Windows BSOD Error 0x000000D0 — DRIVER_CORRUPTED_MMPOOL Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

The 0x000000D0 blue screen means a driver accessed a section of kernel memory (called the memory pool) at a time when it was not allowed to. The kernel memory pool is a reserved area that Windows uses to run core system operations. Drivers must follow strict rules about when and how they can access this pool. When a driver breaks those rules, Windows crashes immediately to prevent memory corruption from spreading. This is almost always a driver bug.

Affected Models

Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows 8.1
Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2019

Common Causes

A faulty or outdated device driver is accessing kernel pool memory at an illegal IRQL (interrupt request level)
A recently installed driver update introduced a bug that causes incorrect memory pool access
Third-party antivirus or system utility software is using a kernel driver that has a memory management bug
Overclocked hardware is causing timing errors that corrupt the memory pool during driver operations
Faulty physical RAM is corrupting kernel pool allocations, causing drivers to read or write invalid data

How to Fix It

Note the driver filename shown on the blue screen (it ends in .sys). If you can read it, search online for that filename to identify which hardware or software it belongs to.

Common culprits include graphics drivers (nvlddmkm.sys for NVIDIA, atikmdag.sys for AMD), network drivers, and third-party security software drivers.
Update your graphics card driver. Go to your GPU manufacturer's website — nvidia.com for NVIDIA, amd.com for AMD — and download the latest driver for your exact graphics card model.

Graphics drivers are the most common cause of this specific BSOD. Always uninstall the old driver first using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) before installing the new one.
Update all other device drivers. Go to Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager), look for any devices with a yellow warning icon, right-click them, and choose 'Update driver.'

Network adapters, chipset drivers, and USB controllers are common secondary causes. Check your PC or motherboard manufacturer's website for the latest versions.
Enable Driver Verifier to identify the exact bad driver. Type 'verifier' in the Start menu, run it as Administrator, choose 'Create standard settings,' then 'Automatically select all drivers installed on this computer.'

Driver Verifier stresses all drivers simultaneously. When the bad one triggers, Windows crashes with much more specific information pointing to that driver. Disable Verifier once you have the information.
Test your RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic. Open the Start menu, type 'Windows Memory Diagnostic,' and run it. Choose to restart and test immediately.

Bad RAM can corrupt the kernel pool even when drivers are perfectly fine. If the memory test reports errors, replacing the faulty RAM stick will stop the crashes.

When to Call a Professional

If you cannot identify the offending driver by name from the blue screen or minidump, a technician can use Windows Debugging Tools (WinDbg) to analyze the crash dump file. The dump file is located at C:\Windows\Minidump and contains the exact driver name and memory address that caused the crash.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the kernel memory pool?

The kernel memory pool is a reserved block of RAM that only the Windows kernel and trusted drivers are allowed to use. It stores critical operating system data structures while the system is running. Think of it as a private workspace for Windows internals — no driver is supposed to wander in and start writing there outside of strict rules. When a driver breaks those rules, Windows crashes immediately to protect the integrity of the entire system.

What does IRQL mean in the context of this error?

IRQL stands for Interrupt Request Level — it is a priority system Windows uses to control which code can run at any given moment. Higher IRQL levels are reserved for time-sensitive hardware operations. Drivers are only allowed to access certain types of memory at certain IRQL levels. This error means a driver tried to touch the memory pool while running at a level where that access is forbidden.

How do I know which driver is causing this?

Look at the blue screen carefully — it sometimes lists the .sys filename of the offending driver. If it disappears too fast, go to Settings > System > About > Advanced System Settings > Startup and Recovery and uncheck 'Automatically restart.' You can also install WhoCrashed (a free tool) which reads the minidump files and tells you the driver name in plain English.