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0x00000076BSODCritical

0x00000076 — Process Has Locked Pages | Blue Screen Fix Guide

PROCESS_HAS_LOCKED_PAGES

Windows XPWindows VistaWindows 7Windows 8Windows 10Windows 11

What Does 0x00000076 Mean?

A process exited while it had pages locked in memory, indicating a driver bug.

Real-World Causes

  1. 1Driver not unlocking pages before process exit
  2. 2Memory management driver bug
  3. 3I/O driver not completing operations

Symptoms

  • ⚠Blue screen with stop code PROCESS_HAS_LOCKED_PAGES
  • ⚠System reboots unexpectedly
  • ⚠Possible data loss from unsaved work

DIY Fix

Beginner-friendly steps you can try at home

  1. 1Restart your computer
  2. 2Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe)
  3. 3Reseat RAM modules
  4. 4Check for Windows updates

Advanced Fix

For experienced users and IT professionals

  1. 1Test RAM with MemTest86 for multiple passes
  2. 2Analyze minidump with WinDbg
  3. 3Check for memory leaks using poolmon
  4. 4Inspect physical RAM slots and modules

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes PROCESS_HAS_LOCKED_PAGES?
A process exited while it had pages locked in memory, indicating a driver bug.
Can I fix Process Has Locked Pages myself?
In many cases yes. Start with basic troubleshooting like restarting, updating drivers, and running System File Checker. If the issue persists, advanced analysis of crash dumps may be needed.

Related Error Codes

0x000000CBDriver Left Locked Pages in Process0x00000077Kernel Stack Inpage Error

About the Author

Windows Troubleshooting Team

Verified against official Microsoft documentation and real-world diagnostic data. Error behavior confirmed across Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.