Windows 11

Is this a Desktop machine, AND did you add any hardware devices to it? If so, try removing that certain hardware, and see if the problem goes away. If so, it's some conflict with THAT devices drivers.
Already did that but not in that order. I experienced the problem before any modification performed. I know better than to add stuff before vetting the computer and I ran it a week before adding that USB C hard drive tower. The BSOD error continues to surface, maybe once every other week even though that addon is not accessed.

Internet searches on this indicates this KMODE error also was a windows 10 bug but I never experienced it before.

The one frequent trigger seems to be when I have 6 tabs open in Google Chrome or Edge and add another tab to add one more web site. That's why I thought it might be insufficient memory and should make the move to 64GB. But the recommended test shows nothing wrong with memory unless KMODE error is triggered by exceeding the current 16GB and it needs to page to the C drive that would be slower.

I wonder if anyone has experienced this and if they were able to find the root cause.

So far it is just an annoyance but it could cause loss of work as the machine needs to reboot.
 
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If you're dragging a once high-zoot graphics card along with you from days gone by, that may be your culprit.

This site has lots of hints:


The "fast mode" part is of particular interest to me.
The website was flagged for malware. But I did find other sites too.

If I understand your question, no, I am using the onboard graphics as its spec is good enough for my needs. I have the new Dell with no added cards and get the error.

The fast start bios feature was suggested on other diagnostics to test and it did not resolve the KMODE error so I returned to it's default setting.

This is the site I used to suggest what to look for.
 
I wonder if anyone has experienced this and if they were able to find the root cause.
The obvious first place to look would be Dell if you were getting this error prior to any "enhancements" (installing software or hardware of any kind -- including elderly Microsoft products). I suspect that you would have to pay for an answer at Best Buy but you can always ask.

The Dell support site suggests reading the related Microsoft articles on blue screens which is frustrating at best.
 
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Yet you bought a budget Dell Computer from Best Buy anyway. ;)

If it came out of the box bad, I'd at least threaten to return it.
Yes, I have no problem with their store and inventory. It was in stock and lower price than Amazon. Based on internet search for that particular error, nothing would be accomplished by returning it as it is not an error that is common to the computer I purchased. Only that I would be wasting my time.
Overall I am quite pleased with how this system runs and replaced my older machine. Uses much less electricity as well. You all talked me into the updating and I am glad I did.
 
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Based on internet search for that particular error, nothing would be accomplished by returning it as it is not an error that is common to the computer I purchased.
It may or may not be an "error" but it is certainly a problem that nobody should be having with a new computer. I've had two bluescreens on my two-year-old home-built computer and both of them were as a result of faulty Windows updates.

Don't let Dell, Best Buy or a few scattered incidents tell you what is "normal" or acceptable. This isn't Apple so you don't have to just roll over.
 
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It may or may not be an "error" but it is certainly a problem that nobody should be having with a new computer.
This is where we disagree. If the issue is an OS bug or software App bug or a non-Dell device driver bug then that has nothing to do with the Dell hardware. Of course the device driver survey doesn't analyze for bugs. It only aids in knowing if my drivers are out of date and updates them for me. A Dell driver may still be the problem but I suspect it is windows 11 in this case as the issue seems to be present regardless who made the computer.

Based on some other reports I have seen about win 11, being new, it has not been fully tested for perfection yet. Same for windows 10 and that is hardly a new OS but still gets "bug fixes"

The only thing I know for sure is these software developers tend to break stuff everytime they try to improve or add features. Drives users and support people nuts keeping pure users happy.
 
Don't let Dell, Best Buy or a few scattered incidents tell you what is "normal" or acceptable.
Nobody is suggesting that. It's an annoyance for now and that's why after over a month of sporadic events, I decided to ask if others have a similar problem and it appears to be quite common with more than windows 11.
 
If the issue is an OS bug or software App bug or a non-Dell device driver bug then that has nothing to do with the Dell hardware.
If it come out of the box that way, it most certainly does. IIRC, you mentioned that this was happening before you set about to enhance the computer.

Speaking of Dell, have you confirmed you have the latest "BIOS" firmware for the computer?
 
Nobody is suggesting that. It's an annoyance for now and that's why after over a month of sporadic events, I decided to ask if others have a similar problem and it appears to be quite common with more than windows 11.
With advancements in communications and social media, six incidents can appear to be quite common even when the market is 60 million.
 
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If it come out of the box that way, it most certainly does. IIRC, you mentioned that this was happening before you set about to enhance the computer.

Speaking of Dell, have you confirmed you have the latest "BIOS" firmware for the computer?
Yes, everything is up to date.

