What causes the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD stop code on Windows 10?

The MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD (stop code 0x0000001A) is caused by a critical failure in Windows' internal memory management. The most common causes are: (1) defective or incompatible RAM modules, (2) corrupt or outdated device drivers — especially GPU drivers like nvlddmkm.sys or kernel extensions like fltmgr.sys — writing to protected memory areas, (3) corrupted Windows system files resulting from a failed update or improper shutdown, and (4) a damaged or incorrectly configured virtual memory paging file. Start diagnosis with a RAM test using MemTest86, then check drivers and run SFC/DISM.

My BSOD shows ntoskrnl.exe as the faulting module — what does that mean and how do I fix it?

When ntoskrnl.exe appears as the faulting module in a BSOD minidump, it usually means the Windows kernel itself was the victim of bad data from another component — not that ntoskrnl.exe is corrupt per se. The actual culprit is typically a third-party driver passing invalid memory addresses to the kernel. To fix it: (1) run MemTest86 overnight to rule out bad RAM, (2) use WhoCrashed or WinDbg's !analyze -v to find the true offending driver in the call stack, (3) run SFC /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to rule out system file corruption, and (4) update or uninstall recently changed drivers.

How do I fix a BSOD that started immediately after a Windows 10 update?

Post-update BSODs are common and usually fixable without a full reinstall. First, try to boot into Safe Mode (hold Shift + Restart → Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Startup Settings → F4). From Safe Mode, go to Settings → Update & Security → View Update History → Uninstall Updates and remove the most recent cumulative update. If you cannot boot at all, boot from a Windows 10 USB, choose Repair Your Computer → Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Command Prompt, and run: 'DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth' followed by 'sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows'. You can also use System Restore from Advanced Options if a restore point exists.

What is PFN_LIST_CORRUPT and how is it related to MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD?

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT (stop code 0x0000004E) is a closely related BSOD that occurs when the Page Frame Number database — the kernel's index of every RAM page — becomes inconsistent. It shares root causes with MEMORY_MANAGEMENT (0x0000001A): bad RAM, driver corruption, or storage controller errors writing garbage data to the PFN list. Fix steps are identical: run MemTest86 for RAM, update storage and GPU drivers, run SFC and DISM, reset the paging file, and check the drive for errors with 'chkdsk C: /f /r /x' from an elevated command prompt.

How do I fix KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE BSOD on Windows 10?

KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE (stop code 0x00000139) occurs when Windows detects that a critical data structure has been corrupted — often a stack overflow or a driver violating kernel security policies. To fix it: (1) boot into Safe Mode and check Device Manager for driver issues, (2) update all drivers — especially GPU (nvlddmkm.sys), network, and chipset drivers, (3) run SFC /scannow and DISM RestoreHealth from an elevated command prompt, (4) if a specific driver is named in Event Viewer, uninstall and reinstall it, (5) run chkdsk to rule out disk errors, and (6) test RAM with MemTest86. If the error started after a Windows Update, roll back the update as described in the previous FAQ.

BSOD MEMORY_MANAGEMENT Windows 10: Stop Code 0x0000001A Fix Guide

Fix BSOD MEMORY_MANAGEMENT (0x0000001A) on Windows 10. Step-by-step guide covering RAM tests, driver fixes, SFC, DISM, and registry repairs.

Last updated: March 1, 2026

Last verified: March 1, 2026

2,505 words

Key Takeaways

Root cause 1: Faulty or incompatible RAM modules causing stop code 0x0000001A (MEMORY_MANAGEMENT) — often triggered after a Windows 10 update or new hardware installation.
Root cause 2: Corrupt or outdated device drivers (especially ntoskrnl.exe, nvlddmkm.sys, fltmgr.sys) conflicting with the Windows kernel memory manager, leading to PFN_LIST_CORRUPT or KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE crashes.
Root cause 3: Corrupted Windows system files, bad disk sectors, or misconfigured virtual memory / paging file settings causing repeated UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP or memory management BSODs.
Quick fix summary: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic and MemTest86 to rule out bad RAM, update or roll back GPU and chipset drivers, execute SFC /scannow and DISM RestoreHealth to repair system files, then verify paging file settings and check Event Viewer for the exact stop code and faulting module.

