Driver Verifier - BSOD related - Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 8

jcgriff2 · Feb 25, 2012

D R I V E R _ V E R I F I E R

If your BSODs are software related, Driver Verifier can help by subjecting 3rd party (non-Microsoft) drivers to a variety of stresses and tests to find improper behavior to hopefully find the rogue driver that is causing your BSODs.

Driver Verifier monitors kernel-mode drivers and graphics drivers (it does not monitor pure user-mode drivers) to detect illegal function calls or actions that might corrupt the system.

If Driver Verifier detects a driver violation, it will flag (disable) the offending driver and force a BSOD. The additional info added to the memory dump file will hopefully yield clues as to the cause.

1. Create a Windows System Restore Point -
Vista - START | type rstrui - create a restore point
Windows 11, 10 & 7 - START | type create | select "Create a Restore Point"
Windows 8/ 8.1 - Windows System Restore - Create a Restore Point (Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 & Vista)

2. Run Driver Verifier -
- Windows 11, 10, 7 & Vista - START | type verifier
- Windows 8.1 & 8 - Press WIN +X keys | select "Command Prompt (Admin)" | type verifier

Make these selections -
1. Select 2nd option - Create custom settings (for code developers)
2. Select 2nd option - Select individual settings from a full list
3. Check these boxes -
▪ Special Pool
▪ Force IRQL checking
▪ Pool Tracking
▪ Deadlock Detection
▪ Security Checks (new as of Windows 7)
▪ Miscellaneous Checks
▪ Power framework delay fuzzing (new as of Windows 8)
▪ DDI compliance checking (new as of Windows 8)
4. Select last option - Select driver names from a list
5. Click on the Provider heading - sorts list by Provider
6. Check ALL boxes where "Microsoft" IS NOT the Provider, with the exception of the following:

Wdf01000.sys
ndis.sys
fltMgr.sys
Storport.sys

These are the only Microsoft drivers which should be enabled.

7. Click on Finish
8. Re-boot

WARNING - Do Not Forget To Create a System Restore Point

I cannot stress the importance enough about the need to create a system restore point.

If Driver Verifier flags a boot driver and disables it, you may not be able to successfully boot your system.

As the instructions below state, you'll need to boot into Recovery and run Windows System Restore using the restore point that you just created to turn Driver Verifier OFF and then boot your system.

If you are unable to boot into normal Windows after a VERIFIER_ENABLED BSOD -

. • Boot into SAFEMODE - tap the F8 key repeatedly during boot-up
... • Select "System Restore"
... • Choose the restore point that you created in step #1
... • Go to the section "TO DISABLE DRIVER VERIFIER OUTSIDE OF WINDOWS" below

To check Driver Verifier status or to turn Driver Verifier OFF ---- select last option, 1st screen -or-
--- type verifier /query (in a cmd/DOS screen)

To turn Driver Verifier off - verifier /reset then re-boot

To VERIFY Driver Verifier SETTINGS -
--- type verifier /querysettings (in a cmd/DOS screen)

- Driver Verifier needs to run for 24 hours minimum - even if the status screen appears clear.

If a VERIFIER_ENABLED BSOD occurs, please get the dump file from c:\windows\minidump, zip it up & attach to your next post.

*** TO DISABLE DRIVER VERIFIER OUTSIDE OF WINDOWS (use in a no-boot or boot-loop situation) - Disable Driver Verifier Outside Windows (Vista / 7 / 8 / 10)

This situation usually means that Driver Verifier has flagged and disabled a boot driver.

Use the above only in a no-boot situation where Driver Verifier BSODs your system instantly upon start-up and no other option is available.

This rarely happens.

Additional info from Windows Dev Center -

About Driver Verifier
Driver Verifier Options
Using Driver Verifier
Memory Dump Options

If you have any questions, please submit questions in your thread.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

Info for Windows Server (This Microsoft KB cites Server 2003/XP, but does likely apply to newer Server Editions) -

Things to consider before you enable Driver Verifier Manager on production servers

boot enable - Boot Parameters to Enable Debugging - Windows drivers

Options - Driver Verifier Options - Windows drivers

Driver Verifier settings/options and their meanings - Driver Verifier Options - Windows drivers

jcgriff2 · Feb 25, 2012

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff556083(v=vs.85).aspx

usasma · Mar 14, 2012

Re: Driver Verifier

Win8 added 2 new settings in Driver Verifier:

- Concurrentcy Stress Test
- DDI compliance checking

Info on them here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh698274(v=vs.85).aspx

jcgriff2 · Mar 14, 2012

Re: Driver Verifier

Thanks, John... changes made.

jcgriff2 · Aug 20, 2021

Go Ahead, Make My Day: Fix My BSOD - Page 3 - Windows Crashes and Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Help and Support

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Driver Verifier - BSOD related - Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 8

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

usasma

Retired Admin

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

Driver Verifier - BSOD related - Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 8

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / AdminBSOD Instructor/ExpertMicrosoft MVP (Ret.)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / AdminBSOD Instructor/ExpertMicrosoft MVP (Ret.)

usasma

Retired Admin

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / AdminBSOD Instructor/ExpertMicrosoft MVP (Ret.)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / AdminBSOD Instructor/ExpertMicrosoft MVP (Ret.)

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)