How to Fix INVALID_AFFINITY

It is annoying to encounter blue screen of death like INVALID_AFFINITY_SET on your computer. Sometimes, a simple restart might solve the problem. However, if this error appears from time to time even after a restart, more measures need to be taken. This guide from MiniTool Website compiles all the possible reasons and solutions for you.

INVALID AFFINITY SET Blue Screen of Death

Blue Screen of Death refers to a computer malfunction due to a fatal system error. This screen appears to protect your computer by avoiding further damage. Once that occurs, it will mess up your routines and influence your work efficiency. Previously, we have discussed some BSOD errors like System Thread Exception Not Handled, MANUALLY INITIATED CRASH, CRTICAL SERVICE FAILED, and more. Today, we will delve into another BSOD error – INVALID_AFFINITY_SET for you.

According to Microsoft, the INVALID_AFFINITY_SET bug check has a value of 0x00000003. The complete error message is:

Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We’re just collecting some error info, and then we’ll start for you. If you’d like to know more, you can search online later for this error: INVALID_AFFINITY_SET.

If this is the first time you see INVALID_AFFINITY_SET, restarting your computer might work. Once you experience unexpected shutdown or restart with the same error again after a restart, you’ll need to dig to the roots of the issue. After our investigation, we find some lurking causes:

System file corruption.
Overheating.
Malware or virus infection.
Faulty device drivers.
Conflicted external devices, software or Windows updates.

How to Fix INVALID_AFFINITY_SET on Windows 10/11?

# Precheck: Restart Your PC without External Devices

Blue Screen of Death errors like INVALID_AFFINITY_SET can be triggered by some external devices. These devices might conflict with the internal hardware of your PC. Removing these devices might help identify the culprit for you. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Power off your computer.

Step 2. Disconnect all external devices like printers, cameras, external hard drive, USB flash disk, and more

Step 3. After that, reboot your computer to see if INVALID_AFFINITY_SET disappears. If your computer can boot normally, you need to pinpoint the conflicted device by reconnecting the external devices one by one. If your computer still fails to work properly with INVALID_AFFINITY_SET, scroll down to get more advanced workarounds.

# Preparation: Boot into Safe Mode

Safe Mode starts your system with a minimal set of drivers and processes. This mode is used for unwanted application deletion, problematic Windows update uninstallation, malware removal, and so forth. When there is a significant issue preventing your OS from functioning normally, you can enable this mode for diagnostic.

To enable Safe Mode, you will need to boot into Windows Recovery Environment at first. WinRE starts automatically after two consecutive attempts to start Windows. To do so:

Step 1. Shut down your computer and then reboot it.

Step 2. When the manufacturer logo appears on the screen, press the Power button again.

Step 3. Repeat the process for 2 or more times until prompted by the Automatic Repair screen.

Step 4. Click on Advanced options to enter WinRE.

Step 5. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

Step 6. After your system restarts, you can press F4, F5, or F6 to enable Safe Mode only, enable Safe Mode with networking, or enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt respectively.

Fix 1: Run SFC & DISM Scans

System File Checker and Deployment Image Servicing and Management are also quite effective in solving most issues on your computer. The former scans all system files and replaces corrupted ones with a cached copy, the latter is used to repair corrupted system image files. Here’s how to run a combination of the two tools:

Step 1. Open Command Prompt in Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment.

Step 2. In the command window, type sfc /scannow and hit Enter.

Step 3. Then, run the following command to repair the system image:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Step 4. Reboot your system to make the changes effective.

Fix 2: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic

Corrupted RAM is another reason behind INVALID_AFFINITY_SET BSOD. Windows Memory Diagnostic can help you identify and diagnose problems with system memory. Here’s how to test your RAM with this tool in Safe Mode:

Step 1. Type Windows Memory Diagnostic in the search bar and select the best match.

Step 2. Click on Restart now and check for problems (recommended) to reboot your computer. Then, this tool will test your RAM for errors. After the process is done, you can find the results in the notification area of the taskbar after the next startup.

Tips:

If you don’t see the results, you need to: right-click on the Start menu > Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System to browse the log.

Also see: Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool Stuck at 1%, 21%, or 99%

Fix 3: Uninstall Recent Installed Windows Update

The most recent Windows Update might conflict with the existing system configurations and settings, leading to INVALID_AFFINITY_SET BSOD. In this case, removing the updates can help to solve the problem. To do so:

Step 1. Type control panel in the search bar and hit Enter.

Step 2. In the top-right corner, expand the drop-down menu beside View by and select Category.

Step 3. Go to Programs > Programs and Features > View installed updates.

Step 4. Select the recently installed update from the list and right-click on it to choose Uninstall.

Step 5. Confirm the uninstallation and follow the prompts on the screen.

Step 6. Restart your computer to see if INVALID_AFFINITY_SET is gone.

