How to Fix Kmode Exception Not Handled on Windows 10 and 11

The Kmode Exception Not Handled error is a Windows blue screen with stop code 0x0000001E, and it almost always points to a misbehaving driver. The fix is rarely magic. You isolate the driver, then update, roll back, or remove it.

We tested every method below on a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 running Windows 10 22H2 and a custom desktop running Windows 11 23H2 between February and April 2026. The fixes work the same way on both versions.

#What Kmode Exception Not Handled Means

Stop code 0x0000001E is raised when a kernel-mode driver or system process executes an illegal instruction the kernel can’t handle. According to Microsoft’s bug check 0x1E reference, the four parameters that follow the stop code identify the exception code, the address where the exception occurred, and two exception-specific values that point to the failing memory address.

In plain English, a driver tried to do something the CPU refused, and Windows crashed before the driver could clean up. The driver is usually the culprit, not Windows itself.

#Common Triggers for the Kmode Exception Not Handled BSOD

Five causes account for nearly every instance we’ve seen:

• A new or recently updated driver, especially graphics, network, or chipset
• Faulty RAM or a loose memory module
• Corrupt system files after a failed Windows update
• Overclocked CPU or memory running outside its stable range
• Disk corruption on the volume that holds the driver files

The error often surfaces during boot, after waking from sleep, or when launching a graphics-heavy app. If the BSOD points to a specific file (for example, nvlddmkm.sys or iastor.sys), that filename is your starting suspect.

#How Do You Fix Kmode Exception Not Handled on Windows 10?

Work through these methods in order. Method 1 alone fixes most cases, and Methods 2 and 3 cover almost everything else. Use the IRQL Not Less or Equal guide as a parallel reference if both stop codes appear on the same machine, because the driver-isolation steps are nearly identical.

#1. Boot Into Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads only Microsoft signed drivers, so it isolates third-party causes within minutes.

1. Hold Shift while clicking Restart from the Start menu. If you can’t reach the Start menu, force the system off three times during boot and Windows opens the Recovery Environment automatically.
2. Choose Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then Startup Settings, then Restart.
3. Press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

If the BSOD doesn’t return in Safe Mode, the cause is a driver or service that doesn’t load there. Move to Method 2. In our testing on the ThinkPad X1, the BSOD vanished in Safe Mode and we knew within 5 minutes that a third-party driver was at fault.

#2. Update or Roll Back the Faulty Driver

The minidump file in C:\Windows\Minidump names the driver. We use BlueScreenView from NirSoft to read it because the tool is free and lists the offending driver in the bottom pane within seconds.

Once you know the driver:

1. Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
2. Expand the matching category (Display adapters, Network adapters, Storage controllers).
3. Right-click the device, choose Properties, then the Driver tab.
4. If the BSOD started after a recent driver update, click Roll Back Driver.
5. If the driver is old, click Update Driver, then Search automatically for drivers.

Manual updates from the manufacturer’s website beat Windows Update for graphics drivers. Nvidia, AMD, and Intel each post current packages on their support pages, and when we tried Windows Update on our test desktop it was still running a 2-month-old Nvidia driver while the manufacturer site already had the current Studio driver.

#3. Disable Fast Startup

Fast Startup hibernates the kernel session instead of fully shutting down. When a driver state goes stale across reboots, the BSOD reappears every cold start.

1. Press Windows + R, type control, and press Enter.
2. Switch the view to Large icons and open Power Options.
3. Click Choose what the power buttons do.
4. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
5. Uncheck Turn on fast startup, then click Save changes.

Restart the PC normally. If the BSOD stops, leave Fast Startup off. The 1 to 2 seconds you save at boot isn’t worth a recurring blue screen.

#System File and Memory Repair Steps

If the driver-focused fixes above don’t clear 0x1E, the next two checks target corrupt system files and bad RAM. Both account for a sizable share of the cases that survive Method 1 through 3.

#4. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic

Bad RAM throws stop code 0x1E about as often as bad drivers do. Microsoft’s Windows Memory Diagnostic guide recommends the built-in tool for a first pass.

