17 Fixes to "Kernel Security Check Failure" Error

Hope to Fix the " Kernel Security Check Failure" Error Soon

“Due to a job change, I had to go back to using my laptop. I rarely use this laptop because it's not configured for gaming, but it works fine all the time. However, when I use it for a long time, I find that this laptop sometimes blue screen. It shows stop code: KERNEL SECURITY CHECK FAILURE. Especially these days, this error is happening more and more frequently, and it's messing up my work. I just want to fix this bug asap now, can anyone help?”

As we all know, blue screen of death (BSOD) often comes with a specific stop code. The "kernel check failure" described in the case is the most common type of stop code, which causes headaches for many users. So, how can you effectively fix this blue screen error? We have provided you 17 solutions which I believe can help you fix this error. However, it is recommended that you understand the cause of the error before you start.

Causes of the “Kernel Security Check Failure" in Windows 10

Exploring the cause of "Blue Screen Kernel Security Check Failure" will help you understand the next fixes. The following are common causes of this error:

❃ The driver is outdated or incompatible.
❃ Memory failure.
❃ Presence of viruses or third-party malware.
❃ Disk is damaged.
❃ Windows system files are corrupted.
❃ Windows system version is not compatible.
❃ Safety plan.
❃ Third-party antivirus software blocks.

How to Fix “Kernel Security Check Failure” Error

Here are 17 solutions to fix "Windows Kernel Security Check Failure" for you. Note that these 17 solutions all default you can't get into Windows system. If you can enter the Windows system normally, please ignore the operation steps that let you enter the Safe Mode, among which method 3 and method 4 still need to be executed in the Safe Mode. 

Disk corruption, Windows system file errors, and virus intrusions that cause this error should be brought to your attention. For data safety, it is recommended that you backup your data before attempting any repair options to avoid any data loss.

#1. Unplug All External Devices and Restart the Computer

"Kernel security check failure" in Windows 10 can occur when any external device you use is not compatible with your Windows version. To do this, you need to unplug all external devices before trying to restart your computer.

1. Completely shut down the computer, and unplug all devices connected to the computer in turn, including keyboards, headphones, external hard drives, etc.
2. Restart the computer again to see if the blue screen message is still received. If you do not receive the blue screen error message, please connect all the unplugged devices in turn to confirm which device is causing the error. If you still get the blue screen error message, then the error is not caused by an external device, go to the next solution.

#2. Enable Legacy Advanced Boot Menu

According to some user feedback, enabling the old version of the advanced boot menu can help to fix the "kernel security check failure" error. The following are the detailed steps.

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) by forcing shutdown and restarting twice.
2. Click Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type C: and press Enter.
4. Then type BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY and press Enter.

5. Type exit and press Enter to exit the Command Prompt. After restarting your computer, see if you still get the blue screen error message. If you still get it, go to the next solution.

#3. Uninstall Recently Installed Applications in Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is a special diagnostic mode in Windows, which can automatically disable all non-core services and processes in the Windows system, which can help you solve many problems. And recently installed applications may have compatibility issues and cause "Windows kernel security check failure" error. Therefore, you need to uninstall these recently installed apps in Safe Mode to fix it.

1. Enter the Windows recovery environment, click Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings, press F4 or the number key 4 to enable Windows Safe Mode.

2. Use Windows + S to open the search box, type control panel and press Enter.
3. Click Programs > Programs and Features > Uninstall a program. Select a recently installed program, right-click it and select Uninstall.

4. Confirm this operation and wait for the application uninstallation to complete. After restarting your computer, see if you still get the blue screen error message. If you still get it, go to the next solution.

#4. Reinstall or Update Computer Drivers in Safe Mode

Outdated or incompatible hardware drivers are a common cause of "Kernel security check failure" errors. Therefore, you need to reinstall or update these hardware drivers in Safe Mode.

Reinstall Hardware Drivers

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment and start Windows Safe Mode as described above.
2. Right click the start button on the left side of the taskbar and select Device Manager from the expanded menu.
3. Select and expand the Disk drives, and then select the disk drive that may cause the blue screen error. Right click it, select Uninstall in the expanded menu, and confirm this operation.

4. Right click the top computer name and select Scan for hardware changes in the expanded menu to reinstall the previously removed drivers.

Update Hardware Drivers

1. First enter the Windows Recovery Environment, and then press the number key 5 or F5 to Enable Windows Safe Mode with Networking.
2. Right click the start button on the left side of the taskbar and select Device Manager from the expanded menu.
3. Select and expand the Disk drives, and then select the disk drive that may cause the blue screen error. Right click it and select Update Driver from the expanded menu.
4. Select Search automatically for updated driver software and wait for the process to complete. If there is an update, please download and install it, and restart your computer.

5. After restarting your computer, see if you still get the blue screen error message. If you still get it, go to the next solution.

#5. Windows Memory Diagnostic

"Kernel security check failure" errors can also be caused when the computer's memory fails. Therefore, you need to test your computer's memory through Windows' built-in memory diagnostic tool.

