Access violation

The instruction at offset referenced memory at offset. The memory could not be read/written.

An attempt was made to access an invalid or protected memory address. Unfortunately, this can be caused by a wide range of issues.

If a program is identified, a bug within that program is the likely cause. Other causes include any running software, extensions, device drivers or even memory errors. Because of the wide range of causes, this error can be difficult to solve.

Although the program cannot continue, Windows will often recover without rebooting.

If the issue occurs within IE, or when or exiting IE, it's likely a third-party extension has a bug.

To disable third-party extensions, in IE:

1. Select Tools in the menu bar and click on Internet Options.
2. Select the Advanced Tab, and under the Browsing category disable the "Enable third-party browser extensions" option.
3. Close IE. You may get the error one more time, but it should work after that. 

If this does solve it, and you want to use third-party extensions, you will need to re-enable third-party extensions and remove each one until you find the faulty extension.

If you are unable successfully boot into Windows because of the fatal error, Windows has an option to reload registry information from the last successful boot. To revert to the last successful boot:

1. Reboot the computer.
2. Near the end of the BIOS messages or graphic, but well before anything appears from Windows, press the F8 key. You may only have a few seconds to get the right spot to press F8 before it attempts to go into Windows. If the BIOS complains about a pressed key or asks you to go into BIOS setup, you've pressed F8 too soon (Don't go into BIOS setup).
3. When successful, you should see a black screen with white text "Windows Advanced Options". Use the up or down arrow keys to highlight Last Known Good Configuration and press Enter.

Most exception errors are the result of a software bug. If the faulting program is identified, check if a newer version is available that corrects the issue.

Be aware that in some cases the fault might lie elsewhere, such as an operating system file, driver or other defective software that is running.

You may have a defective memory. This is even more likely if it only occurs when the system is cold or hot, but not all the time. Use a memory tester to confirm if it is defective or if you have spare memory, try replacement.

Windows 7 and Vista include a Memory Test program when booting from the Windows Installation DVD. Step-by-step instructions with screen shots are available at Using System Restore on 7/Vista/2008 as part of System Recovery.

Several software products that also provide memory and video diagnostics includes Fix-It Utilities Professional and SystemSuite Professional. Other diagnostic products include Eurosoft's PC Check and Iolo's System Mechanic.

Additional Memory Solutions:

• Confirm all the memory is of the same type and speed. Many motherboards only work correctly when the memory is installed with matched sets and matched speeds.
• If you added or changed your memory just before this problem occurred, try reverting to the prior memory configuration to confirm it's the source of the problem.
• Check that the memory is fully seated in the sockets. Memory sockets often have side latches that need to be upright to indicate the memory is correctly locked in place.
• Confirm the memory resides in the correct slots on the motherboard. You'll need to refer to the motherboard manual to confirm this. There is little consistency, even within a single vendor. Some systems require that memory is installed as matched pairs, but not always adjacent to each other!
• It's also possible the memory problem is on the video card, as they often contain additional memory. The video card should be tested and/or try a different video card to see if the problem goes away.

It is also possible the CPU's internal memory is faulty, so run a CPU diagnostic or try a different CPU.

If you can get the system up for more than a few minutes or can use safe mode, try removing the last installed software application or driver.

For removal of an application (Windows 8+)

1. Press the Windows Key and X together, then  Control Panel, then Programs and Features.
2. Select the software to uninstall and select Uninstall.

 For removal of an application (Windows 7 & Vista):

1. Click on Start, Control Panel, then Programs and Features.
2. Select the software to uninstall and select Uninstall.

For removal of an application (Windows XP):

1. Click on Start, Control Panel, then Add or Remove Programs.
2. Select the software to uninstall and select Remove.

To disable a driver:

1. Bring up the system information dialog:

   On the keyboard, press the Windows key + Pause/Break.

      or

   Select Start, right click Computer and on the drop-down, select Properties.

2. Click on the left side option Advanced system settings (7/Vista only).
3. In System Properties, select the Hardware tab, then click on Device Manager button.
4. Find the hardware/driver of interest (you may need to expand a choice at the "plus" graphic) and double click the choice.
5. Select the Driver tab. Here you can perform a number of actions such as update the driver, roll Back the driver to an older version, disable or uninstall the driver.
6. Click OK to exit, then close the Device Manager and other previously opened dialogs.

Check if you are using the latest hardware drivers, especially the chipset and video drivers. Older drivers are a common contributor to BSoD issues.

You can use a product like Driver Genius or Radar Sync to verify you have the latest drivers and help keep all your drivers up-to-date. If you're comfortable with driver installations, you can individually find and install current drivers.

A some of the most popular driver download sites:

• CPU and Chipset Drivers: AMD, Intel, Via
• Video Drivers: AMD/ATI, Intel, Nvida
• Computer and other hardware manufacturers

Check out what others say about this issue and review or add your own comments and solutions!

You may find more information for this issue in our specific exception reports.

If the Problem Event Name is some variant of APP CRASH, the most common programming error that causes this exception is an undefined, null or damaged pointer. Buffer overruns can also damage a pointer when the pointer resides after the buffer.

If the Problem Event Name is BEX, then it is likely the stack was corrupted. When a function or subroutine returns, the bad return value is used to jump into non-existent memory or a protected memory location. Corrupted in-memory code can also cause a bad jump, but this is far less likely, since often the program's own code is protected from being overwritten.  BEX category probelms are more likley to be caused by something other than the identified program.