Windows BSOD Error 0x000000CE — DRIVER_UNLOADED_WITHOUT_CANCELLING_PENDING_OPERATIONS Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

The 0x000000CE blue screen means a driver was unloaded from memory before it finished what it was doing. This left unfinished operations hanging, which caused Windows to crash. It is almost always caused by a buggy or outdated device driver.

Affected Models

Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows 8.1
Windows Server

Common Causes

A device driver has a bug that causes it to unload before completing its tasks
A recently updated driver introduced a compatibility issue
Two drivers are conflicting and causing one to be forcibly unloaded
Overclocking your CPU or GPU is causing hardware instability
Third-party system utilities are interfering with driver operations

How to Fix It

Open the blue screen details. Note the filename shown below the stop code (it usually ends in .sys). This is the driver that crashed. Search for that filename online to identify which device it belongs to.

Common examples: nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA graphics), atikmdag.sys (AMD graphics), ntfs.sys (disk driver). Knowing the file points you straight to the problem.
Update the driver for the device identified in step 1. Visit the device manufacturer's website directly rather than using Windows Update, as manufacturers often have newer drivers.

For graphics cards, use GeForce Experience (NVIDIA) or AMD Software (AMD) to get the latest drivers automatically.
If a recent driver update caused this, roll it back. Open Device Manager, right-click the device, choose Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.

This option is only available if a previous driver version was installed. If it is greyed out, you need to manually download and install an older driver.
If you have overclocked your CPU, GPU, or RAM, reset everything to default speeds in your BIOS. Overclocking stresses hardware and can cause driver instability.

Enter your BIOS at startup (usually by pressing Delete or F2) and look for an option to Load Optimized Defaults.
Run Driver Verifier to help catch the problem driver. Search 'verifier' in the Start menu, run it as Administrator, and select 'Create standard settings.' Restart your PC and reproduce the crash — Verifier will give you more detail.

Warning: Driver Verifier can cause frequent crashes intentionally to catch bad drivers. Only run it when troubleshooting and disable it afterward by running verifier /reset in Command Prompt.

When to Call a Professional

If you cannot identify which driver is causing the crashes, a technician can use Windows crash dump analysis tools to pinpoint the exact driver filename. This is more precise than trial and error with driver updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out which driver caused the crash?

Look at the bottom of the blue screen — there is usually a filename ending in .sys listed below the stop code. If you cannot read it, Windows saves a crash dump file that you can analyze using a free tool called WhoCrashed. WhoCrashed reads the dump file and tells you the exact driver name in plain English.

Is it safe to use my PC while this is happening?

If the blue screens are frequent, it is best to stop using the computer for important work until the issue is fixed. Data could be lost if a crash happens while you are saving a file. For occasional crashes, back up your important files as soon as possible.

Can Windows Update cause this error?

Yes. Windows Update sometimes installs new driver versions automatically. If the crashes started right after a Windows Update, the update likely pushed a driver that has a bug on your specific hardware. You can pause Windows Update and roll back the driver to see if that stops the crashes.