Fix: Error status 0xc000012f (Bad image) on Windows 10/11
- The error 0xc000012f means you lack the required Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables files.
- Using third-party system restore software will quickly get rid of the bad image 0xc000012f error.
- Solve the error status 0xc000012f by running a system scan and letting Windows troubleshoot it.
- You should also make sure that you installed the necessary Microsoft Visual c++ Redistributables.
The error 0xc000012f may appear on some Windows 10 computers with the message Bad Image. The error message reappears multiple times even after the user clicks on OK. This can be quite annoying.
You can also find it under these names: error 0xc000012f file not found or 0xc000012f download. Now, the error message that accompanies the numeric code may vary, but we bet you’re dealing with the same issue.
What causes error status 0xc000012f?
This error usually appears when the image file that is being used is not of the right format and 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.
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, and other Steam games or Origin games plagued by the bad image error xc000012f.
There are several solutions you could try to fix this error. Some of them have been listed below.
How do I fix error status 0xc000012f on Windows 10?
1. Run the sfc/scannow
- Press the Windows key to open Start and in the search bar type Command Prompt.
- In the search results, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
- Click Allow when prompted.
- In Command Prompt, type in the following command and hit Enter:
sfc/scannow
- Wait for the verification to reach 100%. Once the process is complete, restart the computer.
This is the simplest solution you could try to resolve error code 0xc000012f. Simply run the sfc/scannow command to conduct an automatic system repair.
If this didn’t resolve the issue, move on to the next solution. If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at this guide.
2. 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 downloading a tool specialized in keeping your computer 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.
Windows Update is meant to improve the overall performance of your operating system, integrate new features, and even upgrade the existing ones. However, there are times when certain errors may occur out of the blue.
Thankfully, if you happen to run into such issues, there is a specialized Windows repair software that can help you solve them in no time, and it is called Restoro.
This is how you can fix registry errors using Restoro:
- Download and install Restoro.
- Launch the application.
- Wait for the application to find any system stability issues and possible malware infections.
- Press Start Repair.
- Restart your PC for all the changes to take effect.
After the process is completed your computer should work perfectly fine and you will no longer have to worry about Windows Update errors of any kind.
⇒ Get Restoro
Disclaimer: This program needs to be upgraded from the free version in order to perform some specific actions.
3. Uninstall updates
- Press the Windows key to open Start and in the search bar type Update.
- Select & open Update & Security.
- In the Update & security window, select Windows Update.
- Click on Advanced Options, then Update history.
- You will get a list of all the updates that were installed successfully and those that failed to install successfully.
- Usually, these are the roots of the error.
- Click on Uninstall an update.
- You will be taken to the Uninstall an update window.
- Right-click on the first installed update on the list and click Uninstall.
- Confirm your decision & follow the on-screen instructions.
- Restart the computer and see if this fixed your issue.
- If not, repeat the steps for every installed update on the list, until the issue is resolved.
You should try reverting all recent updates, to see if the issue arose from one of them.
4. Install the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio
- Download the latest version from Microsoft’s website.
- Select the appropriate version of the program.
- 32-bit if you’re a 32-bit Windows user, or 64-bit if you’re a 64-bit user.
- After downloading, Open the installation file.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
- Once the install is complete, check to see if the error code 0xc000012f persists.
For some users, installing the latest version of Microsoft’s Visual Studio Redistributable will resolve error code 0xc000012f. Hopefully, your issue was resolved. If not, move on to solution 4.
5. Check for new updates
- Click the Windows key and in the search bar type Update settings.
- Select it from the search settings.
- In the Windows Update dialogue, click on Check for updates.
- This will send an update request to the Microsoft servers, and if any new updates are available, you will be notified.
Microsoft frequently releases small and big updates for Windows 10 and with the patches that fix errors such as the error code 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
- Click on Start, and in the search bar, type msconfig.
- From the search results, select System Configuration.
- Open the Services tab.
- Check the Hide all Microsoft services check box.
- Next, click the Disable all button.
- Next, open the Startup tab, then Task Manager.
- Alternatively press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys.
- Open the Startup tab in Task Manager.
- Right-click on all start-up items and click on Disable to disable them.
- Close Task Manager.
- Click the OK button on the Startup tab of the System Configuration window to save the changes.
Performing a clean boot can be useful in identifying the cause behind error code 0xc000012f. Usually, the problem stems from some third-party application or startup 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 or remove startup apps on Windows 10, check out this simple guide.
Once the process is complete, restart the computer. See if the error persists. If not, start each application/service one at a time. As soon as the problem reappears, you will have identified the culprit.
We hope these solutions solve your problem. However, if none of these solutions worked for you, try contacting Microsoft Support.
Do not hesitate to leave any other suggestions or questions in the comments section below and we’ll surely take a look.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The .NET framework is a crucial program that should be installed on your PC. Learn more about it in this quick article dedicated to the .Net framework.
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It depends on the main cause of the error. Take a look at this detailed guide about fixing the error and see the solutions.
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Microsoft Visual C++ redistributable is required by almost all the apps, so it is best to install all of its versions. You can do it easily if you check this thorough article dedicated to downloading Microsoft VR.
