How to resolve Critical Structure Corruption on Windows 10?

Windows 10, while being the most advanced of all Windows versions, is still prone to an array of errors. Of the many Windows-related issues, the infamous Blue Screen of Death is the most dreaded, as it can leave your computer unusable for days. What’s even more annoying is that BSOD errors are sudden and can occur while working on your PC, watching movies, streaming, or playing games. Sometimes, blue screen errors appear after upgrading to a new Windows version or at Windows startup. If your PC runs into the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION blue screen error, you must be at a loss wondering what caused the error and how to resolve it.

The good news is that there are several solutions that you could try to fix the ‘CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION’ error on Windows 10. However, before we get into the fixes, it’s important to know what you’re dealing with first.

What Is the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION Issue?

In most cases, it’s not easy to pinpoint the primary source of the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION BSOD error. However, the most likely culprits include third-party software conflicts, incompatible, corrupt or damaged drivers, Random Access Memory (RAM) issues, Hard Disk Drive (HDD) issues, hardware issues, system file corruption, and virus or malware attacks.

When hit by the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION issue on Windows 10, your PC may crash or freeze out of the blue and programs may start to load slower than normal. The worst part of this error is that if you are working on an important project, there is a big chance that you are going to lose all of your unsaved work.

As you can see, this is a pretty serious issue that could completely ruin your day. So, you need to find ways to fix the error as soon as possible. If you can get to your desktop, then proceed with the solutions below. However, if you can’t get to the login screen, you will have to start Windows in Safe Mode with Networking. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Hold down the power button to switch off your computer.
2. Press the power button again to turn on your PC. After about five seconds, hold down the power button to turn it off again.
3. Repeat the step above two more times until the “Preparing Automatic Repair” screen appears.
4. Wait until Windows diagnoses your PC, and then click on “Advanced Options”.
5. In the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings.
6. Select “Restart”.
7. Press number 5 on your keyboard to enable Safe Mode with Networking.

Now, to get additional information about what could have caused the Critical_Structure_Corruption error on your Windows 10 device, you can check the System Log in Event Viewer.

To check the log file, use the steps below:

1. Launch the Windows Search box using the Win + S shortcut.
2. Type “Event Viewer” (without quotes) and press “Enter”.
3. Go to Windows Logs > System.
4. In the right pane, check for error entries. Check the date and time when each error occurred to find exactly what caused the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION BSOD.

To get more details, click on each error and check the details and search for solutions related to the reported error. If the System Log doesn’t show any error, work your way down using the steps below.

Fix 1: Uninstall Problematic Third-Party Software

Certain programs are known to cause the CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION BSOD error on Windows 10. It’s, therefore, important to try to recall if the error occurred after the installation of a particular program. If so, uninstalling the program could fix the issue permanently.

To uninstall a program from your PC, follow these steps:

1. Go to “Start”, and open “Settings”. Alternatively, use the Win + I keyboard shortcut.
2. Open Apps > Apps & Features, and then search for the problematic software from the list of apps and features.
3. Click on the program to highlight it, select “Uninstall” and then select “Uninstall” again.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts (if any) to completely remove the program from your system.

Fix 2: Check for Memory Issues

Faulty RAM is likely to trigger Critical_Structure_Corruption on Windows 10. To know if the error is due to a faulty memory module, you need to run the built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows Key + R combination, and type exe in the “Run” dialog box.
2. Click “OK” or hit “Enter” to fire up the “Windows Memory Diagnostic” tool.
3. Select “Restart now and check for problems (recommended)”. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time at the moment, select “Check for problems the next time I start my computer”.
4. If you selected the first option, Windows will restart and run diagnostics on your memory. You can check the progress of the process in the screen that pops up.

Once the process is complete and you see the message “No problems have been detected yet”, then your memory is not causing the error. Move on to the next fix to see if it works.

Fix 3: Update Your Device Drivers

The graphics card drivers are usually to blame when you encounter this BSOD error. The best way to ensure that your system runs smoothly is to keep your graphics card drivers and all device drivers in general updated. There are three methods to update your video drivers:

Method 1: Manually

This process is a bit taxing, and it involves identifying the model and version of your graphics card driver and then manually searching for the latest version on the manufacturer’s website. If you don’t have the technical know-how, this could be an uphill task, plus, you must know your system specifications to ensure that you download the correct drivers. Installing the wrong drivers will lead to serious issues that could give rise to other errors.

