If you’ve ever encountered a blue screen, especially those that come up when you try to start your system, you can identify with the gnashing of teeth many users have been subjected to.
Luckily, for every blue screen of death, there is a solution lurking somewhere on the Internet that can revive the PC and get rid of the error, and the REGISTRY_ERROR BSOD (0x00000051) error isn’t an exception. In this guide, we have gathered all the available working solutions for all the frustrated users out there.
What Is the Blue Screen Registry Error 0x00000051?
The blue screen error code 0x00000051 typically informs the user of an issue with the computer’s operating system or damage to the hard disk boot register, configuration manager, and other issues that prevent the system from starting up. It is a generic error code that incorporates a wide array of bugs, including but not limited to the following:
- Errors in the registry
- Damaged or outdated device drivers
- Damaged system components (RAM and HDD being the most common)
- Malware
- Corrupt OS
Also read: How to Fix “Windows 10 Won’t Boot” Problem Easily
How to Resolve the Error 0x00000051 in Windows
Below is a list of possible solutions for the REGISTRY_ERROR blue screen error (0x00000051) in Windows 10 and earlier versions. At least one of them has worked for someone, and it will work for you too if you meticulously follow the instructions. We recommend you try the fixes in the order they are presented. So, let’s get ready to resolve this stop code registry error.
Fix 1: Test Automatic Maintenance
Automatic Maintenance is Microsoft’s housecleaning setting on Windows that performs periodic maintenance on a computer at a specific time each day. It isn’t a unique activity by itself but rather a collection of automated tasks that are scheduled to run when your computer isn’t in active use.
When you get frequent BSOD registry errors, sometimes they are related to this program not working correctly, leading to the accumulation of minor bugs that affect your PC.
Each day at 02:00 am, Automatic Maintenance swings into action and starts running various tasks and scans to help optimize your PC and ensure that any errors or causes of errors that have developed during your previous day of use don’t have the chance to take root and cause potentially fatal damage down the line.
Automatic Maintenance updates your applications and operating system, scans your PC for viruses and other security threats, performs disk defragmentation on your storage, deletes some junk files, and performs a plethora of other activities that cumulatively ensure your PC never gets bogged down by bugs. If the program has somehow been disabled, then frequent errors like REGISTRY_ERROR (0x00000051) become inevitable.
This handy tool will run a scan of your PC, easily detect any performance issues you may be experiencing and help you speed up your system in just a few clicks!
So, the first solution you can try (other than performing a simple reboot) is to try running Automatic Maintenance immediately. Obviously, this only works if you can gain access to the Windows desktop area.
Fortunately, there is a minor class of errors that don’t permanently lock you out from using your computer. Once you’ve regained temporary access to your PC, quickly do the following to solve the error before it reoccurs:
- Type “control panel” in the search area and click the program when it appears in the results.
- Select System and Security.
- Select Security and Maintenance.
- Expand the Maintenance section.
- Under Automatic Maintenance, click Start maintenance.
- What happens at this point determines what you should do next. Should Automatic Maintenance start without problems when you click Start maintenance, then there’s nothing wrong here and you don’t need to do anything else. However, if it displays the REGISTRY_ERROR error message and doesn’t start, then you have to disable it.
- To do this, press
Windows key + Xto bring up the Windows Power menu. - Select Run from the menu.
- Type
regeditinto the Run search box and press Enter to launch Registry Editor.
- Navigate to the path below. You may copy and paste it into the search bar at the top of the Registry Editor:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\Maintenance
- Examine the registry items in the right windowpane under the Maintenance registry key. If you don’t see the Maintenance Disabled DWORD, create it.
- Place the cursor anywhere within the right window pane. Right-click the space and select New >DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Rename your created DWORD to Maintenance Disabled, then click OK.
- Open the Maintenance Disabled DWORD, input the numeral 1 in the Value data field, and click OK to save your modification.
- Reboot your system.
Upon restart, the BSOD REGISTRY_ERROR should become a thing of the past.
Also read: How to Fix Disk Errors in Windows 10 Using Windows Commands?
Fix 2: Update your system
Sometimes, certain bugs that are discovered in Windows computers are rectified by Microsoft through a security update. Other updates bring improvement to the error detection and combat system within the OS, all of which make your PC less likely to become unable on account of the BSOD REGISTRY_ERROR and related issues.
