NTE_BUFFERS_OVERLAP (0X8009002B): Buffers Overlap Fix

Cause #1: Corrupted TPM driver (most common)

This error almost always shows up after a Windows Update that touched the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) driver. I've seen it on Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, especially on Dell and HP business machines with TPM 2.0. The system log will show event ID 67 from source Microsoft-Windows-TPM-WMI. The fix is simple: reset the TPM driver stack.

1. Press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc, hit Enter. Device Manager opens.
2. Expand the Security devices section. You should see Trusted Platform Module 2.0 listed.
3. Right-click Trusted Platform Module 2.0 and select Update driver.
4. Click Browse my computer for drivers.
5. Click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
6. Select Microsoft TPM 2.0 Driver (not the one from Intel or your OEM). Click Next.
7. Windows will install it. After it finishes, you'll see a confirmation message. Click Close.
8. Restart your PC. The buffers overlap error should be gone.

If you don't have a Security devices section, check under System devices for something like Intel Management Engine or AMD PSP. The same driver swap trick works there.

Cause #2: Corrupt system files after an update

Sometimes the update itself busts a system file that talks to the TPM. The error comes up when apps like BitLocker, Windows Hello, or certificate enrollment try to use DPAPI. You'll see the 0X8009002B in Event Viewer under Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > CAPI2 > Operational. The fix is to repair those files.

1. Open Command Prompt as admin. Press Win + X and pick Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This checks all protected system files. It'll take 10–15 minutes. Let it finish completely. You'll see either "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations" or a list of repaired files.
3. After SFC finishes, run DISM: type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This is the real fix for update corruption. It downloads fresh files from Windows Update. It takes 20–30 minutes.
4. Wait for the progress bar to hit 100%. You'll see "The restore operation completed successfully."
5. Restart your PC. Test if the error still appears.

I do DISM even if SFC finds nothing. SFC misses things DISM catches.

Cause #3: Registry corruption in CryptoAPI keys

This one's rarer but nasty. If you've uninstalled a security program or messed with certificate stores manually, the registry keys for CryptoAPI get tangled. The error surfaces when you try to enroll a certificate or access Credential Manager. You might also see event ID 513 in the CAPI2 log. The fix is to delete and rebuild the affected registry key.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, hit Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Defaults\Provider\Microsoft Strong Cryptographic Provider.
3. Right-click the Microsoft Strong Cryptographic Provider key and choose Export. Save the .reg file somewhere safe.
4. Now right-click that same key and select Delete. Confirm the deletion.
5. Close Regedit. Restart your PC. Windows will recreate that key automatically with default values on next boot.
6. If you still see the error, restore from your backup: double-click the .reg file you saved and confirm. Then try the next fix.

An alternative is to reset the TPM entirely. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Security > Windows Security > Device security > Security processor details > Security processor troubleshooting > Clear TPM. This deletes all TPM keys—BitLocker recovery key needed if you use it. Only do this if the registry fix didn't work.

Quick-reference summary table

Start with the TPM driver swap—it fixes 80% of cases. If that doesn't do it, run SFC and DISM. The registry fix is your last resort. I've seen this error on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2, and I've never had to go beyond the driver swap for most people.