Prime.exe Application Error on Windows 11

Some users have reported seeing the Prime.exe Application Error on their Windows 11/10 computers. This error is most commonly seen in IBM ThinkPad computers. The following is the exact error message users see when they encounter the error:

prime.exe – Application Error
The instruction at 0x00007FFA28483466 referenced memory at 0x0000000000000024. The memory could not be written.
Click on OK to terminate the program.

Other instances of this error could be:

Application Error: PRIME.EXE
Win32 Software Error: PRIME.EXE
PRIME.EXE not working
PRIME.EXE: App Path is Faulting.

In this article, we are going to discuss the issue in detail.

What is Prime.exe?

Prime.exe is an executable file created by IBM Inc. for IBM ThinkPad models. It is a CD-recovery tool for IBM systems. However, crypto mining malware and adware that goes by the name Prime exist.

To determine if the Prime.exe on your system is genuine, first see if you have an IBM system. If you do have an IBM system, make sure that the Prime.exe file has this location – C:\Program Files\IBM Inc.\Product Recovery CD-ROM. The file in question could be a virus if the location is entirely different.

If you want to know if a file is a virus or not, there are some methods that you can try such as using an online malware checker or scanning a file with Windows Defender. To know more, visit our guide on how to check if a file is malware or not.

Fix Prime.exe Application Error on Windows 11/10

The main reason for this error is viruses, which is why to resolve these issues, we need to run an Antivirus software that can scan and remove malware from your system. In some situations, reinstalling the affected program will repair the EXE file and resolve this issue. Here are the methods you can use to resolve Prime.exe application errors on a Windows 11/10 PC:

Check your system for any viruses or malware
Run Memory Diagnostics
Change Virtual Memory size
Run CHKDSK
Run System Restore

Let’s get started with the troubleshooting guide.

1] Check your system for any viruses or malware

To confirm that the Prime adware has not infected your PC, we suggest you scan you PC with Windows Defender. To run a scan through Windows Defender, follow the steps below:

Press Windows + I key to open Settings.
Click on Privacy & Security from the left side of the screen and then select Windows Security.
Click on Open Windows Security.
Select Virus & Threat protection > scan options.
Then, scroll down the screen to find out Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline Scan) and click on it.
Then click on the Scan options button.

Additionally, you may want to also use stand-alone free antivirus software or get the suspicious file uploaded and scanned at one of these free online malware scanners.

Read: AcroCEF/RdrCEF.exe Application Error

2] Run Memory Diagnostics

You may also encounter the error if something is wrong with your system’s memory. In that case, we need to run the Memory Diagnostics tool. This tool will check your RAM and make sure that there is no bad memory. To run it, search “Run Memory Diagnostics” from the Start Menu, then, click Restart now and check for problems. It will scan your memory and show you the result.

3] Change Virtual Memory Size

You may also encounter the error due to a lack of Virtual Memory. In that case, we recommend increasing the Virtual Memory to resolve the issue. This solution is especially useful on a system with less physical memory. To increase the Virtual Memory, follow the prescribed steps.

Search “Performance” from the Start Menu and open Adjust appearance & performance of Windows.
Go to Advanced > Change.
Untick Automatically manage paging file size for all drivers.
Tick Custom Size and give the appropriate size.

After increasing Virtual Memory, check if the issue is resolved.

4] Run CHKDSK

If your disks are corrupted, you may encounter the error message in question. We recommend using the CHKDSK command in Command Prompt to scan and repair them.

5] Run System Restore.

System Restore is a Windows built-in tool that is used to protect and repair computer software. It will take a snapshot of your system files and the Windows registry and saves them as Restore Points. If you have created a System Restore, you can deploy it now to roll back your system to the state when there was no Prime.exe error. To run System Restore, follow the prescribed steps.