Fix: The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000000e5)

The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000000e5) error occurs when the application fails to access the required resources, such as DLL files, to perform the necessary tasks. This can happen for various reasons, such as corrupted system files that can’t be used by the applications and interference from third-party antivirus software.

Third-party antivirus applications usually cause this type of error message, as they can block the executable files from running due to their overprotective nature. Now, as we have discussed the causes, let’s jump down to the solutions to this error message.

1. Disable the Antivirus Software

As mentioned earlier, third-party antivirus software can block the application from running, believing it is a threat and should not run on the computer.

Even though third-party antivirus applications sometimes perform better than the built-in Windows Defender, the downside is that they are overprotective when it comes to protection. Therefore, if you use third-party antivirus software, especially the ones from Comodo and AVG, it is highly recommended that you try disabling them temporarily.

1. Right-click the Antivirus icon from the system tray and hover over the option related to Manage.
2. Then, select Disable for 10 minutes or Disable Permanently.
   
3. Once done, see if the problem is resolved or not.

2. Add the Executable File to the Exclusion List

You can also add the application’s executable file to the antivirus program’s exclusion list to prevent it from interfering with the application’s startup process.

The following steps are for Windows Defender; if you use third-party antivirus software, then you will see the Exclusion option in the settings. You just need to add the executable file to the exclusion list.

1. Press the Win key to open up the Start Menu.
2. Type Windows Security and hit the Enter key to navigate to the settings.
   
3. Go to Virus & Threat Protection and click Manage settings listed under Virus & Threat Protection.
   
4. Now scroll down to the bottom and click Add or Remove exclusions.
   
5. Here, click Add an Exclusion and select File.
   
6. Browse the application executable file, causing the error message.
7. Then, select it and click Open.
   
8. Once done, check if the error is resolved or persists.

3. Run the Application as an Administrator

As mentioned earlier, this error often occurs when the application cannot access the necessary resources to run properly. Running the application as an administrator will grant it all the required permissions to access resources such as DLL files of redistributable and DirectX components.

1. Right-click the executable file of the application and select Run as administrator.
2. If you don’t see any error message, configure the application to always run as administrator.
3. To do so, right-click the application and go to Properties.
   
4. Then, go to Compatibility and tick Run this program as an administrator.
5. Once done, click Apply and click OK to save the settings.
   

4. Reset Windows or Restore Windows to a Previous State

Lastly, if you don’t want to reset or restore your Windows, you can try several other methods that are proven to fix this type of error message. For that, please refer to 0xc00007b The Application was unable to start correctly.

If you have tried all the possible solutions but failed to remove the error message, you can try resetting Windows without losing data or using a system restore utility to go back to the previous state when you were not encountering this error message.