Windows Stop Code CID_HANDLE_DELETION (0x00000017): Meaning and Troubleshooting
Quick Answer CID_HANDLE_DELETION is the symbolic name for Windows bug check 0x00000017. Microsoft says this bug check appears very infrequently. Its dedicate...
Quick Answer
CID_HANDLE_DELETION is the symbolic name for Windows bug check 0x00000017. Microsoft says this bug check appears very infrequently. Its dedicated documentation does not define the bug-check parameters, describe a specific triggering condition, or offer a code-specific fix. Microsoft Learn
For an actual blue-screen crash, verify the complete code in the memory dump and run !analyze -v in WinDbg. Investigate the call stack and surrounding events before changing a driver or system setting. Microsoft Learn
What Does the Name Tell You?
The symbolic name refers to CID handle deletion, but Microsoft does not explain the internal operation behind this particular bug check in its 0x17 reference. The name is not enough to establish that a user deleted the wrong file, closed a program incorrectly, or needs to clean up ordinary application handles. Microsoft Learn
It is also important to distinguish this entry from its neighbour in the bug-check list:
| Stop code | Symbolic name |
|---|---|
0x00000016 |
CID_HANDLE_CREATION |
0x00000017 |
CID_HANDLE_DELETION |
They are separate codes. The documented details of one should not be assumed to apply to the other. Microsoft describes both as appearing very infrequently. Microsoft Learn
What Microsoft Documents
| Item | Information for 0x17 |
|---|---|
| Hexadecimal value | 0x00000017 |
| Name | CID_HANDLE_DELETION |
| Frequency | Appears very infrequently. |
| Four parameter meanings | Not supplied on the dedicated page. |
| Specific cause | Not supplied on the dedicated page. |
| Specific remedy | Not supplied on the dedicated page. |
This limited documentation matters. An article that names a particular faulty driver, registry key, or hardware component as the cause of 0x17 would go beyond what the stop code establishes. Microsoft Learn
How to Investigate a Real 0x17 Crash
1. Confirm the value from the crash record
Check whether the machine actually reported 0x00000017. A row copied from a stop-code list identifies a reference entry; it does not mean a computer experienced this failure. Check all digits, since other bug-check values may look similar.
2. Preserve the memory dump
A dump may provide the bug-check arguments, stack trace, loaded modules, and other context that a blue-screen photograph lacks. Keep the original dump, especially if the crash has occurred more than once. Microsoft’s bug-check reference notes that a crash dump may be available when Windows stops. Microsoft Learn
3. Open the dump in WinDbg
Run:
!analyze -vRecord the bug-check code and four arguments exactly as displayed. Review the reported stack and any module named in the analysis. The !analyze extension helps present the available diagnostic information; it does not establish a cause solely by printing a driver name. Microsoft Learn
You can also display the recorded bug-check data with:
.bugcheckMicrosoft documents .bugcheck as a command for displaying a target’s bug-check data. The arguments may be useful to a debugger even though Microsoft does not publish a general parameter table for 0x17. Microsoft Learn
4. Examine the call stack
Use a stack command such as:
kvLook at the functions leading to the halt. Determine whether a third-party driver is part of the relevant execution path and whether an earlier failure appears in the dump. If several crashes are available, compare their stacks rather than relying on a single automatically generated conclusion.
5. Review changes and nearby events
Check whether the crashes started after a driver update, device installation, security product change, or Windows update. Review the System log in Event Viewer around each crash. Those observations can help you decide what to investigate first, but a time correlation alone does not prove fault.
6. Apply an evidence-based fix
If the same third-party driver repeatedly appears in a relevant stack and the vendor provides an update or rollback, follow its supported procedure. If the dump cannot establish a cause, send the dump, system details, and reproduction steps to the appropriate vendor or a Windows debugging specialist.
For Driver Developers
If your driver appears in the relevant path, examine the code and object lifetimes around the failure. Review handle-related operations, concurrent execution, and error cleanup as hypotheses suggested by the observed stack, not as established causes of all 0x17 crashes.
The official 0x17 page does not define the internal handle involved or the four bug-check arguments. Avoid treating an argument as an object pointer, handle value, or status code without validating it in the particular dump and Windows build. Microsoft Learn
For End Users
There is no supported universal “CID_HANDLE_DELETION fix” in Microsoft’s dedicated reference. If the crash repeats:
- Keep the dump files and record the time of each crash.
- Note newly installed or updated drivers and devices.
- Use dump analysis to identify a relevant component.
- Seek a vendor update or specialist review based on that evidence.
Avoid deleting registry entries or ordinary application files merely because the stop-code name contains “DELETION.” It is a kernel bug-check label, not an instruction to delete anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CID_HANDLE_DELETION?
It is the symbolic name for Windows bug check 0x00000017. Microsoft says it appears very infrequently. Microsoft Learn
Does it mean I deleted an important file?
Microsoft’s 0x17 documentation does not say that. The name does not identify a user file operation. Microsoft Learn
What does “CID” mean in this specific bug check?
Microsoft’s dedicated page does not define the term or explain the internal handle involved. Interpret the actual crash from its dump rather than expanding the name into an unsupported diagnosis. Microsoft Learn
What do the four parameters mean?
Microsoft provides no 0x17-specific parameter definitions on its dedicated page. Record the values from WinDbg, but do not borrow definitions from another stop code. Microsoft Learn
Is 0x17 the same as 0x16?
No. 0x16 is CID_HANDLE_CREATION; 0x17 is CID_HANDLE_DELETION. Microsoft Learn
Which command should I run first in WinDbg?
Start with !analyze -v. Use .bugcheck when you want to display the recorded bug-check data directly. learn.microsoft.com
Summary
CID_HANDLE_DELETION (0x00000017) is a very rare Windows bug check with limited public documentation. Its name does not supply a reliable root cause or repair. Confirm the exact code, retain the crash dump, examine it in WinDbg, and base any corrective action on the observed stack and system history. Microsoft Learn
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