How to fix the ‘kernel data inpage error’ BSOD on Windows 10 – 0x0000007a

If you’ve found your way to this troubleshooting guide, it’s likely that you’ve been stumped by a perplexing error message from your Windows 10 operating system. Perhaps you were turning on your computer to do some work or even pass a little free time, and out of nowhere you’re hit with a blue screen with a colon and parenthesis, a message that reads “KERNEL DATA INPAGE ERROR (MsFs.SYS),” or an error code like 0x0000007a, and probably a feeling a dread that your device might be out of service.

What does the kernel data inpage error mean?

The kernel data inpage error is a Windows Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error code that refers to either a corrupt or missing page of kernel data within a Windows page file. When this kind of stop code occurs, your computer will then proceed with collecting diagnostic data, restart, and unfortunately show the error message again if the root problem continues.

BSOD error codes generally occur when systems cannot endure debilitating hardware or software issues. As a result, your device’s operating system will essentially force stop, presenting the error message.

The kernel data inpage error usually comes with the stop code 0x0000007a.

Kernel data inpage error message

When does this error happen?

The major of kernel data inpage errors occur after waking a device from sleep mode. The appearance of the error message is an indication that your system is unable to withstand the problem, crashing as a result. Kernel data inpage errors aren’t something to take lightly, especially since they can critically affect the functionality of your computer until the larger issue is resolved.

In fact, any BSOD error has the potential to result in data loss. During such a crash, any documents or files being used or modified might be permanently lost or corrupted. In the instance that your device shows this error message, it’s vital that you troubleshoot and address any issues to avoid losing any important and valuable content you’re storing. 

The cause of kernel data inpage errors

Kernel data inpage errors can be attributed to a good number of problems, including failed or outdated hardware, virus or malware infections, loose or faulty wires and connections, invalid BIOS settings, etc.

Its error message may even be accompanied by specific codes, which can be traced to a specific issue with the computer:

  • 0x0000007A: File access error caused by a virus, bad sector or device driver issue
  • 0xC000009A: Lack of pool resources
  • 0xC000009C: Bad hard drive sectors
  • 0xC000009D: Loose cables or hard disk failure
  • 0xC000016A: Bad hard drive sectors
  • 0xC0000185: Unseated or damaged cables

Because of the severity of the kernel data inpage error, it can actually pose significantly greater threats to your data and storage drive than any other Blue Screen Of Death error. Despite what it indicates, the problems that cause these errors are not lost causes, but require careful troubleshooting and specific solutions to resume proper operation of your device.

Before diagnosing the issue

Out of an abundance of caution, be sure to to back up your data. The kernel data inpage error could be the result of critical issues, some of which could cause you to lose everything on your hard drive.

Take any documents, photos, and anything else you can’t afford to lose, make copies of the files, and store them using an SD card, USB drive, and/or cloud storage service.

Fixing the kernel data inpage error

Did the computer restart?

If you were able to store away any valuable files, you must have been able to restart your computer after the initial crash and error message. This likely means that the issue was caused by bad memory modules or hard drives, both of which can be solved by locating and replacing the malfunctioning hardware. It could also even be the result of a virus or malware infection.

If your device simply won’t reboot after the kernel data inpage error, another issue may need to be addressed.

Check the status code of the error

If the status code didn’t appear with the initial error message, an incredibly helpful diagnostic tool is Windows 10’s Event Viewer:

  1. Start by typing “event” into the Search Windows box, and open the Event Viewer app.
  2. Check the Windows logs for the kernel data inpage error events.
  3. Search for the status code that will indicate the reason for the error.
Windows 10 Event Viewer

You can check what the most common status codes associated with the kernel data inpage error exactly mean in our list above. Using this status code, you’ll essentially be led to the issue at hand. If this code does not indicate a particular issue, follow the steps listed in the rest of the guide.

Inspect your hardware

Important: Exercise caution when adjusting any internal components of the computer.

If you happen to see a loose cable or a hard drive issue code, check and change (if necessary) the IDE/SATA cables. Feel free to disconnect and reconnect wires as well. Detaching, reattaching, or swapping the RAM to a different slot may prove helpful as well, if everything else seems to be in place and functioning properly. After inspecting, try rebooting your computer to see if the error message persists.

You can even use other clues like the sound of your hard drive when it’s running. If you hear any loud clicking noises, this could indicate the drive’s failure, which is one of many causes for the kernel data inpage error. This solution would entail replacing the hard drive after backing up your data to a safe, external source.

Though it is less likely, when it comes to hardware, peripheral devices (i.e. printers, Wi-Fi modems, external storage devices) could contribute to this error message. Make sure your computer is shut down, unplug any and all hardware peripherals, and finally turn your computer back on. If after rebooting your device doesn’t crash, reconnect each device one by one. If a certain device seems to be causing the issue, either unplug it or replace it.

If the hardware doesn’t seem to be causing the problem after rebooting your device, rule out this kind of issue and move down along this list.

Test the hard drive

You can easily check for any issues by using the Windows error-checking tool or the chkdsk command:

  1. Click the Start button and open File Explorer.
  2. Select “This PC” in the left margin.
  3. If this action doesn’t automatically display any hard drives to you, select the arrow to the left that will show you the list of drives.
  4. Choose the hard drive you would like to check and select “Scan drive”.
  5. If you get a message “Windows can’t check the disk while it’s in use,” select “Schedule disk check,” close any other open windows, and restart your computer.
  6. Follow the advice that is given by the Windows tool after the scan.
Windows hard drive check

If no errors were found with the drive, move on to the next step.

Test the memory (RAM)

Similar to the error-checking tool for hard drive issues, Windows 10 includes a built-in memory diagnostic tool:

  1. Start by typing “memory” into the taskbar search field.
  2. Select “Windows Memory Diagnostic”.
  3. Select “Restart now and check for problems”.
  4. Follow whatever advice is given after the check.
Windows Memory Diagnostic tool

If errors are found, turn your device off, swap your RAM into a different slot, and try running the test yet again. If the same error persists, you may have a RAM issue; so swap physical memory as needed. If the error persists in the original slot, there could be an issue with the motherboard.

Restore BIOS default settings

Any misconfiguration in BIOS settings can cause a kernel data inpage error as well, but resetting them can quickly resolve the issue. To do it:

  1. Power off your computer.
  2. Turn it on and press the BIOS key (usually F2) repeatedly as the system reboots, which will take you to the BIOS settings.
  3. Select “Setup Defaults” or any similar option to restore BIOS configuration.
  4. Restart the system to check for the kernel data inpage error message.
Restoring BIOS defaults example
Example BIOS screen about restoring defaults
Another example from a different BIOS interface
Another example from a different BIOS interface

Conduct a scan for viruses and malware

While less likely than hardware, memory, or hard drive issues, viruses and malware can corrupt important files on your device, causing a kernel data inpage error BSOD. Allow a virus-scanning program to check your computer and fix the problem, then reboot to see if you are still experiencing the error message.

The Windows Defender tool has the capability to run virus and malware scans, but third-party antivirus software usually has the capacity to run deeper scans on your system.

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