Kernel Mode Heap Corruption in Windows: How to Fix This Error

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There are few things worse than your computer letting you down the moment you need it the most. You might be working on an important project for office or school, or enjoying a multiplayer game with a friend when you get suddenly interrupted by a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) message that cripples your PC.

BSOD errors can be fixed, depending on the severity of the stop code. But the integrity of your data is not guaranteed, and that’s why it’s essential to regularly perform backups.

What is Kernel mode heap corruption?

Kernel mode heap corruption is a blue screen error code that paralyzes your computer. It indicates a problem with the system kernel, which can be triggered by a software or hardware problem. It often appears alongside other BSODs like PFN LIST CORRUPT and driver power state failure, which also signal system instability or memory-related issues.

Here are some unfortunate events that can trigger stop code Kernel mode heap corruption:

• Incompatible or obsolete graphics driver
• Unsupported or conflicting applications
• Faulty system updates
• Outdated Windows
• RAM issues
• Hard disk or system corruption
• Overclocking
• Outdated or poorly configured BIOS
• New hardware devices
• The GPU card was not correctly inserted
• Malware infection
• Insufficient disk space

How to fix Kernel mode heap corruption on Windows 10

You can try multiple approaches to repair the Kernel mode heap corruption error on your Windows 10 machine by inspecting your hardware and software. It’s important to arm yourself with patience because it might take a while to find the source of the stop code.

Before getting started, it’s wise to back up your files and applications and set up a system restore point. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the safety of your data is not guaranteed with blue screen errors.

1. Start Windows 10 in safe mode

In severe scenarios when you don’t even get the chance to use your computer at all, you can start Windows 10 in safe mode to disable any non-essential services, processes and drivers that might contribute to stop code Kernel mode heap corruption.

How to boot Windows 10 in safe mode:

1. Turn on your PC and immediately switch it off during boot. Do this three times to trigger Windows troubleshooting mode
2. Choose Troubleshoot
3. Select Advanced options and go to Startup Settings
4. Click Restart and press F4 to boot Windows in safe mode

2. Roll back your graphics driver

If you have recently updated your graphics driver without using a driver updating tool, you might have accidentally installed an incompatible version that causes display issues. In turn, this can lead to the Kernel mode heap corruption error.

But you should be able to fix this issue by rolling back your graphics driver. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Right-click the Start button and go to Device Manager
2. Extend the Display adapters group by clicking the arrow next to it
3. Select your display driver, right-click it, and go to Properties
4. Switch to the Driver tab
5. Click Roll Back Driver and follow the on-screen instructions

If the Roll Back Driver button is greyed out, it means that no previous driver versions are saved on your computer, so you can’t use this solution. Proceed to the next.

3. Update your graphics driver

On the other hand, perhaps your graphics driver hasn’t been updated for a long time. Obsolete drivers are the source of all types of computer problems, so you should get on that right away.

How to update your video driver:

1. Press Win key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter
2. Right-click your GPU driver and select Update driver
3. Click Search automatically for updated driver software
4. The online search could take a while. If it comes back empty handed, click Search for updated drivers on Windows Update
5. Reboot your PC when it’s done

4. Run Program Compatibility Troubleshooter

If you have recently installed programs that aren’t fully compatible with your operating system, then stop codes like Kernel mode heap corruption are bound to happen.

You may have tried to run such applications in compatibility mode for older Windows versions, but this can be problematic, too. However, you can use the built-in Program Compatibility Troubleshooter to find and eliminate unsupported applications from your PC.

1. Right-click the Start button and go to Settings
2. Select Update & Security
3. Go to Troubleshoot on the left side
4. Select Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
5. Click Run the troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions
6. Restart your computer and check for BSOD errors

5. Uninstall recent or suspicious apps

In addition to compatibility issues, programs may conflict with each other, causing blue screen errors like Kernel mode heap corruption. For example, if you have multiple antivirus programs installed, and each comes with a real-time engine, then the apps will likely crash.

Similar problems can be caused by suspicious applications, such as free antivirus or VPN tools for Windows. What you have to do is remove the guilty tools to restore your computer’s stability.

How to uninstall recent programs:

1. Right-click the Start button and go to Apps and Features
2. Set Sort by to Install date (newest first)
3. Click the first unknown or suspicious program in the list and click Uninstall
4. Click Uninstall again to confirm and follow the on-screen instructions
5. Reboot your PC. If you still get BSOD errors, remove the next suspicious program from the list.

6. Disable startup apps

Startup programs can be problematic because they activate specific processes and services before Windows fully boots. To eliminate this risk, you should prevent applications from automatically running every time you turn on your computer, especially the ones with Internet access like security programs.