Method 2: Using Device Manager

Windows has a built-in tool that allows users to automatically update device drivers. Using Device Manager is easy provided you know the driver that needs to be updated. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Right-click the “Start” menu and launch “Device Manager”.
2. Locate “Display adapters” and expand it.
3. Right-click your graphics card driver and select “Update driver”.
4. You’ll be asked if you want to search automatically for the updated driver software or browse your PC for the required drivers. Choose the first option to let Windows search the internet for the latest drivers and automatically install them on your PC.
5. Restart your computer to check if you still receive the Critical_Structure_Corruption blue screen error. If the error persists, method 3 below shows you how to use a more advanced tool.

Method 3: Automatically

Using Device Manager doesn’t always install the latest drivers. In that case, you need a tool that’s been specifically engineered to fix most driver-related issues. Auslogics Driver Updater scans your entire system to check for missing, broken and outdated device drivers. The tool will not only update the graphics card driver but also all of the device drivers installed on your computer. You don’t even have to worry about the driver version or model since the program does all the work for you.

With Auslogics Driver Updater, you can back up your drivers so that you can roll back the updates if the new driver versions create new issues. The program only installs drivers that are compatible with your system to prevent incompatibility issues. After all the updates have been installed, reboot your system and check if the error has been resolved.

Fix 4: Use the Driver Verifier

If updating your device drivers doesn’t resolve the Critical_Structure_Corruption issues on your Windows device, try the built-in Windows Driver Verifier. This tool can be of great use when faced with driver-related problems. To check for driver issues, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows Key + S, and type in “Verifier” (without quotes).
2. Press “Enter” to open “Driver Verifier Manager”.
3. Click the radio button next to “Create custom settings”, and then click “Next”.
4. Check all the boxes except those for “Randomized low resources simulation” and “DDI compliance checking”, and then click “Next”.
5. Choose the “Select driver names from a list” option and then select all the drivers that are not supplied by Microsoft.
6. Select the “Finish” button.
7. Next, open “Command Prompt” with elevated rights (right-click “Start” and select “Command Prompt (Admin”)).
8. Execute the command verifier /querysettings. This command will display the Driver Verifier settings. If you find out that any of the flags have been enabled, boot Windows in Safe Mode and then open “Command Prompt” with admin rights.
9. Next, execute the command verifier /reset. This command resets the Driver Verifier.
10. Restart your computer and check if this fix resolved the error.

Fix 5: Check Your Disk for Errors

It is important to check your disk for errors periodically. Simply run “Command Prompt” with administrator privileges and execute the command chkdsk c: /f /r. The scan might take a while depending on the size of data on your HDD.

Fix 6: Check System Files for Corruption

Use System File Checker (SFC) to scan for corrupted Windows system files and automatically repair them. To perform an SFC scan, use the steps below:

1. Open “Command Prompt” with elevated rights.
2. Enter the command sfc /scannow, and then press “Enter”.

The process will take around 15 minutes to complete, after which you should reboot your PC. Use your computer normally and see if you run into the Critical_Structure_Corruption error again.

Fix 7: Run the DISM Tool

If the SFC scan doesn’t detect any problems, use the Deployment Image and Servicing Management (DISM) tool, which is more advanced. This tool will replace or repair damaged system files. To proceed:

1. Right-click “Start” or press the Win + X keyboard shortcut and select “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
2. Execute the following commands one after the other:
   • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
   • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
   • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Wait until the DISM tool finishes scanning your system files and then restart your computer.

Now check if your PC runs smoothly. If not, try the solution below.

Fix 8: Perform a Clean Boot

When Windows starts normally, numerous programs and processes start automatically and continue running in the background. When one or more of the installed programs develop issues, software conflicts may occur.

To find out if a certain process or software is problematic, perform a clean boot. This means that you start Windows with only a minimal set of drivers and startup apps. It’s the best way to detect the source of a problem on your Windows PC, such as the Critical_Structure_Corruption blue screen error.

To perform a clean boot, follow the simple steps below:

1. Press the Windows Key and R combination, and type msconfig in the “Run” box.
2. In the “System Configuration” window that opens, switch to the “Services” tab, check the box next to “Hide all Microsoft services”, and then select the “Disable all” button.
3. Open the “Startup” tab and go to the “Open Task Manager” link. This operation launches “Task Manager” with the “Startup” tab selected by default.
4. Select each startup item and click “Disable”.
5. Exit “Task Manager”.
6. Go back to the “System Configuration” window and click “OK”.
7. Select “Restart”.

If the problem disappears, then it means that one of the programs is causing the Critical_Structure_Corruption error on your Windows 10 device. To find the problematic program, launch “System Configuration” and enable the services and applications one after the other while checking for the error. Remember, you need to restart your PC after enabling each service for the changes to take effect. Once you find the problematic software, uninstall it or keep it disabled.

We hope you find the right solution to fix the Critical_Structure_Corruption blue screen error on Windows 10. For more assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by commenting below.