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Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors are unpleasant to encounter.

In this guide, we’ll discuss BAD_EXHANDLE and how to fix it.

What Is Error 0xa7: BAD_EXHANDLE?

BAD_EXHANDLE is a bug check with a value of 0x000000A7. It comes up when the kernel-mode handle table detects an inconsistent handle table entry state.

What Causes BAD_EXHANDLE Issue on Windows 10?

BAD_EXHANDLE BSOD errors can result due to a variety of software, hardware, driver, or firmware issues:

  • Drivers that are incompatible with newly installed hardware.
  • Corrupt memory (RAM).
  • A faulty hard disk.
  • Old, corrupt, or incorrectly configured device drivers.
  • Corruption in the Windows registry caused by software installation or uninstallation.
  • Missing or damaged system files resulting from the installation of software or drivers related to your Windows OS.
  • System files or Windows OS-related program files corrupted by a virus or malware infection.

Symptoms of BAD_EXHANDLE BSOD Errors

  • Windows is sluggish, and your mouse or keyboard responds slowly.
  • Your computer freezes for some seconds. This happens periodically.
  • You get “STOP Error 0xA7: BAD_EXHANDLE” displayed on the screen.
  • “BAD_EXHANDLE” comes up, and the active program window crashes.
  • An error message is displayed thus: “A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. The problem seems to be caused by the following file:”
  • Every time you try running a particular program, your PC crashes with the error 0xA7.

How to Fix Error 0xa7 on Windows 10

You may have run into the BAD_EXHANDLE blue screen error in any one of the following scenarios:

  • After installing new hardware or software.
  • During program installation.
  • While loading a Windows driver.
  • While Windows is running.
  • During Windows shutdown or startup.

Knowing when the stop error occurred is important in figuring out how to fix the problem.

We’ll provide you with more than a few solutions. They are presented according to their level of difficulty. So we recommend you attempt them sequentially till the error is resolved:

  1. Repair registry entries related to the error 0xA7
  2. Run a full system scan to eliminate malware
  3. Clear temporary files and folders in your system
  4. Update your device drivers
  5. Perform a system restore
  6. Uninstall recently installed software
  7. Run a System File Checker (SFC) scan
  8. Install Windows updates
  9. Run the CHKDSK command to handle a corrupt hard drive
  10. Turn off Fast Startup
  11. Test for corrupt memory (RAM)
  12. Perform a Windows clean install

If the BSOD error occurred during system shutdown or startup, you might not be able to access Windows to perform the necessary troubleshoots. Therefore, you’ll first have to boot into Safe Mode with networking.

We don’t advice manually editing your Windows registry to remove invalid keys. Any slight mistake can cause serious damage to your operating system and stop your PC from functioning.

We recommend you run a scan with a trusted registry cleaner, such as Auslogics Registry Cleaner. It automatically detects and repairs invalid registry entries, broken links, and missing file references that could be causing the Error 0xA7. It also improves the speed and performance of your system.

The tool first creates a backup so that you can undo any changes with just a click if you need to.

Fix 2: Run a Full System Scan to Eliminate Malware

The Blue Screen of Death error you are facing could be as a result of malware infection. Malicious items may have corrupted, damaged, or deleted essential system files on your PC.

We, therefore, recommend you run a full scan with Auslogics Anti-Malware. Do so even if you already have an active antivirus in your system. The tool is designed not to conflict with your main security program. It may find and eliminate hidden items the latter could miss.

Fix 3: Clear Temporary Files and Folders in Your System

Junk files accumulate in your system over time. If you fail to clear them once in a while, it can cause your PC not to function optimally and could even lead to the blue screen error you are now dealing with.

Perform a complete checkup of your system with Auslogics BoostSpeed. It will get rid of junk files and other issues that may have caused the 0xA7 error.

You can schedule automatic maintenance to keep your PC clean and optimized at all times.

Windows also comes with a built-in utility you can use:

  1. Go to the Start menu.
  2. Type ‘CMD’ in the search box. Command Prompt will appear in the results list. Right-click on it and select Run as Administrator.
  3. Click the Yes button when presented with the User Account Control (UAC) confirmation prompt.
  4. In the window that opens, type (or copy and paste) ‘cleanmgr’ (do not add the inverted commas) and then press Enter to execute the command.
  5. Wait for the process to finish calculating how much disk space you can regain. A dialog box will appear afterwards, allowing you to choose the items you want to remove (‘Temporary Files’ most often occupies the most space).
  6. Mark the checkboxes for the items you want to remove and then click OK.

Fix 4: Update Your Device Drivers

Blue screen errors are often associated with faulty, missing, corrupt, or outdated device drivers.

Go to Device Manager and identify the drivers that may have caused the BAD_EXHANDLE error.  Then visit the official website of your PC manufacturer to download and install the latest versions.

Note:

To open Device Manager, press the Windows logo key + X on your keyboard to invoke the WinX menu and then click on the option from the list.

However, you might find this manual process tedious. It’s also possible that you might install the wrong driver or an incompatible version.

