How to fix BAD_POOL_CALLER error in Windows 10

What is BAD_POOL_CALLER error

BAD_POOL_CALLER is one of many STOP code errors that crashes your PC after playing a videogame, initiating programs, or running some activity around the system. Even browsing through some web pages may result in BAD_POOL_CALLER error and fault your PC into well-known Blue Screen of Death. Windows does it to avoid potential damage to your system and hardware once it spots there is a threat. Then, it takes a couple of seconds before Windows collects some data and boots you back to the desktop. As a rule, the basic restart is not enough to forget about the problem, so you are likely to receive it again at some point of usage. The most common reasons for such errors end up being outdated or malfunctioned drivers, corrupted or missing system files, incompatibility issues, and other problems with updates, or hardware. If you are facing the same or similar issue, then follow our solutions presented below. Unfortunately, there is no single method to all of the problems. You should try each of them until you find the one resolving the error.

1. Delete recently installed programs

If you suspect the issue started to appear upon installation of some third-party software, then try to delete or turn it off. It can be an app or antivirus that works in the background causing some incompatibility issues. To delete an application in Windows 10, follow these simple steps:

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu choose Programs and Features.
3. Find the name of a program you installed recently, right-click on it and press the Uninstall button.
4. Confirm follow-up windows if any of them appear and check if the BAD_POOL_CALLER error appears again at the end of removal.

If you cannot boot or log in to Windows

In many cases, BAD_POOL_CALLER error appears right after boot up or logging in and won’t allow users to perform any actions in Normal Mode. In this case, you can load your system in Safe Mode or Safe Mode with networking. BAD_POOL_CALLER error won’t appear in these special technical modes, which will allow you to troubleshoot the error. Safe Mode with networking loads network device drivers and in this mode you will be able to download the necessary software. To boot in Safe Mode do the following:

1. Reboot your computer.
2. While it starts booting press F8 button.
3. This will open Advanced Boot Options menu.
4. Choose Safe Mode and wait until Windows loads.
5. Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program and remove recently installed program.

>> See detailed instructions and video tutorial on how to boot in Safe Mode

Before moving to further solutions, it is also worth scanning your system for malicious presence. Various infections are prone to cause malfunctions inside of the system, which leads to different problems including the BAD_POOL_CALLER error. We recommend you to use Malwarebytes – trusted and effective antivirus that has advanced protection algorithms to fight off both local and global threats. You can download it using the link below and try a 14-day trial of the ultimate antimalware experience for free.

Download Malwarebytes

2. Uninstall recent updates

In case there was some Windows update installed right before BAD_POOL_CALLER started its presence, you can try to remove it and see if this helps. No updates are perfect and sometimes can be released with bugs and flaws making certain system components run into vivid issues. It is also possible you do not remember any new update installed. However, Windows may install new patches in automatic mode when shutting your PC before going to sleep, so it is worth checking regardless. Also, if you have pending updates that have not been downloaded just yet, make sure to install them instead of deleting any. It is possible these updates contain special fixes to resolve your error.

To uninstall recent updates:

1. Press Windows Key + I buttons to open Settings and choose Update & Security.
2. Then, in Windows Update, click View update history on the right pane.
3. Choose Uninstall updates on top and delete the most recent update by date of installation.
4. Now you can reboot your PC and open the problematic application again.

To install fresh updates:

1. Press Windows + I combination and choose Update & Security the same way we did above.
2. Then go to Windows Update and click on the Check for updates button. If your Windows found new updates automatically, just click on Install/Download and follow on-screen instructions.

We hope that after performing these steps, the BAD_POOL_CALLER error is no longer showing its presence to you.

3. Update or roll back drivers

Since we got into the topic of updating and turning things back, try to run the same pattern with drivers. It is no news that drivers play an extremely important role in the proper operation of physical components. Graphic cards, processors, and other elements can run flawless and stable only with drivers. This is why it is important to keep them up-to-date by running regular updates. Just like with Windows updates, newly-installed drivers may be bugged or badly configured for certain games leading to conflict. Most often it is Display drivers causing the issue, so you should try to update or roll them back first. Both options can be found below:

To update drivers manually:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu button and select Device Manager.
2. In the opened tab right-click on all drivers, choose Update Driver, and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Windows will start searching for available updates and automatically install them on your computer.
4. Sometimes there are malfunctioned drivers (marked with a yellow triangle), which means you should update them in the first order.

