{"id":24058,"date":"2024-08-23T17:00:17","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T11:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/?p=24058"},"modified":"2024-08-23T17:14:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T11:44:06","slug":"reference-by-pointer-bsod-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/reference-by-pointer-bsod-error\/","title":{"rendered":"Solved &#8211; Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Windows 10\/11"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The &#8220;Reference by Pointer&#8221; Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error in Windows is indicated by the stop code <\/span><b>0x00000018<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This error occurs when a driver or system component references a memory address using an already freed or invalid pointer. It also happens when faulty drivers, corrupted system files, or hardware issues occur. Let us put our troubleshooting hats on and fix this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">What Causes Blue Screen Reference By Pointer BSOD Error<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Faulty or outdated drivers:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A driver may be attempting to access already released memory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Corrupted system files:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Essential Windows files might be damaged or missing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Hardware issues:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Problems with RAM or other hardware components can trigger this error.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Malware Issues: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malware-infected PCs often face a blue screen reference by a pointer stop code of <\/span><b>0x00000018.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">How To Fix Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Windows 10\/11<\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 1: Run A Malware Scan<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malware infection is a significant factor behind all major and minor issues on your Windows PC, including the \u201cReference By Pointer BSOD\u201d error. To<a href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/how-to-remove-malware-from-windows-10\/\"> clean the infection from a PC<\/a> using Windows Security on Windows 11, follow these steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Click on the Start menu, select Settings (gear icon), or press the Win key + I.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Go to Privacy &amp; security on the left sidebar.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Click on Windows Security and click on Virus &amp; Threat Protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24067\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Windows-Security-using-System-Setting.webp\" alt=\"Windows Security using System Setting\" width=\"532\" height=\"337\" sizes=\"(max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: To run a more thorough scan, click on Scan options and select Full Scan.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: Follow any prompts to complete the scan. If malware is detected, Windows Security will provide options to quarantine or remove the threats.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 6: After the scan, review the results and take the necessary actions to address any detected threats.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 2: Disable Your Antivirus (Temporarily)<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If no viruses or malware are detected, the next step is temporarily disabling third-party and built-in security applications. There might be a chance that your antivirus program might be interfering with your computer\u2019s normal operation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24065\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Virus-and-threat-protection-settings.webp\" alt=\"Virus and threat protection settings\" width=\"573\" height=\"362\" sizes=\"(max-width: 573px) 100vw, 573px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the \u201cReference By Pointer BSOD Error\u201d disappears after disabling your antivirus, you may need to consider using a different, reliable antivirus program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Editor\u2019s Recommendation\u2014<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are looking for a third-party antivirus, we recommend <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/t9-antivirus-review\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">T9 Antivirus.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is a real-time malware detector that detects viruses, malware, trojans, etc., as soon as they try to infiltrate your system.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 3: Windows Update<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next step to fix the Reference By Pointer Error On Windows 10\/11 is to ensure your Windows is fully updated. Here is what you need to do:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Press the Win key and type \u201cCheck For Updates\u201d.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Click on the relevant result under best match, and the Windows Settings box will open.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Next, click the Check For Updates button and wait for the updates to download and install on your PC.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23219\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Check-For-Updates.webp\" alt=\"Check For Updates\" width=\"965\" height=\"431\" sizes=\"(max-width: 965px) 100vw, 965px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Reboot your PC.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 4: Clean Boot Windows<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to antivirus software, other third-party programs or services may also cause the &#8220;Reference by Pointer&#8221; BSOD. Consider any recently installed or enabled programs or services related to the error. If unsure, perform a clean boot to identify the problematic software. Here\u2019s how to do it:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Press Win + R and type \u201cmsconfig\u201d followed by the Enter key.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: The System Configuration box will now open. Click on the Services tab and check the box before <\/span><b>Hide all Microsoft services.<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24063\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/System-Configuration-box.webp\" alt=\"System Configuration box\" width=\"564\" height=\"381\" sizes=\"(max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Click the Disable All button to turn off all the third-party services.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Next, click on the Startup tab and click the \u201cOpen Task Manager\u201d link.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24062\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/System-configuration-box-Startup-tab.webp\" alt=\"System configuration box Startup tab\" width=\"559\" height=\"380\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: The Task Manager window will now open, displaying all the apps that boot up when you reboot your PC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24064\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TaskManager-Startup-Apps.webp\" alt=\"TaskManager - Startup Apps\" width=\"934\" height=\"530\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 6: Right-click on all apps and choose Disable. This will disable all the apps from being loaded at startup or boot.