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Fix 0xc0000142 Error Application Was Unable To Start
What is 0xc0000142 Error?
When users try to access an application on windows but it malfunctions and crashes, we see the “application was unable to start correctly 0xc0000142 error” message. This happens because of faulty apps or windows internal issues that prevent a certain app to run. The main reason behind this error lies within the app which is either malfunctioning or damaged. In this article, we have provided several methods for 0xc0000142 errors and solved the issue.
How to Fix 0xc0000142 Error in Windows?
- Restart Your PC
Every windows error can be solved with a simple restart. If you are facing an error 0xc0000142 with the application being unable to start correctly, then rebooting your PC is the simplest way to fix this issue. Restarting your PC or hard restarting (pressing the power button long enough to shut down the PC) will “kill” all the running and background processes. Due to that, when PC boots up, it will force them to restart. If the error is caused by a faulty process or function, restraining your PC can fix this error.
- Reinstall the App
If you are facing a 0xc0000142 error with a particular app then reinstalling the app could solve the issue. When we abruptly shut down our PC or stop the process, it could result in a corrupted app. Finding this damaged app is next to impossible but if you are facing this issue on any app, you can single them out. Uninstall the app, delete all the files related to the app, and reinstall it from the internet. If the error is related to the singular app, then the error will be fixed. However, even after the reinstallation damaged app, you are facing the applications are unable to start correctly, then try other methods.
- Perform Window Troubleshoot
Windows have its troubleshooter app that can perform a system check on the entire system to find errors. If you are still unsure about why you are facing a 0xc0000142 error, then run the window troubleshooter program to pinpoint the issue and fix it. Here is how,
- Visit settings by pressing Windows+I and find updates and security. Then look for the troubleshoot option on the left side.
- In that option, go to windows update
- Click on windows update and then run troubleshoot
If there is any issue related to windows or windows updates in the system, it will find it and provide the solution for it. Even after that, you are facing the same issue of “application was unable to start correctly 0xc0000142 error”, then try other methods.
- Run App in Compatibility Mode
Compatibility mode in windows allows the app to run in the previous version of the Windows Operating System. If the error 0xc0000142 continuously appears while accessing any app, you can run it in compatibility mode. Here is how,
- Right-click on the app and select properties, now find the compatibility option.
- After that, select any previous version of windows and apply the settings
While running this app in compatibility mode doesn’t produce any error that indicates that a particular app is not supported on your current windows. Having said that, if you are still facing an error with the application being unable to start the correct message, then try other methods.
- Fix Corrupted(Malfunctioning) Files
If any of the above methods don’t solve the problem, we need to fix the error by fixing the corrupted files. Every application that is installed in your system needs several files to run, including some of the system files too. We can fix that with just a simple command. here is how
- Open command prompt and type “sfc /scannow” and hit enter
- It will take some time to scan the whole computer, once the scan is complete, it will fix the error. Restart your PC right afterward to save all the settings.
When sfc /scannow finds any error or missing files, it will replace them with cache files which are saved in the system32 folder. If the corrupted files are replaced properly, you can run any app without a 0xc0000142 error. But, if you will find a “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations” message which means it doesn’t find any issue, you can try other methods.
- Edit Registry Settings
The registry contains a database of every software in the system including type, profiles, and more. If you tried every method in this article and failed to fix the 0xc0000142 error, then we have to fix it from the registry. In this case of the “application was unable to start correctly” error, we need to focus our efforts on LoadAppInit_DLLs. Here is how to change values in the registry settings,
- Open run windows and type “Regedit”. It will open the registry editor
- After that follow this path to find the LoadAppInit_DLLs registry,
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
↓
SOFTWARE
↓
Microsoft
↓
Windows NT
↓
CurrentVersion
↓
Windows
↓
LoadAppInit_DLLs
- Now double click on LoadAppInit_DLLs and change the value to “0”
This will remove all the data from the registry. Once you restart the PC, you can open any app without any issue of 0xc0000142 error.
Also Read: How To Fix ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE In Chrome? Best Ways In 2023
FAQ for 0xc0000142 Error
- What does 0xc0000142 mean?
Error code 0xc0000142 is associated with the application’s inability to run. When users are trying to run the app, they face this error with the application being unable to start correctly.
- How do I fix error code 0xc0000142?
This is a common error that can be fixed by some simple methods, perform the below method to fix this error,
- Restart your PC
- Reinstall the app
- Run Windows troubleshooter
- Run compatibility mode
- Edit registry
Conclusion
Most windows users face this issue sometimes and it can be fixed easily with the correct guidance. In this article, we have provided a detailed step-by-step method to fix the “application was unable to start correctly 0xc0000142” error. If you have any questions regarding this windows error, then ask us in the comment section.
