How To Fix ‘The application was unable to start correctly 0xc00007b’ in Windows 10

Few things are as frustrating as having bought a new program or game and seeing ‘The application was unable to start correctly 0xc00007b’ errors when trying to install it. All you want to do is install and play with your purchase. Instead you have to trawl forums and find a solution to this error. Not any more. The solution is at hand, several in fact.

If you see this error, chances are that you are partway through installing something onto a Windows computer. That installation will stop and a popup window will appear telling you ‘The application was unable to start correctly 0xc00007b. Click OK to close the application.’

There are several reasons why you might see this error and they include:

1. Issues with .NET Framework files either as part of the install or on your computer.
2. Mixing 32-bit and 64-bit files or environments.
3. Missing or corrupt installation files that makes Windows think there is an issue with the above.

Of all of those causes, .NET Framework files is the most common.

What is the .NET Framework?

The .NET Framework has been with us for years. It is a bunch of APIs that were designed to make life easier for app developers. Rather than having to code everything from scratch and include every dependency in every app download, Microsoft designed the .NET Framework so an app could call a resource from there without having to install the code itself.

The .NET Framework is also a runtime environment which is where an app would run inside. Think of it like a virtual machine. Separate from the host but uses the host’s resources. The intent was to enable developers to use whatever code they liked and it would still run within Windows. They could compile an app in C++, Visual Basic and a few other languages and the .NET Framework would run them all the same.

How to fix ‘The application was unable to start correctly 0xc00007b’ errors

Many 0xc00007b errors come from missing or damaged .NET files. More specifically, missing or damaged C++ files within the framework. If this happens when you are installing an application but not when you run similar ones on your computer, it generally means the Windows installer cannot recognize or utilize the installed versions. Even though your existing programs may use them perfectly fine, the installer cannot. Hence the error.

We can address this right away by downloading fresh copies.

Install the entire .NET Framework from here or Microsoft Visual C++ from x32 version or x64 version. I would suggest trying the Microsoft Visual C++ version first. Select x32 if you are running an older version of Windows or x64 if you are running Windows 10 with a 64-bit compatible processor.

To find out if you can run 64-bit programs:

1. Right click the Windows Start button and select Settings.
2. Select System and About.
3. Check the information in the right pane. It should say something like ’64-bit operating system, x64 processor’.

Once you have installed Microsoft Visual C++, retry the installation and it should now work.

Other ways to fix  ‘The application was unable to start correctly 0xc00007b’ errors

In the vast majority of cases, if the program is compatible with your version of Windows and you have reinstalled Microsoft Visual C++, the program you are trying to install should work fine. In a few cases, you may still have issues. Here are a few things you could try to fix them.

1. If you have the option for 32-bit or 64-bit download, make sure to select the correct one.
2. Make sure you are logged in as an administrator during the install.
3. Turn off your antivirus or malware scanner and retry the installation.
4. Right click the installation .exe file and select Run as administrator.
5. Run the .NET Framework repair tool from Microsoft.
6. If you are trying to install a game, reinstall DirectX from Microsoft.
7. Re-download the program or game installation files as they may be corrupt.

Some websites suggest a simple reboot or scanning your hard drive for errors. While useful in many situations, they aren’t much good here. If your computer runs other programs fine and only has an issue with this installation, it means there is something wrong with the install files. Whether that is mechanically wrong like corruption or just plain wrong in that it cannot read .NET Framework files is up for debate.

Either way, reinstalling the entire .NET Framework from or just Microsoft Visual C++ and retrying the installation should work fine. If it doesn’t, trying any or all of the other fixes listed should have you up and running in no time!