# Solved: Bad_Pool_Header BSOD Windows 7 Ultimate



## randus1 (Oct 26, 2009)

I had Windows XP on my computer. I installed Windows 7 Ultimate after formatting my hard drive. Everything worked fine untill I started installing compatable programs. I installed a few that worked fine for a while and when I installed one that said it was incompatable, I immediatly uninstalled it. When I finished uninstalling it, my computer went to the BSOD. 
At the top of that screen was a message that said "Bad_Pool_Header" and at the bottom of the screen it was "Crash dumping" and all this lasted about 2 seconds so I could not read the messages in the middle. 
The computer restarted itself and when it restarted, it gave me the option to "Start Computer Normally" or "Start in Safe Mode". It would not start normally without going back to the BSOD but it did Start in Safe Mode. I tride several options in Safe Mode including "System Restore" but that did not work either.
I did not add any hardware or any other incompatable Software so there was nothing to remove.
The only way I got my computer to finally start normally was to go to "Safe Mode" without doing anything but just clicking "Start" and "Restart".
The next day, when I started my computer I got the same problems again. This time, I tried "Safe Mode", "Start", "Restart", but it did NOT start. 
After a few hours I turned on my computer again (same problems) and I just kept letting it start normally by itself over and over again. After about 20 restarts, it finally started.
I added a couple of compatable programs (3) and I attached my printer and everything seems to be OK but I don't want to turn off the computer because it might happen again.
So here I am, asking anyone for any solutions to my problem.
PLEASE HELP!


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001142.htm

Error message can be software or hardware-related, seems like yours might be software-related since you got that message and uninstalled but maybe everything wasn't removed.


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## brungi_naveen (Oct 4, 2007)

Pull out everything connected to your computer other than mouse and keyboard and try it again. Then, update the BIOS and graphics driver.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

When you say System Restore did not work -- do you mean it did not fix the problem or did not complete?

If it completed and did not fix the problem, it is probably hardware related. Some "bad pool" errors can be caused by buggy display drivers, so you might want to reload or update those.

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Since you can boot in Safe Mode you might also try "Clean Booting" from there >>

CLEAN BOOT TROUBLESHOOTING technique

First, restart in Safe Mode if necessary -- (tap the f8 key promptly on startup and choose the Safe Mode option from the boot menu) or Normal mode

Then:

Run *msconfig* and select the "Services" tab. *Check "Hide Microsoft Services"* and then disable the rest. Also uncheck "load startup items" on the general page.

Now restart and test the issue at hand

If no problems, run *msconfig* and recheck half the disabled items on the Services tab. Test again. If the problem recurs, UNcheck half the items you just checked to narrow down the culprit.

If the problem didn't occur, check the other half, so all the Services are enabled -- proceed to do this on the startup tab as well.

Get the idea? You want to isolate the problem to a specific startup if possible.

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I can run a debugging utility on the dump files if you do this:

1 > create a new folder on the desktop and call it "dumpcheck" or whatever you like
2 > navigate to *c:\windows\minidump *and copy the last few minidump files to that folder. *this assumes 'c' is your boot drive, if it is not, subsitute accordingly
3 > *close* the folder and right click on it and select *Send to* _Compressed (zipped) Folder_. 
4 > use the "manage attachments" in the "advanced" reply window to upload that zip file here as an attachment.

This might point us to a non Microsoft driver causing the error, if one exists for it.

If you do not see any minidumps, be sure you are not using any cache cleaner such as CCleaner. Also run *sysdm.cpl* and select Advanced > Startup and Recovery. Make sure "small memory dump" is the one chosen under "write debugging information" and the location should be *%systemroot%\minidump*

Since almost all bugchecks can be caused by faulty ram, I would recommend you perform memory tests.

You can run *mdsched.exe* to perform a memory check, on reboot to the scanner press F1 for Advanced options and run the extended test.


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