How to fix “Page fault in non paged area” error

Posted on April 23, 2009 at 5:33 am

I was recently working on a client PC and had to restart it due to a new application install. Upon restart, however, the computer blue-screened and displayed the following error message:

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

STOP: 0×00000050 (0xCD3DD628, 0×00000001, 0×804EFC9A, 0×00000000)

At first, I thought this was something to do with the application we just installed, so I decided to restart the computer in Safe Mode and uninstall the app. It seemed to have worked because the BSOD went away, but only for a short time.

After a few more restarts, the message came back again! After doing some research, I found out that this error message basically means that Windows is trying to find a piece of data in memory and it cannot be found.

According to Microsoft, this error can be caused by faulty hardware, anti-virus software, a corrupted NTFS volume or a bad system service.

One thing to quickly determine the issue is if you recently installed any new hardware on the computer, such as a video card, RAM chips, etc. If so, it means that there is something wrong with the hardware, most likely defective.

In my case, it was faulty RAM and I was able to figure that out because I removed one stick of RAM at a time and then restarted the computer. After the bad one was removed, the computer booted up fine.

If it’s a bad driver install, you can press F8 and choose the Last Known Good Configuration option, which will roll back any recent driver installs or registry changes.

If it’s a system service causing the error, you can login using Safe Mode and then go to Services under Administrative Tools in the Control Panel and disable the appropriate service.

If you’re still having issues with this problem, post a comment and I’ll try to help out. Enjoy!

» Filed Under Computer Tips

Comments

8 Responses to “How to fix “Page fault in non paged area” error”

Johnny Guru said on : April 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

First a kudo for writing some very interesting and useful posts. I noted in a recent one,”Page_fault_in_non-paged_area,” that readers are invited to post additional questions. Being a subscriber receiving these items via e-mail, I see no “link” to initiate a post back. I got to the one I’m using now by visiting the web site —

http://www.online-tech-tips.co.....r/#respond

Suggestion: Can you add this option for e-mail subscribers?

Victoria said on : August 7th, 2009 at 6:31 pm

I am getting the same error. It had been deteremined to be caused by an update to my antivirus.firewall program…Eset. Unfortunately, after uninstalling the program, I now cannot boot to windows at all. I can occasionaly get in to safe mode, but not normal mode. I keep getting kicked back to the F8 screen.

Can you help me? I have not boot disks.

peter gillham said on : August 10th, 2009 at 2:25 pm

page fault in non paged area. However i cannot boot in safe mode or previous last known, keeps reverting back to F8 .Windows goes through the motions but stops.

Any suggestions ?

Andrew said on : August 12th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

Hello! First of all nice guide, but the problem I’m having is that I cannot use Last Known Good configuation or go into safe mode or any other mode. I cannot boot to Windows at all! Any other suggestion?

Scotty said on : September 9th, 2009 at 1:11 am

Greetings & Salutations to one & all:

I used to be very proficient on the computer, but with all of the vast changes that have taken place, I am at a lower level than a novice.

My 1-year old Gateway computer developed the BSOD terminal disease. I have files on that computer that I do not want to lose, so restoring to out-of-the-box condition is out of the equation.

I have downloaded “Registry Cleaners”, purchased one of them when it said that I had over 2,000 errors, but that didn’t stop the ever-growing BSOD monster.

In the end, I bought a used Dell off of a fellow who had it listed in Craigslist. The Gateway sits right beside the Dell, the BSOD staring at me like some sort of a prison guard, or worse yet, an executioner.

I have done everything I know, short of blasting the plagued thing into eternity. I do not know how to figure out which file, gig, or whatever the heck it is that has the problem that results into the BSOD.

Will someone PLEASE help me before the Mossberg 500 gets a shot at it??

Thank y’all, and be at peace.

“Beam Me Up” Scotty “to Mister” Rogers “neighborhood”.
(My name is Scotty Rogers).

Michelle Baiko said on : September 10th, 2009 at 5:41 pm

I am having the same issue/error code. I recently replaced a broken screen on my laptop with a used one. I have had “Page fault in non-paged area” issues such as this ever since. Could this possibly be the “bad hardware” of which you are referring to? The screen works fine.

Rubytuesday22 said on : November 8th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

Hi

Can you advise me because both my laptop and desktop pc come up with excatly same error within a day of each other, “Page fault in non-paged area”? Only link is a removable drive used on both to store and retrieve files from.

Help very much needed as I cannot boot either into Windows and need to save files from pc.

nana said on : November 19th, 2009 at 9:52 am

I am installing Windows and it it keeps on telling me page error in non page area and stops the process….I need help!