HAL INITIALIZATION FAILED (STOP CODE 0x0000005C) windows 11

The HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED blue screen error with STOP CODE 0x0000005C indicates a problem with the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) of the Windows operating system. The HAL serves as an interface between the system hardware and the software, ensuring compatibility between different hardware components. The HAL INITIALIZATION FAILED error in Windows 11/10 indicates that there’s a critical issue with the system’s hardware configuration or a driver conflict. This can be caused by faulty hardware, outdated or incompatible drivers, or incorrect system configurations. Whatever the reason here we have working solutions to fix this blue screen error on Windows 11

If a certain driver is outdated or not compatible with your OS, you’ll encounter a HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED Windows 10 error.

HAL INITIALIZATION FAILED error

Like other blue screen errors, HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED also occur due to problems with hardware devices, outdated drivers or software conflict issues.

• If any hardware component is not properly connected or seated in its slot, it can lead to this error.
• Overclocking the CPU or other hardware components beyond their recommended specifications can lead to instability and trigger this error.
• Improper BIOS settings, especially those related to CPU or memory configurations, can trigger this error.
• Outdated, incompatible, or corrupted device drivers can lead to conflicts with the HAL, resulting in this error.
• Installing incompatible or poorly coded software or drivers can lead to conflicts with the HAL.
• Critical system files required for the HAL’s operation may become corrupted due to various reasons.
• Sometimes, Windows updates can introduce compatibility issues with specific hardware configurations.

Check Hardware Connections

Checking hardware connections involves inspecting and ensuring that all internal components of your computer, such as RAM, graphics cards, and cables, are securely and properly attached. This can help resolve issues like the HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED error, which can be caused by loose or improperly seated hardware.

• Power off your computer and unplug it from the electrical outlet.
• Open the computer case and carefully inspect all internal hardware components.
• Ensure that RAM modules, graphics cards, hard drives, and other peripherals are securely seated in their respective slots.
• Reconnect any loose cables or connectors.

Look for any signs of physical damage or corrosion on the connectors, pins, or components. If you find any, it might indicate a problem. If you have external devices connected, like USB drives or peripherals, check those connections as well.

Start Windows 11 safe mode

If your system is restarting frequently due to the HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED error, it indicates a critical issue that needs to be addressed promptly. Starting Windows 11 in Safe Mode can help troubleshoot and address issues like frequent restarts or blue screen errors.

• Press Windows Key + R type “msconfig” and press Enter to open the System Configuration window.
• Go to the “Boot” tab, Under the “Boot options” section, check the box next to “Safe boot.”
• Click “Apply” and then “OK.” You’ll be prompted to restart your computer. Choose to restart now.
• Your computer should boot into Safe Mode. You’ll see “Safe Mode” in the corners of the screen.

Or you can use Windows 11 installation media to access advanced options 

Select “Startup Settings” then Click “Restart.” When your computer restarts again, you’ll see a list of options. To boot into Safe Mode, press the number key corresponding to “4” for “Enable Safe Mode.”

Update device drivers

Outdated or incompatible drivers can lead to system errors, including this particular blue screen error. Update device drivers with the latest version not only enhances system stability and compatibility but potentially resolves the issue.

• Press Windows Key + X and select “Device Manager” from the menu
• In Device Manager, expand the categories to find the specific hardware component you want to update. For example, if you want to update your graphics card, expand the “Display adapters” category.
• Right-click on the specific device you want to update and select “Update driver.”
  Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software:
• Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software.” Windows will search online and attempt to find the latest driver for your device.
• If Windows finds an updated driver, it will install it. Follow any on-screen prompts or instructions.
• After the driver is installed, it may prompt you to restart your computer. Make sure to save any open work before doing

In addition, you can visit the official website of the device manufacturer to download and install the latest driver on your PC.

Repair Disk errors

When a computer encounters disk errors, it can disrupt the normal operation of the system, including the loading of essential system files and drivers. This disruption can result in various errors, including the Hal_Initialization_Failed blue screen error.

• Open command prompt as administrator,
• Type command chkdsk C: /f /r and press enterkey

You’ll likely receive a message that the drive is in use and asks if you want to schedule the disk check for the next restart. Type ‘Y’ and press Enter.

Close all programs and restart your computer. Allow the disk check to run during the restart process.

Run SFC and DISM command

Again When critical system files are damaged or missing, it can disrupt the normal operation of the operating system, potentially resulting in various errors, including blue screen errors. Running the System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Service and Management Tool (DISM) commands are recommended steps to address this issue:

• Open Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
• Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Allow the process to complete.

SFC scans and repairs corrupted system files.

Next, run the DISM restore health command DISM /Online /Cleanup–Image /RestoreHealth to repair the Windows image and can often fix issues that SFC alone cannot. After running these commands, it’s recommended to restart your computer.

Set UsePlatformClock to true

First Open the Command prompt as administrator, you can do this by click on start menu search type cmd from search results right click on command prompt and select Run as administrator.

Due to this Blue Screen Error, if you are unable to boot into safe mode also then you need to access advanced options and click on the Command prompt.

Now On command prompt Type command Bellow and hit the enter key to execute the command.

bcdedit /set useplatformclock true

To verify that the command prompt set useplatformclock to true, Run the following command.

bcdedit /enum

If you see useplatformclock Yes in the command prompt, that means the process has been done. Simply restart your PC and on the next start see There is no more Hal initialization failed BSOD error.

Ensure that BIOS settings are correctly configured, especially those related to CPU, memory, and other critical hardware. If you’ve overclocked any hardware components, revert them to their default settings to rule out instability caused by overclocking

If the error started occurring after a recent hardware or software change, consider reverting those changes, or perform a system restore to see if it resolves the issue. Also, Run a thorough scan using a reputable antivirus or antimalware program to check for any malicious software.

A few users report, updating BIOS fixed the HAL INITIALIZATION FAILED error. However, please be aware that updating the BIOS is an advanced task, and mishandling it can result in irreversible damage to your motherboard.

Also read:

• NTFS File System Error in Windows 11 (6 Solutions to fix it)
• Download Windows 11 ISO Image files (64-bit Microsoft Official links) 
• How to Upgrade or Download Windows 11 (Official ways)
• Why it is Important to Hide Your IP Address, and how to do it?
• Inaccessible Boot Device after Windows 11 update (Solved)