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment and enable Windows Safe Mode with networking.
2. Open the Run dialog with Windows + R, type mdsched and press Enter.
3. There are two options in the Windows Memory Diagnostic window, the first is to Restart now and check for problems, and the second is to Check for problems the next time I start my computer, here it is recommended to select the first item.

4. Wait for the check to complete to see if the computer memory is faulty. If it does, please replace it in time and restart the computer to see if you still get the blue screen error message. If you still get the blue screen error message, go to the next solution.

#6. Check and Fix Disk Errors (via CHKDSK and File Explorer)

"Kernel security check failure" error can be caused when the disk is corrupted. Therefore, you need to check and fix the errors that exist on the disk, here are the two methods recommended for you.

Check and Repair Disk via CHKDSK

1. In the Startup Settings window, press F6 or the number key 6 to Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
2. Use Windows + S to open the search box, enter cmd and choose to run as administrator.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk [drive letter]: /f and press Enter to execute the command. If you want to check H: drive, then you should type: “chkdsk H: f”.

4. Type “chkdsk [drive letter]: /r” to repair the found error.

Check and Repair the Disk with File Explorer

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment, and then press the number key 5 or F5 to Enable Windows Safe Mode with Networking.
2. Open Windows Explorer with Windows + E and select the disk you want to check and repair.
3. Right-click on the disk of your choice and select Properties from the expanded menu.
4. Switch to the Tools tab at the top of the Properties window, and in the Error checking section, click the Check button.

5. Click the Scan drive option and wait for the scan to complete.
6. When a disk drive error is found, please click the Close button first. Then click the Repair This Drive option, and restart your computer.

7. After restarting your computer, see if you still get the blue screen error message. If you still get it, go to the next solution.

#7. Run the System File Checker (SFC)

Windows System File Checker is a utility that can help you check and repair corrupted system files. Since the corrupted system file is an important cause of the "Kernel security check failure" error, you can fix this error with SFC.

1. In the Startup Settings window, press F6 or the number key 6 to Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
2. Use Windows + S to open the search box, enter cmd and choose to run as administrator.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter to execute this command.

4. Wait for the check and repair to complete and restart the computer to see if you still get the blue screen error message. If you still get the blue screen error message, go to the next solution.

#8. Update or Restore Windows 10 Version

Outdated or advanced Windows versions may have compatibility issues and cause "kernel security check failure" in Windows 10. If you have recently updated Windows, restore it to a previous version. If Windows has not been updated for a long time, please update it in time.

Update Windows Version

1.  Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt on Windows 10. Use Windows + I to open Windows Settings and click Update & Security.
2. On the Windows Update tab, click Check for updates in the right panel. If there is any update, download and install it on your computer.

Restore Windows Version

1.  Open Windows Settings as described above and click Update & Security.
2. Switch to the Recovery tab in the left panel, click the Get started button under Go back to the previous version of Windows 10, and follow the prompts to confirm.

#9. Scan for and Remove Viruses and Malware

Certain viruses or malware can also be the trigger for "Kernel security check failure" error. Therefore, you need to scan and remove these viruses and malware.

1. In Safe Mode, use Windows + S to open the search box and type Windows Security.
2. In the Windows Security window, click Virus & threat protection.
3. In the Current threats section, click Scan options. Then select Full Scan, and click the Scan Now button.

#10. Use the Windows Troubleshooter

Windows 10 has a built-in troubleshooter that can help you with most problems, and it's a worthwhile approach.

1. In Safe Mode, use Windows + I to open Windows Settings and select Update & Security.
2. Switch to the Troubleshoot tab in the left panel, in the right panel you should see the troubleshooter about the Blue screen, click the Run the troubleshooter button.

#11. Temporarily Disable Third-Party Antivirus Software

Sometimes third-party antivirus software prevents your Windows system from functioning properly, resulting in the "Kernel security check failure" error. To do this, you need to temporarily disable third-party antivirus software.

1. In Safe Mode, use Esc + Shift + Ctrl to open the Task Manager.
2. Switch to the Startup tab at the top, select third-party antivirus software, and click the Disable button in the lower right corner.

#12. Windows System Restore

If you created a system restore point before the blue screen error "kernel security check failure" in Windows 10, System Restore can restore your computer to a previous point in time to fix this error.

1. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment and select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore.

Next, you just follow the prompts to select the appropriate restore point and wait for the process to complete.

#13. Free up Disk Space

Insufficient disk space can cause many problems and can be the trigger for a "Kernel security check failure" error. To do this, you need to free up disk space. You can choose to upload data directly to an external hard drive or cloud, or use Windows' built-in Disk Cleaner to free up disk space. The following steps take cleaning up the local disk C as an example.

1. In Safe Mode, use Windows + E to open Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click the local disk C, and select Properties in the expanded menu.
3. Switch to the General tab and click the Disk Cleanup button.
4. Select the files you want to remove and hit OK. You can tick all types of items for maximum cleanup.

#14. Verify the Driver

Windows has a built-in driver verifier manager that tests all installed drivers and helps you identify the ones that are broken, which can help you fix the "Kernel security check failure" error.

1. In Safe Mode, use Windows + S to open the search box, enter cmd and select Run as administrator.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type verifier and press Enter.
3. In the Driver Verifier Manager window, select Create standard settings and click Next.

