- Software and digital services
- Operating system
DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
Windows DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL on PC: corrupted system pool
Risk level
Medium
Proceed carefully and stop if the check is unclear.
Urgency
High
Quick answer
Windows stopped your PC with value 0x000000C5 because the kernel tried to touch pageable or invalid memory at a process IRQL that was too high after the system pool was corrupted. First check any newly installed software and look for updated drivers on the manufacturer's website.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- Driver Verifier consumes lots of CPU, slows the computer significantly, and can cause additional crashes: never verify all drivers at once, and disable it from Safe Mode if the PC cannot boot to the desktop.
Safe checks you can perform
- Verify any recently installed software
- Check Device Manager and manufacturer driver updates
- Remove newly added hardware and run Windows Update
- Configure Automatic memory dump collection
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Pool-tag tracking with Global Flags and vendor escalation
- Do not attempt this professional task: Crash dump inspection with !analyze and Driver Verifier Special Pool
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Pool-tag tracking with Global Flags and vendor escalation
What they doIf Driver Verifier Special Pool fails to reveal the offending driver, the specialist uses the Global Flags utility to enable special pool by pool tag and works with the hardware or software vendor to update or disable the driver.
They must show youthe pool tag or driver module isolated and the vendor's update or workaround notice.
In writingthe pool tag and driver name, the updated version installed, or which service was disabled.
Crash dump inspection with !analyze and Driver Verifier Special Pool
What they doA technician opens MEMORY.DMP in WinDbg using the Microsoft public symbol server, runs !analyze -v, and if needed enables the Special Pool option of Driver Verifier on groups of 10-20 suspicious drivers.
They must show youthe !analyze -v output showing the 4 parameters of 0x000000C5 and the STACK_TEXT lines.
In writingwhich driver was identified, which Driver Verifier checks were run, and confirmation that Driver Verifier was disabled afterwards.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Verify any recently installed software
- Who:
- you, signed in to Windows after backing up important files.
- How:
- review programs installed shortly before DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL began, confirm they installed properly, and uninstall or update any utility that bundles kernel drivers or system services.
- Result that matters:
- finding out whether a recent software installation triggered the pool corruption.
- If the crashes stop once that program is repaired or removed, contact the software vendor before reinstalling it.
- If the stop error continues without that software, move on to checking manufacturer drivers.
- Evidence to keep:
- name and installation date of the software checked and whether 0x000000C5 recurs.
Evidence: Stop code error or bug check troubleshooting (IT professionals) · Bug Check 0xC5 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
Check Device Manager and manufacturer driver updates
- Who:
- you, from your desktop.
- How:
- right-click Start and select Device Manager to see if any device is marked with an exclamation point (!), then right-click it and select Update driver; also check your PC or component manufacturer's website for updated drivers.
- Result that matters:
- replacing outdated or malfunctioning drivers that may be corrupting the system pool.
- If updating a flagged or outdated driver stops the restarts, keep that driver version in place.
- If updating the driver does not help, try disabling or uninstalling the flagged device in Device Manager.
- Evidence to keep:
- screenshot of Device Manager and the driver versions downloaded from the manufacturer.
Evidence: Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors · Bug Check 0xC5 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
Remove newly added hardware and run Windows Update
- Who:
- you, after shutting down the PC before unplugging hardware.
- How:
- if you added new hardware before the error appeared, shut down the PC, remove the hardware, and restart; then go to Start, Settings, Windows Update and select Check for updates to install all latest updates.
- Result that matters:
- ruling out both an incompatible accessory and a known issue already patched in Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- If restarts end after removing the hardware or installing updates, wait for an updated driver from the vendor before reconnecting it.
- If the crash persists with extra hardware removed and updates installed, make sure crash dump collection is enabled.
- Evidence to keep:
- list of Windows updates installed and the hardware item removed during testing.
Evidence: Stop code error or bug check troubleshooting (IT professionals) · Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors
Configure Automatic memory dump collection
- Who:
- you, from System Properties.
- How:
- select the Taskbar search box, type Advanced system settings and press Enter, open Settings under Startup and Recovery, choose Automatic memory dump under Write debugging information, select OK and restart.
- Result that matters:
- saving %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP on the next crash so a technician can inspect the fault.
- If a MEMORY.DMP file or %SystemRoot%\Minidump files already exist, copy them to another drive for analysis.
- If dump collection was set to (none), leave Automatic memory dump enabled for the next occurrence.
- Evidence to keep:
- screenshot of the Startup and Recovery window and the timestamp of MEMORY.DMP.
Evidence: Stop code error or bug check troubleshooting (IT professionals)
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Software and digital services
- Brand
- Microsoft Windows
- Product type
- Operating system
Known code variants
- 0x000000C5
- 0xC5
- bug check 0xC5
- DRIVER CORRUPTED EXPOOL
- STOP 0x000000C5
- stop code DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
What it means
Microsoft assigns value 0x000000C5 to DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL when the kernel attempts to read (Parameter 3 set to 0) or write (Parameter 3 set to 1) pageable or completely invalid memory while the process IRQL is too high. The underlying cause is almost certainly a driver that has corrupted a small allocation in the system pool, smaller than PAGE_SIZE; larger corrupted allocations trigger bug check 0xD0 (DRIVER_CORRUPTED_MMPOOL) instead. This stop code reflects kernel memory corruption by software, and on its own it never proves that any hardware part is defective.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Mediumsource verified
Driver Verifier consumes lots of CPU, slows the computer significantly, and can cause additional crashes: never verify all drivers at once, and disable it from Safe Mode if the PC cannot boot to the desktop.
Evidence: Stop code error or bug check troubleshooting (IT professionals)
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- A driver corrupting an allocation smaller than PAGE_SIZECommon
Microsoft's reference states that this bug check almost certainly stems from a driver corrupting a small system pool allocation, leaving an invalid address that faults when accessed at high IRQL.
Evidence: Bug Check 0xC5 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
- Recently installed software or outdated device driversCommon
In the resolution steps for 0xC5, Microsoft advises checking whether any newly installed software is properly installed and checking the manufacturer's website for updated drivers.
Evidence: Stop code error or bug check troubleshooting (IT professionals) · Bug Check 0xC5 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
- New hardware or a device flagged in Device ManagerPossible
Microsoft Support notes that unexpected restarts can come from recently added hardware or a device showing an exclamation point (!) in Device Manager.
Evidence: Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors
Virtual technician
Does DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
Stop code error or bug check troubleshooting (IT professionals)
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 2
Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 3
Solución de problemas de reinicios inesperados y errores de código de detención de Windows
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 4
Find your BitLocker recovery key
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 5
Buscar la clave de recuperación de BitLocker
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 6
Resolución avanzada de problemas para errores de código de parada
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 7
Bug Check 0xC5 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
- 8
Comprobación de errores 0xC5 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL
Microsoft · 2026 · official_doc
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