While working on their PC or laptop, many users report seeing a blue screen with the error message “Bad Pool Caller” being displayed. It is one of the so called Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) errors. It is a collective jargon used for several stop or exception errors, following which the operating system crashes.
Shutting down your device might resolve the issue once, but you will have to look for other methods if the crash repeats multiple times. To learn these easy methods that you can do by yourself, keep reading this article. You will get all the information you are looking for.
What is a ‘Bad Pool Caller’ Error?
A Data Pool is where the Windows Operating System stores a series of files that are needed. In general terms, it refers to the resources that are kept ready during the execution of a particular file or program. They are released once the required task is done.
Whenever we do some work on our computers, the processor performs multiple tasks before anything is reflected on our screen. These tasks are performed as smaller, more executable commands in threads. Actually, it is these threads that require resources such as memory allotment, processing bandwidth, etc.
However, when a thread tries to reach out for an unavailable or non-existent resource, that is when the Bad Pool Caller error shows up. The requested resource might be in use by another thread. The Bad Pool Caller error comes with the stop code: 0x000000C2
What is the cause of the Bad Pool Caller error?
Some of the causes that can result in a Bad Pool Caller error are:
- Malfunctioning hardware
- Malfunctioning pool: i.e. the pool header is corrupted
- Incompatible hardware device drivers or faulty external devices
- Faulty memory: i.e. the corruption of RAM
- Components overheating in your computer system
- Invalid Registry entries
- Viruses or malware infections
12 proven methods to fix the Bad Pool Caller Error
Here are some fixes that you can perform yourself. You might have to try several solutions before your system is fixed, so be patient. Since Windows 10 supports all the codecs from Windows 7 and 8, these fixes would also work well on previous versions of Windows.
Solution 1 – Restart your computer
The most basic solution to the Bad Pool Caller error would be restarting your computer. Restart and check if the blue screen disappears. As discussed earlier, rebooting Windows or restarting your desktop sets all the data values and resources to default.
Operating systems are designed to fix any internal problems during shutdowns or boot ups independently. If the problem persists, then go for more complex solutions provided in this article. Remember that if it is a severe BSoD problem, it will appear repeatedly, and you have to go for a more precise fix.
Solution 2 – Run the BSoD Troubleshooter
Windows comes with a built-in troubleshooting tool. It can resolve problems like a ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error. To run BSoD troubleshooter, follow these steps:
- Open the Control Panel and navigate to Update and Security.
- On the left of the screen, select Troubleshoot.
- Now select Blue Screen in the right pane.
- Then click on Run the troubleshooter.
- Follow the instructions as shown on the screen.
Solution 3 – Check your antivirus software
First, scan the computer with your antivirus software. A virus or malware can cause the ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error. They infect files and systems that can result in BSoD errors. Scanning the critical system folders on your computer might help you figure out the cause immediately, as these are the go-to places for viruses.
There is also some chance that the antivirus software itself is the cause of the ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error. So to rule out this possibility, try temporarily disabling the antivirus software that is installed on your computer. If the issue surfaces again, it was not the antivirus. In that case, you can re-enable it, and move on to the next solution.
If the error is fixed while your current antivirus is disabled, you will have to replace it with another software solution.
Solution 4 – Undo the settings you recently changed
There is a chance that a recent change in a system setting is the root cause of the Bad Pool Caller error. It can be related to personalizing your system, changing storage paths, or installing a new program.
Using the Control Panel of your system, reverse all the changes you have done recently, and check whether the error appears again. If it does, we still have a few other options for you.
Solution 5 – Disconnect external devices
Another solution to this issue would be disconnecting all external devices such as USB drives. Either an entire USB device is faulty, or some defective sectors on a USB device is causing the Bad Pool Caller error.
A faulty external device connected to a computer system might interfere with the communication between internal components, and that can lead to a crash. Simply remove all peripherals to check if it fixes the error. If the error is resolved, reconnect your external devices one by one to identify exactly which device is the culprit.
Solution 6 – Remove recently installed software apps
The Bad Pool Caller error can also be caused by software apps that you have recently installed on your PC. Every software that is installed on your system has accesses to many system resource files. Uninstalling recently installed software might solve the issue instantly.
A ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error would appear if the software is corrupted or is trying to access files that do not exist. It is more likely to happen if you download and install software from an unknown source.
Solution 7- Try Updating your Windows Operating System
Update your Windows operating system even if you are using Windows 10. The development team releases updates very frequently, fixing every bug as soon as they spot it. A ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error can occur if the version of software or drivers on your system does not match the operating system’s firmware.
Updating Windows is very easy:
- Just go to the Control Panel and open Update and Security.
- If you already have pending updates listed, click on Download and Install. Otherwise click the Check for updates button.
- Start installing available updates right away, or schedule it for the next boot time.
Solution 8 – Update Your Drivers
Incompatible drivers can also be the reason behind the ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error. Sometimes, you don’t check on your drivers and keep using the outdated versions. Make sure that you have updated all critical drivers on your PC.
For updating drivers, visit the official website of your hardware’s manufacturer and download the latest drivers. Installing them might take some time, but it should fix the error.
Solution 9 – Perform an SFC scan
The System File Checker (SFC) utility scans all system files and informs you if there are any potential issues on your computer. It is a command-line tool. It has the ability to detect and solve the ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error. Follow these steps to run an SFC scan:
- Press Windows + R and type ‘cmd’ in the dialogue box that appears.
- On pressing OK, the Command Prompt will open.
- Now type “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter.
- The scan will take some time, so wait patiently.
- Once the scan has completed, restart your computer.
Note: If you run into an SFC /Scannow error when starting the scan, don’t worry. We have written dedicated articles on what to do if SFC scannow is not working, including:
- Windows Resource Protection Could Not Perform The Requested Operation
- Windows resource protection could not start the repair service
Solution 10 – Perform a hard drive check (chkdsk)
A ‘Bad Pool Caller’ error can also be the result of a corrupted hard drive. To check this, you need to do a ‘chkdsk’ scan. Follow these steps to do the ‘chkdsk’ scan:
- Press Windows + R and type ‘cmd’ in the dialogue box that appears.
- Click OK to open the Command Prompt.
- Type in “chkdsk c: /f /r” and hit Enter.
- You may need to schedule the scan the next time your system restarts. To do that simply type “Y” and press Enter.
- Restart your computer and let the scan run.
Note: The /f option in the command will look and fix errors on the disk, while the /r option will locate bad sectors and attempt to recover the stored information.
Solution 11 – Do a memory (RAM) check
A faulty Random Access Memory (RAM) can also be the reason why you see a BSoD error, such as the ‘Bad Pool Caller’. Luckily there is a built-in Windows tool to check your RAM as well. Here is how to run it:
- Right-click on the Start Menu icon on the left bottom of your screen.
- Now select Run.
- Type “mdsched.exe” in the dialog box that appears.
- Press the Enter key.
- Select “Restart Now and Check for Problems (Recommended)“. Or alternatively you can schedule the check to run the next time you start your computer.
- Wait until the scan has completed. It can take up to 10 minutes.
- Take note of the results that are shown when the scan has finished.
- If there are issues with your RAM, you might need to replace it.
Solution 12 – Update your BIOS
If none of the above methods have worked so far, you can also try updating your BIOS.
Warning: A BIOS update is a sensitive process. Any wrong action can result in data loss. It is advised to perform a full data backup before attempting a BIOS update. Also, do not interrupt the process by shutting down your PC as that can corrupt your system files beyond repair. This method should only be considered if none of the methods above work for your PC and you have a good technical understanding of the process.
Check the model of your motherboard, then visit the manufacturer’s website for the exact steps you need to perform to update your BIOS. Many manufacturers offer tools that create a USB flash drive installer that will make the process as simple as possible.
If you are in doubt about any detail, please reach out to a professional IT technician to do the BIOS update for you.
Conclusion
Hopefully one of 12 methods presented in this article has helped you overcome the ‘Bad Pool Caller’ BSoD error. However if all else have failed, a last resort option would be to format your system and reinstall a fresh copy of Windows. Just don’t forget to create a backup of your personal files first.