How to Fix KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED Error

The error KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED It is usually found during the installation of Windows 11 (or immediately after). Some users who managed to install Windows 11 report that they can’t get the PC to run for more than 2 minutes before getting this error. This issue seems to be much more common with insider versions of Windows 11 (Development, Beta, and Preview).

What causes the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error?

After trying to replicate the issue on our own devices and investigating several user reports, we got a pretty good idea of ​​why this bug is so prevalent among early Windows 11 users.

We have compiled a list of scenarios that are likely responsible for the error. KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED. SEE if any of these might be applicable to your scenario:

• The crash is caused by conflicting graphics card drivers: If you're getting this kind of error when trying to upgrade to Windows 11, there's a good chance you're dealing with conflicting drivers that are interfering with the installation of the new operating system. Other users who are in a similar situation have confirmed that they've been able to fix the problem by uninstalling their current drivers with DDU and performing the upgrade while the generic updates are installed.
• Faulty RAM memory device: It is not uncommon to face this problem a few minutes into your session due to a faulty RAM stick that is part of a dual-channel setup. The problem is usually related to the faulty RAM's inability to keep up with the assigned voltage.

In this case, the only option to stop the crashes is to remove the faulty RAM and find a replacement or use the Windows computer with only one RAM stick.

• The conflict is facilitated by third-party antivirus: There is one confirmed antivirus suite that is causing this problem (McAfee), but there may be others that have not been discovered yet. To check if your antivirus is actually causing this problem, you will need to disable the early-start anti-malware protection and see if the crash returns. If it doesn't return, you can uninstall the conflicting antivirus to get rid of the problem permanently.
• The conflict caused by EspoDriver.sys: It turns out that there is an esports anti-cheat driver called EspoDRIVER.sys that is also notorious for causing this type of crash on Windows 11. In order to remove it and resolve the conflict, you will first need to uninstall the main app that uses it (Esportal).
• Outdated BIOS version: Another reason you might expect to see this issue is a scenario with older BIOS firmware versions of your motherboard that triggered this error due to a bug that has since been resolved with a BIOS update. In this case, updating your BIOS version to the latest should fix the issue.
• System file corruption: Under certain circumstances, system file corruption can also be responsible for the overall system instability leading to this error code. In this case, you can perform a clean install or repair your current operating system installation to ensure that you replace all potentially corrupted system files with a healthy equivalent.

How can I fix the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error?

Now that you are familiar with all the causes, let's go through the actual fixes that have already helped so many Windows 11 users avoid the KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED error:

Uninstall graphics card drivers with DDU

In case you get the error KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED When trying to install the Insider Update that will upgrade your PC to Windows 11 (or when trying to install from a supported installation media or ISO), the first thing you should do is make sure you're not dealing with a conflicting driver.

We now know that both graphics drivers Nvidia like AMD (but mainly AMD) can be responsible for a blue screen during the upgrade process to Windows 11.

There is no official explanation as to why this happens, but affected users speculate that it has something to do with a kernel file being stopped by a security check.

Fortunately for you, if this scenario seems applicable, the solution is simple: you will need to use the DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to completely remove any dedicated drivers and support files and switch to a generic equivalent.

Once you've made the switch to a generic equivalent, you should be able to install Windows 11 without getting the same KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error.

Follow these instructions for the complete steps that will guide you through this process:

• Open your default browser and visit the Display Driver Uninstaller download page.
• Once you are on the correct page, scroll down to the Download Locations section and click on the mirror closest to your physical location.
• After the download has finally completed, use the native extraction utility (or a third-party equivalent like 7Zip, WinZip or others) to extract the contents of the DDU file.
• When the extraction process is complete, navigate to the location where you extracted the DDU file and double-click the executable Display Driver Uninstaller.
• After this, when you are prompted in the window User account control, Click on Yes to grant administrator access.
• Now, when you manage to be inside the main display driver uninstallation window, select GPU from the drop-down menu called Select device type.
• Then click Clean and restart to start the cleaning process.

• After confirming the operation, wait until all relevant drivers and dependencies are removed from your computer
• Once this operation is complete, it is important not to try to reinstall the dedicated AMD or Nvidia support drivers once again – this will likely contribute to the same error appearing.
• Instead, try upgrading to Windows 11 once again and see if the issue is now fixed.

