How to Fix BSOD PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA (0x00000050)

By ErrorFix · Updated October 13, 2026 · 8 min read

What error 0x00000050 means

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA is a blue-screen stop code. Windows divides memory into areas, and the "nonpaged" area holds data that must always stay in physical RAM — it is never swapped out to disk. This error means something — usually a driver — tried to access an address in that area that was invalid or had been freed. Rather than risk corrupting your data, Windows halts everything and shows the blue screen.

The stop code itself doesn't name the culprit, but the pattern of crashes usually does. If the blue screens started right after a driver update, a Windows update, or installing new hardware, that change is almost certainly responsible. If crashes are random and the system was previously stable for months, failing RAM moves to the top of the suspect list. Either way, the diagnostic steps below will narrow it down quickly.

Common causes

• Faulty or incompatible RAM: a dying memory stick returns bad data, and Windows crashes when it touches the corrupted region.
• Corrupt or outdated device drivers: buggy drivers request invalid memory addresses — the most common software-side cause.
• Damaged drive sectors: bad sectors can corrupt the page file or driver files as they load.
• Antivirus or disk-filter drivers: low-level security and disk-utility drivers hook deep into the system and can trigger this stop code.
• Corrupt paging file or system files: a damaged pagefile.sys or core Windows files cause invalid memory references.

How to fix error 0x00000050 — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. If the PC blue-screens in a loop, start with step 1.

1. Boot into Safe Mode. If Windows won't stay up long enough to work, interrupt the boot process three times in a row (hold the power button during the Windows logo) to reach the recovery environment. Go to Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then Startup Settings, then Restart, and press 4 for Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads only essential drivers, which usually stops the crashing driver from loading.
2. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic. Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, and press Enter. Choose "Restart now and check for problems." The PC will reboot into the memory test — let it run to completion. If it reports hardware problems, you've found your culprit: a defective RAM stick.
3. Update or roll back device drivers. Right-click Start and open Device Manager. Expand Display adapters and Storage controllers, right-click each device, and choose "Update driver," then "Search automatically for drivers." If the crashes began right after a driver update, right-click the device instead, open Properties, go to the Driver tab, and choose "Roll Back Driver."
4. Run chkdsk on the system drive. Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Run chkdsk C: /f /r and restart if prompted so the check runs before Windows loads. This finds bad sectors and recovers readable data, fixing crashes caused by disk-level corruption.
5. Run SFC and DISM to repair system files. In an admin terminal, run sfc /scannow and wait for it to finish. Then run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth to repair the component store. Restart the PC afterward so the repaired files take effect.
6. Remove recent hardware and test RAM sticks individually. Shut the PC down fully, unplug it, and remove any hardware you added recently — new RAM, a new SSD, a USB device. If you have multiple RAM sticks, test them one at a time in the primary slot (check your motherboard manual for which slot that is) to isolate the failing module.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• The PC boots normally and stays up for hours of use
• No more 0x00000050 blue screens during everyday tasks
• Windows Memory Diagnostic reports no errors
• Device Manager shows current drivers with no warning icons

If crashes continue, look at the blue screen itself: it sometimes names a file like ntoskrnl.exe or a .sys driver file at the bottom. Searching that filename online usually identifies the responsible driver or program directly. Also consider resetting the paging file: open System Properties, go to Advanced, then Performance Settings, then Advanced, then Virtual memory, and set it back to "Automatically manage paging file size."