{"id":110889,"date":"2022-10-06T09:48:32","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T09:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stellarinfo.com\/blog\/?p=110889"},"modified":"2025-04-16T08:32:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T08:32:27","slug":"fix-bsod-quota-underflow-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stellarinfo.com\/blog\/fix-bsod-quota-underflow-error\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue: How To Fix QUOTA_UNDERFLOW Error?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is the fatal system error that can cause your system to stop, freeze, or crash. This error is accompanied by a description of the problem and the error code. For example, one such error is the QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error, which usually occurs when the system administrator mismanages the disk quota.<\/p>
Let’s look at the QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error and learn how to fix this issue.<\/p>
What is QUOTA_UNDERFLOW?<\/strong><\/h3>
A disk quota is a value generally assigned by the system administrator who controls a limited part of the file system on operating systems. There are two basic disk quotas – Usage quota or Block quota and File quota (or inode data).<\/p>
The usage quota controls the usable disk space, while the file quota sets what number of files and directories can be created.<\/p>
The QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error occurs due to the mismanagement of the disk quota. This error can slow your system or make your hard drive unmountable. BSOD QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error has error code 0x00000021.<\/p>
What Causes QUOTA_UNDERFLOW Error?<\/strong><\/h2>
Blue Screen of Death QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error can be caused due to a variety of reasons, and some of them are:<\/p>
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Your system doesn’t have enough free space on the hard disk.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
An incompatible version of BIOS is installed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Device drivers installed in your system are outdated or incompatible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Damaged or deleted Windows registry, or you have accidentally deleted system keys.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Viruses attacks may block system files.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Damaged hard drive.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
How to Fix QUOTA_UNDERFLOW BSOD Error?<\/strong><\/h2>
BSOD QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error can shut down your Windows repeatedly once it begins visibly. This is why before trying to fix the error, you need to disable the automatic restart option in Windows 10\/11. Follow these steps to stop Windows from automatic restart:<\/p>
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Press Windows + X<\/strong> keys together and click System<\/strong> to launch it.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Now click Advanced system settings<\/strong> and go to the Advanced<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Click Settings<\/strong> under Startup and Recovery<\/strong> section.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Then uncheck the box beside ‘Automatically restart’<\/strong> under the system failure section.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Click OK<\/strong> to apply the changes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Once the automatic restarting of Windows is disabled, you can try implementing these steps to fix the QUOTA UNDERFLOW blue screen error:<\/p>
1. Perform Intensive Scan for Viruses<\/strong><\/p>
The blue screen of death error “QUOTA_UNDERFLOW” 0x00000021 can be caused due to a virus infection on your system. Launch Windows built-in antivirus program or any other antivirus software to check your system for viruses.<\/p>
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Click the Windows<\/strong> icon and choose Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Now click Updates and Security<\/strong> and navigate to Windows Security<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Choose Virus and threat protection<\/strong> and go to Scan<\/strong> options<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Choose Full Scan <\/strong>and select Scan now<\/strong> to start the scanning.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Check the scan result once the scan is completed. If any virus is present, click Clean Threats <\/strong>to remove them all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
2. Update your Windows Operating System<\/strong><\/p>
Microsoft Windows provides updates to fix security vulnerabilities and improve performance. This is why you should download all the latest updates, as it might help eliminate the QUOTA_UNDERFLOW 0x00000021 error.<\/p>
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Click on the Windows<\/strong> menu and select Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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In the Settings<\/strong> window, click Update and Security<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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To install the latest Windows updates, click Check for updates<\/strong> and wait until updates are found and then installed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
It is recommended that you set up automatic download and installation of system updates. To enable automatic system updates-<\/p>
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Go to Windows Update<\/strong>, Advanced Options,<\/strong> and choose the mode of update installation – Automatic<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
QUOTA UNDERFLOW blue screen error may arise because of outdated and non-compatible device drivers. So, you must ensure that you update your system’s device drivers regularly. You can update the drivers manually in the Windows Device Manager:<\/p>
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Press the Windows<\/strong> icon and type device manager<\/em><\/strong> in the search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Click on Device Manager<\/strong> from the list to launch it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
See the list of device categories and click on the category<\/strong> in which your device falls. For example, the outdated driver is marked with a yellow triangle.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Right-click on the device name<\/strong> and go to Update Driver Software<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Then choose how you want to Update<\/strong> the Driver Software of your system.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Restart your system after the driver is installed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
4. Run BSOD Troubleshooter<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>
The BSOD troubleshooter – the built-in utility can resolve various system issues, like BSOD errors.<\/p>
