How to Fix PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA in Windows 10/11 (6 Proven Fixes)

Adam LaFoute

May 14, 2026

Getting a PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA blue screen on Windows? This crash means Windows tried to access a section of memory that was supposed to be available at all times, but was not there. The system cannot recover from this on its own, so it forces a full restart.

This error almost always points to a driver problem, a software conflict (antivirus is a common one), faulty RAM, or a corrupted system file. It shows up frequently after driver updates, new hardware installs, or after antivirus software makes a change in the background.

This guide covers the most effective fixes in order from quickest to most thorough. Most people solve it by Fix 2 or Fix 3. If the error started right after a driver update or software install, start there.

What This Error Means at a Glance

Windows tried to access memory in the nonpaged area that was not present in RAM.
Most common causes: bad or outdated drivers, antivirus conflicts, corrupted system files.
Less common causes: faulty RAM, failing hard drive or SSD, bad Windows update.
The nonpaged area is a section of RAM Windows reserves for critical operations. It must always be accessible.
Affects Windows 10 and Windows 11. Very common after driver updates or new software installs.

Error Type

BSOD / Memory Access

Root Cause

Drivers / RAM / Software

Affects

Windows 10 / 11

Difficulty

Beginner to intermediate

Time to Fix

10 min – several hours

Video: How to Fix PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA on Windows

Watch the full fix walkthrough for PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA on Windows 10 and 11, covering driver rollback, SFC scan, RAM testing, and antivirus conflict steps shown below.

🛠️ Tip: Want a faster way? Try a trusted repair utility like Malwarebytes Premium to automatically fix broken Windows components.

What Causes PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA?

This error has several possible causes. Knowing which one fits your situation helps you skip straight to the right fix. Check the list below before working through the numbered steps.

Bad or Outdated Drivers (Most Common)

A driver running in the core of Windows can trigger this error if it tries to access memory incorrectly. GPU drivers, storage drivers, network drivers, and chipset drivers are the most frequent offenders. If the crash started after a driver update, rolling it back is usually the fastest fix.

Antivirus or Security Software Conflict

Security tools hook deep into Windows memory to scan for threats. Some antivirus programs, VPN clients, and firewall tools do this in ways that conflict with the nonpaged area. This is one of the more common non-driver causes of this specific blue screen, especially after a security software update.

Corrupted System Files

Windows system files that get corrupted by a bad update, a sudden power loss, or a forced shutdown can cause drivers or processes to reference memory that is no longer where they expect it. SFC and DISM can scan and repair these files without reinstalling Windows.

Faulty RAM

Bad memory can cause the nonpaged area to return corrupted data when Windows reads from it. RAM problems tend to produce random crashes with no clear pattern. If crashes happen at unpredictable times and other fixes have not helped, testing your RAM is the next step.

Failing Hard Drive or SSD

When Windows reads a file from a drive with bad sectors, the read can fail and crash whatever process depended on it. A drive check takes ten minutes and can rule this out quickly. CrystalDiskInfo (free) gives you the clearest picture of drive health.

Failed or Interrupted Windows Update

A Windows update that did not finish cleanly can leave system files or drivers in a broken state. If the error appeared immediately after an update, rolling back that update using Windows Update history or System Restore is worth trying before anything else.

How to Fix PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Error

Work through these fixes in order. Most people are done by Fix 2 or Fix 3.

Do a Clean Restart and Check for Software Conflicts

Before anything else, rule out a one-time glitch and third-party software conflicts. A full shutdown and clean boot takes five minutes and sometimes resolves the error entirely.

Step 1. Do a full shutdown (not restart): click Start, hold Shift, and click Shut down. Wait 30 seconds, then power on. This clears the fast startup cache that a regular restart leaves in place.
Step 2. If the crash comes back, open System Configuration by pressing Windows key + R, typing msconfig, and pressing Enter.
Step 3. Go to the Services tab. Check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all. Click OK and restart.
Step 4. If crashes stop with third-party services disabled, re-enable them one group at a time to identify the conflict. Once found, uninstall or update that software.

Tip: Antivirus, VPN clients, and firewall tools are the most common third-party triggers for this specific error. If you installed or updated any security software recently, disable or uninstall it first and see if the crashes stop before doing anything else.

Update or Roll Back Device Drivers

Drivers are the most common cause of PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA. If the error started after a driver update, roll it back immediately. If your drivers are old, updating them is worth trying before going further.