4. Select Automatically select all drivers installed on this computer, and then click the Finish button.

✿ Note: If you can determine that there is a problem with a driver, you can also choose Select driver names from a list.

#15. Perform A Clean Boot

Clean Boot is also a Windows Diagnostic Mode, similar to Safe Mode, except that you need to manually disable third-party apps and services. This method also helps you fix the "Windows kernel security check failure" error. Please note that this method requires you to enter the Windows system normally.

1. Use Windows + R to open the Run dialog, type msconfig and press Enter.
2. Switch to the Services tab at the top of the System Settings window, check the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox in the lower left corner, and then click the Disable all button.

3. Then on the Startup tab of System Configuration, select Open Task Manager.
4. In the list of startup tabs, select each startup item in turn, click the Disable button in turn, and then close the Task Manager.
5. Go back to the Startup tab of System Configuration and click the OK button.

#16. View the Event Log File

You can view the event log file to see what caused the "Kernel security check failure" error so you can take action.

1. In Safe Mode, right-click the Start button and select Event Viewer from the expanded menu.
2. Expand Windows Logs in the left panel and select System.

3. Select the errors in the list in turn and view their error descriptions. If you just got a blue screen error, just select the first error log.

#17. Reinstall Windows 10

If none of the above solutions can help you fix the "Kernel security check failure" error, you can also choose to reinstall Windows 10, which is the last and most effective solution.

1. Reboot your computer, enter the BIOS to adjust the boot priority items, and set the CD-ROM or pen drive as the highest priority.

✿ Note: Different brands of motherboards have different access methods. For details, please refer to the corresponding motherboard manual or contact the motherboard manufacturer.

2. After restarting, press any key to execute Windows 10 Setup. Do the following in order:

• Set the language and input method in turn.
• Click Install now.
• Enter the product key (you can also skip it directly).
• Select the version of Windows 10 you want to install.
• Accept the license terms. 
• Select the Windows installation type, here it is recommended to select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).

3. Next, you need to select the disk where you want to install Windows 10 and click Next. Wait for the installation to complete, follow the prompts to make settings, and wait for Windows 10 to start.

The Best Way to Keep Disk Data Safe

After you understand the cause of the "Kernel security check failure" error, you can fix it through the above 17 solutions, I believe this can make your computer return to normal. Disk corruption, Windows system file errors, and virus intrusions that cause this error should arouse your attention. When a disk is damaged, all data on the disk will be lost. For the sake of data security, it is recommended that you use AOMEI Backupper Standard for disk backup before trying any repair solutions to avoid any situation that may lead to disk data loss.

AOMEI Backupper Standard has a clear interface and simple operation, and is suitable for Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and other versions. It allows you to quickly back up all data from your local disk to any location, including cloud, NAS devices, external hard drives, and more. Next, the detailed operation steps of AOMEI Backupper Standard disk backup will be introduced to you.

First, we need to download and install the software. If you are a Windows Server user, you can use AOMEI Backuppper Server to protect your disk data.

1. Launch this software. Click Backup in the left tab select Disk Backup option.

2. In the Disk Backup window, click the Add Disk button. In addition, you can click the pencil icon in the upper left corner to modify the name of this backup task for better distinction.

★ Tips: In addition, you can also click Options, Schedule Backup and Backup Scheme to customize the settings at the bottom left.

▶ Options: You can comment the current backup task and enable email notifications. When you upgrade to the professional version, you can also enable encrypted backup.

▶ Schedule Backup: You can set daily, weekly and monthly backup files for free. After upgrading to the pro version, files can also be backed up at event triggers and USB plug in.

▶ Backup Scheme: You can change the backup method to full backup, incremental backup and differential backup. The differential backup can only be used after upgrading to the professional version. In addition, after upgrading to a higher version, you can also turn on the automatic cleanup backup function.

3. Modify the path of the disk backup according to your own situation, and click the Start Backup button in the lower right corner after confirming that it is correct.

4. Next, wait for the process to complete and click the Finish button.

Besides disk backup, AOMEI Backupper Standard can provide you with other useful functions:

☢ If you are a computer professional or IT technician, you can use command line backup for unattended backup.
☢ After you have backed up the hard disk into an image file through disk backup, you can use the disk restore function to restore the original data if the original data of the disk is lost or damaged.
☢ Before restoring, you can confirm the backup image file by the Explore Image function to ensure that the required file is restored correctly.
☢ If you plan to upgrade the hard disk to improve computer performance, you can clone the hard disk to SSD after upgrading HDD to SSD, which will save you a lot of time.

Conclusion

When you encounter the "Kernel Security Check Failure" blue screen error message, after understanding the cause of this error, you can fix it through 17 solutions so that your computer can get back to normal. But it will involve the cause of disk corruption, so it is recommended that you use AOMEI Backupper Standard to make a disk backup before starting the repair to avoid any data loss.

AOMEI Backupper Standard can provide you with a free and professional disk backup service, allowing you to easily backup your hard disk to any desired location. In addition, the software also has system backup, file backup, partition backup and other functions, which can provide all-round protection for your computer data.