How to fix pfn list corrupt error on Windows 7 and 10

Why does it occur

A blue screen appears while the OS is running. Sometimes during installation or boot, if the system encounters an error that it cannot fix. The PC is requested to restart. Error 0x0000008e appears if:

1. The win32k.sys driver reports a conflict;
2. Technical malfunction;
3. Problem with RAM operation;
4. Virus. The "win32k" file is quarantined by the antivirus program. Its absence disrupts work.

Let's take a closer look at why error 0x0000008e Windows XP occurs.

Ways to resolve the error

Checking the compatibility of hardware and drivers

If error 0x0000008e occurs, the first thing you need to do is check the compatibility of all installed drivers with the current components of your computer. On Windows 10 you can do this like this:

• press Win+R , and in the window that appears, enter cmd ;
• enter the command Setup /Auto Upgrade /DynamicUpdat ;
• wait for the process to complete.

If compatibility problems are identified, you should update the drivers to the latest and most current versions for the current computer hardware.

Checking RAM

Problems with RAM are a common cause of error 0x0000008e. Diagnosis of the strips can be carried out using the Memtest86+ program. Procedure:

• download Memtest86+;
• run the installation , during the process specify the path to the disk or flash drive on which the program will be written, check the box next to “ We will format as Fat32 ”;
• when the installation is complete, restart the computer and at the very beginning of its boot press the DEL button to enter the BIOS;
• in the BIOS menu, select the connected flash drive with Memtest86+ ;
• exit the BIOS using the “ save and exit setup ” button;
• After loading, the RAM test in several stages.

If errors are found after passing all stages of testing:

• try to carefully clean the memory sticks from dust;
• Only one of the strips can generate an error (if they are not paired and are produced by different companies), so it is worth testing them separately;
• in other cases, replacement of the component that fails is required.

Error 0xc000007b when starting the application - methods to solve the problem

Checking the video card

The second most popular cause of BSoD error is the video card. The reason may be either incompatibility of hardware and system , or the absence or incorrect installation of drivers. Available solution options:

1. If a blue screen appears immediately after the welcome screen , it is most likely a driver problem. While the system is booting, press “F8” to enter safe mode. Through “ My Computer ” we remove the faulty component and install another one from disk or from the Internet.
2. Replace the board , especially if you are using an older model.

Understanding the BIOS

BIOS is a program responsible for setting up PC components. Resetting your settings may help resolve the error.

You can reset the BIOS settings in its interface itself. During the system boot process, press “Del” or “F2” (for laptops or netbooks). Older versions of the program have the following items:

• Load Optimized Defaults – settings are reset to those optimized for the given hardware;
• Load Fail-Sase Defaults – settings are reset and optimized to reduce the likelihood of errors.

Most laptops will allow you to reset the BIOS settings in the “ Exit ” tab using the “ Load Defaults ” button.

A mechanical reset can be done by manipulating the CMOS jumper (sometimes called a “jumper”), on which the BIOS itself is located. For this:

1. Turn off the computer and disconnect the power supply.
2. Open the case and find the jumper. It is often located near the battery and has a designation such as “CLR_CMOS”, “R CMOS” and others. It can be equipped with two or three contacts.
3. In the case of three contacts, move the jumper to the second position ; in the case of two, install a side jumper on this contact.
4. Hold down the computer's start button for 10 seconds.
5. Set the jumpers to their original position and turn on the power supply, and then the computer itself.

How to fix the Operating system not found error

If everything is done correctly, the settings will be reset to factory settings, and the error will disappear if the problem was in the BIOS.

Checking the win32k.sys driver

The Blue Screen of Death can occur if the system file win32k.sys was not found or was damaged. The problem can be solved by restoring the system or updating the file to the latest version, but if these methods do not help, you need to contact System File Checker:

1. Click Start .
2. Type cmd Ctrl-Shift keys and pressing Enter at the same time.
3. In the window that appears, click “ Yes ”.
4. At the command line (black screen with a blinking dash), enter the command sfc \scannow.
5. The system's built-in troubleshooting program will begin the testing and repair process . This may take a long time.

You can replace the win32k.sys file manually by downloading it from the Internet. The file is placed in the C:\Windows\System32 . Otherwise, you will need a clean installation of the operating system with preliminary formatting of the main disk.

Restoring a damaged system through the utility

Critical error 0x0000008e may appear due to incorrect operation of Windows . Most often this happens when the main hard drive runs out of free space .
But it happens that the “screen of death” appears even before the desktop loads. To solve the problem you will need the ERD Commander program. Version 2005/2008 is suitable for Win XP and 2000; version 7.0/8.1 is suitable for systems from Win 7 to Win 8.1. For the Windows 10 , the DaRT 10.0 program is used - it practically does not differ in interface from the first two, because it is simply the latest utility in this series.