If this method was not applicable in your particular scenario or if you have already followed the instructions above without improvement, continue to the next potential solution below.

Remove the faulty RAM (if applicable)

It turns out that this problem can also be caused by faulty RAM in situations where a dual-channel kit is used.

Fortunately, several reports have been identified where users facing the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error have managed to fix it indefinitely by simply removing the faulty stick and repressing it with just the remaining one.

Of course, even if this does work, this isn't an ideal scenario, as it will impact your performance. But it's definitely a proven way to continue using your Windows 11 computer normally, at least until you can order replacement RAM.

Nota: RAM devices are especially phones that get damaged in those situations where they are overclocked with a custom frequency and voltage. If you find out that you are actually dealing with a faulty RAM, you can assess the damage by performing stress tests and benchmarks with utilities like HWmonitor y memtest.

In case this method is not applicable or you have removed both potentially faulty RAM sticks and have not seen any improvement in the frequency of the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error, move on to the next solution.

Disable early-launch antimalware protection (if applicable)

Windows 11 is still in its early stages, and as with every new operating system, unexpected conflicts between kernel processes and third-party processes are to be expected as Windows 11 stabilizes.

From now on, one of the most common causes that will produce the error KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED This is a scenario where a third-party suite is causing these green screen errors due to a kernel conflict.

Most of the time, McAfee security solutions are blamed for this conflict.

But because there may be other unidentified conflicts, if you are using a third-party antivirus, our recommendation is to start with 'early launch antimalware protection' disabled and see if the error code still occurs.

In case of error KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED does not occur anymore after you have disabled the early-start anti-malware protection, it is clear that your antivirus is causing the conflict; in this case, the only solution is to get rid of the third-party antivirus and replace it with a non-conflicting third-party equivalent or simply reinstall it. Windows Defender.

IMPORTANT: If you are not using a third-party antivirus, skip the instructions below and go directly to the next method.

Follow these steps to learn what you need to do to disable early-launch antimalware protection and then proceed to uninstall your third-party suite if the kernel conflict is confirmed:

• Press the tecla Windows + I to open the application Configuration.
• Once you are inside the application Configuration, Click on System in the vertical menu on the left.

Nota: If the vertical menu is not visible by default, click the action button in the top left corner of the app screen Configuration.

• When you are inside the menu System, scroll down the list of available options and click Recovery.

• Once you are inside the menu recuperación dedicated, go ahead and click the button Restart now associate with Advanced start to reboot directly in the menu Advanced start.

Nota: In case your Windows 11 installation flaws with the error KMODE UNHANDLED EXCEPTION Before you have a chance to access this menu, you can also force your PC to boot directly into the Advanced Boot Menu by forcing 3 unexpected system interruptions during the startup process.

• After doing this and confirming your choice, your PC will reboot directly into the advanced boot menu.
• Once you are inside the menu Advanced start, Click on Solve problems in the list of available options.

• Inside the menu Solve problems, Click on Startup configuration from the list of options, then press the button Restart to force your PC to boot into window Startup configuration.

• After your computer boots into the menu Startup configuration and you are presented with the list of options, press the 8 key or the F8 key (on your keyboard) to Disable early-start anti-malware protection.

• When you do the above, Windows 11 installation will start with early-launch antimalware protection disabled.

Nota: The next time you restart your computer, early-launch anti-malware protection will be automatically re-enabled again.

• Once your computer is reboot, use it usually to see if the same error KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED is still happening.
• If the error does not occur, you have just identified whether there is a conflict with your third-party antivirus, in which case, you need to follow the steps below to resolve it.

Nota: If this error persists even after booting with early-launch antimalware protection disabled, skip the remaining steps and continue directly to the next method.

• Press the Windows key + R to open a dialog box Run. Then type the command 'appwiz.cpl' and press Log in on the menu Programs and Features.

Nota: If the message of User account control requests it, click on Yes to grant administrator access.

• Once you are inside the screen Programs and Features, scroll down the list of installed programs and look for the third-party antivirus package that is causing the error.
• After locating the culprit, simply right-click on it and select uninstall in the context menu.

Nota: If you have multiple supporting software products that belong to a third-party antivirus (like the example above), uninstall them all before continuing.

