The application was unable to start correctly Steam

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1. Update Visual C++ Redistributable
2. Update .NET framework
3. Check the Drive that the game is installed on. (Click here to expand instructions.)
   • 1. Click your Computer or This PC icon.
     2. Right click on the drive you have the game installed on.
     3. Select Properties.
     4. Select Tools.
     5. Under Error checking, select Check.
     6. If the system detects that there are errors, you will be asked to check the disk. If no errors are found, you will see the message – "You don’t need to scan this drive." You can, however, choose to check the drive. Click on Scan drive to do so.

4. Reinstall DirectX
5. Run Windows Update to ensure all updates are installed.
6. Reinstall the launcher.

If you see this error message: ‘The application was unable to start correctly’ it’s almost certainly because you’re trying to run a game or program in Windows and there’s something not quite right on your PC or laptop.

Below are various methods, most of which are simple, which you can use to try and fix the 0xc000007b error. You may only need to use one but in some cases, you’ll need a combination of them to fix the problem.

Typically you’ll see this error when there’s a mixing of 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows and applications but don’t worry too much about that. Let’s get problem-solving.

Method 1. Restart your computer

Sorry to go all The IT Crowd on you but the first thing to try is restarting Windows. It sounds too simple, but it sometimes yields results.

Method 2. Update .NET framework

In most cases, it’s the Microsoft .NET framework causing the issues. You can download the latest version of .NET Framework from Microsoft. 

When it’s installed (or re-installed) reboot and try your app or game again.

Method 3. Enable Administrator rights

Try running the game or app with admin rights. To do that, right-click on the shortcut or the actual executable for the game, select Properties and open the Compatibility tab. Tick the ‘Run this program as an administrator’ box, and click on OK.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Method 4. Reinstall the app or game

You can uninstall and re-installing the game or program you’re trying to run – simple but sometimes the quickest and most effective way to get rid of the error.

Method 5. Update Windows

Update Windows. In many cases, Windows will automatically update, but to make sure, head to Control Panel and search for ‘Windows Update’. 

In later versions, including Windows 10/11, you can open the Settings app (just search the Start menu or click the cog icon which appears just above the Windows logo when you click it in the bottom-left of the screen).

In the Settings app, click on Update & Security then you should see a button to check for updates:

Method 6. Run ChkDsk

Run ‘chkdsk’ (ie check disk) by opening cmd (search for it or press Win+R).

In the window type “chkdsk c: /f /r”. If it is the primary windows disk, it will ask you to schedule it for the next boot. When you restart, it will do a check before getting to the login screen. Partitions or other drives can also be checked this way so choose those if that’s where the problem application is installed.

Method 7. Reinstall DirectX

This can be the fix for games that won’t load. The way to do this depends on your version of Windows and which version of DirectX you need. There are full instructions on Microsoft’s website.

Author: Chris Martin, Reviews Editor

Tech Advisor's Reviews Editor, Chris has been reviewing all kinds of tech for over 10 years and specialises in audio. He also covers a range of topics including home entertainment, phones, laptops, tablets and more.

0xc00007b “the application was unable to start correctly”. This error code represents that there is something corrupted within your Windows files or a DLL file from your application files is missing. This error is really common if you are downloading something from an unauthorized source. A lot of Anti-virus engines delete the DLLs and block the application from running if they detect something suspicious.

This error code can also be triggered if you don’t have the correct redistributables installed on your computer. This can be really confusing because if you are trying to run a 32-bit application and you don’t have 32-bit DLLs you will have problems running that application. In that case, you will have to install all the VC runtimes.

In this article, we will show you some solutions that you can try to fix the 0xc00007b error code yourself. We have tried our best to collect the best working methods for you and placed them in a simpler manner. All the Methods starting from simple to advanced.

1. Run The Program As Administrator

Sometimes, this error comes up due to the non-availability of administrative privileges for the application you are trying to execute. For this purpose, right-click on the application and select Run as administrative from the list. Click Yes when a new window pops up and you will find the application running smoothly.

