KeBugCheck function

Description

The KeBugCheck routine brings down the system in a controlled manner when the caller discovers an unrecoverable inconsistency that would corrupt the system if the caller continued to run.

Parameters

BugCheckCode [in]

Specifies a value that indicates the reason for the bug check.

Remarks

A bug check is a system-detected error that causes an immediate, controlled shutdown of the system. Various kernel-mode components perform run-time consistency checking. When such a component discovers an unrecoverable inconsistency, it causes a bug check to be generated.

Whenever possible, all kernel-mode components should log an error and continue to run, rather than calling KeBugCheck. For example, if a driver is unable to allocate required resources, it should log an error so that the system continues to run; it must not generate a bug check.

A driver or other kernel-mode component should call this routine only in cases of a fatal, unrecoverable error that could corrupt the system itself.

KeBugCheck can be useful in the early stages of developing a driver, or while it is undergoing testing. In these circumstances, the BugCheckCode passed to this routine should be distinct from those codes already in use by Windows or its drivers. For a list of these codes, see Bug Check Codes.

However, even during driver development, this routine is of only limited utility, since it results in a complete system shutdown. A more effective debugging method is to attach a kernel debugger to the system and then use routines that send messages to the debugger or break into the debugger. For further information, see Get started with WinDbg (kernel-mode).

When a bug check is unavoidable, most system components call KeBugCheckEx, which provides more information about the cause of such an inconsistency than KeBugCheck.

See also

IoAllocateErrorLogEntry

IoWriteErrorLogEntry

KeBugCheckEx

KeRegisterBugCheckCallback

KeRegisterBugCheckReasonCallback