Windows Stop Code EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST (0x00000013): What the Stop Code Means
Quick Answer EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST is the symbolic name assigned to Windows bug check 0x00000013. The crucial detail is that Microsoft says this bug check...
Quick Answer
EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST is the symbolic name assigned to Windows bug check 0x00000013. The crucial detail is that Microsoft says this bug check is not currently used by Windows. Microsoft does not provide a cause, parameter definitions, or a dedicated repair procedure for it. learn.microsoft.com
If you believe a computer actually crashed with 0x00000013, verify the complete stop code in its crash dump. Do not diagnose the machine from the name “EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST” alone.
What Does “Not Currently Used” Mean?
Windows documentation includes names for many bug-check values, including some that are not used by current Windows code. A name in the bug-check reference is therefore not evidence that the corresponding failure is expected to occur on a current system.
Microsoft’s entire substantive description of EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST is that it has the value 0x00000013 and is not currently used by Windows. The page does not state that an empty thread list caused a crash, identify a driver that can trigger it, or explain what its four parameters would mean. learn.microsoft.com
The words in the symbolic name should not be expanded into a speculative explanation of how Windows cleans up threads. For a knowledge base, “unused bug-check designation” is the most accurate description supported by Microsoft’s documentation.
Stop Code at a Glance
| Field | Documented information |
|---|---|
| Hexadecimal value | 0x00000013 |
| Symbolic name | EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST |
| Current Windows use | Microsoft says it is not currently used. |
| Documented parameters | None provided on Microsoft’s dedicated page. |
| Documented cause or fix | None provided on Microsoft’s dedicated page. |
Why Might You See This Code in a List?
A reference table can include historical or reserved names alongside actively used bug checks. Microsoft’s bug-check code reference lists 0x00000013 as EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST, while its dedicated page clarifies that Windows does not currently use it. These two statements are consistent: a listed name does not imply an active diagnostic category. learn.microsoft.com
A copied table row such as 0x00000013 | EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST is enough to identify the entry in the reference. It is not enough to establish that a particular computer experienced this bug check.
If a Computer Appears to Have Crashed with 0x13
1. Verify the exact code
Check the original blue-screen record or, preferably, the crash dump. Keep the leading and trailing digits: 0x00000013, 0x00000113, and other similar-looking values are different bug checks.
2. Open the dump in WinDbg
Use WinDbg’s initial analysis command:
!analyze -vRecord the BUGCHECK_CODE, all reported arguments, the stack trace, and the Windows build. Microsoft’s general bug-check guidance recommends !analyze to display information about a stop code and its available parameters. learn.microsoft.com
3. Confirm where the label came from
Distinguish the code recorded in the dump from a label produced by a third-party list, website, or diagnostic application. If the dump reports another code, investigate that actual code instead.
4. Investigate the actual crash evidence
If WinDbg really reports 0x13, retain the dump and its analysis for a Windows or driver specialist. Because Microsoft does not document an active use or parameter meanings for this code, the stack and system context matter more than a generic “fix” attached to its name.
Should You Update Drivers or Replace Hardware?
There is no 0x13-specific driver update, registry change, or hardware replacement recommended by Microsoft’s dedicated page. Such actions would be guesses without an actual crash analysis. learn.microsoft.com
If a computer is repeatedly blue-screening, investigate the stop code that its dump actually records. Once you have identified that code and its context, relevant driver updates or other corrective actions can be considered on evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST a currently used Windows bug check?
No. Microsoft explicitly says bug check 0x00000013 is not currently used by Windows. learn.microsoft.com
Does the name mean Windows ran out of threads?
Microsoft does not make that claim. The name alone does not establish a cause, and its dedicated page supplies no such explanation. learn.microsoft.com
Are its four parameters documented?
No parameter definitions appear on Microsoft’s dedicated 0x13 page. Do not assign the arguments meanings borrowed from another stop code. learn.microsoft.com
Why does Microsoft list the code if it is unused?
The bug-check reference identifies the value and symbolic name, while the dedicated entry states its current-use status. The listing functions as a reference entry; it does not indicate a commonly encountered crash. learn.microsoft.com
What should I do if a diagnostic tool displays it?
Verify the exact bug-check value against the original crash dump and run !analyze -v in WinDbg. Preserve the dump if the result really is 0x13. learn.microsoft.com
Summary
0x00000013 maps to EMPTY_THREAD_REAPER_LIST, but Microsoft says the bug check is not currently used by Windows. An accurate diagnosis requires checking the actual crash record. A knowledge-base article should not present the symbolic name as a known failure mechanism or offer an invented code-specific fix. learn.microsoft.com
Sources
Was this guide useful?
Your answer helps us keep BISONKB accurate and practical.