kmode_exception_not_handled error on windows 11 (Solved)

Windows Blue screen of Death issue usually occur when a driver or hardware issue prevents Windows from functioning properly.

Steve Ballmer

December 3, 2024

KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error usually occurs when applications overwrite each other’s memory, causing errors or software to crash and result Blue screen of death. The “KMODE” part refers to kernel mode, the part of Windows that operates at a low level, handling essential processes like interacting with hardware. Mostly this BSOD error occurs due to hardware incompatibility, faulty device driver or system file corruption. However, this Blue screen of death on Windows 11 can be fixed quickly if you take the right steps. Here is how to fix Kmode Exception Not Handles error on Windows 11 or 10.

Typically displayed on the BSOD as KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED.
Sometimes, the error screen shows the name of the problematic driver (e.g., ntoskrnl.exe, nvlddmkm.sys), which helps identify the root cause.
The error may happen randomly or during specific tasks such as booting the system, installing software, or connecting hardware devices.

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1 Kmode Exception Not Handled

Kmode Exception Not Handled

This error typically arises from issues in the kernel-mode code, which is responsible for managing critical hardware and software interactions. Outdated or incompatible drivers to hardware failure, memory issues or Third-Party Software Conflicts are common reasons behind this.

Faulty or Corrupt Device Drivers: Incompatible, outdated, or corrupt drivers are the most common culprits.
Hardware Issues: Defective RAM, hard drives, or other hardware components can interfere with kernel processes.
Software Conflicts: Misconfigured or conflicting third-party applications, especially security software, may cause this error.
Corrupt System Files: Critical Windows files necessary for kernel operations might be missing or damaged.
Memory Issues: Faulty memory modules or incorrect virtual memory configurations can trigger the error.

Disconnect External Devices and Restart Windows

Whenever you encounter blue screen error, the first step should be to disconnect all non-essential external devices such as USB drives, external hard drives, printers, and peripherals. Then restart your computer.

External devices often rely on specific drivers. If these drivers are outdated or incompatible, they may trigger the error. Disconnecting devices prevents driver conflicts, helping you identify if one of the peripherals is the root cause.
Restarting windows without connected devices reduces the risk of further errors or system crashes, clear temporary glitches that may trigger the error.

Boot into Safe Mode

If the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error occurs frequently, boot into Safe. It loads only essential drivers and services, bypass problematic software or drivers that might be causing the error.

Press Windows + I to open settings> Navigate to the System menu > Recovery > Advanced Startup > Restart Now.

Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart, then choose Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking.

When the computer starts in safe mode, you can perform actions like uninstall problematic drivers, run diagnostic tools, or check system file for errors to fix the BSOD error..

Disable Fast Startup

Microsoft has brought a new cool feature (Fast Startup) that helps your PC for fast boot. In most cases, It helps people to have a great experience. But, For some older or incompatible PCs, It can be a curse by causing blue screen problems. Else, Many peoples claimed that disabling the fast startup feature helps to fix kmode_exception_not_handled BSOD.

Press Windows + R, type control, and press Enter.
Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
Uncheck Turn on fast startup and save changes.

Disabling Fast Startup forces the system to load all drivers fresh, reduce the chance of kernel conflicts.

Run Windows Memory Diagnostics

Memory issues are one of the primary sources of kernel errors. Running the built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool can help identify problems with your RAM that may be causing the kmode exception not handled error.

Press Windows + R, type mdsched.exe, and press Enter.
Choose Restart now and check for problems.
Wait for the system to restart and complete the memory test.

During the test process, there will be a status bar showing you if any problems have been detected.

If errors are found, replace faulty RAM sticks.
Check if RAM modules are properly seated in their slots.

Update or Reinstall Drivers

Drivers are a key part of the operating system because Windows uses drivers in order to work with your hardware. If a certain driver is outdated or corrupted, that can cause Kmode Exception Not Handled. Instaling or updating device drivers ensures compatibility with your system and reduces the likelihood of kernel-level conflicts.

update display driver software

Press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc, and ok to open the device manager.
This will display all installed device driver lists.
You just have to find the device which is yellow marked.
Right-click and choose Update Driver > Search automatically for drivers.
If you didn’t find any update for the driver you can uninstall it from here.
Download the best driver for the specific device from the manufacturer’s website and install it.

Check for Malware and Corrupted Files

Again malware infection can corrupt kernel-mode processes, which may trigger blue screen of death on Windows 11. Sometimes corrupt system files result incompatibility and result different errors include Kmode Exception Not Handled.

Perform full system scan with Windows Security.

Press Windows + I > Privacy & Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Full Scan.
Also, you can use a third-party antivirus or malware removal tool for a deeper scan.

Scan and repair system files using SFC and DISM commands.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Run sfc /scannow to repair corrupted system files.
Follow with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to ensure system integrity.

These commands scan and repair corrupted files, restore system functionality and prevent recurring errors.

Update the BIOS/UEFI Firmware

An outdated BIOS or UEFI can cause compatibility issues with hardware or drivers.

Check your motherboard model and current BIOS version in the BIOS settings or using msinfo32.
Visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest BIOS update.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to apply the update.

If the error started after a Windows or driver update, rolling back the update can resolve the issue. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates. Select the problematic update and click Uninstall.