Windows & Office Error Code Lookup
Search by error code (like 0x80070005), stop code name (like IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL), Excel formula error (like #REF!), or plain description.
Don't have an exact code yet? See common Windows error messages explained in plain English first.
109 results
0X80070002 — File Not Found
Windows Update can't find a file it expects, usually because the update cache is corrupted or a required file was deleted.
0X8024402F — Update Client Received Invalid Response
Windows Update can't properly connect to Microsoft's update servers — usually a network, proxy, or DNS issue rather than anything wrong with the update itself.
0X800F0922 — Update Failed to Install (SSL/Reserved Space)
Often caused by low disk space, a VPN interfering with the connection, or an .NET Framework update conflict.
0X80070003 — Path Not Found
Similar to 0x80070002 — Windows Update can't locate an expected file path, usually from a corrupted update cache.
0X8007000D — Data Is Invalid
A downloaded update file is corrupted or incomplete, often from an interrupted download.
0X80073712 — Component Store Corruption
A file Windows needs for the update is missing or corrupted in the component store.
0X800705B4 — This Operation Returned Because the Timeout Period Expired
The update process took too long and timed out — often due to a stuck background service.
0X8007001F — A Device Attached to the System Is Not Functioning
Usually a driver conflict — a connected device isn't responding the way the update process expects.
0XC1900101 — Feature Update Installation Failure
A driver — most often graphics, storage, or network — is incompatible with the new feature update version and is blocking installation.
0X0000001A — MEMORY_MANAGEMENT
Points to a problem with how memory is being handled — faulty RAM, a driver mismanaging memory, or disk corruption.
0X0000000A — IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Almost always a driver issue — most commonly network, audio, or graphics drivers.
0X000000EF — CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
A core Windows process crashed unexpectedly — often tied to a recent update or corrupted system files.
0X0000001E — KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
A driver running in kernel mode hit an error it couldn't recover from — usually a specific faulty or outdated driver.
0X0000007B — INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
Windows can't access the drive it needs to boot from — often after a storage driver change, BIOS setting change, or drive connection issue.
0X0000009F — DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE
A driver mishandled a transition into or out of sleep/hibernation — very commonly network or USB drivers.
0X000000D1 — DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
A driver tried to access memory at the wrong priority level — nearly always a specific faulty driver, most often network or a security/VPN tool.
0X0000003B — SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION
A system service call failed unexpectedly — commonly graphics drivers during gaming or video playback.
0X00000050 — PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
Windows tried to access memory that doesn't exist or isn't where it expected — often faulty RAM or a driver bug.
0X00000124 — WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR
A hardware-level error was detected — often CPU, RAM, or power delivery, especially in overclocked systems.
0X80070005 — Access Denied
A permissions problem — the current user account doesn't have rights to the file, folder, or action being attempted.
0XC0000022 — STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED
A related but technically distinct code from the more common 0x80070005 — this is the NTSTATUS-style access-denied error, most often seen when a program can't open a file, DLL, or registry key it needs at startup, or when Windows activation specifically fails because the Software Protection Service can't start.
0X8007000E — Not Enough Storage / Out of Memory
Despite the wording, this is usually about low disk space rather than RAM — an operation ran out of room to complete.
0XC0000005 — Access Violation (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION)
A program tried to read or write memory it wasn't allowed to — usually an app bug, but can indicate corrupted files or faulty RAM if it happens across many different apps.
0XC000021A — STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED
A critical system process (like winlogon.exe or csrss.exe) crashed, usually kicking you to a blue or black screen with this message.
0X80004005 — Unspecified Error
A catch-all error code that different apps and Windows components use for many different underlying problems — context matters more than the code itself here.
0X8007045D — The Request Could Not Be Performed Because of an I/O Device Error
Windows failed to read or write to a drive — often points to a failing disk, a bad USB cable/port, or a scratched optical disc.
0XC004F074 — Activation Server Determined the Specified Product Key Is Blocked
Usually appears with volume-license (KMS) activation when the activation server can't be reached or the license count is exceeded — less common on typical home PCs. It can also mean the specific key has been flagged as blocked, separate from a connectivity issue, most often when a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) has exceeded its allowed activation count or the key itself was reported as compromised.
0X8007007B — The Filename, Directory Name, or Volume Label Syntax Is Incorrect
Despite the confusing wording, in an activation context this usually means the product key was entered or read incorrectly — though it can also point to corrupted system files, or, on a business/volume-licensed device, a KMS (Key Management Service) configuration issue rather than the key itself.
1603 — Fatal Error During Installation
A generic installer failure code — the real cause is almost always in the detailed install log, but common triggers are permissions, a locked file, or insufficient disk space.
1618 — Another Installation Is Already in Progress
Windows Installer thinks another install is running, even if nothing visibly is — usually a stuck installer process from a previous attempt.
