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Error Status 0xc000012f (Bad Image): Causes & 6 Steps to Fix
Check quick solutions to get things running in no time
5 min. read
Updated onSeptember 17, 2024
updated onSeptember 17, 2024
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Theerror status 0xc000012fmay appear on some Windows 10 computers with the message Bad Image. The error message reappears multiple times even after you click on OK and its usually due to corrupted or missing Visual C++ Redistributable files.
You can also find it under these names:error 0xc000012f file not foundor0xc000012f download. The error message coming with the error code may vary, but you’re dealing with the same issue.
How do I fix error status 0xc000012f on Windows 10?
1. Install the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio
Installing the latest version of Microsoft’s Visual Studio Redistributable resolved the error code 0xc000012f for most of our readers.
If you need a more hands-on approach, here’s how toeasily download Microsoft Visual C++ on 64 bits platforms.
2. Run the sfc/scannow scan
1. Press theWindows keyto open Start, and in the search bar, typeCommand Prompt.
- In the search results, right-click onCommand Prompt, and selectRun as administrator.
3.ClickAllowwhen prompted by an UAC message.
4.In Command Prompt, type in the following command and hitEnter:sfc/scannow
- Wait for the verification to reach 100%. Once the process is complete, restart the computer.
The simplest solution you could try to resolve error code 0xc000012f is to run thesfc/scannowcommand to conduct an automatic system repair.
The SFC tool will help torepair and replace corrupted system files, if any, and remove 0xc000012f instances from your PC.
If this didn’t resolve the issue, move on to the next solution. If you’rehaving trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at our guide.
3. Use a third-party system repair tool
One other easy way to repair your system files and get rid of these pesky error messages is by downloading aspecialized repair toolthat will keep your system in healthy and working condition.
This software scans your computer for broken files and restores or completely replaces them. You won’t ever need to worry about errors or BSoD crashes anymore after installing it on your computer.
4. Uninstall updates
You should try reverting all recent updates, to see if the issue arose from one of them.
5. Check for new updates
Microsoft frequently releases small and big updates for Windows 10 and with patches that fix issues such as the error status 0xc000012f.
Once the new updates are installed, error code 0xc000012f will most likely be resolved. If this didn’t work for you, move on to the next solution.
6. Perform a clean boot
Performing a clean boot can be useful in identifying the cause behind error status 0xc000012f. Usually, the problem stems from some third-party application orstartup processes.
Disabling all start-up processes and then re-enabling them one at a time can help pinpoint the source of the error.
If you want to know how to add orremove startup apps on Windows 10, we got your back.
Conclusion
To summarize our guide, you should know that this error usually appears when theimage file that is being used is not of the right formatand this is especially common in programs that rely on Microsoft Visual C++.
File corruption is another major culprit together with DLL incompatibility or missing executables altogether. You can obviously try to re-register all your DLL files.
However, if running long strings of commands via the elevated Command Prompt is not really your area of expertise, you can simplyuse a DLL repair toolto handle this task for you.
As you can imagine, the error status 0xc00012f impacts all kinds of programs, starting with Office tools, Outlook, OneDrive,Teams (msteams.exe with bad image), and so on, all the way to games and gaming apps on Windows 10 as well as 11.
Some are prone to be more impacted than others, but regular names on the list include Halo Infinite, Fornite, Valorant, andother Steam gamesorOrigin games plagued by the bad image error xc000012f.
A few of the error variations you may come across are:
We hope these solutions solve your problem. However, if none of these solutions worked for you, try contactingMicrosoft Support.
Do not hesitate to leave any other suggestions or questions in the comments section below and we’ll surely take a look.
More about the topics:System Files,Windows Update
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.
She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies – AI and DNA computing in particular.
Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
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Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina is a Windows fan since forever, especially interested in AI, emerging technologies, privacy, and security.