So, it is always important to check whether you have the latest iteration of Windows installed and if not, to quickly perform an update that will bring your PC’s performance and stability to an optimum level.
To check if your machine is up-to-date, navigate to Control Panel > Update and Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Should an update be available, download it and reboot your system after the installation.
Fix 3: Run a Windows Memory Diagnostic test
The BSOD REGISTRY_ERROR can be due to your RAM not working properly; hence, your computer is unable utilize it optimally when performing operations. If you continue using faulty RAM without being aware of that fact, problems will eventually surface, and they might render your machine unusable. Therefore, it is better to perform periodic checks on your RAM to ensure that it is in good working condition.
After downloading Windows Memory Diagnostic, run the setup and save the CD image to your desktop. Burn the image to a CD or DVD. The program only starts from a bootable drive. This makes it a great tool to use when your machine is stuck on a BSOD and you cannot access your system. You just have to boot into the disc containing Windows Memory Diagnostic.
Once the program starts running, allow it to do its thing. It will conduct an infinite number of tests until you stop it or your machine turns off.
Observe if any errors are displayed. If WMD identifies errors, even minor ones, it is recommended that you discard the RAM and get a new one. Once you’ve installed the new RAM on your machine—and provided the fault solely lies with the bad RAM—the BSOD REGISTRY_ERROR will stop appearing.
Related: Memory Management BSOD Error on Windows 10
Fix 4: Update all device drivers on your PC
The numerous components that make up your PC use device drivers to communicate with the installed operating system. Sometimes, it just so happens that the OS has been updated while the device drivers remain old versions that might not be able to work well with the OS anymore.
Other times, they become corrupted and incapable of communicating with Windows.
On rare occasions, they go missing, which causes a total breakdown in communication between the device and the overall machine.
All these possible issues can and do cause frustrating issues like the BSOD REGISTRY_ERROR on Windows. Hence, it is best to nip all that in the bud before you run into more serious problems along the way.
The main things to be updated on your Windows 10 PC (though by no means the only ones) are your graphics card, sound card, and network card, respectively. We will show you how to update all three of them and the rest. You can either update your device drivers manually or do it automatically with the aid of a software application developed for that purpose. You can also let Windows update your drivers for you via Device Manager.
Update drivers manually
Generally speaking, device manufacturers always want the hardware they produce to work on newer computers and later versions of operating systems. Hence, they release updated versions of hardware drivers for these devices, which are available for download on their websites.
It sounds like a lot of work, especially if you’re updating multiple device drivers developed by different manufacturers. This is compounded by the fact that some of these OEMs are hard to track down online and the drivers you are looking for might be tucked away in some obscure corner of their website. Even so, as long as you have the will and put in the effort, you will most likely get what you need in the end.
Once you’ve downloaded everything on your computer, just click a driver file and let the installer guide you through the installation. You might have to extract the driver file from an archive first before you can proceed with the installation. Repeat the process for each downloaded driver file.
Update drivers automatically
The previous method explained above sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it? It seems like an awful lot of time spent chasing files that are no larger than a few megabytes at best. If you don’t want to expend all your energy on what might turn out to be a wild goose chase, you can automatically bring your drivers up-to-date with Auslogics Driver Updater.
Here is how to use Auslogics Driver Updater:
- Download and install the software.
- Launch Auslogics Driver Updater and connect your PC to the Internet.
- Click the green “Start scan” button, and Driver Updater will search your system for faulty, missing, and outdated drivers.
- A list of drivers that require updates will be shown by category. Click “Expand list” to view them all.
If you like what you’ve seen, you can upgrade to the full version. It will scan your devices and update them all with a single click to ensure smoother performance.
Update with Device Manager
You can as well bring all your drivers up-to-date through Windows Device Manager. You need to launch the program, find hardware, and let Windows search for the latest drivers for it. Though this method works fairly well, it isn’t guaranteed to be successful since Windows is sometimes unable to find the required driver. Additionally, it is a semi-manual method that takes up a lot of time and effort. Should you really wish to use this method to update all your device drivers, here’s how to do so:
- Press
Windows key + Xto bring up the Windows Power menu. - Select Device Manager from the menu.
