REGISTRY_ERROR (0x00000051)

What is REGISTRY-ERROR?

This critical-severity issue affects the Windows operating system. The REGISTRY_ERROR bug check has a value of 0x00000051. This BSOD indicates that an I/O error occurred while the registry was trying to read one of its files, or that the registry has become corrupted due to hardware or file system faults. Use the steps below to track down and fix the cause.

Common Causes

• Corrupt registry hives due to power loss or crash
• Failing storage drives (SSD/HDD) containing registry files
• Corrupted file system structures

Step-by-Step Fix Guide

• 1
  Perform a system restore to a point before the registry error occurred

  Running chkdsk is critical to repair bad sectors holding registry files.

• 2
  Check disk file system for integrity errors

  SFC in offline recovery mode can restore base registry files from backup.

• 3
  Run SFC and DISM in Windows Recovery Environment

  "Run SFC and DISM in Windows Recovery Environment" handles an edge case some users report with REGISTRY-ERROR.

• 4
  Check drive health status using SMART utilities

  Try "Check drive health status using SMART utilities" next if the issue persists — it addresses a secondary cause.

Commands & Diagnostics

Frequently Asked Questions