Fix 0xc0000142: The Application Was Unable to Start Correctly

When you try to launch an app on your computer, an error message “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142)” pops up. The error 0xc0000142 will sometimes happen due to outdated tools, corrupted files, insufficient administrative rights, etc. If you are having this issue, here you can find 7 useful ways to fix error 0xc0000142.

1. Run Application as Administrator

Due to the nature and function of some applications, it is mandatory to use the administrator's rights to run. So, try to run apps as an administrator.

Steps: Type the application’s name in the search bar or right-click the app → Click “Run as administrator".

If this method works, try the next steps to set this application to always run with the administrator.

Steps: Right-click the app → Properties → Advanced → Tick “Run as administrator” → Click OK → Click Apply and OK.

2. Run Application in Compatibility Mode

Step 1: Right-click an app you want to launch → Click Properties.

Step 2: Choose "Compatibility" tab → Tick “Run this program in compatibility mode for” to select a Windows version → Then tick “Run this program as an administrator” → Click Apply and OK.

3. Perform a Clean Boot

Step 1: Press “Win + R” → Type “msconfig” then click OK.

Step 2: Choose the “Services” tab → Check “Hide all Microsoft services” → Click “Disable all” → Then click Apply and OK.

Step 3: Click “Restart” in the pop-up window. After restarting, turn on your app to check if the error 0xc0000142 has been fixed.

4. Modify the Windows Registry Key

Step 1: Press Windows Key + R and type “regedit” then click OK.

Step 2: Browse to the following key in the Registry Editor:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Windows

Step 3: Find “LoadAppInit_DLLs” and double-click it → Change the “Value data” to “0” then click OK.

5. Fix the Corrupted Files with SFC

Step 1: Type “cmd” in the search box → Run as administrator.

Step 2: Type “sfc /scannow” then press the “Enter” button.

Be patient to wait until the scanning process is finished. After that, click any app to see if the error message “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142)” has been repaired.

6. Re-register DLL Files via CMD

Step 1: Press “Win + S” → Type “cmd” and run as administrator.

Step 2: Copy the following command, then hit the "Enter" button:

for %1 in (%windir%system32*.dll) do regsvr32.exe /s %1

Once the process is finished, check if your app is able to start.

7. Stop the Microsoft Office Click-to-Run Service

If the error 0xc0000142 happened in a situation where you try to open Office software, you can try the method mentioned below:

Steps: Press “Ctrl + Shift +Esc” to open Task Manager → Find out “Microsoft Office Click-to-Run” → Click “End task” in the bottom right corner.

An automated Office upgrade could be the root of this issue. Opening an Office file will show that Office is being updated until 0xc0000142 is reported. To fix this error thoroughly, you can disable Office Updates.

Steps: Open any office component → File → Account → Office Updates → Update Options → Disable Updates.