The procedure for launching the program using the example of version ERD Commander 7.0/8.1:

• run ERD Recovery Image ;
• indicate the name and bitness of the system for which you want to create an image;
• to the image all the utilities needed to clean the system on a faulty computer;
• click “ Create ” to start the image creation process;
• burn the finished image to disk;
• go into the BIOS and designate the connected flash drive as a boot disk;
• boot from the flash drive.

Why does the SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER error appear and how to fix it

Now you can fix all system problems that cause the blue screen.

Reinstalling the system using ERD Commander 7.0/8.1:

1. After downloading the program, click on the “ Disk Management - Format Hard Drive ” menu to delete all data from the main partition on which Windows was installed (for example, “C:\”).
2. In the BIOS for the media with the system image, we specify the parameter “ first boot priority ” for the cd to go to dvd-rom.
3. The drive starts working. Install the system following the instructions on the screen.

If, after completely formatting the hard disk, the problem continues to appear, install a different version of the boot system image from another medium (for reliability).

to use ERD Commander for formatting there are other options:

1. When reinstalling Windows, a window will appear in which you will need to choose either to format the main disk or install a new system over the old one.
2. You can write the command format C /q /autotest . Then change the txt extension to bat, and then run the file.
3. Through ERD Commander, formatting can be done in a couple of clicks through the main menu.

With the help of a set of software tools ERD Commander and DaRT, many system errors can be easily corrected, since the user receives full control over the hard drive. Despite the fact that the utility was released a long time ago, it remains relevant today.

RAM problems

This is true for older PCs. Users try to increase operating speed by adding new memory. At the same time, its characteristics are not taken into account. Indicated in the board manual. The error stop 0x0000008e occurs.

If the memory size is more than four gigabytes, install a 64-bit OS.

The error appears when starting the OS. This occurs due to the appearance of bad (BAD) sectors. They prevent the OS from working correctly.

Solving the problem - replacing the memory

Error 0x0000008e appears due to driver corruption

The problem is with the "win32k" file. What to do? Open your antivirus, check the quarantine and log. If it is there, after recovery, save the information used for work and reinstall the system. If it is not in quarantine, it is damaged. Let's use the system utility to check files. Open the command line. Press “Win+X”, then select the appropriate item. Enter the command:

If there are errors, the utility will correct them. Next, restart your PC.

Fighting trouble

Treatment of the situation begins with an attempt to correct damaged files, if any. It is necessary, first of all, to determine which device it belongs to. Then go to the hardware manager, go to the settings menu and update the necessary software.

The next step is to disable various accelerators if they are installed and running on the computer. If the first two options did not lead to an acceptable result, then, unfortunately, the problem is associated with the memory sticks that are connected to the PC motherboard. By the way, such a problem may not necessarily arise due to the fact that the RAM has some kind of malfunction. It is quite possible that the conflict was caused by the use of several boards with completely different characteristics on the same equipment. Therefore, it is worth double-checking this information and removing one of the memory types if there are several of them installed.

If the PC has only one version of RAM (or several sticks of the same type are used), then most likely the reason is their damage. Unfortunately, the only way out of this situation is to buy a new product. If several slots are used simultaneously, then the waste may be less significant, since not all elements may have to be changed.

What to do if error 0x0000008e Windows appears and the system does not start

Use a boot disk or Live distribution. Let's consider a method using the ERD Commander emergency recovery disk (a set of diagnostic utilities). Download it, create bootable media. When the boot loader start window opens, select the OS version taking into account the bit depth.

A scan will begin to identify installed systems.

Click on the link:

Launch Explorer.

We delete data from the “$Recycle.Bin” recycle bin and the folders located at: C:\Users\Username.

Delete only files located in directories. Don't touch the folders themselves.

Move the necessary information to another disk. For this:

Now the blue screen (error 0x0000008e) will not occur.

Problem with CPU power driver

Below I will provide a list of steps to disable this driver. For most people, this helps fix 0x0000007E.

1. Enter safe mode (press F8 when turning on the PC).
2. Go to Start >> Run (Win+R) and type regedit.
3. Navigate to the directory HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Intelppm
4. In the window that appears, replace the value of the “Start” or “Run” item with 4.

Error 0x0000008e 0xc0000005

In addition to the error discussed above, the following problems occur in Windows 7/10:

The problem is related to the update from Microsoft: KB2859537. The reason is an error in the wusa.exe system utility (automatic update installer). What to do? Click “Start” in the search form, enter CMD, then, as in the screenshot: Enter the command: This action will help you access the utility to roll back the last installed update. Go to the Uninstall tab. Open "View" and find the file:

Remove it, restart your PC.