STATUS_BUFFER_ALL_ZEROS (0x00000117) Fix – Empty Buffer Bug

Seeing 0x00000117 pop up can be a pain. You're in the middle of something, and suddenly a program or system tool kicks that error in your face. Let's fix it now.

The Short Fix – Clear the Driver Cache

This error happens most often on Windows 10 (versions 2004 and later) and Windows 11 when a driver expects data in a memory buffer but finds it's all zeros. The real culprit is usually a corrupted driver cache. Here's how to clear it.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Scroll down to Windows Update. Right-click it and select Stop. Leave the window open.
3. Open File Explorer. In the address bar, paste this path and hit Enter:
   C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository
4. You'll see a huge list of folders. Do not delete anything – just look for a folder named prnms001.inf_amd64_xxxxxxxx or something similar with a long hex string. If you see any folders that were modified around the time the error first appeared, note the name.
5. Close File Explorer. Open PowerShell as Administrator (right-click Start, select Windows Terminal (Admin)).
6. Run this command to clear the driver store's pending transactions:
   

   dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

   After it finishes, you should see a message like "The restore operation completed successfully."
7. Now run this to scan and fix system files:
   

   sfc /scannow

   Wait for it to finish. If it finds corrupted files, it'll replace them. You'll see a summary at the end.
8. Go back to the Services window. Right-click Windows Update and select Start.
9. Restart your computer. After reboot, the error should be gone.

Why This Works

The STATUS_BUFFER_ALL_ZEROS error is a low-level NT status code. It means a kernel-mode component – usually a driver – asked for data from a buffer, and the buffer was initialized to zeros but never filled. This can happen if the driver cache got corrupted during an update or a crash. Clearing the driver store with DISM and doing an SFC scan removes those stale entries and forces Windows to rebuild them fresh. If the driver itself is buggy, this step buys you time until you update it.

Less Common Variations

Variation 1: Corrupted User Profile

Sometimes the error appears only when a specific user logs in. That points to a corrupted user profile, not a driver. To test this, create a new local admin account:

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
2. Click Add someone else to this PC, then I don't have this person's sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
3. Log out, log into the new account. If the error doesn't appear, your old profile is the problem. You can back up your data and delete the old profile.

Variation 2: Faulty Third-Party Driver

If the error happens right after you plug in a USB device or install new hardware, the driver for that device is the likely cause. Uninstall it:

1. Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager).
2. Find the device that triggered the error. Right-click it, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver if available. If not, click Uninstall Device.
3. Restart your PC. Windows will reinstall the default driver. If the error goes away, check the manufacturer's site for an updated driver before reconnecting the device.

Variation 3: Memory Corruption (Rare)

Rarely, the buffer is zeroed by faulty RAM. You'll see this error in random situations – maybe while gaming, maybe while editing a document. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic:

1. Press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, and hit Enter.
2. Choose Restart now and check for problems.
3. Your PC will reboot and run tests. This can take 30 minutes. After it finishes, it'll restart again.
4. If errors are found, you need to replace the faulty RAM stick. MemTest86 is more thorough if you want to double-check.

Prevention Tips

• Keep drivers updated. Only download from the hardware manufacturer's site – never from third-party updater tools.
• Don't let your hard drive fill up. Windows needs free space for temp files and driver cache. Keep at least 20% of your drive free.
• Run DISM and SFC monthly. A quick dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth followed by sfc /scannow prevents a lot of weird errors.
• Set System Restore points. Before installing any driver, right-click This PC > Properties > System Protection > Create. If something goes wrong, you can roll back.

That's it. The 0x00000117 error is rarely a sign of hardware failure – it's almost always a corrupted cache or a bad driver. Do the DISM + SFC combo first. If that doesn't work, try the profile or RAM checks. You should be back to normal in under 20 minutes.