1601 — The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed
The Windows Installer service itself isn't running or responding.
0X80072EFD — A Connection with the Server Could Not Be Established
A general connectivity failure reaching a Microsoft service — usually your network, a firewall, or a proxy/VPN blocking the connection.
0X80070424 — A Required Service Cannot Be Started
A Windows service the current task depends on (often related to Windows Update, Security Center, or networking) isn't running.
0X80070570 — The File or Directory Is Corrupted and Unreadable
Windows found file system corruption — could be the drive itself, a bad copy operation, or a failing disk.
0X8007002C — Unspecified Error During Copy/Install
Often appears during large file copies or installs and points to file system errors or a flaky connection to an external/network drive.
0X80071AC3 — The File System Is Corrupted
A more explicit version of file system corruption, often seen on external or removable drives.
0X0000007E — SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
A system thread generated an error a driver didn't catch — very commonly graphics or Wi-Fi drivers right after an update.
0X0000008E — KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
Similar to KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED — a kernel-level error a driver couldn't recover from.
0X000000C2 — BAD_POOL_CALLER
A driver incorrectly requested or freed a block of memory — almost always a specific faulty or outdated driver.
0X00000019 — BAD_POOL_HEADER
Memory pool corruption, usually caused by a buggy driver or, less often, failing RAM.
0X000000F4 — CRITICAL_OBJECT_TERMINATION
A critical process or thread Windows depends on was unexpectedly terminated — often tied to a failing drive.
0X0000004E — PFN_LIST_CORRUPT
Corruption in the page frame number list Windows uses to track memory — usually faulty RAM.
0X00000133 — DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION
A driver took too long responding to a routine check — commonly storage (SSD/NVMe) drivers or firmware.
0X00000116 — VIDEO_TDR_ERROR
The graphics driver stopped responding and failed to recover — usually a driver issue, sometimes an unstable GPU overclock.
0X0000009C — MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION
The CPU detected a hardware-level error — commonly overheating, an unstable overclock, or failing hardware.
0X80240034 — Update Download Cancelled
The update download was interrupted, often by low disk space or a network drop mid-download.
0X80070422 — A Service Is Not Running (Update-Related)
The Windows Update service itself is disabled or stopped and needs to be started.
0X8007232B — DNS Name Does Not Exist
A DNS resolution failure prevented Windows Update or activation from reaching Microsoft's servers.
0X80200053 — Feature Update Ran Out of Time
A major feature update took too long during installation and was rolled back for safety.
0XC190020E — Not Enough Disk Space (Feature Update)
The feature update needs more free space than is currently available, even after normal Disk Cleanup.
0X8024A105 — Update Store Component Error
A conflict within the Windows Update Store component, usually resolved by resetting the update components.
0XC1900107 — Pending Update Cleanup Required
A previous update installation left cleanup operations pending that need to finish before a new one can proceed.
0XC1900208 — Incompatible App or Setting Blocking Feature Update
Windows detected an installed app or system setting that's known to be incompatible with the new version and blocked the upgrade to protect your data.
0X80072EE7 — Store/Update Connection Timed Out
A connection to Microsoft's servers timed out — usually a network stability issue or DNS problem.
0X80073CF9 — Microsoft Store App Package Failed
A Microsoft Store app's installation package is corrupted or a dependency is missing.
0XC004F050 — The Software Licensing Service Reported the Product Key Is Invalid
The product key entered doesn't match a valid Windows license, was already used elsewhere in a way that conflicts with this install, or — a specific, common cause — the key is for a different Windows edition than what's actually installed.
0X803F7001 — Digital License Not Found for This Device
Windows can't find a valid digital license tied to this specific device — common after major hardware changes like a new motherboard, or when the Microsoft account the license is actually linked to isn't the one currently signed in.
0XC004C003 — The Activation Server Determined the Specified Product Key Has Been Blocked
One of the most common activation errors — the key itself has been specifically blocked, which is a different situation from a typo or a temporary connectivity issue. Common real causes: the key was resold or leaked and Microsoft blacklisted it, it's been used on more devices than its license allows, or a major hardware change (especially a motherboard swap) disconnected the digital license from this specific machine.
DNS-PROBE-FINISHED-NXDOMAIN — DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
The browser couldn't resolve a website's address at all — the DNS lookup found nothing, which usually points to your DNS settings or the site being genuinely down.
ERR-CONNECTION-TIMED-OUT — ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
Your browser sent a request but got no response in time — could be the site, your firewall, or your connection.
0X800704CF — The Network Location Cannot Be Reached
Windows can't reach a specific network resource — commonly a mapped drive or shared folder that's offline or misconfigured.
0X80070645 — Network-Related Access Denied
A permissions issue when accessing a network share or resource — the account doesn't have the rights the target expects, or Windows is specifically blocking a type of access it now treats as insecure by default.
