DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL (0xC5)
What is this error?
A driver corrupted pool memory. The system detected memory corruption in the executive pool.
Common causes
- buggy driver writing past allocated buffer
- corrupted RAM
- driver compatibility issue
How to fix it
- Update all drivers
- run memtest86
- check for recently installed drivers
- run Driver Verifier
Too many steps? Crashless can diagnose this automatically — checks your drivers, temps, VRAM, and 400+ known error patterns.
Get free AI diagnosis Detailed analysis
Bug check 0x000000C5 (DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL) means a driver corrupted the kernel memory pool by writing to memory it already freed, or overflowing a buffer. This is always a driver bug.
How to fix it:
- Check the minidump for the faulting driver — this BSOD almost always identifies the specific driver
- Update the identified driver from the manufacturer's website
- If the faulting driver is part of an antivirus or security suite, temporarily uninstall it completely
- Common culprits: antivirus file system filter drivers, VPN drivers, disk encryption drivers
- Update ALL third-party kernel drivers: GPU, network, storage, chipset
- Run memtest86 — while this is a driver bug, corrupted RAM can cause drivers to misbehave
- If the faulting module is a Windows driver (ntoskrnl.exe, ntfs.sys), run 'sfc /scannow' and 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth'
- Disable any overclocking — unstable memory can trigger pool corruption
When to seek help
If this error keeps happening after trying the fixes above, it may point to a deeper hardware or system issue. Consider professional help if:
- The crash occurs across multiple games or applications
- You see the same error after a clean Windows install
- Your PC is less than a year old (could be a warranty issue)
- You smell burning or hear unusual sounds from your PC
Or let Crashless do the deep analysis for you -- our AI checks drivers, temps, event logs, and 400+ known patterns automatically.
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