Also see:

Fix Black Screen After Windows Update & Recover Data

Is Your Computer Slow After Windows Update? Resolved Here

Fix 4: Uninstall Suspicious Program

A conflict between two or more software might trigger off a series of problems including INVALID_AFFINITY_SET. If this program is unnecessary, you can uninstall it directly. If it is essential, reinstalling it from the official manufacturer’s website or installing an alternative product might work. To do so:

Step 1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.

Step 2. Type appwiz.cpl and click on OK to launch Programs and Features.

Step 3. Now, you can see a list of programs installed on your computer. Right-click on the problematic program to choose Uninstall and follow the uninstallation wizard to complete the rest process.

Step 4. After that, restart your computer to inspect if your computer still gets stuck on the INVALID_AFFINITY_SET blue screen.

Tips:

Some of you might be unable to remove the program from your system. Don’t fret! This guide - Unable to Uninstall Programs in Windows? Look Here provides some effective solutions for you.

Fix 5: Update Outdated Device Driver

Devices drivers play a significant role in facilitating the communication between your hardware and operating system. Corrupted or outdated drivers might disrupt this communication, resulting in the occurrence of INVALID_AFFINITY_SET blue screen. Here’s how to update your device driver:

Step 1. In Safe Mode, right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.

Step 2. Expand the items in the list one by one to see if any devices with a yellow exclamation mark. If yes, right-click on it to choose Uninstall device from the context menu.

Step 3. Restart your computer and Windows will reinstall the latest drivers for you automatically.

Fix 6: Perform System Restore

System Restore is deigned to undo system changes and revert the operating system to a previous state before the appearance of INVALID_AFFINITY_SET blue screen error. That’s why we often advise you to create a restore point before making significant system changes. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Enter Windows Recovery Environment > click on Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore > Next.

Step 2. Pick a desired restore point and hit Next.

Step 3. After confirming all the details, click on Finish to start the restoring process.

Fix 7: Reset Your PC

Resetting your computer will fix Blue Screen of Death issues like INVALID_AFFINITY_SET by returning the system to the same state or version when it was first purchased. Here’s how to do it:

Tips:

Before resetting, it is highly advised to create a backup of your important files as a prevention to possible data loss. See this guide - How to Back up Files in Safe Mode on Windows 11/10? 2 Ways.

Step 1. Enter Windows Recovery Environment.

Step 2. Click on Choose an option > Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

Step 3. Either choose to keep your files or remove everything. Then, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.

Are you plagued by INVALID_AFFINITY_SET blue screen error? I eliminate this issue with the help of the solutions in this guide. If your computer gets stuck with it repeatedly, this guide might bring some clues to you.Click to Tweet

Suggestion: Back up Your Data Regularly with MiniTool ShadowMaker

Now, your computer might run smoothly. To avoid similar issues like black screen, computer crashes, hard disk failure, and more in the future, you can create a system image. By doing so, you can perform a quick disaster recovery rather than spend much time excluding the causes one by one.

Moreover, before attempting to make big changes to your system, you had better back up anything important on your Windows device in case something goes wrong. MiniTool ShadowMaker is a good assistant for backup. This free PC backup software is compatible with almost all the Windows systems.

It supports a one-click system backup solution. Besides, it is able to back up other items like files, folders, disks, and partitions with ease. Cloning HDD to SSD and moving Windows to another drive are also permitted. Now, let me show you how to create a backup with this tool:

Step 1. Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker and hit Keep Trial.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 2. In the Backup page, the system image is selected as the backup source by default. If you want to back up other items, hit SOURCE and choose what to backup.

Step 3. As for a storage path, go to DESTINATION to make your choice.

Step 4. Click on Back Up Now to start the task in no time.

Tips:

To create a scheduled backup, you can hit Options in the lower right corner > toggle on Schedule Settings > set a daily, weekly, or monthly backup schedule according to your preference > save the changes.

# More Tips to Prevent Blue Screen of Death

Avoid running too many resource-hogging processes at the same time.
Clear the dust regularly and put your computer in a cooler location.
Scan your computer regularly with antivirus software.
Update your Windows operating system, device drivers, or programs to the latest version in time.
Clean up and speed up your computer with PC tune-up software like MiniTool System Booster.

MiniTool System Booster TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

We Need Your Voice

What is INVALID_AFFINITY_SET? How to deal with it? Now, your mind is clear. After solving this issue, don’t forget to create a backup with MiniTool ShadowMaker so that you can easily recover your data or restore your system.

For more advice about MiniTool ShadowMaker, feel free to contact us via [email protected]. We are willing to hear your voice! Have a nice day!

About The Author

Aurelie Follow Us

Position: Columnist

Aurelie is a passionate soul who always enjoys researching & writing articles and solutions to help others. Her posts mainly cover topics related to games, data backup & recovery, file sync and so on. Apart from writing, her primary interests include reading novels and poems, travelling and listening to country music.