- Expand a device category (Monitors, Network adapters, etc).
- Right-click on any device.
- Select Update driver.
- Wait for Windows to find, download, and install the latest version of the driver.
As you must have guessed, you’ll have to repeat these steps for every device listed in Device Manager. In summary, your best bet is to use Auslogics Driver Updater to download them automatically with one click.
Also read: [EASY GUIDE] How to Update Device Drivers on a Windows 10 PC?
Fix 5: Scan your system for malware
Malware is the greatest enemy of computers. Many users can attest to the danger posed by viruses, trojans, and their cousins in the extended family of dangerous code that wreak untold havoc on systems with negligible or no security protection. When malware takes root on a Windows computer, it might damage crucial system files, leading to a frustrating cycle of sudden shutdowns and reboots, blue screens of death, and even total annihilation of the computer.
If you’ve been having battles with BSODs like 0x00000051 and related errors, you might want to perform a deep, thorough scan of your system, leaving no nook upended and no cranny unchecked. Sure, you can go ahead and perform a deep scan with Windows Defender or another antivirus software.
Once you’ve finished the deep scan and deleted all the discovered malware, reboot your system and enjoy the satisfaction of a bug-free machine.
Fix 6: Return to a previous restore point
Microsoft created the idea of restore points for scenarios like this when a blue screen error prevents you from logging in. As long as you already have this feature enabled and created at least one recent restore point, you can revert to that earlier copy of your machine and see if that gets rid of the BSOD REGISTRY_ERROR.
Also read: System Restore Not Working in Windows 10
We assume you’re unable to even get to the Windows login screen. You don’t have to worry; you can still perform a system restore from Windows Recovery Environment. If the restore point is stored on your computer’s hard drive, you can use that as long as the BSOD issue isn’t caused by dead or non-communicative machine storage. Also, if you have a backup restore point on an installation disk or flash drive, you can use those, too.
- Turn off your PC by holding the power button until the screen turns black.
- Turn your system on. If a boot failure occurs, Windows will automatically run the Recovery Environment.
- In the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options > System Restore.
- In the next screen, enter your administrator account username. Then enter your password in the subsequent screen.
- Click Next in the System Restore screen.
- Choose a restore point and click Next.
- In the “Confirm your restore point” window, click Finish.
- Click Yes in the confirmation pop-up dialog.
- Once System Restore has run its course, click Restore on the notification dialog to reboot your PC.
If you’re trying to restore from a bootable drive, do this instead:
- Insert the bootable drive and power off your computer.
- Turn it on and it should boot to the drive.
- Enter your preferences on the Setup screen and click Next.
- Click Repair your computer at the bottom left.
- In the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options > System Restore.
- In the next screen, enter your administrator account username. Then enter your password in the subsequent screen.
- Click Next in the System Restore screen.
- Choose a restore point and click Next.
- In the “Confirm your restore point” windows, click Finish.
- Click Yes in the confirmation pop-up dialog.
- Once System Restore has run its course, click Restore on the notification dialog to reboot your PC.
After the system restore, recently installed drivers and apps that caused the BSOD error would have been removed and your machine should have returned to an earlier, error-free state.
Also read: Ultimate Windows Recovery Guide: How to Restore Your Windows System
Fix 7: Reinstall Windows
This is the final card you can play if the REGISTRY_ERROR blue screen error (0x00000051) just refuses to go away despite trying all the solutions above. You can install a fresh copy of Windows from a bootable media you have created through the Media Creation Tool on Microsoft’s website.
If you’re not on Windows 10, this is also a chance for you to upgrade to the latest OS that offers better stability, performance, and error detection and prevention than its predecessors.
Further reading: How to Speed up Windows 10
How to Get Rid of the REGISTRY_ERROR Blue Screen Error (0x00000051): Solved
Dealing with a blue screen of death, especially the REGISTRY_ERROR (0x00000051), can be frustrating. Thankfully, solutions exist. From running Automatic Maintenance and updating your system to checking your RAM and updating drivers, these methods target common causes of the error. If these steps don’t work, try restoring your system to a previous point or reinstalling Windows for a fresh start. With these strategies, you can resolve the error and get your PC back to optimal performance.
