Windows Error Code Lookup
Decode a Windows error code and see what actually causes it.
What you provide
Result
15 common codes listed
Type a code above to see what it means and what to try. Codes beginning 0x8007 are Win32 errors wrapped in an HRESULT, so the last four digits are the underlying Win32 code, which is why 0x80070005 and "access denied" are the same thing said twice.
- 0x80070005The operation was refused by permissions.
- ACCESS_DENIED
- 0x80070002A file the operation needed is missing.
- FILE_NOT_FOUND
- 0x80070570A file is unreadable or fails its checksum.
- FILE_CORRUPT
- 0x8007000ENot enough memory to complete the operation.
- OUTOFMEMORY
- 0x80004005An unspecified failure. The least helpful code Windows produces.
- E_FAIL
- 0x800F081FComponent store repair could not find source files.
- CBS_E_SOURCE_MISSING
- 0x80073712The component store is damaged.
- CORRUPT_COMPONENT_STORE
- 0xC000021AA critical user-mode process stopped, so Windows halted.
- STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED
- 0x80240034An update failed to download.
- WU_E_DOWNLOAD_FAILED
- 0x80070643A fatal error during installation.
- INSTALL_FAILURE
- 0x8024402CUpdate servers could not be resolved.
- WU_E_PT_WINHTTP_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
- 0x80070017Data read did not match its checksum.
- CRC_ERROR
- 0x800705B4The operation did not finish in time.
- TIMEOUT
- 0x80070424A required service is missing or disabled.
- SERVICE_DOES_NOT_EXIST
- 0x000000EFA process Windows cannot run without has stopped.
- CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
What this cannot tell you
- A reference table for common codes. It does not read your system, your event log or your update history.
- Windows defines thousands of error codes and this covers the ones that recur on a repair bench. Meanings may change between releases, so verify with vendor documentation: the same code frequently means different things in different operations, and the event that produced it matters more than the code itself.
Take this with you
How this calculation works
Search by code or by keyword. Each entry gives the symbolic name, what the code actually means, and what usually produces it in practice. Codes beginning 0x8007 get one extra piece of decoding: they are plain Win32 errors wrapped in an HRESULT, so the last four hexadecimal digits are the underlying error number, which is why 0x80070005 and access denied are the same thing said twice.
What the results mean
- Symbolic name
- The constant Windows uses internally. Searching for this name usually finds better documentation than searching for the number.
- Meaning
- What the code literally reports. It names the failure rather than the cause, which is why the same code appears in very different situations.
- What to try
- The cause that most often produces it in practice, and the check that either confirms or eliminates it.
Common problems and fixes
- The same update fails repeatedly with the same code
- Look at what the code is actually reporting rather than searching the number alone. A file-not-found during an update usually means the downloaded payload is damaged, which clearing the download cache resolves. A corrupt-file code points somewhere else entirely: it is strongly associated with failing memory or a failing drive, so test both before reinstalling anything.
- The code appears with no context
- Open Event Viewer and find the event carrying it. The entry names the operation, and usually the file, service or component involved, which is the information the code lacks. A code on its own is a symptom without a location, and searching it alone produces advice written for someone else problem.
Frequently asked questions
What does 0x8007 at the start mean?
It marks an HRESULT wrapping a Win32 error. The 8 means failure, 007 identifies the Win32 facility, and the final four hexadecimal digits are the ordinary Win32 error number. That is why so many Windows codes share a prefix while meaning completely unrelated things.
Are stop codes the same as error codes?
No. A stop code appears on a blue screen and identifies why the kernel halted, usually with a driver named alongside it. The codes here are returned by API calls and installers while Windows is still running. Both are worth reading, and they come from different places.
Is a corrupt-file error always a software problem?
Often not. Repeated checksum and corruption errors during updates or installs are one of the more reliable signals of failing memory or a failing drive, because those operations read and write far more data than normal use. Testing memory and checking drive health first saves reinstalling an operating system that was never the problem.
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