0X8007007E — The Specified Module Could Not Be Found
A required system or app component (DLL) is missing or wasn't registered correctly.
0XC0000034 — STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND (Boot Error)
Windows can't find a file it needs during startup, often after an interrupted update installation.
0X80070017 — The Cyclic Redundancy Check Failed
Data on the disk is corrupted and failed an integrity check — often points to physical drive damage or a bad copy/burn.
0X80070780 — The File Cannot Be Accessed by the System
A specific file is locked, corrupted, or the drive has a developing hardware issue preventing access.
1602 — User Cancelled Installation
The installer detected what it interpreted as a cancel action, sometimes triggered incorrectly by antivirus software or a UAC prompt timeout.
2503 — Could Not Access Network Location (Installer)
The Windows Installer service doesn't have the permissions it needs, often due to a folder permissions issue on Temp directories.
#REF! — #REF! Error
A formula is pointing to a cell that no longer exists — usually because a row, column, or sheet it referenced was deleted.
#VALUE! — #VALUE! Error
The formula received the wrong type of data — commonly text where it expected a number.
#DIV/0! — #DIV/0! Error
The formula is dividing by zero or by an empty cell.
#N/A — #N/A Error
A lookup formula (VLOOKUP, MATCH, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH) couldn't find a matching value.
#NAME? — #NAME? Error
Excel doesn't recognize text used in the formula — most often a misspelled function name or a missing quotation mark.
#NUM! — #NUM! Error
A formula produced a number too large or small for Excel to represent, or received an invalid argument.
#NULL! — #NULL! Error
A space was used instead of a comma between two ranges that don't actually intersect.
EXCEL-UNREADABLE-CONTENT — Excel Found Unreadable Content
Excel detected some form of corruption in the file when opening it.
EXCEL-FILE-FORMAT-NOT-VALID — The File Format or Extension Is Not Valid
The file's actual format doesn't match its extension — commonly happens when a file is renamed to .xlsx without actually being converted, or the file is partially downloaded/corrupted.
EXCEL-COMMAND-SEND-PROBLEM — There Was a Problem Sending the Command to the Program
Windows tried to open an Excel file through another program (like double-clicking an attachment) and Excel didn't respond in time — often a leftover invisible Excel process.
EXCEL-OUT-OF-RESOURCES — Excel Ran Out of Resources
Excel hit a memory or resource ceiling, often tied to running 32-bit Office on a very large file rather than actual RAM shortage.
EXCEL-NOT-RESPONDING — Excel Has Stopped Working / Not Responding
Excel crashed or froze completely, usually tied to a specific add-in, a very large/complex file, or a corrupted installation — though it can also just be a long calculation or macro still genuinely running, which looks identical from the outside but needs a completely different fix.
EXCEL-LOCKED-FOR-EDITING — File Is Locked for Editing by Another User
Excel believes someone else already has the file open, so it opened your copy as read-only.
0X800A03EC — Application-Defined or Object-Defined Error (0x800A03EC)
A common VBA/automation error that fires when a macro or formula references a range, sheet, or object that doesn't exist or isn't currently accessible.
WORD-UNREADABLE-CONTENT — Word Found Unreadable Content
Word detected some form of corruption in the document when opening it.
WORD-CONTENTS-PROBLEM — Word Found a Problem With the Contents
Word's XML parser hit something it couldn't read inside the document's internal structure — usually corruption from an interrupted save or a bad conversion between formats.
WORD-NOT-RESPONDING — Microsoft Word Has Stopped Working / Not Responding
Word crashed or froze completely, usually tied to a specific add-in, a corrupted template, or a very large/complex document — though it can also just be a long operation (a big mail merge, a macro, repagination on a huge document) still genuinely running.
WORD-COMMAND-SEND-PROBLEM — There Was a Problem Sending the Command to the Program
Windows tried to open a Word file through another program (like double-clicking an email attachment) and Word didn't respond in time — often a leftover invisible Word process.
WORD-LOCKED-FOR-EDITING — User Does Not Have Access Privileges / File Locked
Word believes someone else already has the file open, or your account doesn't have write permission on it.
WORD-NORMAL-TEMPLATE-CORRUPTED — Word Experienced an Error Trying to Open the File (Normal.dotm)
Word's global default template (Normal.dotm), which stores default fonts, styles, and macros, has become corrupted.
WORD-LICENSE-NOT-VERIFIED — We Can't Verify Your License for This Product
Office/Microsoft 365 couldn't confirm your subscription or license is still active, often after a network hiccup, a payment issue, or being signed into the wrong Microsoft account.
WORD-COULD-NOT-CREATE-WORK-FILE — Word Could Not Create the Work File
Word couldn't write to your system's temporary files folder, usually because it's misconfigured, full, or has a permissions problem.
