Fix REFRENCE BY POINTER BSOD with Error 0x00000018 on Windows 11/10

In this post, we will discuss the possible solutions to fix the REFRENCE_BY_POINTER BSOD on Windows 11/10. When a system reaches a state where it cannot operate safely, Windows displays the BSOD error and restarts the computer in order to prevent damage.

The REFERENCE_BY_POINTER bug check has a value of 0x00000018. This indicates that the reference count of an object is illegal for the current state of the object.

What causes REFRENCE BY POINTER BSOD?.

The REFRENCE BY POINTER BSOD error occurs primarily due to a poorly coded driver – but it could occur due to one or more of the following reasons:

• Outdated or corrupted drivers or system files
• Hard disk, and other hardware issues.
• Problematic third-party software.

Fix REFRENCE_BY_POINTER (0x00000018) BSOD on Windows 11/10

The following solutions may help you fix Reference by Pointer Blue Screen on Windows 11/10:

1. Check your system RAM.
2. Check your Hard Drive for errors.
3. Troubleshoot is a Clean Boot state and uninstall the problematic software.
4. Reinstall your Graphics Card driver.
5. Run Driver Verifier Manager tool.

1] Check your system RAM

One of the causes of the Reference By Pointer BSOD error is faulty or corrupted memory. Hence, if you experience this error on your system, you should run a memory check. Windows 10 has a built-in Memory Diagnostics Tool that lets you check your computer for memory problems.

2] Check your Hard Drive for errors

We have explained earlier in this article that hardware issues are also one of the causes of the BSOD error. Hence, if you find your system RAM healthy after running the Memory Diagnostics tool, the next step is to check your hard drive for errors by running the CHKDSK command. CHKDSK will scan the hard drive for errors and fix most of them.

3] Troubleshoot in a Clean Boot state and uninstall the problematic software

Sometimes, some apps or software also cause BSOD errors. If your RAM and hard drive are in a healthy state, there might be a program on your system that is causing the error. The Clean Boot will help you identify the faulty program (if any). If you find any software the culprit of the problem, consider uninstalling it. For this, first, boot your computer in normal mode and then launch the Control Panel to uninstall it.

According to the feedback of some users, the following third-party apps caused the Reference by Pointer BSOD on their system. They fixed the error by uninstalling these applications. If you have installed any of these applications, you can uninstall them and check if the error persists or not.

• TrueCrypt.
• VeraCrypt.
• Daemon Tools.
• Any Video Converter.
• nProtect GameGuard.

If you need any of these third-party applications or games, you can reinstall it and check if it causes the error. If the error occurs again, it would be better to uninstall it and search for its alternative.

4] Reinstall your Graphics Card driver

The comments of most of the users indicate that corrupted or outdated Graphics Card drivers also cause this BSOD error. Hence, reinstall the Graphics driver and check if it helps.

We have described the procedure to reinstall these drivers below:

1. Launch Device Manager.
2. Double-click on the Display adapters node to expand it.
3. Right-click on your Graphics Card driver and select Uninstall device option.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall the driver.
5. After the uninstallation process gets completed, restart your computer.

After restart, Windows will install the latest version of the missing driver automatically.

5] Run Driver Verifier Manager tool

Windows 10 comes with a built-in Driver Verifier Manager tool that helps users identify problematic drivers on their system. You can run this tool to check if you have any corrupted drivers that are causing the error. We recommend you create a system restore point before running this tool.

The Driver Manager Verifier tool will take some to complete troubleshooting. After the troubleshooting process gets completed, consider rolling back, updating, or reinstalling the faulty or outdated drivers.

For advanced troubleshooting, IT admins may use a debugger WinDbg or a crash dump analyzer software to help analyze this problem.

Hope this helps.

How do I fix a random BSOD?

A BSOD error is something that Windows users never want to see on their system. Though there are many causes of BSOD errors, faulty hardware, third-party software, and corrupted drivers are considered as the most common causes. When a stop error occurs on your system, the first thing that you should do is run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter.

If the troubleshooter does not fix the issue, you can try other fixes to eliminate the BSOD error from your computer.

Is Blue Screen of Death bad?

You may have this question in your mind. A Blue Screen of Death or stop error occurs when Windows notices anything that can harm your computer, for example, faulty RAM, faulty hard disk, or other hardware problem. Hence, BSOD is an attempt of the Windows Operating System to protect the machine from damage.

By investigating the cause of the BSOD error, you can take steps to protect your system against further damage. Hence, it depends on you how you consider the Blue Screen of Death error.

That’s it.