The Stop 0x77 message indicates that a page of kernel data requested from the paging (virtual memory) file could not be found or read into memory. This Stop message can also indicate disk hardware failure or possible virus infection.

Interpreting the Stop 0x77 Message

The parameters for this Stop message have one of two different meanings. The value of the first parameter determines the meaning of parameters 2, 3, and 4. If parameter 1 is anything other than 0x0, 0x1, or 0x2, the parameters should be interpreted as shown belo.

Parameter Description
Parameter 1 Status code.
Parameter 2 I/O status code
Parameter 3 Paging file number
Parameter 4 Offset into paging file

Frequently, the cause of this error can be determined from the I/O status code (parameter 2). Some common status codes for parameter 2 are listed below.

Common Status Codes for Parameter 2

Exception Code Description
0xC000009A:
STATUS_INSUFFICIENT_RESOURCES Indicates a lack of nonpaged pool resources.

0xC000009C:
STATUS_DEVICE_DATA_ERROR Generally indicates bad blocks (sectors) on the hard disk.

0xC000009D:
STATUS_DEVICE_NOT_CONNECTED Indicates defective or loose data or power cables, a problem with SCSI termination, or improper controller or hard disk configuration.

0xC000016A:
STATUS_DISK_OPERATION_FAILED Indicates bad blocks (sectors) on the hard disk.

0xC0000185:
STATUS_IO_DEVICE_ERROR Indicates improper termination, defective storage controller hardware, defective disk cabling, or two devices attempting to use the same system resources.

The following set of parameter definitions listed in Table 10.13 applies only if parameter 1 is 0, 1, or 2:

Additional Parameters for the Stop 0x77 Message

Parameter Description
Parameter 1 A value of 0x00000000 = page was retrieved from page cache, 0x00000001 = page was retrieved from disk, 0x00000002 = page was retrieved from disk with a successful status, but the page size was different than expected.
Parameter 2 Value found in the stack where the signature should be.
Parameter 3 This value is 0x00000000 (zero).
Parameter 4 Address of signature on kernel stack.

These are the most common codes for which specific causes have been determined. For information about other possible status codes that can be returned, see the Ntstatus.h file of the Windows Server 2003 Driver Development Kit (DDK). For more information about the DDK, see the Driver Development Kit link on the Web Resources page at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/reskits/webresources.

Troubleshooting the Stop 0x77 Error

The following sections list the most common sources for this Stop error and suggest some troubleshooting solutions.

Hard disk hardware or driver issues
Stop 0x77 messages can be caused by bad sectors in the virtual memory paging file or a disk controller error. If parameter 1 is 0, 1, or 2, the stack signature in the kernel stack is missing, which is an error typically caused by defective hardware. If the I/O status is 0xC0000185 and the paging file is on a SCSI disk, check for cabling and termination issues and verify that no IRQ conflicts exist. An I/O status code of 0xC000009C or 0xC000016A indicates that the requested data could not be read to the disk, which is typically caused by bad blocks (sectors) on the hard disk. You can try to correct this by restarting the computer.

If a problem with disk integrity exists, Autochk.exe — a program that attempts to mark bad disk sectors as defective so that they are not used in the future — starts automatically. If Autochk.exe fails to run, you can manually perform the integrity check yourself by following the instructions to run Chkdsk.exe provided in “Stop 0x00000024 or NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM” earlier in this forum. Not all disk problems can be repaired with software, however, and hardware might need to be replaced if it has failed.

Memory hardware issues
Another cause of Stop 0x77 messages is defective, malfunctioning, or failed memory hardware, such as memory modules, Level 2 (L2) SRAM cache, or video adapter RAM. If you added new hardware recently, remove and replace it to determine if it is causing or contributing to the problem. Run diagnostics software supplied by the system or hardware manufacturer to determine if the component has failed.

Motherboard issues
The problem might also be caused by cracks, scratched traces, or defective components on the motherboard. If all else fails, take the system motherboard to a repair facility for diagnostic testing.