BSOD 196 (DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION driver Verifier detected a fatal rule violation in a monitored driver. Parameter 1 is the verifier subcode; Parameters.

Could be also:
Constant	Type	OS
ERROR_DYNLINK_FROM_INVALID_RING	Win32 error	Windows

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SYSTEM_IMAGE_BAD_SIGNATURE	DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL

DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION

DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION meaning

DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION is bug check 0x000000C4. Driver Verifier detected a fatal rule violation in a monitored driver. Parameter 1 is the verifier subcode; Parameters 2 through 4 contain rule-specific addresses, handles, pool data, or state.

How to analyze the result

Record the verifier settings and selected drivers, decode Parameter 1 with the official table or !analyze -v, and inspect the named driver at the first invalid operation. Keep the dump from the first occurrence because later corruption may obscure the original rule.

Preserve the complete dump, all four parameters, Windows build, loaded modules, and the event timeline before changing drivers or firmware while investigating this result.
Run !analyze -v and follow the parameter-specific objects and the stack associated with this result rather than relying only on the symbolic name or a single probable-cause line.
Compare multiple dumps when available; a stable instruction or object path associated with this result is stronger evidence than a module that appears only after earlier corruption.

Recovery boundary

Fix or replace the driver that violated the verifier contract. Do not leave aggressive verifier settings enabled on production machines after evidence is collected; use targeted verification during reproduction.

Official references

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