Out of the box the first thing you get when you turn it on is some Dell notice to update the Bios and then you download windows 11 Home that comes with the computer, I recall that too is sourced from Dell severs. Once you go through the gauntlet of setting up windows and they want you to open a Microsoft account or log in to your existing account, you are requested to update windows to the latest version which I did. Then I went about installing all my apps and building out my Desktop of frequently accessed files. Loaded my AVG Device driver updater and it updated 73 driver files.
 
I am compelled to reply. Most. No. All of the computers that I work on with factory bloatware.
Many are just old, tired, need a wipe and fresh install of Windows. Or the SSD and RAM upgrades.
If at all I can convince my customers who've had problems since day one on the original drive.
I wipe the whole drive clean. If there's a hidden restore partition Gone. I do not like to clone old to new. Kind of like putting new shoes on dirty feet and socks.

IF after a reinstall there are missing drivers. I look at the support site and grab and install them.
Windows is crafty with installing their own drivers. And it can be good.
But a peek into Device manager for things like video, soundcard, stuff like that.
Looking at the device information and grabbing the actual driver packages from the manufacturers just seems to make the things run more solid.

In Windows 10 and now 11 on this laptop. Even though it isn't supporeted for 11. TGFR....thank god for rufus....
I forgot that BSOD's even existed anymore. It happened one time after a funky driver install. Rolled back to before the driver and it's solid as a rock. And that happened a few weeks ago. I used the wrong driver install package for an FTDI cable I use to config. My ASC1 dish mover.
Funny. "No support for Windows 11". Right (but older) driver and for some stupid reason the "obsolete" cable works just fine.

Cheap laptop. Not throwing stones at that. Bloatware and custom driver packages? Yeah.
And seeing they set in a box for months before being sold. Windows updates can get all screwed up.
Had that happen to a brand new Dell (not a cheapie) from Best Buy a few years ago.
I did take it back for this one. Except for a battery. It's been a rock. Asus and a few others don't load them full of crapware.

Haha. I agree with harsy. Those magical driver updater programs are total...I mean Total, 100% bs.
See what ya got now? Total. Hopefully AVG didn't pollute it with more buyware.
73 driver updates? There aren't even that many. And if something deemed it necessary to update core drivers needed for the OS to work right and reliably. I dunno'. Big mistake, me thinks.
 
This is where we disagree. If the issue is an OS bug or software App bug or a non-Dell device driver bug then that has nothing to do with the Dell hardware. Of course the device driver survey doesn't analyze for bugs. It only aids in knowing if my drivers are out of date and updates them for me. A Dell driver may still be the problem but I suspect it is windows 11 in this case as the issue seems to be present regardless who made the computer.

Based on some other reports I have seen about win 11, being new, it has not been fully tested for perfection yet. Same for windows 10 and that is hardly a new OS but still gets "bug fixes"

The only thing I know for sure is these software developers tend to break stuff everytime they try to improve or add features. Drives users and support people nuts keeping pure users happy.
Windows 11 is hardly new. I ran Win 11 pro on my custom built, and still do switch back occasionally, and have never had that issue or a BSOD.
Have you considered just reformatting and starting from scratch??
Also, this guy has some really good tools I use on my Windows install and he has some easy-to-follow walkthroughs on his YT page on installing scaled back, "Lite" versions of Windows. Specifically, he has a Toolbox for Windows that you run in a cmd prompt and removes bloatware, updates software and drivers and is completely safe.
 
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Have you considered just reformatting and starting from scratch??
No, because it isn't that frequently. I'm happy all of you have such perfect experience with windows 11 and never have a problem. But obviously, the KMODE error is a common enough event that there are quite a few tech responses in a simple google search going back to windows 7.

Actually, now that I recall, I did start from scratch but not that I went out and purchased a new windows 11 install package. I just redownloaded the licensed copy after the new Bios update and it installed with my Dell license key. Bloatware? Not sure what that is in this case. I saw quite a bit of bloatware on a cheap HP laptop in the past but this Dell just looks like Windows. Only indication I'm on a Dell is the Bios boot up screen has the DELL circle logo. It's never KMODE at that point. As I said before since new the KMODE only happens rarely when I attempt to add a new tab to Chrome or Edge. I did update the network drivers along with all the others.

I may up the ram to 64GB later. Nobody I have found seems to know what causes this so all they do it want to throw changes at it until hopefully, the error disappears. And when would I know a change fixes that if the error happens only a couple time a month.
"Kmode_exception_not_handled error occurs when the different applications overwrite each other's memory."