System Detected Stack-Based Buffer Overrun? Here’s How to Fix It

What Is Stack-Based Buffer Overrun Error?

The error “The system detected an overrun of a stack-based buffer in this application” occurs when a program writes more data to its temporary memory stack than it can hold.

This triggers a built-in Windows security mechanism that instantly shuts down the application to block potential exploits or malicious code injection.

This error message mainly appears in the following 2 situations:

• After opening the computer in Safe Mode due to Windows running into certain problems, such as explorer.exe keeps opening.
• When trying to install the Twitch or Discord desktop applications.

Why does this error happen? The following reasons cause it:

• Corrupted or unsafe applications: Some apps incorrectly manage memory allocation, causing buffer overflow conditions.
• Faulty or outdated drivers: Kernel-mode drivers are a common source of stack corruption.
• System file corruption: Missing or corrupted Windows system files can trigger false buffer overrun detection.
• Malware or injected code: Malicious software may attempt memory manipulation.
• Windows security mitigation (GS cookie / DEP): Windows may terminate processes when stack cookie corruption is detected.

Now, try the following solutions to fix the overrun of a stack-based buffer error.

1. Scan for malware
2. Run SFC and DISM to repair system files
3. Perform a Clean Boot
4. Check for target app bugs
5. Update device drivers
6. Perform System Restore
7. Try Startup Repair
8. Reinstall Windows

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Method 1. Scan Your Computer for Malware

Malware is a known cause of stack-based buffer overrun errors because it attempts to modify memory behavior.

Running the Windows Defender Offline scan may be useful. Here is the guide:

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Settings from the menu.
2. Navigate to Update & Security > Windows Security.
3. Click Virus & threat protection in the Protection areas section of the right pane.
4. Click Scan options.
5. Then, choose Windows Defender Offline scan and click the Scan now

This kind of scan will help you remove malicious software that is difficult to remove, and it requires a restart to complete the process. It takes about 15 minutes and you should wait patiently until the scanning is finished.

Method 2. Repair System Files

Windows contains built-in deployment tools capable of automatically detecting and replacing corrupted OS files that trigger memory handling violations.

Note: As running DISM requires the internet connection, you should start computer in the Safe Mode with Networking if you cannot boot it normally.

1. Open the Start Menu, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2. Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. Let the verification process complete.
3. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
4. Restart your PC once the verification hits 100%.

Method 3. Isolate Software via Clean Boot

If the error occurs immediately upon booting or randomly during background activity, an incompatible driver or application is likely conflicting with Windows memory management. Performing a Clean Boot helps identify conflicting software:

1. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and click OK to open System Configuration.
2. Navigate to the Services tab, select the checkbox to Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
3. Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
4. Select every enabled app in the startup list individually and click Disable.
5. Restart the computer. If the error is gone, turn services back on a few at a time to isolate the specific culprit.

Method 4. Check for Targeted App Bugs

If the error only pops up when launching or closing a specific app (such as Discord, Excel, or Zoom), the problem lies within that program’s code or local data.

• Reinstall the software: Uninstall the target application via your system settings, download its newest version directly from the official developer site, and complete a fresh installation.
• Disable custom add-ins: If this occurs in an Office tool like Excel, launch the program in Safe Mode (excel /safe via the Run dialog box) to determine if a bad extension is forcing the memory overflow.
• Turn off specialized utilities: Certain performance tools, like Samsung Magician or peripheral customization profiles, frequently cause conflict and should be uninstalled or updated.

Method 5. Update Display and Motherboard Drivers

Outdated or unstable drivers can erroneously pass incorrect variables into system memory slots, forcing the processor’s memory management unit to block the thread.

• Visit the official driver download portals for your hardware components (such as NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).
• Fetch the latest graphics and chipset drivers matching your exact motherboard or GPU model.
• Perform a clean installation of the updated components and restart your device.