Step 1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
Step 2. Look for any devices with a yellow warning icon. Right-click them and select Update driver.
Step 3. For GPU drivers, go to the NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel website and download the latest driver for your graphics card directly from the manufacturer rather than through Windows Update.
Step 4. If the error started after a specific driver update, right-click the device in Device Manager, select Properties, open the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver.
Step 5. Restart after any driver change and monitor for crashes.

Clean GPU driver reinstall: If you suspect a corrupt GPU driver, download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) from Wagnardsoft, boot into Safe Mode, run DDU to strip the old driver completely, then restart and install a fresh driver from the manufacturer’s site.

Run SFC and DISM to Repair System Files

Corrupted system files can cause drivers and processes to reference memory incorrectly, triggering this blue screen. SFC (System File Checker) scans Windows files and replaces damaged ones. DISM repairs the Windows image that SFC draws replacement files from. Run both, in this order.

Step 1. Click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for it to finish. This takes 10 to 20 minutes. Do not close the window.
Step 3. Once SFC completes, run this DISM command: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Step 4. Restart your PC when both scans finish, then monitor for crashes.

If SFC says it cannot repair files: Run the DISM command first to restore the Windows image, then run SFC again. DISM needs an internet connection to download replacement files from Microsoft.

Uninstall a Recent Windows Update or Use System Restore

If the error appeared right after a Windows update, removing that update is often the fastest fix. System Restore takes your PC back to a saved state before the problem started, without affecting your personal files.

Try System Restore first if you have restore points available.

Search for System Restore in the Start menu and open it. Choose a restore point dated before the error started. System Restore does not delete your personal files, but it will uninstall apps and drivers installed after that date.

Step 1 (Uninstall a specific update). Go to Settings, then Windows Update, then Update History. Click Uninstall updates at the top. Find the most recent update, right-click it, and select Uninstall.
Step 2. Restart your PC after uninstalling the update and check if the error comes back.
Step 3. If the crashes stop but Windows tries to reinstall the same update automatically, use Pause updates in Windows Update settings to give yourself time to check Microsoft’s support pages for a known fix or replacement patch before allowing it back.

Note: Do not leave Windows Update paused permanently. Security patches protect against real threats. Check Microsoft’s release notes for the update that caused the issue before deciding whether to block it long-term.

Test Your RAM for Errors

Faulty RAM is a known hardware cause of PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA. When the nonpaged area of memory contains bad cells, Windows crashes the moment it tries to use them. RAM problems produce random crashes at unpredictable times. If all software fixes have failed, test your memory before looking at anything else.

Step 1 (Quick test). Press Windows key + R, type mdsched, and press Enter. Choose Restart now and check for problems. Windows will reboot and run the memory test automatically.
Step 2 (Thorough test). Download MemTest86 from memtest86.com, write it to a USB drive using the included tool, boot from the USB, and let it run for at least two full passes. One pass takes roughly 30 to 90 minutes depending on how much RAM you have.
Step 3. If MemTest86 reports errors, try removing one RAM stick at a time and re-running the test to find the faulty stick. Replace any stick that fails.
Step 4. Even if RAM passes all tests, try reseating the sticks. Power down, remove each one, and firmly press them back into their slots. A loose connection can produce the same crashes as faulty RAM.

Check Your Hard Drive or SSD for Errors

A drive starting to fail can cause file reads to return bad data, which crashes whatever process depended on that file. A quick drive health check rules this out before you go deeper.

Step 1. Open This PC, right-click your main drive (usually C:), and select Properties.
Step 2. Go to the Tools tab and click Check under Error Checking. Let Windows scan the drive.
Step 3. Download CrystalDiskInfo (free). It reads the drive’s health data directly and flags drives that are starting to fail. A result of Caution or Bad means the drive needs to be replaced.
Step 4. If the drive shows any Bad health or failing sectors, back up your data immediately and replace the drive before doing anything else.

