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ERROR_INVALID_KERNEL_INFO_VERSION
The kernel information contract does not match the running system
ERROR_INVALID_KERNEL_INFO_VERSION is a Win32 system result. This code is associated with low-level system information exchange where a structure, buffer, or version selector must match the contract understood by the running kernel. It often appears in diagnostics, management agents, security software, or code using private or version-sensitive interfaces.
What the result means
The caller supplied a kernel information structure version that the operating system does not recognize. For ERROR_INVALID_KERNEL_INFO_VERSION, keep the symbolic name, numeric value, and failing operation together in diagnostics; that combination distinguishes the exact failure path from nearby system results.
What to check
- Record the exact API or device-control request and the structure version sent by the caller.
- Verify the structure size, packing, reserved fields, and architecture-specific layout.
- Check whether the component was built against headers or an SDK newer than the target Windows release.
- Confirm that a 32-bit caller is not passing a layout intended for a 64-bit provider, or the reverse.
Recommended handling
Do not retry unchanged input. Select a version supported by the target system, initialize every required field, and fall back gracefully when the requested information class is unavailable.
Developer notes
Treat versioned kernel contracts as capability-negotiated interfaces. Keep the version value and structure size together, zero reserved fields, and log both the caller build and Windows build when diagnosing compatibility failures. When a Win32 API reports ERROR_INVALID_KERNEL_INFO_VERSION, capture GetLastError() immediately; subsequent cleanup, formatting, or logging calls can replace the thread-local value.
References
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