Windows Stop Code NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE (0x0000001D): Meaning and Troubleshooting
Quick Answer NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE is Windows bug check 0x0000001D. Microsoft says it appears very infrequently. Its dedicated reference does not define the...
Quick Answer
NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE is Windows bug check 0x0000001D. Microsoft says it appears very infrequently. Its dedicated reference does not define the four bug-check parameters, state a precise triggering condition, or prescribe a code-specific fix. Microsoft Learn
A spin lock is a kernel synchronization mechanism used to protect data shared by code that may run concurrently. The stop-code name points toward that area, but it does not by itself identify the particular lock, driver, or error. For an actual crash, analyse its dump and call stack before deciding what to change. Microsoft Learn
What Is a Spin Lock?
A spin lock gives one execution path exclusive access to a small section of shared state. Code attempting to acquire a held spin lock waits by repeatedly checking for availability, rather than sleeping as it might with some other synchronization mechanisms.
Microsoft describes spin locks as kernel-mode synchronization mechanisms. Drivers use different forms of spin lock for different contexts, including locks that protect data shared with an interrupt service routine. Their acquisition and release routines have specific IRQL requirements. Microsoft Learn
Understanding that background helps investigate a driver’s synchronization code. It does not turn the symbolic name NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE into a documented explanation of exactly why Windows issued bug check 0x1D.
What Microsoft Documents About 0x1D
| Item | Documented information |
|---|---|
| Bug-check value | 0x0000001D |
| Symbolic name | NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE |
| Frequency | Microsoft says it appears very infrequently. |
| Four parameter meanings | Not provided on the dedicated 0x1D page. |
| Specific cause or remedy | Not provided on the dedicated 0x1D page. |
What Should You Avoid Assuming?
The name does not prove that:
- Windows ran out of a global supply of spin locks.
- A driver waited too long for a lock.
- A particular processor or device failed.
- One of the bug-check arguments is necessarily a spin-lock address.
- A specific lock API was called incorrectly.
Those may sound plausible from the wording, but Microsoft’s dedicated 0x1D entry does not establish them. Treat them, at most, as questions to investigate if the actual dump points in that direction. Microsoft Learn
How to Investigate an Actual 0x1D Crash
1. Verify the complete code
Confirm 0x0000001D in the blue-screen record or crash dump. Do not confuse it with 0x0000011D, which is a different bug check, or with nearby spin-lock-related codes such as 0x0000000F and 0x00000010. Microsoft lists these as separate entries. Microsoft Learn
2. Preserve the crash dump
Keep the dump produced during the failure. It may contain the bug-check arguments, executing thread, stack trace, and loaded driver information needed for further analysis.
3. Analyse it with WinDbg
Open the dump and run:
!analyze -vRecord the reported code and arguments exactly. Review the stack and any named module. Microsoft’s general bug-check reference recommends !analyze to display available information about a stop code; an automated module name should be checked against the actual execution path. Microsoft Learn
Then display the stack in more detail:
kvLook for driver code and synchronization calls leading to the halt. If multiple dumps exist, compare their stacks to see whether the same driver path recurs.
4. Correlate with recent changes
Note when the first crash occurred. Check driver, device, firmware, and Windows changes around that time, along with nearby System events in Event Viewer. This can prioritize investigation, though a time match alone does not prove the change caused the crash.
5. Fix the supported cause
If dump analysis points consistently to a third-party driver, obtain a supported update or rollback from its vendor. If the cause remains unclear, provide the dump and reproduction steps to the vendor or a Windows debugging specialist.
Checks for Driver Developers
When a relevant driver stack involves spin-lock operations, review the actual code for these general synchronization rules:
- Initialization: A spin lock must be initialized before its first use with acquisition routines that require it. Microsoft Learn
- Acquire and release pairing: Check that the release routine matches how the lock was acquired and that the saved IRQL is passed back where required. For example,
KeAcquireSpinLocksupplies an old IRQL value used byKeReleaseSpinLock. Microsoft Learn - Correct execution context: Executive and interrupt spin locks have different IRQL and usage requirements. Microsoft Learn
- Short protected work: Review operations performed while the lock is held, especially paths that could block or re-enter code needing the same lock. Microsoft provides separate guidance on avoiding spin-lock errors and deadlocks. Microsoft Learn
These are driver-review checks, not Microsoft’s stated causes for every 0x1D crash. Follow the stack and source path identified in the particular dump.
Guidance for End Users
A regular application setting will not reveal which kernel spin lock was involved. If the blue screen repeats:
- Save the crash dumps and note the time of each failure.
- Record new devices or driver changes made before the failures began.
- Use dump analysis to identify a relevant driver path.
- Follow that driver vendor’s supported update or rollback instructions if the evidence warrants it.
Avoid applying a generic registry change or replacing hardware merely because the stop-code name contains “spin lock.” Microsoft provides no universal 0x1D repair on its dedicated page. Microsoft Learn
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE?
It is the symbolic name of Windows bug check 0x0000001D. Microsoft says it occurs very infrequently. Microsoft Learn
Does it mean my computer has run out of spin locks?
Microsoft’s 0x1D page does not state that. The symbolic name alone is insufficient to describe the precise failure. Microsoft Learn
What do the four parameters mean?
Microsoft does not publish a parameter table for this bug check on its dedicated page. Record the values from the dump without assigning unsupported meanings. Microsoft Learn
Is this the same as SPIN_LOCK_ALREADY_OWNED or SPIN_LOCK_NOT_OWNED?
No. Those are separate bug checks, 0x0000000F and 0x00000010 respectively. Microsoft Learn
Can I identify the responsible driver from the stop-code name?
No. Analyse the dump, examine the stack, and verify the driver’s role in the failing path.
Should a developer check acquisition and release calls?
Yes, when the dump implicates that code. Confirm initialization, matching acquire/release routines, saved IRQL handling, and the lock’s expected execution context. These are general spin-lock programming requirements. Microsoft Learn
Summary
NO_SPIN_LOCK_AVAILABLE (0x0000001D) is a very rare Windows bug check with limited code-specific documentation. Spin locks are kernel synchronization mechanisms, but the name alone does not reveal which lock or driver caused an actual failure. Confirm the code in the dump, inspect its stack with WinDbg, and use the observed driver path to guide any fix. Microsoft Learn
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