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 7: Click on Apply and then on OK,<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 8: Reboot your PC and check if the \u201cReference By Pointer Stop Code <\/span><b>0x00000018\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">error is fixed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this resolves the issue, you may need to re-enable applications and services one at a time to identify the problematic one. Once found, you should either keep it disabled or remove it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 5: Update Graphics Driver<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graphics drivers enable communication between your graphics card and the operating system. Updating these drivers is essential because outdated, missing, or corrupted drivers can cause BSOD errors.\u00a0<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1:\u00a0 Go to the official website of your device\u2019s manufacturer (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo).<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Find the support, drivers, or downloads section on the website.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Enter your device\u2019s model or serial number to locate the appropriate drivers and updates for your hardware.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Download your device&#8217;s latest drivers, firmware, or BIOS updates.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: Double-click the downloaded file to begin the installation process and follow the on-screen instructions.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 6: Restart your computer after the installation to ensure all changes are applied.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 6: Utilize The System File Checker Tool<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blue Screen of Death errors like &#8220;Reference by Pointer&#8221; can occur if certain system files are corrupted, damaged, or missing. You can repair these files by replacing them with cached copies using the System File Checker (SFC) utility. To use this built-in tool, follow these steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Press Win + S to open the search box, type \u201ccmd,\u201d right-click on \u201cCommand Prompt\u201d from the search results, and select \u201cRun as administrator.\u201d<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: If the prompt box for administrative privileges appears, click \u201cYes\u201d to proceed.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: In the Command Prompt window, type \u201c<\/span><b>sfc \/scannow<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d and press the Enter key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tool will scan your system files, automatically detecting and repairing any issues. Wait for the scan to complete, then restart your computer to see if the<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> issue is resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 7: Activate Deployment Image Servicing And Management Utility<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, the &#8220;Reference by Pointer&#8221; BSOD error may appear after updating to Windows 10. If the SFC scan doesn\u2019t resolve the issue, it\u2019s possible that your Windows image files were corrupted during the update. To address this, you should run the DISM command, which can effectively repair damaged image files.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Press <\/span><b>Windows + S<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, type <\/span><b>cmd<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, right-click <\/span><b>Command Prompt<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and select <\/span><b>Run as administrator<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press <\/span><b>Enter<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>DISM \/Online \/Cleanup-Image \/RestoreHealth<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Allow the process to complete and reboot your PC.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 8: Check for Overheating Issues<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overheating can also be a potential cause of the error. If your CPU temperature exceeds a certain threshold, it may cause your computer to crash. It\u2019s advisable to check your PC\u2019s temperature if you encounter this problem. Here is what you need to do:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: In the Task Manager window, click on the Performance tab.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24068\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Performance-tab-Task-Manager.webp\" alt=\"Performance tab Task Manager\" width=\"673\" height=\"694\" sizes=\"(max-width: 673px) 100vw, 673px\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Next, click on the GPU sub-tab to find the temperature here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><div class=\"color-box\">\n<div class=\"shadow\">\n<div class=\"info-tab note-icon\" style=\"background:#47ADE0\"><i><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"note-box\" style=\"background:#d5e9f6\">\n<p> <strong> Note : <\/strong>The normal CPU temperature should be around 30\u2103 to 40\u2103 in normal cases and not exceed 70\u2103 under heavy load.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your computer is overheating, cleaning the dust may help resolve the issue. Disconnect the power supply, open the computer case, and use compressed air to clean the internal components.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Read &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/how-cpu-stress-affects-windows-computer-performance\/\">A Study on How CPU Stress Affects Windows Computer Performance<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 9: Inspect Your Hardware<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many Blue Screen of Death errors are related to hardware issues. If you encounter this stop code error, it&#8217;s important to check your hardware.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you recently installed new hardware before the error occurred, try removing it. If the error disappears after removing the new hardware, consider replacing it with the original component or a new one, or contact the manufacturer for assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fix 10: Reinstall Windows And Recover Data<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If nothing else works, you have to Reinstall Windows. The major concern here is recovering the data, which you can do by using the Advanced Disk Recovery tool after formatting and reinstalling Windows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Steps To Reinstall Windows<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Download the Windows 11 installation media from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/software-download\/windows11\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microsoft website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-in\/software-download\/windows10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows 10 users, click on this link<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24066\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Windows-11installation-assistant.webp\" alt=\"Windows 11 installation assistant\" width=\"1196\" height=\"508\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1196px) 100vw, 1196px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Create a bootable USB drive using the Media Creation Tool.