The STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION (Error code: 0xc0000005) is a General Protection Fault. It occurs when the Chrome executable attempts to write to a protected memory address it doesn't own.
In 2026, this is rarely a "random bug." It is usually the result of Resource Pressure—when Chrome's renderer process fights the OS for RAM, leading to corrupted memory pointers.
The Technical Root Cause
This error is triggered when the Chrome Renderer process attempts to access an address space without permission. While it can be a graphics driver issue, it is most frequently exacerbated by high tab counts.
When your system is under heavy memory load, Chrome’s internal memory management can fail, resulting in a renderer crash.
The Extension Vector
Legacy extensions are the primary culprits. They often:
- Inject heavy content scripts into every frame.
- Attempt to modify the DOM before it is fully initialized.
- Trigger conflicts that the renderer process cannot resolve, resulting in the access violation.
How to Mitigate Renderer Instability
The goal is to reduce the "Surface Area" for memory conflicts.
1. Reduce Resource Pressure
By utilizing native suspension (chrome.tabs.discard), you can unload background tabs from the active memory pool. This ensures that the active tab has a clear, unfragmented address space.
2. Minimize Script Injection
Avoid extensions that use aggressive content script injection. A "Lean" browser environment is a stable browser environment.
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