Encountering a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is nobody’s idea of fun, but often times the issue is not as bad as many think. Take, for instance, BSOD caused by Ntoskrnl.exe. For sure, it’s easy to hit the panic button when “ntoskrnl.exe file is missing” error message fills up your screen, but despite it being a BSOD error, you can fix it yourself. And this post shows you exactly what you need to do.

So, let’s dig in.

What is Ntoskrnl.exe?

Windows NT Operating System Kernel, or ntoskrnl.exe, is a critical Windows component. Among other system services, it is responsible for process and memory management, and hardware abstraction.

Ntoskrnl.exe consists of:

• Kernel
• Cache manager
• Memory manager
• Security reference monitor
• Executive
• Scheduler

If you’re wondering why your computer crashes when the “ntoskrnl.exe error is missing” error occurs, the reason is simple: Ntoskrnl.exe is an integral component of the Windows operating system. It’s not uncommon for the issue to occur again and again. You may also see a “Memory management” error code on your screen.

Ntoskrnl.exe BSOD in Windows 11

When your computer boots, the screen goes entirely blue and the following error message appears.

The Ntoskrnl.exe BSOD error can occur due to a number of reasons, including:

• Faulty RAM
• Outdated, corrupt, or incompatible device drivers
• Corrupt system files
• Overclocking your devices
• Your local storage and RAM aren’t able to keep up with your PC’s activities

Regardless of the root cause, typically following symptoms are noticed before the BSOD error occurs:

• High CPU usage
• Slow computer performance
• Random Windows reboots

Then, finally the “ntoskrnl.exe file is missing” error appears during system boot.

How to Fix Ntoskrnl.exe Error in Windows 11?

Ntoskrnl.exe error can be resolved in many ways. However, it’s not possible to tell which of the below-mentioned solutions will work for you. Therefore, it would be best to try these solutions one by one. While not mandatory, it’s advisable that you try the solutions in the order they appear below.

Solution 1 – Run a Virus Scan

Since virus and malware infection can cause ntoskrnl.exe error, we recommend you start by running a virus scan. If you are using Windows Defender (a built-in security tool in Windows), you can follow the steps listed below. If you are using a third-party tool, check it’s user manual to find out how to run a virus scan.

• In the Start Search bar, type Windows Security and press Enter
• Click Virus and Threat Protection

• In the next window, click Scan options

• Select Full scan
• Select scan now
• Wait for the scanning process to complete. If Windows Defender finds any threats, it will quarantine them

Solution 2 – Run Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

The Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool is an in-built application that helps identify and diagnose problem with RAM.

Here’s how you can launch it.

• Press Windows + R keys
• In the Run dialog box, type mdsched.exe and press Enter
• Select the first option in the Windows Memory Diagnostic window: Restart now and check for problems (recommended)

• Windows will restart and the diagnostic tool will run the scan automatically. Wait for the scan to finish. It could take anywhere between a few minutes to an hour, depending on the RAM size

Solution 3 – Run SFC

SFC stands for System File Checker, a built-in tool in Windows that scans and repairs corrupt system files.

Before you run SFC, you need to boot to Command Prompt in Windows 11. If you are getting a blue screen when you start your PC, perform these steps to boot to Command Prompt.

• Enter the Windows recovery environment. Turn the PC on and off 3 times. Turn off the PC when the Windows logo appears not before it. After the 3^rd time, Windows 11 will boot into the diagnostic mode.
• Now click Advanced options
• Then click Troubleshoot | Advanced options | Command Prompt

• The Command Prompt will load immediately

If you can boot, starting Command Prompt is relatively simple. Just follow these steps:

• Type cmd in the Start Search bar
• Right-click the first entry in the list and select Run as administrator

• Command Prompt will start immediately

Once you have launched Command Prompt, perform these steps to run SFC.

• Type sfc /scannow in the Command Prompt and press Enter

• The System File Checker tool will scan the computer for corrupt system files. If such files are found, the tool will restore them automatically

If the ntoskrnl.exe error persists after running the SFC scan, move on to the next solution.

Solution 4 – Run CHKDSK Command

Ntoskrnl.exe error can also occur due to an incorrect or defective HDD. If this is the case, running the CHKDSK command can help. CHKDSK (check disk) is a built-in Windows utility that scans for and repairs system errors. It lets you check the hard driver for errors in Windows 11, especially system errors that occur because the files aren’t at the stored where they’re supposed to.

• Boot to Command Prompt in Windows 11
• In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk /r /r D: and press the Enter key

• Wait for CHKDSK to scan the computer
• Once the scan is complete, restart your computer

If the error still persists, try resetting the Overclocking Settings

Solution 5 – Reset Overclocking Settings

One of the common causes behind the “ntoskrnl.exe is missing” is overclocked CPUs. For this reason, resetting the overclocking parameters is worth the effort.

• Restart Windows
• When a message indicating the key to access BIOS appears on your screen (e.g. Press F2 to enter BIOS), press that key (Depending on your computer, you may have to press the F2, F10, or Del key)
• The BIOS setup utility screen will appear immediately
• Now press the F9 key to load default factory settings
• Windows will ask you to confirm your action; click the Yes button
• Press the F10 key to save the changes and close the BIOS setup utility screen

Solution 6 – Uninstall Windows Update

If you are receiving the error after you’ve installed a Windows update and are able to boot Windows after receiving the error, uninstalling the recent Windows update may fix the issue.

• Press Windows + I keys to launch the Settings window
• Click Windows Update

• Click Update history in the right pane

• Scroll down in the Update history until you see the Uninstall updates option (below Related Settings) and then click Uninstall updates

• Uninstall the most recent updates by clicking the Uninstall option next to them

Solution 7 – Update Device Drivers

If none of the previous solutions has worked for you, we recommend you to update device drivers. This is because the ntoskrnl.exe BSOD error can arise due to outdated, corrupt, or incompatible device drivers.

Windows include a built-in utility called Device Manager that allows you update device drivers. However, we recommend you use a reliable driver update tool instead of Device Manager. The main reason for this is that since you don’t know which device driver is causing the ntoskrnl.exe error, you’ll have to update the driver for all the installed devices separately, which can be cumbersome to say the least.

Nonetheless, if you want to go the manual route, here’s how you can update device drivers using Device Manager.

• Type devmgmt.msc in the Start Search bar and press Enter
• Expand the first category in the list and right-click all the listed devices under it one-by-one and select Update driver

• In the Update Drivers window, select Search automatically for drivers

• Windows will search your computer for the best available driver and install it. If the best available driver is already installed, you’ll see the following message on your screen
• Repeat the process for all the listed devices

If the idea of spending hours manually updating device drivers doesn’t sound appealing, give Driver Updater a try. It is one of the most advanced driver update tool out there and will update all outdated device drivers in just a few minutes.

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

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