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BSOD Error KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR? Here’s the Fix
Fix It Yourself · Troubleshooting

BSOD Error KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR? Here’s the Fix

Updated 26 July 202613 min read
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The kernel data inpage error is a BSOD stop code that means Windows tried to read data from your storage device into memory and failed. That's the short answer. Most guides online tell you to run SFC and call it a day, but on Windows 11 there's a specific hardware bug affecting millions of machines that those guides completely miss. If you've got a 2TB WD or SanDisk NVMe SSD and you're on Windows 11 version 24H2, there's a very good chance the fix takes 30 minutes and a firmware download, not a reinstall.

TL;DR

The kernel data inpage error BSOD on Windows 11 is most commonly caused by a firmware bug in certain 2TB WD and SanDisk NVMe SSDs on version 24H2, or by file system corruption. Run CHKDSK and SFC first. If you see stornvme Event ID 11 errors in Event Viewer, update your SSD firmware immediately. That single fix resolves the BSOD in over 95% of affected machines.

⏱️ 13 min read ✅ 95%+ success rate (firmware fix) 📅 Updated July 2026

Key Takeaways

  • The kernel data inpage error means Windows failed to read data from storage into RAM.
  • Windows 11 24H2 has a documented incompatibility with certain 2TB WD and SanDisk NVMe SSDs causing this exact BSOD.
  • Check Event Viewer for stornvme Event ID 11 errors before doing anything else.
  • CHKDSK + SFC fixes file system corruption in 70 to 80% of non-hardware cases.
  • SSD firmware update fixes the WD/SanDisk issue with a 95%+ success rate.
  • Faulty RAM is a less common but real cause. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic to rule it out.

At a Glance

  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Time Required: 30 to 60 mins
  • Success Rate: 95%+ (firmware fix) / 70-80% (CHKDSK + SFC)

What Actually Causes the Kernel Data Inpage Error on Windows 11?

The stop code KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR (Bug Check 0x0000007A) fires when the Windows kernel requests a page of data from the storage subsystem and doesn't get a clean response back. That failure can happen at several points in the chain, which is why this error has multiple root causes rather than one tidy answer.

The single biggest cause right now, in 2026, is a firmware incompatibility between Windows 11 version 24H2 and certain 2TB WD and SanDisk NVMe SSDs. When 24H2 shipped, it changed how Windows requests Host Memory Buffer (HMB) allocation from NVMe drives. HMB lets the SSD controller use a small chunk of system RAM as a cache, which improves performance. The problem is that the firmware on some of these drives can't handle the larger HMB size Windows 24H2 requests. The SSD controller throws errors, Windows sees a failed read, and you get the BSOD. You'll find the evidence in Event Viewer as Event ID 11 from source stornvme, referencing controller errors on \Device\RaidPort1 or \Device\RaidPort2. Microsoft's own documentation on Bug Check 0x7A confirms that storage controller errors are a primary trigger.

Beyond the SSD firmware issue, the other causes break down like this:

  • File system corruption: Improper shutdowns, power cuts, or malware can corrupt the NTFS file system. Windows then can't reliably read its own data. This is the second most common cause and CHKDSK usually sorts it.
  • Outdated or broken NVMe drivers: The storage controller driver sits between Windows and your SSD. A dodgy driver update or a driver that's just too old for your hardware can break that communication entirely.
  • Failing SSD or HDD: Physical drive degradation. Sectors go bad, read errors accumulate, and eventually the kernel can't page data in reliably. This one doesn't get better with software fixes. The drive needs replacing.
  • Faulty RAM: Less common than people think, but defective memory modules can corrupt data during the paging operation itself. Windows Memory Diagnostic will catch this.
  • Software conflicts: Third-party applications with kernel-mode drivers (certain antivirus products, virtualisation software, old system utilities) can interfere with storage operations at a low level. A Clean Boot test isolates this quickly.

The reason it's worth knowing which cause you're dealing with before you start is that the fixes are quite different. Running CHKDSK on a drive with a firmware bug won't stop the crashes. And updating firmware on a drive that's physically failing won't help either. So the diagnostic step in the next section matters.

Kernel Data Inpage Error Quick Fix: CHKDSK and System File Repair

Start here regardless of what you suspect. These scans are low-risk, take about 30 minutes, and fix the majority of cases caused by file system corruption. They also rule out software-level issues before you go poking around in firmware.

Before starting: plug your laptop into mains power. CHKDSK runs before Windows loads and cannot be safely interrupted. A laptop dying mid-scan can make things worse.
1

Run CHKDSK, SFC, and DISM Easy

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator
    Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Schedule a CHKDSK scan
    Type chkdsk /F /R and press Enter. When asked if you want to schedule on next restart, type Y and press Enter.
  3. Restart your PC
    Close everything and restart. CHKDSK runs automatically before Windows loads. It goes through five phases and can take 20 to 40 minutes on a large drive. Don't touch the machine during this.
  4. Run SFC after the reboot
    Once back in Windows, open Command Prompt as administrator again. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for it to finish (15 to 30 minutes on slower systems).
  5. Run DISM to repair the Windows image
    In the same Command Prompt window, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This pulls clean files from Windows Update to replace anything SFC flagged.
  6. Restart and test
    Reboot and use the machine normally for a few hours. If the BSOD doesn't return, you're sorted.
If CHKDSK found and fixed errors, and SFC reports 'Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them', the file system was the culprit. Monitor for a day or two to confirm stability.
If CHKDSK reports bad sectors that it cannot repair, that's a sign of physical drive failure. Back up your data immediately and consider drive replacement. Don't ignore this.