To roll back drivers:

If you know which driver has been updated recently, you can find and roll it back to the previous version.

1. Navigate to Device Manager as we did above.
2. Locate and right-click on a previously updated driver.
3. Choose Roll Back Driver and follow instructions.
4. Once finished, reboot your PC and see if the problem dissipates.

You can also use IObit Driver Booster to perform automatic updates. It is way faster than going through the manual process because this utility will take the entire task of updating aged or malfunctioned drivers onto its shoulders. Download it via the link below and try it for free.

Download Driver Booster

4. Check integrity of system files

The whole Windows system is correlated with various files that are responsible for proper communication and function between many activities. If some important files are missing, they can become the cause for potential errors in different segments. Error BAD_POOL_CALLER may have exactly this origin of appearance. This is why it is worth checking if your file system is complete and does not lack any crucial files. Below, we are going to use both SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management), which will detect and restore absent components, if any. Make sure to use both of these scans using the sequence below (they can have a different impact on resolving the issue):

SFC

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching box next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Once the console is opened, type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
4. When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.

DISM

1. Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
4. Once done, restart your PC and install the update again.

5. Scan your hard drive for damaged fragments

Because we already used Command Prompt in the previous method, let’s check your hard drive for damage as well. Here is how:

1. Open Command Prompt just as we did above.
2. Then, you should paste the chkdsk /f /r C: command and press Enter. If necessary, replace “C” with the letter of your hard drive.
3. The system will scan for both configuration and physical errors and automatically repair them.

Now try to run the problematic app or other action to see if anything changed. Still no result? – Move on to consecutive methods below.

6. Run Windows Memory Diagnostics

To continue the topic of damage, there is another big thing that could be the culprit. The name of the culprit is damaged RAM, which is very important for many processes running across your entire system. This is why it is a good idea to check if there are some problems with RAM by running the in-built Memory Diagnostics utility.

1. Type Windows Memory Diagnostic into the search bar next to Start Menu.
2. After opening, you will see a new tab that presents two options. Choose the Recommended one.
3. Windows will scan your RAM for errors and instantly restore them.

Then, restart your system and check if the problem appears again. We hope it is no longer your headache.

7. Unplug external devices and Update their drivers

If you stumble across the problem while having some external devices like USB Drives connected to your PC, try to remove them and check whether something has changed. While it may be simply a coincidence, errors like BAD_POOL_CALLER may happen due to device problems. Usually, they are caused by the same outdated or completely non-present drivers we mentioned above. Therefore, it is important to make sure all devices plugged into your PC are supplied with new and flawless drivers. Refer back to the 3rd solution above to see how to update them manually or with the help of IObit Driver Booster.

8. Roll back to flawless experience via System Restore Point

If no proposed solutions help you resolve the problem, the only and best thing to eliminate the issue is to restart your PC with a backup point when everything worked without problems. Some users receive new errors after some updates or manual changes that remain unnoticed and therefore hard to fix. This is why it is a good idea to use a restore point for the recovery instead.

1. Right-click on This PC and choose Properties.
2. In the opened window, go to System Protection and click on System Restore.
3. Then, click Next and choose the date you remember working without a problem. You can also click on Scan for affected programs, which will show what might be changed after running a restore.
4. When done, click Next and start the System Restore.

Summary

We hope BAD_POOL_CALLER error does not knock on the door any longer. Keep in mind that sometimes BSOD errors appear due to overheating. Windows may force an instant reboot to prevent high temperatures from hitting your PC. This is why it is recommended to run planned cleaning from dust and other particles that accumulate on various components. You should also be sure that your cooling system works without problems. If not, you will probably need to update it. Even if high temperatures are actually not related to the error appearance, you should still maintain them between 60-75C to avoid damage and extend the life of your computer in the future. Besides that, overheating can be caused by malware that loads a lot of resources and pressures the system. We hope you already scanned your system and crossed this possibility out of the list.