2. Reinstall your application

Reinstalling the application which is causing the 0xc000007b error can fix up the error at various occasions. During reinstallation, turn off the antivirus program and select the additional softwares provided during the installation because these softwares might be helpful. You can skip the search bars and other offer which are not relevant.

3. Update .NET Framework

.NET Framework can also be the cause of this error message in a number of cases. So, updating the .NET Framework to the latest version might wipe out the error.

To install .NET Framework, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features and click on Turn Windows features on or off. It will open a new window with a list of Windows features. Click on the .NET Framework 3.5 and press OK. It will start the download and after the installation, your PC would restart with the error fixed up.

4. Update DLL

Updating DLL method of fixing this error is a bit complicated but it can resolve the issue caused by 0xc000007b error for sure. This method includes replacing a file called xinput1_3.dll inside the C drive. This file can be corrupted or overwritten with some other version which results in causing this error. To fix this issue, follow these instructions.

• Download dll xinput1_3.dll from DLLME (Google it)
• Extract these files using a compression tool called Winrar.
• Copy the xinput1_3.dll file from the extracted folder and paste into C:\ Windows \ SysWOW64. When prompted for replace, click on Copy and Replace and that’s all.

5. Update DirectX

If none of the methods above works; then updating/re-installing DirectX is our last resort otherwise; the Windows needs to be re-installed. You can update/reinstall DirectX from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35 – Download the setup file and run it; then follow steps on screen to reinstall it. Once done; reboot PC and test.

I would appreciate if you let us know which method has worked if any; and if nothing worked for you so we can improve our guide.

6. Reinstall the affected application

There is a slight chance that you are suffering from this problem because something went wrong during the installation of the affected application and it was not installed successfully. If that’s what happened, your only shot at fixing the problem is reinstalling the affected application, and in order to do so, you need to:

1. Navigate to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Uninstall a program.
   
   Clicking on the “Uninstall a Program” option
2. Locate and right-click on the affected application, and click on Uninstall.
3. Go through the uninstallation wizard to uninstall the application.
4. Once the application has been uninstalled, restart your computer.
5. When your computer boots up, reinstall the affected application.
6. When the affected application has been successfully reinstalled, try running to check whether or not the problem has been fixed.

7. Uninstall and then reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

As stated before, this issue is often caused by a problem with Microsoft Visual C++. If an issue with Microsoft Visual C++ is the culprit in your case, simply uninstalling the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable installed on your computer and then reinstalling it should get rid of the problem. In order to do so, you need to:

1. Navigate to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Uninstall a program.
   
   Uninstall a Program
2. Locate and right-click on the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable – x86 (if your computer has a 32-bit Operating System) or the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable – x64 (if your computer has a 64-bit Operating System), and click on Uninstall.
3. Go through the uninstallation wizard to uninstall the redistributable(s).
4. Once the redistributable(s) have been uninstalled, restart your computer.
5. Download the installer for the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable – x86 from here (if your computer has a 32-bit Operating System) or the installer for the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable – x64 from here (if your computer has a 64-bit Operating System).
   Note: If you uninstalled both versions of the Redistributable from your computer, download the installers for both of them.
6. Once the installer has been downloaded, run it and go through it to install either version of the Redistributable. If you had to download the installer for both the Redistributables, run both of them one by one.

When done, restart your computer and, once it boots up, check to see whether or not the issue still persists.

8. Run CHKDSK to scan your computer’s Hard Drive

If none of the solutions listed and described above work for you, you might want to try running CHKDSK to scan your computer’s Hard Drive for problems and fix any that are found since Hard Drive issues can also cause this problem. In order to run CHKDSK, you need to:

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Search for “cmd”.
3. Right-click on the search result titled cmd and click on Run as an administrator in the context menu to launch an elevated Command Prompt.
   
