How to Fix a Bad Pool Caller BSOD on Windows

Has nothing to do with water or billiards

BAD_POOL_CALLER (OxC2) is among the rarerBSOD (Blue Screen of Death) STOP codesyou’ll come across on Windows 10. It tends to show up when your computer fails to access CPU resources because of a flawed system configuration. Likely reasons for the error include buggy device drivers, disk-related issues, and (to a lesser extent) faulty hardware.

But just like with any other BSOD, you can take a shot at resolving BAD_POOL_CALLER by applying the fixes below. Should the error occur frequently, try working through them afterbooting Windows 10 in Safe Mode.

Reinstall Device Drivers

It’s best to kick things off byanalyzing the BSOD dump fileson your PC usingWinDbgorNirSoft BlueScreenView. If a corrupt device driver is what’s behind the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD, that should help you nail it down quickly. You can then re-install the problematic driver with the steps that follow.

  1. Right-click theStartbutton and selectDevice Manager.

  2. Expand the device category—e.g.,Display adaptersorNetwork adapters.

  3. Right-click the device driver and selectUninstall device.

  4. Check the box next toDelete the driver software for this deviceand selectUninstall. Follow that by exiting the Device Manager.

  5. Right-click theStartbutton again and selectApps and Features.

  6. Locate and remove any support software or additional drivers related to the device.

  7. Restart your computer. Windows should reinstall basic drivers for the device at startup. You must then reinstall whatever you removed in the previous step.

Update Device Drivers

If reinstalling a faulty device driver didn’t help, try updating it. You can do that by downloading the latest drivers from the device manufacturer’s website. Or you can instead use a driver updater tool such asDriver Boosterto get everything on your computer automatically up-to-date.

Roll Back Drivers

If the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD started popping up after updating the driver for a specific device, you must try rolling it back immediately. That should resolve any issues stemming from a broken or incompatible driver release.

  1. Open the Device Manager.

  2. Right-click the device driver and selectProperties.

  3. Switch to theDrivertab and selectRoll Back Driver.

Windows 10 will then revert the driver to its previously installed version. If you don’t see the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD anymore, hold off from updating the driver until a newer version arrives.

Update the Operating System

Windows 10 updates help resolve BSOD-related issues by improving the stability of the operating system. If you have a habit of skipping updates, it’s best to take the time to install them now.

  1. Open theStartmenu and selectSettings.

  2. SelectUpdate & Security.

  3. SelectCheck for updatesto search for the latest Windows 10 updates.

Suppose you see any pending updates, selectDownload and installto apply them. It’s also a good idea to follow that by installing any Microsoft-verified device drivers underView optional updates.

Uninstall Windows Updates

Windows 10 updates come with numerous bug fixes and performance enhancements. But they might also end up introducing issues. So if the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD occurred right after installing an operating system update, you must roll it back to its previous version.

  1. Open theStartmenu and selectSettings.

  2. Go toUpdate & Security>Windows Updates>View update history>Uninstall updates.

  3. Pick the update you want to remove and selectUninstall.

If that helped, you muststop Windows 10 from updating itselfto the same buggy release.

Run the System File Checker

Running an SFC (System File Checker) scan helps fix file corruption within the operating system. To do that, right-click theStartbutton and selectWindows PowerShell (Admin). Follow that by running the following command:

sfc /scannow

After running an SFC scan, you might also want to run theDeployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. That helps fix stability-related problems in Windows 10.

Run the CHKDSK Utility

Drive-related errors can also result in the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD. Tryusing the CHKDSK (Check Disk) utilityto determine if that’s the case.

  1. Open File Explorer. Then, right-clickLocal Disk (C:)and selectProperties.

  2. Select theCheckbutton under theToolstab.

  3. SelectScan drive.

If the CHKDSK utility detects any issues, it should provide you with additional instructions to fix them.

Run CHKDSK Utility at Startup

Running the CHKDSK utility at startup can help fix additional drive-related errors. Start by running the following command in an elevated Windows PowerShell console:

chkdsk c: /r

You must then confirm that you want the CHKDSK utility to scan your system drive for errors the next time you restart Windows 10. PressY>Enterto do that.

Roll Back Your Computer

Recent changes to the operating system (such as newer Windows updates and third-party program installations) can create conflicts and result in BSOD errors. But if you haveSystem Restoreactive on your computer, you can try rolling back Windows 10 to an earlier state when everything worked perfectly.

  1. PressWindows+Rto open the Run box.

  2. Typesysdm.cpland selectOK.

  3. Switch to theSystem Protectiontab and pick the option labeledSystem Restore.

  4. SelectRecommended restoreif you want to use the most recent restore point, orChoose a different restore pointif you want to pick a different restore point.

  5. SelectNextand follow all instructions to roll back the operating system to the specified restore point. The whole procedure can take a while to complete.

Memory-related issues can also result in the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD on Windows. Try using thebuilt-in Windows Memory Diagnostic toolor a third-party utility such asMemTest86tocheck for memory-related errors.

If the results indicate problems with the memory, you must replace thephysical RAM modules on your PC.

Reset PC

Resetting Windows 10 to factory settings erases all data (except for any personal files), but that also helps the operating system start all over from a blank slate. So if none of the fixes above helped stop the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD, you must give that a shot.

Should you want to go ahead, open theStartmenu and selectSettings>Update & Security>Recovery>Get started.

Follow that by selectingKeep my filesto reset your PC while retaining personal files, orRemove everythingto revert everything to factory defaults. For more details, learnhow resetting Windows 10 works.

What Else Can You Do?

If you had trouble running through the fixes above normally or in Windows 10’s Safe Mode, we recommend entering theWindows Recovery Environment (WinRE). It provides several tools that you can use to run startup repairs, fix disk-related errors, remove Windows updates, and so on.

Furthermore, you might want to considerupdating the BIOS or UEFIorreinstalling Windows 10 from scratchas a final measure to fixing the BAD_POOL_CALLER BSOD.

But suppose you continue to have issues despite doing everything. In that case, you mustcontact a PC repair serviceto run additional diagnostics on your computer and replace any faulty internal hardware components.

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn’t hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube.Read Dilum’s Full Bio

Welcome to Help Desk Geek- a blog full of tech tips from trusted tech experts. We have thousands of articles and guides to help you troubleshoot any issue. Our articles have been read over 150 million times since we launched in 2008.

HomeAbout UsEditorial StandardsContact UsTerms of Use

Copyright © 2008-2024 Help Desk Geek.com, LLC All Rights Reserved