What are ntdll.dll Errors?

ntdll.dll is a Microsoft file that can be found in all versions of its operating systems, from Windows NT and XP all the way through Windows 7. The operating system installed on the computer will determine where the ntdll.dll file is found.

There are a number of different causes of ntdll.dll errors and various error messages can be displayed. In most cases, ntdll.dll errors are due to an unknown error on the hard drive. This error can cause errors with Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer, and can even make the computer crash.

ntdll.dll Error Messages

ntdll.dll error messages may be displayed when a program is starting up, running or shutting down. Also, they can appear during Windows start up or shut down. In some cases, the error message may even appear during an installation of Windows. One of several common error messages appear when an ntdll.dll error has occurred, including:

• STOP: C0000221 unknown hard error \SystemRoot\System32\ntdll.dll
• STOP: 0xC0000221 unknown hard error C:\Winnt\System32\Ntdll.dll
• STOP: C0000221 unknown hard error Path\File_name
• Crash caused in ntdll.dll!
• Unhandled exception at [ANY ADDRESS] (NTDLL.DLL)

This is not a list of all of the ntdll.dll error messages that can be received, just an example of some of them.

Causes of ntdll.dll Errors

While there are a wide range of causes of ntdll.dll errors, in most cases, the error is down to the ntdll.dll file itself. Many times errors occur because the actual file has been corrupted in some way. Other common causes of ntdll.dll errors are hardware drivers that have been damaged or corrupted and issues occurring between Windows and other programs. In some rare instances, an ntdll.dll error is a result of malfunctioning hardware.