Method 6: Perform System Restore

If you have enabled System Protection feature to protect your computer and created a restore point at least before the stack-based buffer overrun issue occurs, perhaps you can try reverting your computer to a previous restore point to fix the problem.

Step 1: Type restore in the Search box and choose Create a restore point from the results.

Step 2: The System Properties windows will appear and you need to click System Restore button under System Protection tab.

Step 3: Skip the welcome page. Choose the latest restore point and click Next button.

Step 4: You will be required to confirm the restore point in the next page. Make sure all the tasks are saved and then click Finish button to execute this operation which needs to restart your computer to apply changes.

After that, the issue should be removed hopefully.

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Method 7: Try Startup Repair

As mentioned before, if buffer overrun is detected by your system, it is possible that your computer gets frozen or cannot boot. If the above methods cannot fix the issue for you, it’s high time to try the Startup Repair.

To do that, you don’t have to start into the Safe Mode and here are 2 common options for you – perform the operation in Advanced Startup Settings or using Bootable Media. Let’s see them one by one.

Option 1: Perform Startup Repair in Advanced Startup Settings

Step 1: Forcefully shut down your computer for 3 times to enter Windows recovery environment and then click See advanced repair options.

Step 2: Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options and choose Startup Repair.

Step 3: Then, you will be required to choose a user account and input the corresponding password. Just do as the onscreen message prompts and click Continue button.

This tool will start diagnosing your computer and fix the detected potential problems that prevent it loading properly. The repair process will take some time to complete and you should wait patiently.

During the process, a log file named SrtTrail.txt is created and saved in the directory of C:WindowsSystem32LogFilesSrt. You can check it for the detailed information of this repair.

Option 2: Perform Startup Repair Using Windows Installation Media

If you cannot access the recovery environment using the common way, you can choose to employ an installation media, such as USB bootable media.

Step 1: Burn a USB installation media using Windows 10 Media Creation Tool in a normal computer.

Step 2: Connect the bootable USB drive to the problematic device and boot from it by changing the BIOS settings.

Step 3: When you get the Windows Setup window, enter your language and other preferences and click Next button.

Step 4: Click Repair your computer to enter the recovery environment and launch Startup Repair by referring to the steps in the above content.

Method 8: Back up Data and Reinstall Windows

If none of the above methods help to get rid of stack-based buffer overrun error message, you might need to reinstall Windows to make your device work normally again.

This is a last resort, as reinstalling Windows will result in data loss on the system disk. So, you have to backup or transfer the needed files in advance. If there are a large number of files you want to backup, the easiest way should be back up the entire disk. To achieve that, you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard utility.

Step 1: Register to MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Ultimate edition with a purchased license key.

Step 2: In the main interface, select the system disk and click Copy Disk from the left pane.

Step 3: Select the target disk to hold the backup and click Next.

Step 4: Choose the Copy Options (the default setting is fine), confirm the size and location of partitions on the new disk and click Next.

Step 5: Read the information about how to boot from the destination disk and click Finish. After back to the main interface, click Apply to execute the pending operation.

Thanks to MiniTool Partition Wizard, I have backed up all the data on the drive quickly.Click to Tweet

Now that you have backed up the system disk, you can reinstall Windows without any worries.

To do that, you can continue using the Windows installation media you create in previous mentioned method. After entering the Setup windows, please click Install now instead of Repair your computer, and then follow the given instructions to complete the installation.

The system detected an overrun of a stack-based buffer in this application is really an annoying problem for me. Luckily, I have fixed it by myself with one of the methods provided in this post.Click to Tweet

System Detected Stack-Based Buffer Overrun FAQ

Bottom Line

The “stack-based buffer overrun” error is mainly caused by corrupted system files, faulty drivers, or problematic applications. This post offers several solutions to fix it.

Do you have any problems about this post? Or do you have any better methods to resolve the issue under our discussion? Please let us know. You can leave a message in the comment box below, or contact us via [email protected].