If you're seeing the "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b)" error in Windows 7/8/10, you're in the right place. When you open an application on your Windows computer, you're seeing this error message, and can't open the app. You may think, what does 0xc000007b mean?
The 0xc000007b application error is very common and users may encounter it on a regular basis compared with other errors such as 0x80070002, 0x80070057, or 0x80070005. Typically you'll see this error is because there's a mixing of 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows and applications. You may also encounter this problem when you are trying to run a game or program.
However, this error doesn't mean that it is beyond repair or the end of the involved software. Below are various methods, most of which are simple, which you can use to try and fix the 0xc000007b error. You may only need one but in some cases, you'll need a combination of them.
There are no defined solutions to deal with this application error. In many cases you may need more than one fixes, thus you need to try them one after another if the first doesn't work for you.
The first thing to try is rebooting Windows. Sounds too good to be true, but it sometimes yields results.
You can also try re-installing the game or program you're trying to run - simple but sometimes very effective.
In most cases, it's the Microsoft .NET framework causing the issues. You can download the latest version of the .NET Framework from Microsoft.
Updating your operating system can fix the bugs that cause trouble. Besides, some features and programs built-in Windows, such as DirectX and .NET Framework, can also be updated during the process. It is recommended that you update your operating system and see if this can help you fix your 0xc000007b error. When it's installed (or re-installed), reboot and try to open the app or game again.
If the quick fix doesn't help much, you'd better follow the advanced solutions below to make the applications start correctly.
Running the application in compatibility mode seems to fix this issue for a lot of users. When you come across a 0xc000007b error, you can try this method and see if it is helpful. Here are the detailed steps.
Step 1. Right-click on the application icon and select "Properties".
Step 2. Click the Compatibility tab, and click "Run compatibility troubleshooter". Check "Run this program as an administrator".
Step 3. Choose "Try the recommended settings". Then hit "OK".
Step 4. Try running your application and see if this method fixes the error.
Specifically, you are attempting to start an application that is designed to run on the 64-bit operating system. But your computer is running 32-bit Windows. The 32-bit application cannot load a 64-bit DLL, thus mixing up 32 bit with a 64-bit environment brings about problems. Therefore, a good choice is to upgrade Windows 10 from 32 bit to 64 bit.
Before you upgrade to 64-bit, you should back up all of your important files. The handy backup software - Qiling Backup is recommended here. It allows all Windows users to back up their data with simple clicks. Besides data backup, Qiling Backup also supports users cloning the disk. It can help you to clone, upgrade or transfer your system easily.
Step 1. Launch Qiling Backup software and then choose "File backup", "Disk/partition backup" or "System backup" for different backup purpose.
Step 2. Choose the system, disk partition, files or apps that you want to back up. Then select a destination where you want to store the backup file.
Step 3. Click "Proceed" to start the data backup process.
Since the problem is caused by unsigned or corrupted DLL, we can use Reget.exe to solve this problem. We can change the value of the LoadAppinit_dlls key to 0. The LoadAppInit_dll basically is a mechanism that starts the DLLs in its reg-key when the program starts. So changing its value to 0 might solve the problem.
Step 1. Hold Windows key and press R.
Step 2. Type regedit.exe and press Enter.
Step 3. Go to this path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows.
Step 4. Double click "LoadAppInit_Dll". Change its value data to 0 and click "OK".
Step 5. Restart your computer.
The hard drive problems can cause various problems and have a check on the hard drive can eliminate these problems. You can follow the steps given below to check your hard disk for errors.
Step 1. Click the Start menu and type cmd. Right-click Command Prompt in the result and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. Type chkdsk c: /f /r in Command Prompt and press Enter key. This means you are going to check and repair the C drive. If you want to check another drive, replace c with the corresponding letter of that drive.
Step 3. If your Windows is installed in drive C, then you'll get the message "Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)" Type Y and press Enter key.
Step 4. After that check and see if the problem is solved.
That's all about how to fix the problem when you see the "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b)"error. After all, it's a hard drive issue. Once make sure your hard drive is well functioning, your problem is solved. Try the mentioned method now and help yourself out. If you still have problems, never hesitate to ask us for help!