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Click Windows + I <\/strong>keys together to launch the Windows Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Click Update & Security<\/strong> and then go to Troubleshoot<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Now go to the Blue Screen<\/strong> option and then click Run the Troubleshooter<\/strong> to find the possible problem and repair it.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
Damaged or rewritten system files can also cause QUOTA_UNDERFLOW errors. SFC command will scan for damaged Windows system files and replace them.<\/p>
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Press the Windows<\/strong> icon and type cmd<\/em><\/strong> in the search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Click Open<\/strong> to launch CMD as administrator.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Type in sfc \/scannow<\/em><\/strong> and click OK<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
This process may take several minutes.<\/p>
6. Test Your RAM<\/strong><\/p>
RAM or memory problems can cause errors and data loss and make your system freeze or slow. Before checking the RAM, remove the motherboard slot from your system and then stick it back again. Sometimes, when the memory stick is not set correctly on the slot and is covered with dust, it can cause a QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error. If this action doesn’t fix the issue, use Windows Memory Diagnostic to check your RAM.<\/p>
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Launch the Run<\/strong> by pressing Windows + R<\/strong> keys together.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Type mdsched<\/em><\/strong> and hit Enter<\/strong> key.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
The Windows Memory Diagnostic window will open. Now choose how your RAM will be tested<\/strong> after your system restarts.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Check the result for errors once the test is completed and press Esc<\/strong> to exit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
If the system file checker fails to resolve the QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error, in that case, use DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) command-line utility to fix this. The steps to run the DISM command are as follows:<\/p>
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Press the Windows<\/strong> icon and type cmd.exe <\/em><\/strong>in the search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Click Open<\/strong> to launch CMD as administrator.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Type DISM.exe \/Online \/Cleanup-image \/Restorehealth <\/em><\/strong>in the command window and hit Enter<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Wait until the scan completes and restart your system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
8. Remove Junk and Other Unnecessary Files<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>
If temporary files are piling up in your system and are taking up huge space in the hard drive, it can result in low disk space. This can often lead to a slow-running system or blue screen errors like QUOTA_UNDERFLOW. Wipe out all the junk from your system manually by following these steps:<\/p>
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Press Windows + R<\/strong> key together to launch Run<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Type Cleanmgr<\/em><\/strong> in the Run box and hit Enter<\/strong> key.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Select the drive<\/strong> you wish to clean and click OK.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Disk Cleanup<\/strong> wizard will calculate how much space you will be able to free on the selected drive.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Then in the next windows, select the files like Temporary Files, Temporary Internet Files,<\/strong> and others you wish to remove.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
9. Remove Problematic Software<\/strong><\/p>
If any software is not compatible with Windows, it may cause BSOD errors. If a system crash occurs after installing any specific software, uninstall it immediately to fix the QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error.<\/p>
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Press Windows + X<\/strong> keys together and click App & Features <\/strong>to launch it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Click on the software that is causing the problem and select Uninstall<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Follow the on-screen instruction to uninstall the software and restart your PC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
10. Run CHKDSK Command<\/strong><\/p>
The BSOD QUOTA_UNDERFLOW error may be caused due to file system error or problem in your hard disk. The command chkdsk\/f will check the disk for errors and fix them. Likewise, chkdsk\/r tries locating bad sectors in the hard disk. To launch CHKDSK, follow these steps:<\/p>
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Click the Windows<\/strong> icon and type cmd<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Then click on the Run it as administrator<\/strong> option from the list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
In the command prompt window, type chkdsk drive letter: \/f \/r<\/em><\/strong> and press Enter<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
Wait until the chkdsk process is over, and then restart your computer.<\/p>
11. Get Rid of Faulty Windows Update<\/strong><\/p>
Keeping your Windows updated is a must for your system’s health. However, downloading faulty update files from untrusted sites can lead to various issues, including BSOD errors. Then you need to uninstall the corrupted Windows update by implementing these steps:<\/p>
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Click the Windows <\/strong>icon and select Settings<\/strong> to launch it.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Navigate to Updates & Security<\/strong> and click Windows Update<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Now select View Update History<\/strong> to see the list of all the Windows updates.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
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Click Uninstall<\/strong> updates<\/strong> and choose the latest received Windows update patch from the list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Right-click on it and select Uninstall<\/strong>. Once done, restart your system.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/figure>
12.<\/strong> Use Hardware Troubleshooter<\/strong><\/p>
If the newly installed or other hardware is causing QUOTA UNDERFLOW blue screen error, then use built-in hardware and device troubleshooter to fix this.<\/p>
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Press the combination of Windows + R<\/strong> key to launch Run<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Type cmd.exe<\/em><\/strong> and click OK<\/strong> to launch Command Prompt<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
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