Fix Approaches Compared
Method	When to Use	Time	Risk
Windows Memory Diagnostic	Suspect faulty RAM after crash; first-line hardware check	15–45 min	Low
MemTest86 (bootable)	Windows Memory Diagnostic passes but BSODs persist; thorough RAM validation	2–8 hrs	Low
SFC /scannow	Event Viewer shows ntoskrnl.exe or system file errors; post-update BSODs	10–20 min	Low
DISM RestoreHealth	SFC reports unrepairable files; corruption in component store	20–40 min	Low
Driver rollback / update	BSOD started after driver or Windows update; nvlddmkm.sys or fltmgr.sys in dump	10–30 min	Medium
DDU + clean driver install	Persistent GPU-related BSOD (nvlddmkm.sys) after multiple driver reinstalls	30–60 min	Medium
Virtual memory reconfigure	PFN_LIST_CORRUPT; system-managed paging file causing crashes	5 min	Low
Startup Repair / Recovery	PC unable to boot past BSOD; automatic repair loop	15–30 min	Medium
Clean Windows 10 install	All other methods fail; hardware confirmed good	1–2 hrs	High

Understanding the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD (Stop Code 0x0000001A)

When Windows 10 encounters a severe internal memory management error it cannot recover from, it halts all operations and displays a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) with the stop code MEMORY_MANAGEMENT (0x0000001A). The full error message you will see on screen reads:

Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.
Stop code: MEMORY_MANAGEMENT

Related stop codes that share root causes include:

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT (0x0000004E)
KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE (0x00000139)
UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP (0x0000007F)
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA (0x00000050)

The kernel's memory manager tracks every physical page of RAM using a Page Frame Number (PFN) database. When this database becomes inconsistent — due to bad RAM, a rogue driver writing to protected memory, or corrupted system files — Windows triggers the 0x0000001A stop code rather than risk data corruption.

Step 1: Capture the Exact Stop Code from Event Viewer

Before touching anything, read the crash data Windows already recorded.

Press Win + X → Event Viewer.
Navigate to Windows Logs → System.
Filter by Event ID 41 (unexpected shutdown) and Event ID 1001 (BugCheck).
Open the BugCheck event. Look for a line like: BugcheckCode 26 (hex 0x1A = decimal 26 = MEMORY_MANAGEMENT)
Note the BugcheckParameter1 through Parameter4 values — these narrow the exact sub-fault.

Alternatively, open WinDbg or the free WhoCrashed utility and point it at C:\Windows\Minidump\*.dmp to get a plain-English analysis of the faulting driver or module.

Step 2: Test Your RAM

Faulty RAM is the single most common cause of MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSODs.

Option A — Windows Memory Diagnostic (quick)

Press Win + R → type mdsched.exe → press Enter.
Choose Restart now and check for problems.
On next boot, let the extended test run (press F1 to switch from Basic to Extended).
After restart, check results in Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System → filter for MemoryDiagnostics-Results.

Option B — MemTest86 (thorough, recommended)

Download MemTest86 from memtest86.com and flash it to a USB drive.
Boot from USB and let it run a minimum of 2 full passes (preferably overnight).
Zero errors = RAM is likely healthy. Any errors = replace the failing DIMM(s).

Hardware isolation trick: If you have two RAM sticks, remove one, run Windows for an hour, then swap. This isolates a single bad module without needing test software.

Step 3: Repair System Files with SFC and DISM

Corrupted Windows system files — often caused by a failed Windows 10 update or abrupt shutdown — can corrupt the kernel's memory structures.

Open an elevated Command Prompt (right-click Start → Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)) and run the commands shown in the code block section of this guide.

