Last Updated on September 9, 2023 by David
Starfield is one of the biggest releases of 2023 and the game is yet to fully release. Those who purchased the Premium Edition got to play the game almost a week early. The overall reception has been great but the players have mixed opinions about Starfield. Aside from the quality and reception of the game, PC players report experiencing the Error 0xc0000142. In this Starfield guide, I will list fixes that will help players fix the Error 0xc0000142.
Starfield Error 0xc0000142 Fixes That’ll Help
Error 0xc0000142 is a game files related error. There are multiple reasons why Starfield is experiencing Error 0xc0000142 like a mod or multiple mods causing the error, Windows registry files having wrong values, and more. The following are the fixes that will help Starfield players fix the error 0xc0000142.
Delete Mods, Remove DLSS Mod
We all know, Bethesda RPGs are loved by PC gamers for having the ability to be modded to their liking. However, some mods prove to be incompatible with the game and this is the reason for the Starield error 0xc0000142. To fix the error, remove any mods you have installed and install them again one by one to check which Starfield mod in particular is causing the 0xc0000142 error.
It’s worth noting that Bethesda released Starfield without the DLSS support, and the DLSS mod is the most popular and downloaded mod for the game. Unfortunately, the Starfield DLSS mod is the reason for the 0xc0000142 error in many cases. Disable or delete the DLSS mod and the Starfield will run without any crashes or issues.
Tweak Windows Registry
Another possible reason for the Starfield 0xc0000142 error is the Windows Registry which can be fixed with a little tweak.
- Press the Windows + R buttons
- Type regedit and press Enter
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
- Look for LoadAppInit_DLLs and double-click it
- Change its value to 0, if it’s set to 1, and press OK
- Restart your PC.
- Launch Starfield and the 0xc0000142 error is now fixed.
Update GPU Driver
Outdated GPU driver is another reason why Starfield players are experiencing the 0xc0000142 error. Starfield, at launch, isn’t playing really well with old driver versions, specifically for Nvidia GPUs. Update your GPU driver to at least Nvidia Driver version 537.13. Ensure that you do a clean installation so that settings from the previous driver install won’t interfere with the new one. This will fix the Error 0xc0000142.
Run In Compatibility Mode
Another fix for the Starfield Error 0xc0000142 is to run the game in compatibility mode. Right-click the game in Steam library > Manage > Browse Local Files.
If you own Starfield on Gamepass, right-click Starfield > Manage > