Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty expansion have brought a lot of welcome changes to the game like a reworked perk system, upgraded enemy AI, and more. While the game is in a very good position in terms of performance and design, some PC users are experiencing errors and issues with Cyberpunk 2077 like Corrupt or missing data error or Flatlined error following update 2.0. Now PC users report EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error and are unable to play the game. In this Cyberpunk 2077 guide, I will list fixes that will help PC users fix the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error.
Cyberpunk 2077 Unhandled Exception Error Fixes You Can Try
According to Cyberpunk 2077 PC players, they are experiencing the Unhandled exception error with the following error message and the game doesn’t boot.
Error reason: Unhandled exception
Expression: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005)
Message: The thread caused a user-mode data execution prevention (DEP) violation at 0x0.
File: <Unknown>(0)
??????????????
OR
Error reason: Unhandled exception Expression: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) Message: The thread caused a user-mode data execution prevention (DEP) violation at 0x0. File: <Unknown>(0)
The EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error is a file-related error and has multiple reasons why it’s occurring like mods, corrupt system files, third-party peripheral drivers causing compatibility issues, and more. The following are the fixes that will help PC users fix the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error.
Run SFC Scan
Corrupt or missing system files is one of the reasons for the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error. Windows has a built-in tool that scans and replaces any damaged or missing system files, called the SFC scan. Run the SFC scan, it’ll fix corrupt files, and the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error will be fixed.
- Open CMD (Command Prompt) and run it as an administrator
- type sfc /scannow and press enter
- let the scan complete and it’ll download and replace any corrupt or damaged system files
- Play Cyberpunk 2077 and the Unhandled exception error is now fixed
Remove Unnecessary Peripherals
PC allows users to attach almost any peripheral to play video games. This is very useful and allows PC users to play the game however they like. However, these third-party peripherals come with their own driver/software which can interfere with games and cause errors like EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005). If you are using a third-party peripheral like a controller, HOTAS, or Bluetooth devices then remove all of them. Plug them in one by one and launch Cyberpunk 2077 each time you plug in a peripheral. This way you’ll find which peripheral is causing the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error and you can remove it when playing Cyberpunk 2077.
Note: Bluetooth devices are the most common cause of the Unhandled exception error. Pc users report that removing Bluetooth devices fixed the Cyberpunk 2077 EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error.
Delete DirectX Shader Cache
DirectX is an API that is necessary to play video games on PC which also stores shaders as a cache to improve performance. The DirectX shader cache on your system is probably corrupt or damaged which is causing Cyberpunk 2077 to display EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error. Delete the DirectX shader cache and DirectX will build a new one and the Unhandled exception error will be fixed.
There are two ways to delete the Direct shader cache. Navigate to C:\Users\’your username’\AppData\Local\NVIDIA and delete the DXCache folder.
Another way to delete the DirectX cache is to open Disk Cleanup > select C drive and press Ok > select DirectX Shader Cache > press OK, and Windows will delete the DirectX Shader cache.
Skip Intro Videos
This one is an unusual one as PC users report that installing the mod that skips the intro videos for Cyberpunk 2077 fixed the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error. Install the No Intro Videos mod and the Cyberpunk 2077 Unhandled Exception error will be fixed.
That is all for our Cyberpunk 2077 fixes for the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) error. If you are experiencing other errors in the game, also see our Cyberpunk 2077 Errors And Fixes guide. Also, see our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and their fixes if you are experiencing errors with other PC video games or PCs.