Key points:

SFC scans protected system files and replaces corrupted ones from a cached copy.
DISM RestoreHealth downloads a clean copy of the component store from Windows Update when SFC's local cache is itself corrupted.
Always run DISM before SFC if the system recently failed a major update.
After both commands complete, restart and monitor for BSODs.

Step 4: Update or Roll Back Device Drivers

Drivers most commonly implicated in MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSODs:

Driver File	Associated Component	Fix Action
`nvlddmkm.sys`	NVIDIA GPU	Update GPU driver via DDU + clean install
`ntoskrnl.exe`	Windows Kernel	Run SFC/DISM; may indicate bad RAM
`fltmgr.sys`	File System Filter Manager	Disable third-party antivirus filters; update or uninstall conflicting AV
`dxgmms2.sys`	DirectX Graphics	Update GPU driver; disable hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling
`storport.sys`	Storage controller	Update chipset and storage controller drivers

To roll back a driver:

Press Win + X → Device Manager.
Expand the relevant category (e.g., Display Adapters).
Right-click the device → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver.

For NVIDIA nvlddmkm.sys BSODs — clean install with DDU:

Boot into Safe Mode (hold Shift while clicking Restart → Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Startup Settings → F4).
Run Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) — select Clean and Restart.
Download and install the latest NVIDIA driver from nvidia.com using the Custom (Advanced) option with Perform a clean installation checked.

Step 5: Reconfigure Virtual Memory (Paging File)

An incorrectly sized or corrupted paging file can trigger PFN_LIST_CORRUPT and MEMORY_MANAGEMENT errors.

Press Win + R → type sysdm.cpl → Enter.
Go to Advanced tab → Performance → Settings → Advanced → Virtual Memory → Change.
Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
Select the system drive (usually C:) → choose No paging file → click Set.
Restart, then go back and set it to System managed size → click Set → OK → Restart.

This effectively resets the paging file and clears any corruption.

Step 6: Check for Windows 10 Update Issues

Post-update BSODs (common search: windows 10 update bsod 2022) are often caused by a partially applied cumulative update.

Go to Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → View Update History.
Note the KB number of the most recent update installed before BSODs began.
Click Uninstall Updates and remove the problematic KB.
Alternatively, from elevated PowerShell: wusa /uninstall /kb:XXXXXXX /quiet /norestart (replace XXXXXXX with the KB number).
After uninstalling, hide the update temporarily via the Show or Hide Updates troubleshooter (download from Microsoft's support site) while waiting for a patched version.

Step 7: BSOD Recovery — When Windows Won't Boot

If the BSOD loop prevents normal boot, use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE):

Force shutdown three times during boot to trigger Automatic Repair, or boot from a Windows 10 USB.
Choose Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Startup Repair — lets Windows auto-fix boot issues.
For manual repair: Advanced Options → Command Prompt, then run SFC and DISM commands from the code block.
System Restore: If a restore point exists from before the BSODs, Advanced Options → System Restore can revert driver and registry changes.
Last resort: Reset this PC (keeps files) or a clean Windows 10 install after confirming hardware health.

Step 8: Advanced — Analyze Minidump Files

For persistent or intermittent BSODs where the cause is unclear, analyze the minidump:

Install WinDbg from the Microsoft Store or Windows SDK.
Set the symbol path: In WinDbg, go to File → Symbol File Path → enter: srv*C:\Symbols*https://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols
Open C:\Windows\Minidump\*.dmp.
Run command: !analyze -v
Look for FAULTING_MODULE and STACK_TEXT to identify the exact driver or process causing the crash.

This is the definitive method used by Microsoft support and experienced SREs to pinpoint intermittent memory management BSODs that simpler tools miss.

