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0XC000021A

General System STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED Applies to: Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11

What it means

A critical system process (like winlogon.exe or csrss.exe) crashed, usually kicking you to a blue or black screen with this message.

Quick fix steps

  1. Boot into Safe Mode and run "sfc /scannow" and "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth".
  2. Uninstall the most recent Windows Update if this started right after one installed.
  3. Use System Restore to a point before the problem began if repairs don't resolve it.
For the full step-by-step walkthrough, see CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED Blue Screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED serious?
Yes, it's one of the more serious stop codes since it means a core system process failed — but it's still usually fixable through sfc/DISM repairs or a System Restore rather than requiring a full reinstall.
Can antivirus software cause this error?
Yes, in some cases — an antivirus incorrectly flagging and terminating a legitimate system process can trigger this, which is worth considering if it started right after installing new security software.

Other error codes

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.