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ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED
ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED is HRESULT 0xC0370017 in the VID memory-block page lock accounting area of the Windows virtualization stack. The built-in message names the immediate result; the useful custom context is the exact boundary: the number of simultaneous locks or mapped page references retained for a VID memory block. For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, record the first returning operation and host-side event before a management layer retries or translates it.
Object lifecycle behind the result
The operation reached the memory-block lock limit. Investigate leaked locks, nested locking, and workload scale before treating it as general memory shortage.
For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, Hyper-V architecture documentation identifies VID as the component that provides partition, virtual-processor, and memory-management services. In the ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED path, many ERROR_VID_* values describe internal host objects rather than a public API that administrators should call directly. Accordingly, diagnose ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED through the named object/state, the VMMS or Worker event chain, and the operation that produced it; do not invent a user-mode VID call from the constant name.
Neighboring result: MBPS_ARE_LOCKED describes pages already locked when another operation requires them unlocked; LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED is the quantitative limit on retained locks.
Diagnostic evidence matrix
| Evidence | Why it changes the diagnosis |
|---|---|
| Lock inventory | Count active locks by block, GPA range, owner, and purpose. |
| Acquire/release balance | Keep successful locks, failed locks, unlocks, and rollback paths. |
| Nested behavior | Record whether the same owner locks overlapping pages repeatedly. |
| Threshold | Capture the exact count and workload step at first failure. |
For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, preserve identifiers and counts without dumping guest secrets or unrelated memory. Useful ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED timestamps include the last successful operation, first failure, any automatic retry, and the object-generation change that followed.
Test one variable at a time
- Eliminate redundant overlapping locks where semantics permit.
- Release locks on cancellation and every error exit.
- Bound concurrency around one memory block.
- Run a long lock/unlock soak test and graph active count.
For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, use a controlled partition or disposable VM when a mapping, lock, or teardown test can be destructive. During the ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED run, keep page units, GPA boundaries, parent object, handle generation, and release order visible.
How to read the controls
Across these controls for ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, preserve the number of simultaneous locks or mapped page references retained for a VID memory block as the boundary under test.
| Control | Interpretation | Hold constant |
|---|---|---|
Same request under lower host pressure — ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED | If ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED changes after controlled pressure is removed, quantify host/pool capacity; if not, focus on caller bookkeeping. | Do not modify guest disks or unrelated VM devices during the ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED comparison. |
Smaller exact range — ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED | Reduce only page count or mapped extent. If ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED moves, range arithmetic, object limits, or reserve capacity is involved. | Keep the same block, GPA base, flags, and partition generation for ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED. |
Balanced fresh lifecycle — ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED | Create, use, release, and destroy one object generation. A different ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED result exposes leaked references, locks, handles, or mappings. | For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, preserve sizes and operation order while changing only generation. |
Boundaries of this status
Restarting can release the exact lock, reference, mapping, or opaque handle behind ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED without fixing the lifecycle defect. Before recovering from ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, preserve the object graph and acquire/release counts.
A handle observed in the ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED path is generation-bound. For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, keep its parent partition and object type beside the token; never serialize it, copy it to another partition, or reuse it after the terminal transition.
Regression proof
Lock count returns to baseline after each operation and the intended peak workload remains below the observed limit. For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, repeat the original operation under the original supported conditions and retain one deliberate negative control. For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, a management command succeeding on a different object is not sufficient to close this incident.
Technical references
These sources define ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED and the public Hyper-V architecture surrounding the internal state. For ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDED, they do not create a public user-mode VID API for the named object.
- Microsoft Open Specifications: HRESULT values — used to interpret the
ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDEDboundary. - Microsoft: WHvMapGpaRange — used to interpret the
ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDEDboundary. - Microsoft: WHP memory data types — used to interpret the
ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDEDboundary. - Microsoft: Hyper-V architecture — used to interpret the
ERROR_VID_MEMORY_BLOCK_LOCK_COUNT_EXCEEDEDboundary.
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