NTSTATUS 277 (STATUS_CACHE_PAGE_LOCKED): meaning and diagnosis

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: A cached page was kept resident and locked while the current operation used it.

Could be also:
Constant	Type	OS
ERROR_EA_TABLE_FULL	Win32 error	Windows
AGP_INTERNAL	BugCheck Code	Windows

Previous	Next
STATUS_PAGE_FAULT_PAGING_FILE	STATUS_CRASH_DUMP

STATUS_CACHE_PAGE_LOCKED

The cache page cannot be reclaimed during this operation

The Cache Manager and file-system paths sometimes need a cached page to remain resident while data is copied, written, or described by an I/O operation. This informational status records that the relevant page is locked for the duration of the operation. It is not equivalent to a permanent user-mode VirtualLock request.

The important diagnostic question is ownership and lifetime. A correctly paired operation releases its reference or MDL lock after completion. If locked pages accumulate, investigate the I/O stack and completion paths rather than trying to enlarge a process working set, because kernel-locked pages are accounted and released differently.

What to inspect

Capture the file object, cache operation, MDL, and completion path associated with the locked page.
Verify every successful probe or lock has a matching unlock after DMA or I/O completion.
Use Driver Verifier locked-page tracking if the count grows or persists after requests finish.

References

Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.