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Generic error

0xc0000142

The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142)

Application initialization failed, usually due to DLL load order or missing runtime

Root cause

The process failed to call LoadLibrary / DllMain before the main thread started. Common causes: missing runtime DLLs, corrupted user profile, or polluted PATH environment variable.

Fix paths (try in order)

  1. Install the latest VC++ Redistributable

    The merged Microsoft redistributable (VS 2015-2022) covers vcruntime140, msvcp140 and almost all modern C++ DLLs. Install both VC_redist.x86.exe and VC_redist.x64.exe, then reboot.

  2. Install DirectX End-User Runtime

    Windows 10/11 ship with modern DirectX, but many older games depend on legacy components like d3dx9_*, d3dcompiler_*, xinput1_3, xaudio2_7. Install the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from the Microsoft Download Center.

  3. Check if the program path contains non-ASCII characters

    A few legacy programs are sensitive to non-ASCII characters in the path. Try moving the program to a pure-ASCII path like C:\Programs\.

  4. Run System File Checker

    Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator and run these commands in order:

    sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

  5. Reinstall the program from its official site

    If only one program triggers the error, the bundled DLL inside it is the issue. Uninstall, then reinstall from the vendor's official site. On Steam/Epic, use the "Verify integrity of game files" feature.

Commonly related DLLs

msvcp140.dll Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable vcruntime140.dll Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable ucrtbase.dll Universal C Runtime
⚠ What NOT to do: Don't grab a DLL from a random download site and drop it into System32. That's the #1 source of "entry point not found" follow-up errors and introduces malware risk.

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