Bug Check 0x96: INVALID_WORK_QUEUE_ITEM

The INVALID_WORK_QUEUE_ITEM bug check has a value of 0x00000096. This bug check indicates that a queue entry was removed that contained a NULL pointer.

Important

This article is for programmers. If you're a customer who has received a blue screen error code while using your computer, see Troubleshoot blue screen errors.

INVALID_WORK_QUEUE_ITEM Parameters

Parameter Description

1

The address of the queue entry whose flink or blink field is NULL.

2

The address of the queue that is being referenced. Typically, this queue is an ExWorkerQueue.

3

The base address of the ExWorkerQueue array. (This address helps you determine if the queue in question is indeed an ExWorkerQueue. If the queue is an ExWorkerQueue, the offset from this parameter will isolate the queue.)

4

Assuming the queue is an ExWorkerQueue, this value is the address of the worker routine that would have been called if the work item had been valid. (You can use this address to isolate the driver that is misusing the work queue.)

Cause

The INVALID_WORK_QUEUE_ITEM bug check occurs when KeRemoveQueue removes a queue entry whose flink or blink field is NULL.

Any queue misuse can cause this error. But typically this error occurs because worker thread work items are misused.

An entry on a queue can be inserted on the list only one time. When an item is removed from a queue, its flink field is set to NULL. Then, when this item is removed the second time, this bug check occurs.

In most situations, the queue that is being referenced is an ExWorkerQueue (executive worker queue). To help identify the driver that caused the error, Parameter 4 displays the address of the worker routine that would have been called if this work item had been valid. However, if the queue that is being referenced is not an ExWorkerQueue, this parameter is not useful.