   Running Command Prompt as an administrator
4. Type the following into the elevated Command Prompt and press Enter:

chkdsk /f /r

1. You will be asked whether or not you want the scan to be scheduled for the next time the computer restarts. To confirm, type y into the elevated Command Prompt and press Enter.
2. Restart the computer.
3. When the computer boots up, CHKDSK will automatically start running and scanning your computer’s Hard Drive – all you need to do is be patient and wait the process out.
4. Once CHKDSK is done, the computer will boot into Windows. At this point, you can check to see whether or not the issue has been fixed.

9. Update Windows

In some cases, updating Windows to the latest version might fix this issue. Therefore, in this step, we will be checking for updates. For that:

1. Press “Windows” + “I” buttons simultaneously to open settings.
2. In settings, click on the “Update and Security” options and select “Windows Update” from the left pane.
   
   Open Update & Security in Windows Settings
3. Click on the “Check for Updates” option and let windows check and download any updates.
   
   Check For Updates in Windows Update
4. Once the updates are downloaded, click on the “Install” option to install them on your computer.
5. After this, check to see if the issue persists.

10. Running in Compatibility Mode

In some cases, the solution can be as simple as running the application in the compatibility mode for another version of Windows. The need to do so arises from the incompatibility of Windows and some applications. We can do this by following the instructions below.

1. Navigate to the location of the application and right-click on its main executable.
2. Select “Properties” and then click on the “Compatibility” tab.
3. In the compatibility tab, click on the “Run this Program in Compatibility Mode For” dropdown and select “Windows Vista” or any other version of Windows.
   
   check Run this Program in Compatibility Mode
4. Click on “Apply” and then on “OK”.
5. Check to see if the issue persists.

11: Installing “.dll” file (Only for VLC)

There seems to be a very specific solution for some users where they have been able to fix this issue by downloading and placing the “.dll” file in their System 32 folder. But this solution needs to implied with a lot of caution because System 32 is a very sensitive folder and it contains the bulk of the Windows essentials. Therefore, perform this at your own risk since “.dll” files from the internet can often be infected. In order to proceed:

1. Download the “libvlc.dll“ file from the internet.
2. Navigate to the download location of the file and copy it using “Ctrl” + “C” after selecting it.
3. Navigate to the following location.

   C:\Windows\System32

4. Press “Ctrl” + “V” in here to paste this file inside the folder.
5. Allow any UAC prompts to confirm the action and check to see if the issue persists.

Note: Also, try to delete the shortcut that you are using to launch the application and create a new one.

12. Properly Reinstalling Windows VC Runtimes

This issue is also caused when your VC Runtimes are not properly installed or they have been corrupted. You can follow these steps to completely remove them from your computer and then reinstall every single one of them.

Uninstalling all runtimes:-

1. Press and hold the Windows key then press the “R” key to open the Run program.
2. Once the run program is opened type “Appwiz.cpl” and press enter.
   
   Opening Windows Uninstaller
3. Now find all the VC++ Redists and uninstall them one by one.
   
   Uninstall all the VC runtimes

Clean-up of Windows components:-

Once you uninstall all the VC Runtimes use this command to clean up your WinSxS Component store.

1. Press and hold the Windows key then press the “X” key to open the Start Menu.
2. Now click “PowerShell (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin)”
3. Type this command in the Command Prompt and press enter.

   Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Wait for the process to finish and after that restart your computer.

Reinstalling VC Runtimes:-

1. After restarting your computer head over to this link (here) and download the file.
2. Once the file is downloaded you will have to unzip the file.
3. After unzipping the file you will have the Installers.
4. Right-click on the file named “install_all.bat” and click “Run as administrator”.
   
   Installing all the VC Runtimes
5. Now, wait for all the VC Runtimes to install (this process is automated).
6. Restart your computer and check to see if the issue persists.

If none of the methods shown above have helped you at all. Performing a Clean Install of your Windows will be the last resort for you. Though we suggest you try performing a repair install first but if that doesn’t work for you download the fresh ISO from the official website and perform a clean install.

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