Quick Checklist: What to Try First

Fix	Time Needed	Best If
Clean restart and check software conflicts	5 – 10 min	Error is new or started after a software install
Update or roll back drivers	10 – 20 min	Error started after a driver update
SFC and DISM scan	15 – 30 min	Any situation. Always worth running
Uninstall Windows update or System Restore	15 – 30 min	Error started right after a Windows update
RAM test (MemTest86)	1 – 3 hours	Random crashes with no obvious trigger
Check drive health (CrystalDiskInfo)	10 – 20 min	PC is old, slow to boot, or clicking sounds present

Still Getting PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA? Advanced Steps

Read the minidump file to identify the exact driver or process

Every BSOD creates a small crash log called a minidump. Open Event Viewer (search in Start), go to Windows Logs, then System, and look for Critical errors near the crash time. You can also use WhoCrashed (free from Resplendence) to read minidump files in plain language. It usually names the exact driver or file that caused the crash, which tells you exactly where to focus your fix.

Run a malware scan

Malware can corrupt system drivers or replace them entirely, causing this blue screen. If no hardware test has found a problem and driver fixes have not helped, run a full scan before going further. Windows Defender is a solid start. For a deeper scan that checks for rootkits and hidden infections inside system processes, Malwarebytes Premium is worth running.

🔧 Tip: If Windows Defender is already running, a second-opinion scan from Malwarebytes Premium can catch threats that Defender misses, especially rootkits that replace or hook into system drivers.

Boot into Safe Mode to isolate the cause

Safe Mode loads Windows with only the minimum required drivers and services. If the crashes stop in Safe Mode, a third-party driver or service is the cause. Restart your PC and hold Shift while clicking Restart, then navigate to Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, Startup Settings, and select Safe Mode. From there, use Device Manager to roll back or uninstall the problem driver, or uninstall the conflicting software.

Disable hardware-level memory protection features temporarily

Some older drivers are not compatible with memory integrity (also called HVCI, which is a Windows security feature that isolates the core of the OS in its own protected memory space). Go to Windows Security, open Device Security, then Core isolation details, and toggle off Memory integrity. Restart and check if the crashes stop. If they do, the problem driver is the culprit. Find and update or remove it, then re-enable memory integrity afterward.

Reset Windows as a last resort

If every software fix has failed and hardware tests come back clean, a Windows reset (Settings, System, Recovery, Reset this PC) with the Keep my files option reinstalls Windows while leaving your personal files in place. This fixes deeply corrupted system files that SFC and DISM cannot reach. If crashes continue after a clean install, the fault is hardware and you will need to isolate and replace the failing component.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA mean on Windows?

It means Windows tried to read or write a page of memory that was marked as non-pageable, meaning it should always be in RAM, but it was not there. This usually points to a driver bug, faulty RAM, or a corrupted system file. The nonpaged area is a section of RAM that Windows reserves for critical operations. When something tries to access it incorrectly, Windows stops everything and forces a restart.

What causes PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA most often?

Bad or outdated drivers are the most common cause, especially GPU, storage, and chipset drivers. Antivirus and security software can also trigger it by hooking into memory in ways that conflict with Windows. Faulty RAM, corrupted system files, and failing hard drives are less common but produce the same crash. If it started after a driver update or a new software install, that is almost certainly the cause.

Can antivirus software cause PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA?

Yes. Security software runs deep in the system and can interfere with memory access in ways that trigger this exact error. If you installed or updated antivirus software recently and the crashes started shortly after, try disabling it temporarily or uninstalling it to see if the crashes stop. This is one of the more common non-driver causes of this blue screen.

Will PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA delete my files?

No. The blue screen itself does not delete or damage your files. Windows forces a restart to protect the system. However, if the underlying cause is faulty RAM or a failing hard drive, your data is at risk from the hardware problem itself. Back up your files before running hardware tests.

How do I fix PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA if I cannot boot into Windows?

Boot from a Windows installation USB, choose Repair your computer, then open Command Prompt from Advanced Options. From there you can run SFC and DISM, access System Restore, and roll back recent changes. If you can reach Safe Mode by holding Shift while clicking Restart and navigating to Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, Startup Settings, use that first since Safe Mode is easier to work in than the recovery environment.

Can PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA be caused by hardware?

Yes. Faulty RAM is a known hardware cause, and a failing hard drive or SSD can produce it too. If all driver and software fixes fail, run MemTest86 from a USB drive to test your RAM, and use CrystalDiskInfo to check drive health. A result of Caution or Bad on either tool means the hardware needs to be replaced.

Is PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA fixable without reinstalling Windows?

In most cases, yes. Updating or rolling back drivers, running SFC and DISM, and removing conflicting software resolve the majority of cases. A full Windows reinstall is only needed when system files are too damaged to repair and no other fix works. Always try the software fixes first before resetting Windows.