Frequently Asked Questions

bash

# ============================================================
# Windows 10 BSOD MEMORY_MANAGEMENT Diagnostic & Fix Commands
# Run all commands from an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell
# (Right-click Start -> Windows PowerShell (Admin))
# ============================================================

# --- STEP 1: Check Windows Error Logs for BSOD Events ---
# View recent BugCheck events (Event ID 1001)
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; Id=1001} | Select-Object -First 10 | Format-List TimeCreated, Message

# View Kernel Power events (unexpected shutdowns, Event ID 41)
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; Id=41} | Select-Object -First 5 | Format-List TimeCreated, Message

# --- STEP 2: Run System File Checker ---
# Scans and repairs corrupted Windows system files
sfc /scannow

# If offline repair is needed (boot from USB, replace C: with actual drive letter):
# sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows

# --- STEP 3: Run DISM to Repair Component Store ---
# Check component store health
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

# Scan component store for corruption
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

# Repair component store (downloads from Windows Update)
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

# After DISM completes, run SFC again to apply repaired files:
sfc /scannow

# --- STEP 4: Check Disk for Errors ---
# Schedule check disk on next restart (replace C: with your drive)
chkdsk C: /f /r /x
# Answer Y when prompted, then restart

# --- STEP 5: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (schedules test on reboot) ---
mdsched.exe
# Or trigger directly from command line:
# shutdown /r /t 0 /f  (after scheduling via mdsched.exe GUI)

# --- STEP 6: Analyze Minidump Files ---
# List available minidump files
Get-ChildItem "C:\Windows\Minidump" -Filter "*.dmp" | Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 5 | Format-Table Name, LastWriteTime, Length

# View crash details from minidumps using PowerShell (requires WinDbg installed)
# Open WinDbg, set symbol path, then run: !analyze -v

# --- STEP 7: Export BugCheck Parameters for Analysis ---
# Extract BugCheck details from System log
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; Id=1001} | Select-Object -First 3 | ForEach-Object {
    Write-Host "Time: $($_.TimeCreated)"
    Write-Host "Message: $($_.Message)"
    Write-Host "---"
}

# --- STEP 8: Uninstall a Problematic Windows Update by KB Number ---
# Replace XXXXXXX with the actual KB number from Update History
# wusa /uninstall /kb:XXXXXXX /quiet /norestart

# --- STEP 9: Reset Virtual Memory / Paging File via PowerShell ---
# View current paging file configuration
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_PageFileSetting | Format-List *

# --- STEP 10: Verify Driver Signature Enforcement is Enabled ---
bcdedit /enum | findstr "nointegritychecks"
# If output shows "nointegritychecks Yes", re-enable with:
# bcdedit /set nointegritychecks off

# --- STEP 11: Check Installed Drivers Sorted by Date (find recent culprits) ---
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object {$_.DeviceName -ne $null} | Sort-Object DriverDate -Descending | Select-Object -First 20 DeviceName, DriverVersion, DriverDate, InfName | Format-Table -AutoSize

# --- STEP 12: Generate Full System Health Report ---
perfmon /report
# Opens Resource and Performance Monitor; generates a detailed HTML report
# Saved to: C:\PerfLogs\System\Diagnostics\

Error Medic Editorial

The Error Medic Editorial team is composed of senior DevOps engineers, SREs, and Windows system administrators with over 15 years of combined experience diagnosing and resolving OS-level failures across enterprise and consumer environments. Our guides are built from real-world incident postmortems, Microsoft documentation, and community-verified fixes — giving you actionable steps that actually work rather than generic advice.

Sources

Explore More windows Guides

Acer Aspire Blue Screen of Death Fix: How to Stop BSOD Crashes on Acer Laptops

Fix Acer Aspire Blue Screen of Death errors fast. Step-by-step guide covering driver updates, RAM checks, overheating, and Windows repair commands.

Acer Aspire Blue Screen of Death Fix: Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide (BSOD Errors Solved)

Fix Acer Aspire blue screen of death errors fast. Covers MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, DRIVER_IRQL, KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK and more. Step-by-step commands included.

Acer Aspire Blue Screen of Death Fix: Stop Codes, Causes & Complete Solutions

Fix Acer Aspire Blue Screen of Death errors fast. Covers MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, DRIVER_IRQL, KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE & more with exact commands.