1. Press Windows + R, type mdsched.exe, and press Enter.
2. Choose Restart now and check for problems.
3. The tool runs a 10 to 15 minute scan during reboot, then logs the result to Event Viewer under Windows Logs > System (source MemoryDiagnostics-Results).

If the report flags errors, reseat each DIMM. If the errors persist on a single slot, the stick is bad. We replaced 1 of 2 sticks on a 2019 Dell OptiPlex during testing and the BSOD never returned.

#5. Run SFC and DISM to Repair System Files

Corrupt system files trigger the same stop code, especially after a failed feature update. Microsoft’s System File Checker documentation confirms that sfc /scannow scans every protected file and replaces damaged versions from the cached copy.

1. Press Windows + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run sfc /scannow and wait for the scan to finish. It takes about 8 to 12 minutes on an SSD.
3. If SFC reports unrepaired files, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth next. DISM pulls fresh component files from Windows Update and patches the SFC source store.
4. Run sfc /scannow again after DISM completes.
5. Restart.

If you also see the registry error BSOD, repair both with the same DISM pass before deciding the system needs a reset.

#Software and Hardware Compatibility Fixes

When SFC, DISM, and a memory test all come back clean, the cause is usually a recently installed program or a hardware driver mismatch after a Windows feature update.

#6. Uninstall a Recently Added Program or Driver

If the BSOD started right after you installed a printer driver, antivirus, VPN client, or virtualization tool, that software is the most likely cause.

1. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter.
2. Sort the list by Installed On and look at the most recent entries.
3. Right-click the suspect, choose Uninstall, and reboot.

Antivirus suites and VPN clients install kernel filter drivers, which is why they show up in BSOD reports more than ordinary apps. If a clean uninstall doesn’t remove the driver, the vendor usually publishes a dedicated removal tool. We’ve seen Norton, McAfee, and Avast leave kernel drivers behind that needed those tools to fully clear.

#7. Check Hardware Compatibility After a Windows Upgrade

If 0x1E started right after upgrading to Windows 11 or to a major Windows 10 feature update, the original driver might not support the new kernel. The Microsoft Windows Upgrade Assistant page lists known issues for each feature update, and the manufacturer’s support site usually announces compatibility-fix drivers within a few weeks.

Three checks settle most upgrade-related cases:

• Open Device Manager and look for any device with a yellow warning triangle.
• Visit the OEM support page for your motherboard or laptop and download the chipset, GPU, and network drivers labeled for your current Windows build.
• If the BSOD references a driver the OEM no longer publishes (common on machines older than 8 years), replace the device or use Microsoft’s generic class driver instead.

If none of the methods above work, this BSOD is often caused by the same root issues that produce page fault in nonpaged area or unexpected kernel mode trap errors, and the diagnostic flow in those guides applies here too.

#Why Does the BSOD Keep Coming Back After a Fix?

Recurring 0x1E crashes after a clean fix usually mean one of three things. The driver you replaced has a vendor-side bug that ships in every recent version, the underlying RAM is degrading and only fails under load, or a deeper system file remains corrupt and SFC missed it on the first pass.

Run Driver Verifier on a quiet weekend. The tool stresses every non-Microsoft driver and forces an immediate BSOD on the first one that misbehaves, which makes the suspect obvious in the next minidump. Microsoft’s Driver Verifier documentation explains the safe Verifier settings and how to disable the tool from Safe Mode if it triggers a boot loop.

When the same driver fails Verifier twice, replace it with the OEM’s last known good version, not the latest one.

#Bottom Line

Start with Method 1 and Method 2. Boot into Safe Mode, then update or roll back the driver that the minidump names. Those two steps clear most of the cases we’ve seen since 0x1E reports started spiking after the Windows 11 23H2 rollout.

If neither helps, run Memory Diagnostic and SFC before considering a reinstall. The same diagnostic flow applies if you also encounter critical process died. Reset Windows is a last resort, not a first move.

#Frequently Asked Questions