How to Fix Page Fault in Nonpaged Area on Windows

What Causes This?

The Page Fault in Nonpaged Area error usually means Windows tried to access data in memory that should always be available, but it could not read it correctly. This is commonly caused by faulty RAM, damaged system files, bad disk sectors, outdated drivers, or problems with the paging file. In some cases, antivirus software, recent hardware changes, or overclocking can also trigger the crash.

Common Symptoms

• A blue screen with the message Page Fault in Nonpaged Area
• Random restarts or crashes during startup
• Freezing when opening apps or moving large files
• Errors appearing after a driver update or Windows update
• Slow performance after the PC recovers from the crash

How to Fix It Manually

1. Boot into Safe Mode if Windows keeps crashing

   1. Hold Shift and click Restart from the Start menu or sign-in screen.
   2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
   3. Press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
   4. If the PC is stable in Safe Mode, the issue is often caused by a driver, startup app, or software conflict.

2. Check your RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic

   1. Press Windows + S, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, and open it.
   2. Click Restart now and check for problems.
   3. Let the test finish and log back into Windows.
   4. If memory errors are found, reseat or replace the RAM stick causing the issue.

3. Repair system files

   1. Press Windows + S, type cmd.
   2. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
   3. Run this command:

      sfc /scannow

   4. When that finishes, run:

      DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   5. Restart your PC after both scans complete.

4. Check the drive for file system errors

   1. Open Command Prompt as administrator again.
   2. Run:

      chkdsk C: /f /r

   3. Type Y if asked to schedule the scan, then restart your PC.
   4. This can take a while, especially on larger drives.

5. Update or roll back drivers

   1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
   2. Look for devices with a warning icon, or think about any driver you updated recently.
   3. Right-click the device and choose Update driver.
   4. If the problem started after an update, open Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
   5. Pay special attention to storage, graphics, chipset, and antivirus-related drivers.

6. Disable automatic paging file changes and reset virtual memory

   1. Press Windows + S, type advanced system settings, and open View advanced system settings.
   2. Under Performance, click Settings.
   3. Open the Advanced tab and click Change under Virtual memory.
   4. Make sure Automatically manage paging file size for all drives is checked, then click OK.
   5. Restart your PC.

7. Remove recent software or hardware changes

   1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and uninstall anything added just before the crashes started.
   2. Disconnect newly added USB devices, external drives, or internal hardware if possible.
   3. If you use overclocking tools, reset BIOS or software tuning settings to default.

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