Blue screen of Death (BSoD) errors are so common that if you have been a long time Windows user you ought to have encountered them at some point. They can be tricky and leave most non-technical users clueless, often preventing them from accessing their computers. Here, we will cover the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT BSoD error associated with low-level issues in the operating system, such as handling CPU interrupts, managing memory, etc.
The error makes Windows stop all operations to prevent data corruption and hardware damage, forcing an immediate restart. We will outline the most common reasons behind this error along with the fixes for effectively troubleshooting it on your Windows PC.
INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT: The Basics
Software interrupt is a signal sent to the CPU by a software when it needs to request some privileged operations like, thread scheduling, system calls, etc.
Now the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT error or BSoD appears when:
- A driver improperly triggers a software interrupt.
- The software interrupt happens at an invalid Interrupt Request Level (IRQL).
- There is a mismatch between the expected and received software interrupt types.
- Your PC is running problematic or outdated third-party drivers. The common culprits include drivers for GPU, networking, and chipset.
- You have overclocked your system.
- Your PC’s RAM or kernel memory has corrupted.
- Some malware is hooked into the interrupt tables or is modifying system call handlers.
Fixing the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT Error: 5 Methods
Start with repairing system files to eliminate corruption issues. Type CMD in search and click Run as administrator. Now execute the following commands one after another:
- sfc /scannow
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
1. Update Your Drivers
Outdated or badly written drivers sometimes call the interrupt routine incorrectly or tamper with the interrupt tables. When that happens, Windows gets confused, and you end up with the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT blue screen.
- Open Device Manager.
- Go to Network adapters and expand it.
- Right-click on the adapters and click Update driver.
Update the GPU drivers in the similar way. For chipset drivers, go to your motherboard’s support page, install the updates, and then restart your PC.
2. Perform Memory Diagnostic
You can also run the Windows Memory Diagnostic to check for any underlying bugs.
- Open search, type CMD, and click Run as administrator.
- Type mdsched.exe and press Enter.
- Click Restart now and check for problems.
- The PC will restart and automatically check for memory faults.
3. Disable Overclocking on Your PC
Overclocking increases CPU/GPU frequencies or memory timings beyond tested defaults. It can destabilize interrupt handling and result in INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT blue screen of death error on your PC.
- Go to Settings > Update & Security.
- Click Recovery from the left sidebar.
- Under Advanced startup, click Restart now and wait till Windows boots into Advanced Startup Options.
- Now, click Troubleshoot and select Advanced options.
- Click UEFI Firmware Settings and hit Restart.
- Your computer will now boot into BIOS.
- Navigate to the Advanced tab, and select Performance.
- Now, find the Overclocking option and disable it.
- Press the Esc key and choose Save and Exit.
4. Update Windows or Reinstall the Last Update
Make sure you are using the latest version of Windows by checking for and installing any available updates via Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates. If the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT error occurs after a recent Windows Update, try to uninstall and then reinstall it.
5. Scan Your PC for Virus or Malware
A virus or malware on your system can corrupt your files or modify your system settings, resulting in the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT error. Scanning your computer for these threats and eliminating them can help resolve the issue.
- Press Win + S and launch for Windows Security.
- Click Virus & threat protection > Scan options.
- Click Windows Defender Offline Scan > Scan Now.
Let the process complete. The Windows Defender will scan your computer for existing threats.
Lost Files After the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT Error?
BSoD errors like the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT can interrupt the file writing process on Windows. If the error occurred while writing to the drive, it can result in data loss. In such scenarios, we recommend using a professional data recovery software – Stellar Data Recovery Professional to reclaim your lost files.
The software helps you recover data in complex loss scenarios like BSoD errors, logical drive failures, lost partitions, and more. Download, install & launch the software on your PC and recover data using Stellar Data Recovery is just three simple steps.
Bottom Line
We understand how BSoDs like the INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT hamper and stall your work midway. Such errors usually indicate a critical system error. However, you must not get worried and instead use the methods discussed above to resolve this blue screen error in no time.
