Solving "Non-Paged Pool Memory Leak" in Windows 10

Introduction

Unexplained behavior in a Windows 10 computer can point to a non-paged pool memory leak. When Windows allocates memory from a pool of memory known as non-paged pool, this memory is available to the system at all times, regardless of how much physical memory is currently installed or how much is being used. If there is a memory leak, the computer can become unresponsive or slow down. In this guide, we'll show you how to identify and fix a non-paged pool memory leak in Windows 10.

What is a Non-Paged Pool Memory Leak?

The non-paged pool is a region of memory in Windows 10 that holds all requests made by processes running on the system. It stores data that is critical for the system’s stability, such as process and device-driver information. Since this data is so vital to the proper functioning of Windows 10, it does not get paged out to virtual memory. Thus the name non-paged pool.

When a non-paged pool leak occurs, the computer suffers from a lack of non-paged pool memory. This causes the system to be slow or to crash. It can also affect the device’s performance.

How to Identify a Non-Paged Pool Memory Leak

The most common symptom of a non-paged pool memory leak is a decrease in computer speed over time. Other symptoms include the computer becoming unresponsive, frequent system crashes, or error messages appearing on the user’s screen.

One of the best ways to determine if a non-paged pool memory leak is the source of the problem is to use a program called PoolMon which is included in Windows 10. To use PoolMon to check for a non-paged pool memory leak, follow these steps:

1. Press the “Windows” key + “R” to open the Run box.
2. Type “poolmon.exe” and press “Enter”.
3. In PoolMon, click “File > Select Columns”.
4. To filter the information, select “Nonp” and “Paged” from the list.
5. Check the “Pool Usage” column and look for the biggest values.
6. If the “Nonp” value is very large compared to the “Paged” value, you probably have a non-paged pool memory leak.

How to Fix a Non-Paged Pool Memory Leak

Once you’ve identified a non-paged pool memory leak, you can use the following steps to try to fix it:

Test the computer's RAM.

• Test the RAM with a memory tester like Memtest86+. If the RAM is faulty, it could be causing the non-paged pool memory leak.

Check for viruses and malware.

• Malware can cause a non-paged pool memory leak. Check your system for viruses and other malicious software with a tool like MalwareBytes.

Update Windows 10.

• A non-paged pool memory leak can also be caused by outdated drivers or software. Make sure Windows 10 is updated to the latest version and all your drivers are up to date.

Remove or update drivers.

• If you’ve identified a rogue driver causing the memory leak, you can try to update it or completely remove it.

Use a third-party memory tool.

• If none of the above methods worked, you can try using a third-party tool like Memopt which is designed to help identify and fix memory leaks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a non-paged pool memory leak?

A non-paged pool memory leak is a decrease in the available memory on a Windows 10 computer caused by a problem in the non-paged pool — a region of memory set aside for storing data that the system needs quickly, such as process and device-driver information.

What are the symptoms of a non-paged pool memory leak?

The most common symptom of a non-paged pool memory leak is a decrease in computer speed over time. Other symptoms include the computer becoming unresponsive, frequent system crashes, or error messages appearing on the user’s screen.

What is PoolMon?

PoolMon is a program included in Windows 10 that can be used to identify if a non-paged pool memory leak is the source of a problem in a Windows 10 computer.

How do I use PoolMon to check for a non-paged pool memory leak?

To use PoolMon to check for a non-paged pool memory leak, follow these steps:

1. Press the “Windows” key + “R” to open the Run box.
2. Type “poolmon.exe” and press “Enter”.
3. In PoolMon, click “File > Select Columns”.
4. To filter the information, select “Nonp” and “Paged” from the list.
5. Check the “Pool Usage” column and look for the biggest values.
6. If the “Nonp” value is very large compared to the “Paged” value, you probably have a non-paged pool memory leak.

How can I fix a non-paged pool memory leak?

Once you’ve identified a non-paged pool memory leak, you can use the following steps to try to fix it:

1. Test the computer's RAM with a memory tester like Memtest86+.
2. Check for viruses and malware with a tool like MalwareBytes.
3. Update Windows 10 to the latest version and make sure all your drivers are up to date.
4. Remove or update drivers that might be causing the memory leak.
5. Use a third-party memory tool like Memopt.