• Follow the remaining uninstall screens, then restart your computer to allow your PC to start without the early-start antimalware protection and see if the problem is now resolved.

If you still get the same KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error, move on to the next method.

Delete the EspoDRIVER.sys driver and uninstall Esportal (if applicable)

If you have Counter Strike Global Offensive installed on your PC, there is a high chance that you are seeing these unexpected crashes with the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error due to a system file (EspoDRIVER.sys) which belongs to the e-sports platform Sports.

This issue is being pointed out by dozens of CS:GO players who have already migrated to Windows 11.

So far, the only viable solution at your disposal (if this scenario is applicable) is to get rid of the system file causing this problem and uninstall the main application. (Sportal).

Nota: It is likely that you cannot delete the system file first, as the driver is still actively being used. Instead, you will need to uninstall Esportal first and then get rid of the driver.

For step-by-step instructions on how to deal with this particular incompatibility on Windows 11, follow these simple steps:

• Press the Windows key + R to open a dialog box Run. Then write 'appwiz.cpl' inside the text box and press Log in to open the menu Programs and functions on Windows 11.
• When you are asked for it User Account Control, click  Yes to grant administrator access.
• Once you are inside the menu Programs and Features, you need to scroll down the list of installed programs and locate the entry called Sports.

• When you manage to locate it, right click on it. Esports and then click uninstall in the context menu.
• Follow the remaining steps to complete the uninstallation of Sports.
• Now that Esportal is uninstalled and you no longer use the controller EspoDRIVER.sys, you can safely delete it. To do this, simply navigate to the following location and Right click > Delete the file:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\ drivers \ EspoDriver.sys

Nota: You will need an administrator account to be able to remove this driver from the directory. Controllers.

Perform a final reboot before testing to see if the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error is resolved.

In case you are still having the same type of problem, please continue with the next method.

Update the BIOS version to the latest

Another reason you might expect to see the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error is a scenario where one of the essential driver fleets is stuck in kernel mode. This is not that uncommon with pre-release versions of Windows 11.

Fortunately, most major motherboard manufacturers have already released solutions to fix these types of issues. The only way to take advantage of them is to update your BIOS version to the latest firmware available for your particular motherboard version.

Nota: It is important to understand that BIOS interfaces are very different between motherboard manufacturers, so it is not possible to provide a step-by-step guide to help you update your BIOS version.

What we can do is provide a series of generic steps that will provide general guidance throughout this process.

Here is the general guideline that should guide you through the process of updating your current BIOS version:

• Start by making sure you have a flash drive USB blank list.

Nota: In case it is already full of data, first make a backup, then right-click on it and select Format from the context menu that just appeared.

• Once you are inside the screen of Format, Select FAT32 as the file system, then click Quick format and press Start to forma tear unit.
• Once the formatting operation is finally complete, visit your motherboard manufacturer's website and consult the official BIOS update documentation.

• After this, when you manage to copy the BIOS files to the USB flash drive, restart your PC and press the key Configuration to access the menu configuration la BIOS.

Nota: In case the Setup key does not appear on the screen, try pressing Esc, Del, or one of the following F keys: F2, F4, F6, F8, and F12. Additionally, search online for specific instructions on how to access your BIOS setup according to your motherboard model.

• Within the menu of setting of the BIOS, look for advanced (expert) settings and see if you have an option similar to Update system BIOS.
• Follow the instructions to complete the BIOS update, then reboot your PC normally and see if the error is now fixed.

In case your PC is still experiencing issues that point towards the KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error, move forward to the final method.

Repair install or clean install of Windows 10

In case none of the above methods have proven to be effective for you, the only solution at your disposal (as of now) is to make sure that all potentially corrupted dependencies (system files and auxiliary files) are replaced with a healthy equivalent.

An operation of this scale can only be achieved in two ways:

1. Clean installation: Removes system files, supported operating system files, and personal files from the operating system drive.
2. Repair facility- Only removes system files and auxiliary files, while leaving your personal files intact.

Nota: Our recommendation is to perform a repair installation procedure, as you can preserve your personal files, apps, games, and even user settings. Basically, a repair installation procedure will only touch system files and your dependencies, leaving everything else untouched.