If the BSOD keeps happening after these scans, the problem isn't file system corruption. Move on to the next fix. And if you're concerned about data you might have lost during the crashes, our guide on free file recovery on Windows covers the best tools to get it back.

Kernel Data Inpage Error Fix for WD and SanDisk SSD Users (Windows 11 24H2)

This is the fix that most articles completely miss, and it's the one that matters most right now. If you're on Windows 11 version 24H2 and you have a 2TB WD or SanDisk NVMe SSD (the kind that sits in an M.2 slot inside your machine), there's a very high chance this firmware issue is causing your kernel data inpage error crashes.

Here's how to check before you do anything else. Press Windows + X and open Event Viewer. Go to Windows Logs, then System. Look for Event ID 11 from source stornvme. If you see entries mentioning controller errors on \Device\RaidPort1 or \Device\RaidPort2, that's the HMB allocation failure. That's your culprit.

You can also confirm which SSD you have by opening Device Manager (right-click Start, select Device Manager), expanding Disk drives, and checking the drive name. If it says WD or SanDisk and it's 2TB, you're in the right place.

2

Update WD or SanDisk SSD Firmware Advanced

  1. Back up your data first
    Firmware updates rarely go wrong, but 'rarely' isn't 'never'. Copy anything critical to an external drive or cloud storage before you start. If you need a reliable place to put large amounts of data, we've covered 10 TB cloud storage options for Windows that work well for this.
  2. Verify your SSD is internally installed
    This firmware update only works on drives installed in an M.2 slot or internal PCIe adapter. External USB enclosures won't work. If your SSD isn't detected at all, check our SSD not detected Windows recovery guide first.
  3. Download the firmware update tool
    Go to the Western Digital support downloads page (or the SanDisk equivalent). Find your specific model and download the latest firmware update utility for Windows.
  4. Run the updater as administrator
    Right-click the downloaded file and select 'Run as administrator'. Follow the on-screen steps exactly. The tool will detect your drive, show you the current and available firmware versions, and apply the update.
  5. Do not interrupt the process
    Seriously. Don't click anything, don't let the laptop sleep, don't let the power cut out. A failed firmware flash can brick the drive. Keep it plugged into mains power throughout.
  6. Restart and check Event Viewer
    After the update completes and you've restarted, go back to Event Viewer and check for new stornvme Event ID 11 errors. If they've stopped, the fix worked. Most users see zero BSODs after this.
A successful firmware update resolves the HMB allocation conflict permanently. The 95%+ success rate on this fix reflects how clean the solution is once you've confirmed the right cause.
The firmware update is permanent and cannot be rolled back. Only run it on the specific affected models. If you're unsure whether your drive is affected, contact WD or SanDisk support with your model number before proceeding.

Advanced Kernel Data Inpage Error Fixes: RAM, Drivers, and Software Conflicts

If CHKDSK didn't fix it and you don't have an affected WD or SanDisk SSD, work through these in order. They cover the remaining causes: bad RAM, outdated drivers, and software conflicts.

3

Test RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic Easy

  1. Open Windows Memory Diagnostic
    Press the Windows key, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, and press Enter. Select 'Restart now and check for problems'.
  2. Wait for the test to complete
    Your PC restarts and runs the memory test automatically. It takes 10 to 20 minutes. You'll see a progress bar. Don't interrupt it.
  3. Check the results
    After Windows loads, press Windows + X, open Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs, then System. Look for MemoryDiagnostics-Results. If it reports errors, your RAM is faulty and needs replacing. If it reports no errors, RAM isn't the issue.
No errors found means RAM is fine. Move on to driver updates.
4

Update Storage Controller and Chipset Drivers Intermediate

  1. Open Device Manager
    Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
  2. Update storage controller drivers
    Expand 'Storage controllers' and 'Disk drives'. Right-click each device, select 'Update driver', then 'Search automatically for drivers'. Do this for every entry in both categories.
  3. Update chipset drivers
    Expand 'System devices'. Right-click chipset-related entries and update them. For the most current drivers, go directly to your motherboard or laptop manufacturer's support page and download the chipset driver package from there. Windows Update sometimes lags behind.
  4. Restart and monitor
    Reboot after all driver updates are done. Use the machine normally for several hours and see if the BSOD returns.
5

Clean Boot to Isolate Software Conflicts Intermediate

  1. Open System Configuration
    Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and click OK.
  2. Disable non-Microsoft services
    Go to the Services tab. Check 'Hide all Microsoft services' at the bottom. Click 'Disable all'. This leaves Windows services running but kills everything third-party.
  3. Disable startup apps
    Go to the Startup tab and click 'Open Task Manager'. Disable every startup item listed. Close Task Manager, click OK in msconfig, and restart.
  4. Test in Clean Boot
    Use your PC normally for a few hours. If the kernel data inpage error doesn't appear, a third-party application is causing it. Re-enable services and startup apps in small batches, restarting each time, until the BSOD comes back. That batch contains your culprit.
  5. Return to normal startup
    Once you've identified (and uninstalled or updated) the problematic software, go back to msconfig, select 'Normal startup', and restart.
Common culprits include older antivirus products, virtualisation software (VMware, VirtualBox), and system utility tools that haven't been updated for Windows 11. Uninstall rather than just disable if you find the problem app.

