Quick Summary
The STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION error in Chrome signifies that a program tried to access a memory location it wasn't authorized to use. This commonly leads to a crash because the operating system terminates the offending process to prevent data corruption or system instability.
Common Causes
- Faulty or Incompatible Extensions: Chrome extensions, especially those from untrusted sources, can sometimes contain code that attempts to access restricted memory regions leading to the error. Incompatibilities between extensions and the Chrome version are also a culprit.
- Corrupted Chrome Profile: Your Chrome profile stores user data, settings, and extensions configurations. Corruption in this profile due to sudden shutdowns, software conflicts, or disk errors can trigger access violations.
- Outdated or Corrupted Browser Installation: An outdated or corrupted Chrome installation can have vulnerabilities or inconsistencies that cause memory access errors. This could be due to incomplete updates, file corruption during installation, or outdated components.
- Driver Conflicts: Incompatible or outdated graphic card drivers can cause conflicts, especially during hardware acceleration operations within the browser, which may result in access violation errors.
- Malware Infection: Malicious software can inject code into Chrome processes, attempting to access system resources illegitimately, triggering the STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION error.
- Insufficient System Resources: When the system is under heavy load, there might not be enough available memory for Chrome to properly allocate resources. This can lead to incorrect memory access and trigger the error.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Method 1: Disable Extensions One by One
Step 1: Type chrome://extensions in the Chrome address bar and press Enter.
Step 2: Disable all extensions by toggling each one off.
Step 3: Restart Chrome and check if the error persists. If the error is gone, re-enable extensions one at a time, restarting Chrome after each, to identify the problematic extension.
Step 4: Once identified, remove the faulty extension.
Method 2: Create a New Chrome Profile
Step 1: Type chrome://settings/manageProfile in the Chrome address bar and press Enter.
Step 2: Click on "Add person".
Step 3: Sign in with your Google account or choose to continue without an account.
Step 4: Use the new profile for a while to see if the "STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION" error disappears. If it does, your old profile is likely corrupted. You can then migrate important data or start fresh.
Method 3: Update or Reinstall Chrome
Step 1: To update, go to chrome://settings/help in the address bar and check for updates. If an update is available, install it.
Step 2: If updating doesn't help, uninstall Chrome through your operating system's control panel or settings app.
Step 3: Download the latest version of Chrome from the official Google Chrome website and reinstall it.
Method 4: Update Graphics Drivers
Step 1: Identify your graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel).
Step 2: Visit the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) or use your operating system's device manager.
Step 3: Download and install the latest drivers for your graphics card.
Step 4: Restart your computer after the driver installation is complete.
Method 5: Run a Malware Scan
Step 1: Install and run a reputable antivirus or anti-malware program (e.g., Malwarebytes, Windows Defender, etc.).
Step 2: Perform a full system scan and follow the program's instructions to remove any detected threats.
Method 6: Clear Chrome's Cache and Cookies
Step 1: Type chrome://settings/clearBrowserData into the address bar.
Step 2: Select "Cached images and files" and "Cookies and other site data".
Step 3: Select "All time" for the time range.
Step 4: Click "Clear data".