To make things easier for yourself, we recommend you get Auslogics Driver Updater. The tool automatically recognizes your system specs and then runs a scan to detect missing, outdated, incompatible, and corrupt drivers. Afterwards, it downloads and installs the latest versions recommended by your PC manufacturer.

It also creates a backup of your current drivers so that you can undo the updates if need be.

Fix 5: Perform a System Restore

A restore will take your system back to a previous state when the blue screen error didn’t exist. This will save you the time and trouble of performing several troubleshoots.

Follow these easy steps:

  1. Go to the Start menu. You can do this by pressing the Windows logo key.
  2. Type ‘System Restore’ in the search bar and click on the option when it appears in the results list.
  3. In the window that opens, click the System Protection tab and click the button that says “System Restore.”
  4. Select a restore point and then follow the instructions displayed on the screen to complete the process.
  5. Restart your computer. Your PC will now be back to normal.

Fix 6: Uninstall Recently Installed Software

If there’s some software you installed just before the BSOD happened, uninstalling it could help resolve the issue.

Follow these easy steps to uninstall a program on your Windows 10 PC:

  1. Press the Windows logo key + R to invoke the Run box.
  2. Type ‘Control Panel’ in the text field and click Ok or press Enter.
  3. Locate ‘Programs and Features’ in the window and click on “Uninstall a program.”
  4. Locate the recently installed program from the list. Right-click on it and select ‘Uninstall’ from the context menu.

Fix 7: Run a System File Checker (SFC) Scan

System File Checker is a built-in Windows utility that scans for and repairs corrupt system files. It could help resolve the 0xA7 error:

  1. Go to the Start Menu.
  2. Type CMD in the search bar and right-click on ‘Command Prompt’ from the results.
  3. Select Run as administrator.
  4. Click the Yes button when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.
  5. Type sfc /scannow in the window and press Enter on your keyboard.

Note: Make sure you leave a space between ‘sfc’ and ‘/scannow’.

  1. Wait for the scan to complete. It may take a while.

Fix 8: Install Windows Updates

Microsoft constantly releases updates for Windows. Installing the latest service pack and patches for your OS may be all you need to resolve the blue screen error you are currently facing.

Follow these easy steps:

  1. Go to the Start menu.
  2. Type ‘Windows Update’ in the search bar and then click the option from the results list.
  3. Click the ‘Check for Updates’ button. If there are any available, Windows will download and install them automatically.

Fix 9: Run the CHKDSK Command to Handle a Corrupt Hard Drive

The BAD_EXHANDLE BSOD could have resulted due to corruption on your hard disk drive.

Your HDD can run into problems over time. System files and stored data become corrupt due to improper system shutdowns, incomplete or corrupt software installations and uninstallations, sudden power outages, and ‘hard closing’ programs.

Fortunately, there’s a built-in utility in Windows referred to as Check Disk (CHKDSK). You can use it to scan for and repair corruption on your hard drive:

  1. Go to the Start menu.
  2. Type ‘CMD’ in the search bar and then right-click on Command Prompt from the results list.
  3. Select Run as administrator in the menu.
  4. Type (or copy and paste) ‘chkdsk /f’ in the window and press Enter.

Note: Don’t include the inverted commas.

  1. Wait for the scan to complete.

Fix 10: Turn Off Fast Startup

There are two ways of doing this:

Method 1:

  1. Type ‘Power Options’ in Cortana and click on the option when it appears in the results.
  2. On the left-hand side of the window that opens, click the option that says “Choose what the power buttons do.”
  3. Under Shutdown settings, turn on Fast Startup and then save the change.
  4. Exit the window and restart your system.

Method 2:

This involves running a line in an elevated command prompt:

  1. Press the Windows logo key + X combination on your keyboard to invoke the WinX menu.
  2. Locate Command Prompt (Admin) in the list and click on it.
  3. Click the Yes button when presented with the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
  4. In the window that opens, type or copy and paste ‘powercfg -h off’ and press Enter on your keyboard to execute it. Ensure you don’t include the inverted commas.
  5. Exit the Window.

Fix 11: Test for Corrupt Memory (RAM)

The Blue Screen of Death error could be as a result of memory (RAM) corruption.

If this is the case, running the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool may help resolve the issue.

Follow these easy steps:

  1. Go to the Start menu.
  2. Type ‘Windows Memory Diagnostic’ or ‘mdsched.exe’ in the search bar and click on the option from the results list.
  3. In the window that opens, click the option that says “Restart now and check for problems.”
  4. Your PC will reboot, and the Memory Diagnostic Tool will begin checking for memory problems.

If you added a new memory module before encountering Error 0xA7, remove it and see if it caused the issue. If the problem is resolved, it means that the memory is either faulty or incompatible. In that case, you need to replace the memory module.

Fix 12: Perform a Windows Clean Install

If the BSOD persists after you’ve attempted all the fixes above, the last option you have is to reinstall Windows. This will erase everything on your hard drive and let you start off with a fresh system. Therefore, back up all your important files, including documents, music, and videos, before you begin.

We hope these solutions have been useful to you.

If you have any remarks, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to share them in the section below.

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