How to troubleshoot "STOP 0x0000003F" and "STOP 0x000000D8" error messages in Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 (256004)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium)
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium) 2003
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
This article was previously published under Q256004
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

SUMMARY

Your Windows Server 2003-based, Windows XP-based, or Windows 2000-based computer may generate one of the following error messages on a blue screen:

Message 1
STOP: 0x0000003F (0xA,0xB,0xC,0xD) NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTES
Message 2
STOP: 0x000000D8 (0xW,0xX,0xY,0xZ) DRIVER_USED_EXCESSIVE_PTES
This article describes how to troubleshoot these error messages.

MORE INFORMATION

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

"NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTES" error message

This error message is usually caused by a driver that is not cleaning up properly. In the "STOP: 0x0000003F" sample error message listed earlier in this article, the parameters may vary depending on your system configuration, and they have the following meaning:

0xA - Page Table Entry (PTE) type: 0 = system expansion, 1 = non-paged pool expansion
0xB - Requested size
0xC - Total free system PTEs
0xD - Total system PTEs

Windows includes a registry value that you can use to save stack traces so that you can identify the driver that is not cleaning up properly. Use Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) to view the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

Modify the following registry value, and then restart your computer:

Value Name: TrackPtes
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 1
Radix: Hex

Note This is the only way to locate the driver.

"DRIVER_USED_EXCESSIVE_PTES" error message

This error message usually occurs if your computer runs out of PTEs. In the "STOP: 0x000000D8" sample error message listed earlier in this article, the parameters may vary depending on your system configuration, and they have the following meaning:
  • 0xW - If this parameter has a non-null value, it contains the name of the driver that is causing the error message. Whenever possible, the driver name is displayed in Unicode format and saved in KiBugCheckDriver.
  • 0xX - If the 0xW parameter has a non-null value, then this parameter contains the number of PTEs used by the driver that is causing the error message, and the calling stack shows the name of the driver that generated the error message.
  • 0xY - Total free system PTEs.
  • 0xZ - Total system PTEs.
Correcting the driver that is causing the error message or increasing the number of PTEs usually corrects this issue.
For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

247904 How to configure the Paged Address Pool and System Page Table Entry memory areas

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/14/2005
Keywords:kberrmsg kbhowto kbtshoot KB256004
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