How to Fix Kernel Power Error in Windows 10

Does your Windows computer shut down without warning or crash every time you try to wake it from Sleep? If so, your computer may have a power failure that causes it to crash without warning.

This problem is called Kernel-Power error, which seems to come out of nowhere, but is a serious system problem.

Here's how you can fix Kernel-Power Event ID 41 error and prevent your computer from crashing.

What is Kernel Power Error?

The Kernel Power Error causes your system to crash. The error can occur in many cases, although all are related to power problems or system reboots without a complete shutdown. However, the Kernel-Power 41 error does not always indicate a power problem, but can also indicate a problem with the system hardware, causing the power failure and thus causing your system to crash.

Kernel-Power Event ID 41 Warning on Windows 10

Kernel-Power errors are often associated with Event ID 41. Additionally, Event ID Kernel-Power 41 is accompanied by keywords (70368744177664),(2) , which you can use to determine how to fix your error.

So what causes Kernel-Power error 41? While this is a common shutdown error code, there are some common causes that can be easily fixed:

1. Update Windows 10 or Windows 11
2. Disable Windows Fast Startup
3. Reseat your RAM and graphics card
4. Check for a faulty PSU
5. Run CHKDSK and SFC

Let’s go through these fixes step by step and resolve the Windows Kernel-Power error. Please note that this article only covers Kernel-Power error 41. However, Quantrimang.com has also covered fixes for UNEXPECTED KERNEL MODE TRAP error , some of these methods are different from the fixes for Kernel-Power error.

1. Update Windows 10

Check if Windows 10 is up to date. Microsoft releases updates for Windows 10 regularly, fixing bugs and other issues. The Kernel-Power critical error could be caused by a bug that was fixed in the update.

Press Win+ I, type update in the search box, and select Check for updates . If there is an update waiting, download and install it, then restart your system.

2. Disable Windows 10 Fast Startup

Windows 10 Fast Startup is a sleep mode that allows your computer to start up very quickly. Windows 10 enables Fast Startup by default during installation. If you enable Fast Startup, your computer will not shut down completely.

It goes into a state that's a mix of a full shutdown and hibernation, saving the most recent machine state to let you start working immediately.

However, unlike full hibernation, when you return to Windows 10, it's like starting the machine from scratch. No windows or apps open, etc.

To turn off Fast Startup, type power set into the Start menu search bar, then select Choose a power plan .

Now, select Choose what the power buttons do , followed by Change settings that are currently unavailable .

Uncheck Turn on fast start-up and click Save changes.

3. Reseat the RAM and graphics card

Some users reported Kernel-Power error 41 after reseating RAM and graphics card (GPU).

You will need to get inside your computer to reseat the hardware. Note that this will void your manufacturer's warranty in some cases, so proceed with caution.

4. Run CHKDSK and SFC

CHKDSK is a Windows system tool that you can use to verify your Windows 10 file system. You can add specific options to find and fix errors when the tool runs. Run it from Command Prompt , then use the CHKDSK scan feature to find and fix problems.

1. Open Command Prompt with admin rights .

2. Next, type chkdsk /r and press Enter. The command will scan your system for errors and fix any problems.

If CHKDSK doesn't find any errors, you can run Windows System File Check (SFC). Windows System File Check is another Windows tool you can use to check for missing or corrupted Windows system files. See: Use the SFC command to fix Windows 10 system file errors for more details.

DISM stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management. DISM is a built-in Windows utility with a wide range of functions. Refer to: How to repair Windows 10 image with DISM for more details.

5. Check for faulty PSU with OCCT

Testing a power supply for hardware failures is not easy unless you have the right tools. You can test your PSU with a multimeter or a dedicated PSU testing tool.

Most software-based PSU testing tools cannot provide accurate information about whether the PSU is working properly or not.

If you want to try testing your PSU software, this article recommends using OCCT, a free CPU/GPU/PSU stress test tool. OCCT stresses the CPU, GPU, motherboard and in the process can detect any faults with the power supply.

Open OCCT. Under Test Configuration , select Power. Select your graphics card, then set the resolution to 1920×1080. Save all work and close any other open programs on your system. When ready, press the big red Play button icon in OCCT to start the stress test.

The OCCT developers claim that most bugs are detected within the first 5 minutes. However, it is recommended that you run at least a 1-hour test to ensure effectiveness.

Once the test is complete, OCCT generates a log highlighting any potential PSU (or other hardware) failures.

• Download OCCT for Windows (Free)

Any one of these five fixes should get your Windows 10 PC running normally again. However, you may need to try a combination of fixes to stop the Kernel-Power error from occurring. In this example, reattaching the hardware and updating Windows 10 fixed the problem.