How to Fix Error 0xc0000005 (Access Violation)

Quick Fix

Most 0xc0000005 errors are tied to one misbehaving app or a corrupted file, not your whole PC. Try this first:

1. Restart your PC, then try the action again (rules out a temporary memory glitch).
2. If it’s a specific app: right-click it in Settings > Apps > Installed apps, choose Advanced options, and click Repair (or uninstall and reinstall it fresh).
3. If it’s a game, use Steam/Epic/Battle.net’s Verify Integrity of Game Files option.

Step-by-Step Guide

What 0xc0000005 Means

0xc0000005 is a Windows exception code commonly known as an Access Violation. Error code 0xc0000005 is commonly known as an Access Violation error, meaning that a program or system process tried to read from or write to a memory location it wasn’t allowed to access. It’s a Windows-specific error code — it does not occur natively on macOS or consoles, though it can appear inside Windows compatibility layers (like Wine) running on Mac or Linux.

You’ll typically see it in one of three contexts: when you get an Access violation error, when an application is unable to start, or during a Windows installation error. Common triggers include a corrupted system file, damaged hardware such as RAM or hard drive, incompatible software, or even a failed Windows update. On the software side, the exact same code can show up in games, Office apps like Outlook, browsers, or custom/business software — the fix approach is the same regardless of which program triggers it.

Step-by-Step Fixes (Windows)

1. Identify which version of the error you’re seeing

The fix path depends on when the error appears:

1. App launch error — message reads “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000005)”.
2. Access violation while running — appears mid-use, sometimes as “Exception: access violation (0xC0000005)” or as a blue screen (bugcheck), such as SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (0x3B) or KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (0x1E).
3. Windows Update error — occurs when your system fails to configure the Windows update during installation, often due to system memory or update installation errors.
4. Windows installation error — appears while installing or upgrading Windows itself, when Setup cannot read from or write to the target disk, usually traced back to bad sectors on the destination drive or a corrupted installation USB.

2. Fix a single misbehaving app (most common case)

If the error only happens with one program: the program’s own files are the likely cause, not Windows itself, and repairing or reinstalling it is the fastest fix. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, click the three-dot menu next to the app, choose Advanced options, then Repair. If repair isn’t available, uninstall and download a fresh copy from the official source.

For games specifically: right-click the game in your launcher (Steam, Epic, Battle.net) and choose Verify Integrity of Game Files (or “Scan and Repair” in Battle.net), since corrupted game assets are common after crashes or interrupted updates. Also try disabling overlays, since overlays from Discord, Xbox Game Bar, or GPU utilities can interfere with memory access.

3. Repair system files

1. Press Windows + S, type cmd, and run Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Enter SFC /scannow in the elevated command prompt window, then press Enter and let it finish.
3. If problems remain, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth in the same elevated Command Prompt.

4. Check for malware

Scan for malware: Run a full scan in Windows Security (Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection). Also try temporarily disabling third-party antivirus, since it can sometimes misclassify legitimate files and block them.

5. Update or roll back drivers

Outdated drivers can also be responsible for error code 0xc0000005, so update them via Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager), especially graphics and disk drivers. If the error started right after a driver update, roll that driver back instead.

6. Test your RAM

Memory problems are a leading cause: memory corruption is one of the primary reasons behind this error, so run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. Press Windows + R, type mdsched.exe, and choose Restart now and check for problems. For a more thorough check than the built-in tool, a third-party memory tester run overnight can catch subtler faults that Windows’ own diagnostic misses.

7. Undo recent changes

If the error started after an update or install: if the error began after a Windows update, uninstall that update via Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall Updates. If you recently installed new software or a driver, uninstall it or use System Restore to revert to a point before the problem started.

8. Try disabling Data Execution Prevention (DEP) for the specific app (advanced, temporary)

This is usually caused by corrupted application files, bad or missing DLLs, or a Data Execution Prevention (DEP) conflict. You can add the specific app to DEP’s exception list via System Properties (sysdm.cpl) > Advanced > Performance Settings > Data Execution Prevention, then add the app’s .exe. Only do this for software you trust, since DEP exists to block malicious code from running in protected memory.

9. When installing Windows itself

If 0xc0000005 appears during a Windows install, it often points to a disk preparation problem. Boot from the installer, press Shift + F10 for a command prompt, and use DiskPart to clean the target disk (back up data first, as this erases the drive) — enter the following commands: ‘diskpart’, ‘list disk’, ‘select disk 0’, ‘clean’, and ‘exit’. Also try recreating your installation USB while running the Media Creation Tool as Administrator.

10. When to seek more advanced help

1. Hardware issue suspected: If Memory Diagnostic finds errors or the crashes correlate with heat/load, the RAM or drive itself may be failing and need physical replacement — this is a hardware, not software, fix.
2. System-wide crashes across many unrelated apps (browsers, games, Office) after ruling out RAM, drivers, and malware may indicate deeper corruption; a full Reset this PC (keeping files) or clean Windows reinstall is the next step.
3. Business/line-of-business software: If the error is inside custom or enterprise software (e.g., a CAD, accounting, or LabVIEW-built app), it’s often a bug in that program’s code or a bad third-party DLL/driver it depends on — contact that software vendor’s support with your crash/event log details rather than continuing generic Windows troubleshooting.
4. Account or license-specific errors (e.g., only happens on one user profile) may be fixed faster by creating a new Windows or app user profile rather than reinstalling the whole system.

Platform note: All fixes above apply to Windows 10/11 specifically. This error does not occur on genuine macOS, Linux, or consoles unless you are running Windows software through a compatibility layer like Wine — in that case, the fix path is different (updating Wine/CrossOver version or adjusting the compatibility settings for that specific app) rather than standard Windows troubleshooting.