Worth noting: if the BSOD is so frequent that you can't even get into Windows to run these fixes, you'll need to boot from a recovery drive. Our guide on Windows boot loop recovery covers how to get back in when Windows won't load at all. And if you need to create a bootable USB to run diagnostics, the Ventoy bootable USB guide for Windows is the quickest way to set one up.

Preventing the Kernel Data Inpage Error Coming Back

Once you've fixed the immediate crash, a few habits will stop it coming back.

The most important one right now: if you own a WD or SanDisk NVMe SSD, check for firmware updates before you hit a problem. Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 update history documents known hardware compatibility issues, and it's worth checking after major Windows updates to see if your hardware is flagged.

Keep Windows Update running. Seriously. A lot of driver and firmware fixes come through Windows Update now, and skipping updates is one of the fastest ways to end up with a compatibility bug that's already been patched.

Run CHKDSK every month or two. You don't need to do the full /R scan every time, but catching disk errors early stops them turning into corruption that triggers BSODs. Schedule it during a time you're not using the machine.

Proper shutdowns matter more than people think. Holding the power button to force-off your PC, or pulling the plug during a Windows update, can corrupt the NTFS file system in ways that take a while to surface. Use Start, then Shut Down. Every time.

Keep at least 10 to 15 percent free space on your system drive. A nearly full drive causes all sorts of problems with virtual memory and temporary file operations, and it can trigger paging errors that look exactly like a kernel data inpage error.

Finally, back up regularly. Not because backups prevent BSODs, but because a failing drive that causes this error can take your data with it when it goes. An external drive or a decent cloud backup means you're not in a panic when the hardware eventually gives up.

Kernel Data Inpage Error on Windows 11: Summary

The kernel data inpage error BSOD on Windows 11 has a clear fix in most cases. Start with CHKDSK and SFC to rule out file system corruption. If you're on Windows 11 24H2 with a 2TB WD or SanDisk NVMe SSD, check Event Viewer for stornvme Event ID 11 errors and update the SSD firmware. That single fix resolves the crash for the vast majority of affected machines. If neither of those applies, work through RAM testing, driver updates, and Clean Boot to track down the cause. The error looks alarming but it's almost always fixable without reinstalling Windows.

Quick Reference

  • Run chkdsk /F /R and sfc /scannow first (fixes 70 to 80% of software-cause cases).
  • Check Event Viewer for stornvme Event ID 11 before anything else on Windows 11 24H2.
  • WD/SanDisk 2TB NVMe firmware update: 95%+ success rate on affected machines.
  • Windows Memory Diagnostic rules out faulty RAM quickly.
  • Clean Boot isolates third-party software conflicts in under an hour.
  • If CHKDSK reports unrepairable bad sectors, start backing up and plan for drive replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

The kernel data inpage error happens when Windows cannot read data from your storage device into memory. The most common causes on Windows 11 are a documented firmware incompatibility affecting certain 2TB WD and SanDisk NVMe SSDs on version 24H2, file system corruption, outdated storage drivers, a failing drive, or faulty RAM. Check Event Viewer for Event ID 11 from source 'stornvme' to confirm if the SSD firmware issue is your culprit.

Start by running 'chkdsk /F /R' and 'sfc /scannow' from an elevated Command Prompt. If you have a 2TB WD or SanDisk SSD on Windows 11 24H2, updating the SSD firmware from the manufacturer's website fixes the issue in over 95% of cases. Also run Windows Memory Diagnostic to rule out faulty RAM, and update your storage controller drivers in Device Manager.

Yes. It became significantly more common after the Windows 11 24H2 update due to a Host Memory Buffer allocation conflict with specific 2TB WD and SanDisk SSDs. Outside of that, it's one of the more frequently seen BSODs because it covers any failure in the storage-to-memory data path, including ageing drives, corrupted file systems, and bad RAM.

Yes, in most cases. CHKDSK and SFC repair file system corruption without reinstalling. Firmware updates fix the WD/SanDisk compatibility issue permanently. Driver updates and Clean Boot testing resolve software conflicts. Reinstalling Windows is only necessary if the storage device has physically failed or system files are completely beyond repair.

Recurring crashes usually mean the root cause hasn't been fixed. A drive that's physically failing will keep triggering the error until it's replaced. On Windows 11 24H2 with an affected WD or SanDisk SSD, the crashes will continue until the firmware is updated. Check Event Viewer for repeated stornvme Event ID 11 errors, which point directly at the SSD firmware issue.

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