Stop 0x0000007E error

After Windows XP upgrade, you might receive the following Stop error message when the computer starts:

STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005, 0x804E518E, 0xFC938104, 0xFC937E04) SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

What may cause 0x0000007E stop error?

0x0000007E stop error might occur if a system thread generates an exception that the error handler does not catch. This exception can be caused by any of the following:

If this issue occurs after the first restart during Windows Setup or after Setup is complete, the computer might not have sufficient hard disk space to run Windows XP.
The computer BIOS might be incompatible with Windows XP, or it might have to be updated.
The video adapter drivers might be incompatible with Windows XP.
A device driver or a system service might be damaged.
If the issue is associated with the Win32k.sys file, it might be caused by a third-party remote control program.

0x0000007E Windows Error: Solutions and Fixes

Solution 1: Make sure that you have sufficient hard disk space

First, make sure that you have sufficient hard disk space. The Stop error can be caused by insufficient hard disk space.

If you can use safe mode or the Recovery Console to start the computer, delete any unnecessary temporary files, Internet cache files, program backup files, and files that contain saved file fragments from disk scans (.chk files). You can also install Windows XP on another hard disk that has more free space.

If you cannot start the computer, go to the next method to update the computer BIOS.

Solution 2: Update the computer BIOS

If freeing space on your hard disk did not resolve the problem, the BIOS might have to be updated. Use the hardware and software vendor contact information articles that are listed in the "References" section to contact the computer manufacturer to obtain the most recent BIOS update.

Note When you update the BIOS, you might have to disable BIOS memory options, such as caching or shadowing, temporarily.

Solution 3: Disable or update device drivers

If you have updated the BIOS successfully and the problem persists, the video adapter drivers on the computer might have to be updated or disabled. Follow these steps to troubleshoot the video adapter drivers:

If a driver is listed by name in the Stop error message, disable or remove that driver.
- If the error occurs during the startup sequence and the system partition uses the NTFS file system, you might be able to use safe mode to rename or to delete the faulty driver.
- If the driver is used as part of the system startup process in safe mode, you must use the Recovery Console to start the computer.
If the Stop error message does not indicate a specific driver, update the video adapter drivers to the latest versions.
Disable or remove any drivers or services that you recently added.
Check the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) to determine whether the PCI devices in the computer are compatible with Windows XP.

Solution 4: Remove unsigned drivers

If you have updated the video adapter drivers and the problem persists, or if you cannot start Windows in safe mode, the problem might be caused by a different, unsigned driver. Remove all drivers that are not digitally signed by Microsoft.

Solution 5: Remove all third-party drivers

You might be unable to determine which third-party driver causes the error. If removing unsigned drivers does not resolve the issue, try moving all third-party driver files from the %Windir%\System32\Drivers folder to a different location. Follow these steps to move the third-party driver files:

Use the Recovery Console to start the computer, or start the computer from a different installation of Windows if you have performed a parallel Windows installation.
Create a temporary folder to hold the driver files. For example, you could create c:\DriverTemp.
Move all files that do not have a creation date for Windows XP of 8/13/2001 from the %Windir%\System32\Drivers folder into the temporary folder that you created in step 2.

Caution If the computer relies on third-party IDE or SCSI controller drivers for correct operation, you must identify those driver files and then leave them in the %Windir%\System32\Drivers folder.
Restart the computer.
Continue the Windows Setup program. You can add the driver files back to the computer one at a time to identify the faulty driver.

Solution 6: Remove third-party remote control services

If you still have the problem after you use the previous methods and the Stop error message contains the Win32k.sys file name instead of a driver file name, the problem might be caused by a third-party remote control program. To remove the service, use the Recovery Console to start the computer and then delete the third-party remote control service file.