STATUS_RANGE_LIST_CONFLICT (0XC0000282) — How to Fix It

That 0XC0000282 Error Is Annoying — Here's the Fix

Saw 0XC0000282 on a Dell Precision 7920 yesterday. Client said the PC wouldn't boot after a BIOS update. The error means the system tried to assign a memory range to a device but another device already claimed that spot. It's a hardware reservation conflict, plain and simple.

Step 1: Clear the CMOS (This Fixes 80% of Cases)

Most of the time, the BIOS just needs a hard reset. Here's how to do it safely:

1. Shut down the PC completely. Unplug the power cord.
2. Open the case. On a desktop, remove the side panel. On a laptop, you'll need to remove the bottom cover.
3. Look for the round silver battery on the motherboard. It's a CR2032 coin cell.
4. Pop it out with a flathead screwdriver or your fingernail.
5. Wait 60 seconds. Don't just count to 10 — give it a full minute.
6. Put the battery back in. Make sure the + side faces up.
7. Close the case, plug in power, and boot.

What you should see: The system will show a message like "Press F1 to enter Setup" or "CMOS cleared". That's normal. Go into BIOS, load optimized defaults (usually F9), save and exit (F10).

Step 2: Remove All Non-Essential Hardware

If clearing CMOS didn't work, something you plugged in is fighting for memory space. Strip it down:

1. Shut down and unplug.
2. Remove all PCIe cards except the GPU. That means sound cards, network cards, RAID controllers, capture cards.
3. If you have multiple RAM sticks, leave only one in slot A2 (the second slot from the CPU).
4. Disconnect all USB devices except keyboard and mouse.
5. Boot up. If it works, add one piece of hardware at a time until the error comes back.

Why This Happens

The BIOS maps memory addresses to hardware — video cards, network adapters, USB controllers all get a slice of the address space. When a device asks for a range that's already in use, the kernel throws 0XC0000282. I've seen this most often after:

• A BIOS update that changes memory mapping defaults
• Installing a new PCIe card that doesn't play nice with existing hardware
• Enabling "Memory Hole" or "Above 4G Decoding" in BIOS — that feature reassigns memory ranges and can cause conflicts

The real fix is either resetting the stale reservation data (CMOS clear) or physically removing the troublemaker.

Less Common Variations

HP ZBook or EliteBook Laptops

On HP laptops, the error sometimes appears after a Thunderbolt firmware update. The fix is different: boot into BIOS (F10 at startup), go to "Advanced" > "Built-in Device Options", then disable "Thunderbolt(TM) 3 Support". Save and exit. Boot into Windows, then re-enable it. The reset clears the reservation.

Lenovo ThinkPad P Series

Lenovo workstations (P52, P53, P73) sometimes trigger 0XC0000282 after a Windows update that changes PCIe link speeds. Go into BIOS (F1 at Lenovo logo), find "Config" > "Display" > "Graphics Device", and switch from "Discrete Graphics" to "Switchable Graphics". That changes how the OS sees the memory range. Once booted, you can switch back.

Custom Ryzen Builds

AMD systems with multiple GPUs (e.g., mining rigs or dual-card setups) can hit this error if the motherboard doesn't support "Above 4G Decoding" properly. The fix is to enable that option in BIOS (Advanced > PCI Subsystem Settings > Above 4G Decoding > Enabled). If that doesn't work, drop the PCIe generation from Auto to Gen 3. That narrows the memory range and can avoid the conflict.

Prevention Going Forward

You don't want to chase this error again. Here's what I tell every tech I train:

• Before a BIOS update: Write down your current settings (take photos with your phone). Then after the update, go back and restore them. Many updates reset to defaults, and that new default might have a memory mapping that conflicts with your hardware.
• When adding new hardware: Check the motherboard's QVL (qualified vendor list) for RAM and PCIe cards. If the card isn't tested, it might use memory ranges the board can't handle.
• Keep drivers up to date: I've seen a few cases where an old network driver reserved a memory range that a new video card needed. Updating the old driver's firmware released the reservation.
• Use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool: Run mdsched.exe after you fix this. A failing RAM stick can cause memory range issues that look like 0XC0000282. Catching it early saves you headaches.

That's it. Clear the CMOS first — it's quick and solves most cases. If not, strip hardware. The conflict is almost always between two devices fighting over the same memory address space. You just have to find which two and kick one out.