CMD-NOT-RECOGNIZED — "is not recognized as an internal or external command"
Command Prompt can't find the program or command you typed, usually because of a typo, a missing space, or the program not being in a location Windows searches by default (its PATH).
CMD-ACCESS-DENIED — "Access is denied" in Command Prompt
The command you ran needs administrator privileges that the current Command Prompt window doesn't have.
DISM-SOURCE-FILES-NOT-FOUND — DISM Error: The Source Files Could Not Be Found
DISM couldn't reach Windows Update to download the repair files it needs, or a local source wasn't specified.
CMD-PATH-NOT-FOUND — "The System Cannot Find the Path Specified"
The folder path in your command doesn't exist, or was typed incorrectly.
CMD-FILE-IN-USE — "The Process Cannot Access the File Because It Is Being Used by Another Process"
Another program currently has the file open or locked, preventing the command from modifying or deleting it.
RESET-PC-NO-CHANGES-MADE — "There Was a Problem Resetting Your PC — No Changes Were Made"
Windows started the Reset this PC process but couldn't complete it, most often due to corrupted system files, a conflicting Windows Store app, low disk space, or a disabled/corrupted Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) — and rolled back without changing anything, hence "no changes were made."
0X00020001 — HYPERVISOR_ERROR
The Windows hypervisor — the low-level layer behind Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and Virtualization-Based Security features like Memory Integrity — hit a fatal error it couldn't recover from. Unlike a typical driver crash, this is reported at the platform level, so the crash dump usually points to a generic function rather than one specific named driver.
IRQL-UNEXPECTED-VALUE — IRQL_UNEXPECTED_VALUE
A related but distinct stop code from IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL — here a driver attempted to lower its interrupt request level improperly, or accessed something unexpected while running at an elevated one. Like its more common relative, it's almost always a driver issue, most often network adapter drivers specifically.
WINDOWS-RESOURCE-PROTECTION-ERROR — "Windows Resource Protection Could Not Perform the Requested Operation"
sfc /scannow itself failed to run properly — this isn't a report about your system files, it's SFC saying it couldn't complete the scan at all. Windows Resource Protection (WRP) is the underlying feature that maintains the cache of known-good files SFC compares against; when SFC can't reach or use that cache, this is the message you get.
MSVCP140-DLL-MISSING — MSVCP140.dll Is Missing or Not Found
MSVCP140.dll is part of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable — a shared component many different programs and games depend on. This message means that redistributable package isn't installed, or its installation has become damaged, not that anything is wrong with the program itself.
VCRUNTIME140-DLL-MISSING — VCRUNTIME140.dll Was Not Found
The same underlying cause as MSVCP140.dll — this is another file from the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable package, and the fix is identical.
API-MS-WIN-CRT-DLL-MISSING — api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll Is Missing
This specific file is part of the Universal C Runtime, closely related to the Visual C++ Redistributable — a shared component many programs depend on. This message means it isn't installed or has become damaged.
D3DX9-DLL-MISSING — d3dx9_43.dll Is Missing
This file is part of DirectX, specifically an older version many games still depend on. This message means that specific DirectX component isn't installed, which is common since it's not always included in the DirectX version Windows ships with by default.
XINPUT1-3-DLL-MISSING — XInput1_3.dll Is Missing
Another DirectX component, specifically the one handling Xbox-style controller input — common with older games that support gamepad input. Like d3dx9_43.dll, it's part of a legacy DirectX runtime not always included by default.
DEVICE-MANAGER-CODE-10 — Device Manager Code 10: This Device Cannot Start
One of the most common, generic Device Manager codes — Windows tried to start the device and couldn't, usually because of an outdated or corrupted driver, though it can also point to a temporary hardware fault.
DEVICE-MANAGER-CODE-28 — Device Manager Code 28: The Drivers for This Device Are Not Installed
Exactly what it says — no driver is currently installed for this device at all, as opposed to a driver being present but broken.
DEVICE-MANAGER-CODE-39 — Device Manager Code 39: Windows Cannot Load the Device Driver for This Hardware
Different from Code 28 — here a driver is present, but Windows can't actually load it, usually because the driver file itself is corrupted or missing a required component.
DEVICE-MANAGER-CODE-43 — Device Manager Code 43: Windows Has Stopped This Device Because It Has Reported Problems
A deliberately vague, catch-all code — the device itself reported a problem to Windows, which stopped it as a protective measure, but the specific reason isn't included in the code itself. Common causes range from a genuinely failing piece of hardware to a driver conflict to, on graphics cards specifically, a crashed or hung GPU.
DEVICE-MANAGER-CODE-45 — Device Manager Code 45: Currently, This Hardware Device Is Not Connected to the Computer
Usually much simpler than most other Device Manager codes: this is a leftover entry for a device that was once connected but genuinely isn't plugged in right now — Windows keeps a record of previously-connected devices, and this code just reflects that.