below to find more information about this.

Apparently, this is an IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL bug check problem which indicates that Microsoft Windows or a kernel-mode driver accessed paged memory at DISPATCH_LEVEL or above. The explanation goes on like this:

This bug check is issued if paged memory (or invalid memory) is accessed when the IRQL is too high. The error that generates this bug check usually occurs after the installation of a faulty device driver, system service, or BIOS.

How can I fix Windows 10 ntoskrnl.exe BSOD errors?

1. Update your Realtek audio driver
2. Update your computer
3. Disable overclocking settings
4. Turn off BlueStacks/ another Android emulator
5. Clean your registry
6. Check your disk for errors
7. Fix bad memory issues
8. Remove faulty sticks of RAM

1. Update your Realtek audio driver

So, in this situation, it was discovered that the Realtek HiDefinition Audio driver, labeled as Creative Audio Driver, was out of date.

If you have been experiencing a similar BSOD problem in Windows 10, follow the link below to download the latest Realtek drivers.

Download High Definition Audio Realtek Codecs

We also strongly recommend TweakBit’s Driver Updater (approved by Microsoft and Norton) to automatically download all the outdated drivers on your PC.

Why do we recommend it? This tool will keep your system safe as you can manually download and install the wrong driver version. It’s a great tool that scans for updates as antivirus scans for threats.

Did you know that the majority of Windows 10 users have outdated drivers? Be a step ahead using this guide.

2. Update your computer

1. Make sure that you’re running the latest Windows updates on your computer. Keep in mind that running outdated OS versions may trigger a bevy of issues on your device, including BSOD errors caused by ntoskrnl.exe.
2. To access the Windows Update section, you can simply type “update” in the search box. This method works on all Windows versions. Then go to Windows Update, check for updates and install the available updates.

If your Windows search box is missing, get it back in a couple of easy steps from this useful guide.

Having trouble updating your Windows? Check out this guide that will help you solve them in no time.

3. Disable overclocking settings

If you installed an overclocking software on your computer, this may explain why you’re getting ntoskrnl.exe BSOD errors. These game boosting tools put a strain on your hardware, forcing them to run beyond the recommended frequency.

As a result, this may cause various issues, including Blue Screen of Death crashes. The quickest solution to fix them is to disable overclocking software.

4. Turn off BlueStacks/ another Android emulator

1. Open Notepad.
2. When Notepad starts, enter the following lines:
   • “C:Program Files (x86)BlueStacksHD-Quit.exe”
   • net stop BstHdUpdaterSvc
   • net stop BstHdLogRotatorSvc
   • net stop BstHdAndroidSvc
3. Now click on File > Save as.
4. Set Save as type to All Files. Enter script.bat as the file name and click on Save.
5. Now, locate the script.bat file and double click it to run it.

Some Windows 10 users reported that the ntoskrnl.exe BSOD errors occur mainly when they enabled BlueStacks and other Android emulators. So, if you installed emulators on your computer, disable or completely uninstall them.

If you want to completely remove a program from your PC, you can do it with the help of these amazing uninstallers.

5. Clean your registry

1. Go to Start > type cmd > right-click Command Prompt > select Run as Administrator

2. Now type the sfc /scannow command

3. Wait for the scanning process to complete and then restart your computer. All corrupted files will be replaced on reboot.

Corrupted or missing registry keys may also cause BSOD errors. Don’t forget to first backup your registry in case anything goes wrong. The simplest way to repair your registry is to use a dedicated tool for Windows.

You can also use Microsoft’s System File Checker to check for system file corruption. The utility verifies the integrity of all protected system files and repairs files with problems when possible.

If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at this guide.

scannow command has stopped before the process finished? Don’t worry, we’ve got an easy fix for you.

6. Check your disk for errors

On Windows 10, you can run a disk check using Command Prompt.

Start Command Prompt as administrator and type the chkdsk C: /f command followed by Enter. Replace C with the letter of your hard drive partition.

As a quick reminder, if you do not use the /f parameter, chkdsk displays a message that the file needs to be fixed, but it does not fix any errors. The chkdsk D: /f command detects and repairs logical issues affecting your drive. To repair physical issues, run the /r parameter as well.

On other Windows versions, go to hard drives > right-click the drive that you want to check  > select Properties > Tool. Under the ‘Error checking’ section, click Check.

chkdsk is giving you headaches? Check out this quick guide to fix any issues with it.

7. Fix bad memory issues

1. Go to Start and type Memory
2. Double-click on Windows Memory Diagnostic
3. Select the first option to restart your computer and check memory

Another common cause for ntoskrnl.exe BSODerrors is related to bad memory. Use Windows 10‘s built-in memory diagnostic tool to identify potential memory issues affecting your system.

8. Remove faulty sticks of RAM

Some Windows 10 users reported that the ntoskrnl.exe BSOD errors that they encountered were caused by a faulty stick of RAM.

So, if you recently changed the RAM configuration of your computer, check your RAM sticks to make sure that they’re properly inserted and are working as they should be.

We hope that the solutions listed in this article helped you fix Windows 10 BSOD errors caused by ntoskrnl.exe. If you come across other solutions to fix this issue, let us know in the comments below.

Also, leave there any other suggestions or questions you may have and we’ll be sure to check them out.

FAQ: Want to learn more about ntoskrnl.exe?

• What causes ntoskrnl.exe BSOD?

Ntoskrnl.exe BSOD may be caused by outdated or corrupted device drivers, overclocking, problematic memory, bad sectors.

• Is ntoskrnl.exe a virus?

Ntoskrnl.exe file is not a virus. This is an important kernel program file for Windows and belongs to the most basic part of the operating system.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2013 and has been since completely revamped and updated in March 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.