How to deactivate startup programs:

1. Right-click the Windows 10 taskbar and go to Task Manager
2. Switch to the Startup tab
3. Click the Status column to sort all apps by status (Enabled first)
4. Select each startup app with the Enabled status and click Disable
5. Restart your PC and check for BSOD errors

7. Uninstall Windows updates

Although Microsoft has noble attempts when it comes to releasing Windows updates, it sometimes fails miserably. Many users report experiencing computer problems with certain system updates, including blue screen errors.

What you can do is uninstall the most recent updates in order to restore the stability of your operating system. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Press Win key + R, type control panel, and hit Enter
2. Click Programs and Features
3. Click View installed updates
4. Click the Installed On column to sort the items (newest first)
5. Double-click the first entry. When prompted to confirm the uninstall, click Yes

8. Run Windows Update

On the other hand, if your operating system is outdated, it’s no wonder that you receive blue screen errors such as Kernel mode heap corruption. It’s necessary to equip your computer with the latest features, improvements, hotfixes, and security patches to get it working properly.

How to use Windows Update:

1. Press the Windows key, type check for updates, and press Enter
2. Windows should start looking for updates right away. Wait until the task is complete
3. If there are any pending updates, click Download. It might take a while, so make sure to not turn off or restart your PC during this time
4. When the updates are complete, Windows will prompt you to reboot your PC. You might have to do this several times
5. Check if you still receive blue screen errors

9. Fix the system memory

System memory issues affect the entire operating system and running applications. In certain cases, they can even lead to blue screen errors such as Kernel mode heap corruption.

However, you can swiftly check your RAM and fix any errors by turning to a practical tool built into the operating system: Windows Memory Diagnostic. Here’s how to use it:

1. Save all ongoing projects and exit all applications
2. Press the Windows key, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, and hit Enter to launch this app
3. Click Restart now and check for problems (recommended)
4. Wait until the diagnosis tool does its job during reboot
5. Check your PC for BSOD errors

If you prefer a more advanced tool that shows you in-depth information about your memory card, we suggest using MemTest86.

10. Fix corrupt hard disk and system files

Bad sectors on your hard disk or corrupt files in your operating system can lead to severe PC performance issues as well as Blue Screen of Death errors like Kernel mode heap corruption.

However, it’s possible to fix HDD and OS errors without having to resort to third-party software applications. Windows has built-in repair tools called CHKDSK (Check Disk), SFC (System File Checker), and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management).

How to fix HDD errors with CHKDSK:

1. Press Win key + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch Command Prompt as admin
2. Type chkdsk c: /f. If your OS is installed on another partition, replace c: with the correct driver letter. Press Enter
3. When asked to confirm the scheduled task at the next system reboot, type y and hit Enter
4. Restart your computer

You can count on CHKDSK to repair damaged files that led to hard drive failure. However, if it doesn’t solve your BSOD problem, you should turn to SFC.

How to fix system errors with SFC:

1. Open Command Prompt as admin
2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter
3. Wait until the tool does its job
4. Exit CMD and reboot your PC

CHKDSK should fix common issues with the system files. But if stop code Kernel mode heap corruption is persistent after using this tool, proceed with DISM.

How to fix component store errors with DISM:

1. Launch CMD with elevation rights
2. Run DISM /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth and wait until the scan is complete
3. If it reports any issues, fix them by running DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
4. Restart your computer and relaunch CMD as admin
5. Run SFC and restart your PC one last time

11. Disable overclocking

Overclocking tools are used by gamers to get more juice out of their hardware, in order to improve their gaming performance. However, if it’s not done properly and if a cooling system isn’t supplied, your computer will start displaying blue screen errors to protect itself from overheating.

To fix this problem, you can either amp up your cooler, double-check overclocking settings, or turn off overclocking altogether. The last option is the surest one.

If you have a third-party overclocking tool installed, make sure to turn it off and reset the clock parameters to normal. Otherwise, you can disable overclocking in BIOS.

12. Restore BIOS to default

Since we’re on the topic of BIOS, it’s a good idea to reset its options to default if you or someone else with access to your computer has tampered with BIOS settings.

If you don’t have advanced skills to know exactly what you’re doing there, you could end up causing BSOD errors such as Kernel mode heap corruption. Here’s how to reset BIOS to default:

1. Reboot your PC and, before Windows starts, quickly press the key or key combination displayed on the screen to enter your computer’s BIOS mode
2. Locate the advanced settings
3. Enable the option that resets configuration data
4. Save the current BIOS settings and exit
5. Wait until Windows boots and check for BSOD errors

13. Update BIOS

It may not seem like it, but BIOS is a very important part of your operating system. And, just like Windows, it needs to be updated every now and then to avoid compatibility and stability issues. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Press the Windows key, type system information, and press Enter to open this app
2. Go to System Summary and write down the BIOS Version/Date
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