How to fix the BAD POOL HEADER error in Windows

Last update: 13/03/2025
Author: Daniel Terrasa

  • The BAD POOL HEADER error is caused by memory management issues in Windows.
  • Causes include incompatible software, outdated drivers, or RAM failures.
  • You can fix this by uninstalling recent programs, updating drivers, and running diagnostics.
  • If the error persists, checking your hardware and restoring Windows may be necessary.
bad pool header

If the dreaded error has appeared on your computer BAD POOL HEADERDon't worry. This is a fairly common problem in Windows and is usually related to errors in system memory management. In this article, we'll explain what this error means, why it occurs, and how to fix it using different methods.

The BAD POOL HEADER error manifests itself with a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), preventing you from using your computer normally. This may be due to RAM failures, software conflicts, problems with the drivers or even defective hardware.

What is the BAD POOL HEADER error?

BAD POOL HEADER is a Windows error that indicates that the system has encountered problems managing memory. The “memory pool” is a space memory that Windows reserves for certain processes, and if something goes wrong in this administration, the system crashes showing this critical error.

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The most common causes of the BAD POOL HEADER error include:

  • Outdated or corrupt drivers: An outdated or faulty driver can cause conflicts with the system.
  • Faulty hardware devices: A faulty hard drive or incompatible peripheral can also cause this problem.
  • RAM errors: If the RAM is damaged, Windows may throw this BSOD error.
  • Software incompatibility: Some security or antivirus programs may interfere with memory management.
Related article:
How to fix Bad Pool Caller error in Windows 11

error bad pool header

Methods to resolve the BAD POOL HEADER error

Below, we show you several solutions that can help you fix this error in Windows:

1. Restart the system

Sometimes, a simple restart can fix the problem. Windows may fix the error after a restart if it was a temporary failure in memory management.

2. Start in safe mode

If the error persists and you cannot access the system normally, try to boot Windows in safe mode through these steps:

  1. Restart your PC and press repeatedly F8 until the Advanced Options menu appears.
  2. Select Safe Mode and press Enter.

If the system is working correctly in safe mode, it is likely that some software or driver is causing the problem.

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3. Uninstall recently installed software

If the BAD POOL HEADER error recently appeared after installing a program, this could be the culprit. To eliminate it, we can do the following:

  1. Press Windows + R, writes appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
  2. Find the recently installed program, select it and click on Uninstall.

4. Disable fast startup

El quick start Windows may generate errors compatibilityTo disable it, follow these steps:

  1. Open the control Panel and go to Energy options.
  2. Click on Choose what the power buttons do.
  3. Select Changing settings is currently unavailable and disable the option Enable fast startup.

5. Check and update drivers

Another common reason that leads to this error is having the outdated driversTo update them you must do this:

  1. Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
  2. Look for devices with warnings and right-click on them.
  3. Select Update driver.

6. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic

To check if the RAM is causing problems and generating the BAD POOL HEADER error, you can proceed as follows:

  1. Press Windows + R and write mdsched.exe.
  2. Select Restart now and check for problems.

7. Disable problematic services

Some Windows services, such as the indexing service, may be the cause of the error. Here's how to disable it:

  1. Press Windows + R and write services.msc.
  2. Seeks Windows Search or Indexing Service, double-click and select Disable.
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8. Run the System File Checker (SFC)

To check if there is corrupted files In Windows, you can use the SFC command:

  1. Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
  2. Writes sfc /scannow and press Enter.

9. Restore the system

If you have made changes to the system and the error persists, you can try a system restoration:

  1. Writes rstrui in the Windows search engine and press Enter.
  2. Select one restoration point prior to the problem and follow the steps.

10. Check hard drive

If the problem is being caused by the hard drive, you can use the Windows error checking tool (CHKDSK):

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
  2. Writes chkdsk /f /r and press Enter.
  3. Restart your computer for the check to run.

If after trying these solutions the BAD POOL HEADER error still appears, there may be a hardware problemIn such a case, it is advisable to contact the Microsoft technical support or consider replace the RAM or hard drive.