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Insert the bootable USB drive into your PC.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Restart your PC and enter the BIOS\/UEFI settings (usually by pressing F2, F12, Del, or Esc during startup).<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: Set the USB drive as the primary boot device and save the changes to exit the BIOS\/UEFI.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><div class=\"color-box\">\n<div class=\"shadow\">\n<div class=\"info-tab note-icon\" style=\"background:#47ADE0\"><i><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"note-box\" style=\"background:#d5e9f6\">\n<p> <strong> Note : <\/strong>Your PC should boot from the USB drive and start the Windows 11 installation process.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 6: Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 11.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 7: Select Custom Installation when prompted, and choose the partition where you want to install Windows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note: This will erase the current Windows installation and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/perform-windows-clean-install\/\">perform a clean install<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 8: Follow the setup prompts to configure Windows 11 after installation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Steps To Recover Data After Format And Reinstallation<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Download and Install Advanced Disk Recovery using the download button below.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"download_buttons_section\"><p style=\"text-align: justify;display:none;\" class=\"downloadnow-btn-show os-windows\" data-eventsource=\"DownloadNow_post_button\"><a data-param=\"systweakblog,wp_json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24058,pos-1,676\" data-operation=\"iframe\" class=\"ds-download-link \" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/download-product\/adr\/w\/24058\/1\" onclick=\"gtag('event', 'ProductDownloadSysBlog', { 'event_label' :'reference-by-pointer-bsod-error', 'event_category':'windows-1' });\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/bg.systweak.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/plugins\/download-button-shortcode-new\/images\/window_btn.png\" alt=\"download\" width=\"250\" height=\"65\"><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Launch the software and choose the areas to be scanned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23486\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Start-Scan-Advanced-Disk-Recovery.webp\" alt=\"Start Scan - Advanced Disk Recovery\" width=\"772\" height=\"583\" sizes=\"(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Click on the Start Scan Now Button.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23488\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Scan-Type-Advanced-Disk-Recovery.webp\" alt=\"Scan Type - Advanced Disk Recovery\" width=\"772\" height=\"583\" sizes=\"(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Choose the Deep scan option to recover files from the deepest sectors of your hard drive and click on Scan Now.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: A list of files that can be recovered will be displayed. Click on the check box next to the files you wish to recover and click on the Recover button.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23490\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.systweak.com\/content\/wp\/bg_systweak_com\/uploads\/2024\/07\/List-of-Deleted-Files-Advanced-Disk-Recovery.webp\" alt=\"List of Deleted Files- Advanced Disk Recovery\" width=\"772\" height=\"583\" sizes=\"(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 6: You will have to specify the location where you wish to save these recovered files and click on OK.<\/span><br \/>\nStep 7: Wait for some time, and you will have recovered all your important data.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Are You Able To Fix Reference By Pointer Error On Windows 10\/11?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We hope you have fixed the Reference By Pointer Error on Windows 10\/11 with the abovementioned steps. In the comments section below, please share your views on why this error occurred and how you fixed the issue and saved your data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>References &#8211;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">https:\/\/www.partitionwizard.com\/disk-recovery\/reference-by-pointer-bsod.html<br \/>\nhttps:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/answers\/questions\/674157\/bsod-reference-by-pointer-dont-know-what-driver-is<br \/>\nhttps:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/techsupport\/comments\/pspsvt\/reference_by_pointer_bsod\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The &#8220;Reference by Pointer&#8221; Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error in Windows is indicated by the stop code 0x00000018. This error occurs when a driver or system component references a memory address using an already freed or invalid pointer. It also happens when faulty drivers, corrupted system files, or hardware issues occur. Let us put&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/reference-by-pointer-bsod-error\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Solved &#8211; Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Windows 10\/11<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":24070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3-RC2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fix Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Windows 10\/11<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you getting Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Window, It happens due to faulty drivers, corrupted system files, or hardware issues.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/reference-by-pointer-bsod-error\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fix Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Windows 10\/11\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are you getting Reference by Pointer BSOD Error On Window, It happens due to faulty drivers, corrupted system files, or hardware issues.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.systweak.com\/blogs\/reference-by-pointer-bsod-error\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/systweak\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-23T11:30:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-23T11:44:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bg.systweak.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Fix-Reference-by-Pointer-BSOD.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"750\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dheeraj Manghnani\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@sysblogmanager\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@systweak\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dheeraj Manghnani\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.systweak.com\\\/blogs\\\/reference-by-pointer-bsod-error\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.systweak.com\\\/blogs\\\/reference-by-pointer-bsod-error\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dheeraj Manghnani\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.systweak.com\\\/blogs\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/30ec3cc48bf0209047505875026ea9b6\"},\"headline\":\"Solved &#8211; 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