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How to Fix CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION Error

How to Fix CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION Error in Windows 10

CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION is a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) error usually caused by software running in the Windows kernel or problems with hardware.

critical structure corruption

The message states, "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart." Unfortunately, this is the only action you can take at this point. However, it can sometimes take more than a restart to bypass the Blue Screen of Death.

The CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION error can have many causes, such as corrupted or incompatible drivers, problems with Random Access Memory (RAM) or Hard Disk Drive (HDD), third-party software issues, issues relating to hardware, and viruses.

To address these problems, you must be logged into Windows. If you cannot log into Windows and continue experiencing the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION error even after a restart, boot Windows into Safe Mode with Networking.

If you are unsure how to do this, read this guide and use the "Interrupt Windows Boot Process" method described. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Installation CD/DVD/USB and boot Windows into Safe Mode with Networking using the Automatic Repair (Advanced Startup) screen.

Once you log into Windows, apply the methods described below to fix this error.

Video Showing How to Fix CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION Error:

Table of Contents:

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

This error message can appear due to a problem with Random Access Memory (RAM). If the RAM is failing, consider replacing it, but first, you need to be sure that this is where the problem exists. A built-in Windows tool called Windows Memory Diagnostic is available.

We recommend that you run it to see if there is a problem with computer memory. To open the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool, type "memory diagnostic" in Search and click "Windows Memory Diagnostic".

run windows memory diagnostic tool step 1

You will be given two options: 1) restart the computer now and check for problems immediately; 2) check for problems the next time you start the computer and let it do a scan before loading the Windows operating system. Select your preferred option, and this tool will check and report any problems.

run windows memory diagnostic tool step 2

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Check Disk for Errors

It is a good idea to periodically check the disk for errors. A built-in Windows tool is available to check the integrity of disks. It examines them and corrects many types of common errors. You can run this tool from the command line or a graphical interface. In this case, we recommend that you run it on the command line using Command Prompt.

Open Command Prompt by typing "command prompt" and right-click on the "Command Prompt" result. Select "Run as administrator" from the drop-down menu.

check your disk for errors step 1

Type the "chkdsk C: /f" command in the Command Prompt window and press Enter on the keyboard. Replace "C" with the hard drive letter if it is not the C: drive you want to scan (or if the Windows operating system is on another drive). The "chkdsk C: /f" command detects and repairs logical issues affecting the drive.

To repair physical issues, run the "chkdsk C: /r" command. You can run both commands at once by typing "chkdsk C: /f /r" Windows will need to restart the computer to finish the scan. The disk checking can take some time, depending on the power of your computer and the size of the hard drive. Be patient and wait until it is complete.

NOTE: If you see a message stating that Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process, and you are asked if you would like to schedule the volume to be checked the next time the system restarts, press the "Y" key on your keyboard. The disk will be checked for errors after the restart.

check your disk for errors step 2

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Uninstall Third-Party Software

Recently-installed software may be causing the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" error. Some users have reported that software such as Daemon Tools, MacDriver, Alcohol 120%, VirtualBox, and BlueStacks causes the error - after uninstalling it, they were not affected by the blue screen error.

If you have installed software recently (particularly the software mentioned earlier), we recommend you uninstall it.

To uninstall, press the Windows key + R, or right-click the Start menu and select "Run" from the contextual menu. This will open the Run dialog box.

uninstall third party software step 1

Type "appwiz.cpl" and press Enter on the keyboard - this will launch the "Programs and Features" window.

uninstall third party software step 2

In the Programs and Features window, locate the program and uninstall it by right-clicking on it and choosing "Uninstall" from the drop-down menu. Restart the computer and see if you still receive the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" error.

uninstall third party software step 3

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Run Windows Troubleshooter

Windows includes several troubleshooters designed to quickly diagnose and automatically resolve various computer problems. To start troubleshooting, go to Settings and type "troubleshoot". Select "Troubleshoot" from the list.

run windows troubleshooter step 1

Now find "Blue Screen" under 'Find and fix other problems' and select it. Click "Run the troubleshooter" and follow the instructions. Windows will try to troubleshoot the error that causes Windows to stop or restart unexpectedly.

See if this troubleshooter fixed the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" error.

run windows troubleshooter step 2

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Run System File Checker

To fix the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" blue screen error, you can run the System File Checker (SFC), a utility in Windows that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore them. If there are any corrupted driver files, this tool might fix the problem.

To run it, open elevated Command Prompt. You must run an elevated Command Prompt to perform an SFC scan. Open Command Prompt using administrative privileges and type the "sfc /scannow" command. Press Enter on the keyboard to execute this command.

Wait for the scanning process to complete and restart your computer. See if the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" error persists.

run system file checker

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Perform a Clean Boot

When you start Windows using a normal startup operation, several applications and services start automatically and then run in the background. These programs include basic system processes, antivirus software, system utility applications, and other previously installed software. These applications and services can cause software conflicts.

A clean boot is performed to start Windows using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update, or when you run a program in Windows.

To perform a clean boot, type "system configuration" in Search and click on the "System Configuration" result.

perform a clean boot step 1

In the System Configuration window, click on the "Services" tab and mark the "Hide all Microsoft services" checkbox. Then, click on "Disable all".

perform a clean boot step 2

Click the "Startup" tab and click "Open Task Manager".

perform a clean boot step 3

Under the Task Manager Startup tab, select the first application and click "Disable" to disable it. Disable all applications one by one, repeating this step. Once all programs are disabled, close Task Manager and click "OK" in the System Configuration Startup tab. Restart the computer to see if this fixes the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" error.

perform a clean boot step 4

If you can start Windows with a clean boot, you will know that one of the programs launched at the system startup is causing the error. Find out which one is causing the problem by disabling them individually in the process of elimination. Then uninstall it, or keep it disabled.

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Update Drivers

As mentioned in the article introduction, one of the possible reasons for the "CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION" error is incompatible or corrupted drivers. If the appropriate driver is not installed, the device might not function properly, if at all.

In this case, it is difficult to ascertain which driver is causing the error. However, some users have reported that it was the video driver. We recommend that you update this driver first, and if the problem persists, update all other drivers.

Type "device manager" in Search and click the "Device Manager" result or right-click Start menu and select "Device Manager" from the contextual menu.

update drivers step 1

In Device Manager, you will see a list of devices connected to your computer. Find and expand the "Display adapters" category and right-click the display adapter. Select "Update driver".

update drivers step 2

You will be asked to search for updated driver software automatically or to browse your computer for driver software. If you select the first option, Windows will search your computer and the Internet for the latest driver software for your device.

If you select the second option, you must locate and install the drivers manually. To install drivers manually, you will need to have them previously downloaded from your device manufacturer's official website. Initially, we recommend the first option.

update drivers step 3

Restart the computer and see if you still receive the error. If the error persists, update other drivers by following the same steps. Or use third-party software to update all drivers at once. Snappy Driver Installer (SDI) is a free driver updater for Windows. You can download Snappy Driver Installer from here.

If none of the above methods work, try to reinstall Windows. Back up your files and clean install the Windows operating system.

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About the author:

Rimvydas Iliavicius

Rimvydas is a researcher with over four years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. He attended Kaunas University of Technology and graduated with a Master's degree in Translation and Localization of Technical texts. His interests in computers and technology led him to become a versatile author in the IT industry. At PCrisk, he's responsible for writing in-depth how-to articles for Microsoft Windows. Contact Rimvydas Iliavicius.

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