What does BSOD 129 (SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE) mean?

 
Could be also:
ConstantTypeOS
ERROR_CHILD_NOT_COMPLETEWin32 errorWindows
ENETRESETerrnoSolaris
ENOTSUPerrnoWindows
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SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

Spin-lock initialization failure for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE is bug check code 0x00000081. Spin locks are kernel synchronization primitives used at elevated IRQL. This bug check indicates initialization state failed before a later acquire/release path could even use the lock correctly.

How to read it in a dump for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

  • Distinguish this from SPIN_LOCK_NOT_OWNED: this is initialization, not ownership release.
  • Memory corruption, invalid driver global state, or a failed low-level init path can be responsible.
  • The failing module and allocation context matter.

What to check for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

  • Inspect the stack for the driver or subsystem that owns the lock object.
  • Enable Driver Verifier for suspect boot-start or kernel drivers.
  • Look for pool corruption before the initialization failure.

References for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

Dump evidence for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, preserve the complete dump, the four bug-check parameters, the exact Windows build, loaded-module list, and the event timeline immediately before the stop. AllStat summarizes the condition as “SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE”; that sentence identifies the failure class, while the parameters and stack determine which object, driver, processor, or subsystem instance was involved.

Analysis order for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

  • Run WinDbg !analyze -v, then inspect the documented meaning of each SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE parameter instead of relying only on the probably-caused-by line.
  • For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, find the earliest abnormal event: driver update, firmware change, device reset, storage error, verifier report, resource exhaustion, or application hang connected with spin / lock / init.
  • For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, keep third-party filter, security, storage, graphics, and virtualization drivers in the module inventory; removing evidence before dump analysis can obscure the responsible path.

Do not repeatedly reboot a machine affected by SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE before collecting the dump and event logs. For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, recovery actions should follow the component identified by the stack and parameters, not merely the symbolic stop-code name.

Dump evidence for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, preserve the complete dump, the four bug-check parameters, the exact Windows build, loaded-module list, and the event timeline immediately before the stop. AllStat summarizes the condition as “SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE”; that sentence identifies the failure class, while the parameters and stack determine which object, driver, processor, or subsystem instance was involved.

Analysis order for SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE

  • Run WinDbg !analyze -v, then inspect the documented meaning of each SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE parameter instead of relying only on the probably-caused-by line.
  • For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, find the earliest abnormal event: driver update, firmware change, device reset, storage error, verifier report, resource exhaustion, or application hang connected with spin / lock / init.
  • For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, keep third-party filter, security, storage, graphics, and virtualization drivers in the module inventory; removing evidence before dump analysis can obscure the responsible path.

Do not repeatedly reboot a machine affected by SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE before collecting the dump and event logs. For SPIN_LOCK_INIT_FAILURE, recovery actions should follow the component identified by the stack and parameters, not merely the symbolic stop-code name.


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