It’s possible to fix the “Driver Overran Stack Buffer” BSOD by following the instructions below. If Windows crashes before you can boot into the desktop, you can try running them in Safe Mode.
Update the Problematic Driver
Update the Problematic Driver
The quickest way to fix the “Driver Overran Stack Buffer” BSOD is to update the problem-inducing device driver. Since Windows uses multiple drivers, your best bet is to analyze the memory dump files using WinDbg or NirSoft BlueScreenView. That helps identify the exact driver file causing the BSOD. You can then run a cursory check online to determine the device related to the file. Once you’ve done that, it’s just a matter of downloading the most up-to-date version of the device driver from the hardware manufacturer’s website. You can run the downloaded executable file to update the drivers immediately after that. If that fails, use the Device Manager to apply the update.
Update Driver via Windows Update
Update Driver via Windows Update
Hardware manufacturers often release driver updates via Microsoft. You can try checking if there’s an up-to-date version of the driver available using Windows Update.
Roll Back the Device Driver
Roll Back the Device Driver
Conversely, the “Driver Overran Stack Buffer” BSOD can show up after updating a device driver. In that case, the Device Manager provides the option to roll it back.
Reinstall the Device Driver
Reinstall the Device Driver
If updating or rolling back the problematic device driver is out of the question, try reinstalling it. That helps rule out issues with driver corruption.
Update All Device Drivers
Update All Device Drivers
If the problem continues or you can’t identify the exact driver behind the “Driver Overran Stack Buffer” BSOD error, It’s a good idea to update all device drivers on your computer. You can use a free driver updater tool to do that. Driver Booster is a good choice.
Disable Fast Startup
Disable Fast Startup
Fast Startup is a Windows feature that speeds up the operating system’s boot times. But it’s also a known cause behind multiple BSOD errors. Try disabling it and check if that makes a difference.
Run a Security Scan
Run a Security Scan
Malicious software can masquerade as a driver—or hijack a legitimate driver—and end up triggering the “Driver Overran Stack Buffer” stop error. Hence, it’s a good idea to perform a thorough scan of the entire system for malware. Windows Security offers decent protection against computer viruses, but a dedicated malware remover is far better at flushing out dangerous malware forms. We recommend using the free version of Malwarebytes.
Fix Operating System Errors
Fix Operating System Errors
The System File Checker (SFC) is a command-line tool that fixes system file corruption in Windows. If the ‘Driver Overran Stack Buffer’ BSOD continues to be an issue, you should try running it.
Fix Disk-Related Errors
Fix Disk-Related Errors
After running the System File Checker, go ahead and run the CHKDSK Utility at computer startup. That should fix any disk-related errors behind the “Driver Overran Stack Buffer” BSOD.
Check for Errors in WinRE
Check for Errors in WinRE
If you can’t boot into Windows normally and in Safe Mode, you can try running the System File Checker and the CHKDSK Utility via the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
What Else Can You Do?
What Else Can You Do?
If none of the fixes above helped you fix the BSOD error on your Windows PC, then here are some advanced fixes that you can work on next:
Uninstall Windows Updates: Despite the advantages, Windows updates can also introduce stability issues. Uninstall the most recent quality or feature update and check if that helps.Disable Overclocking: Have you overclocked your PC? Try reverting changes to the CPU, GPU, and RAM.Update the BIOS/UEFI: Update your motherboard’s firmware to resolve incompatibilities between hardware devices and drivers.Reset Windows: Factory reset your Windows installation. You have the option to keep personal data intact.Reinstall Windows: Wipe the system partition completely and reinstall Windows.
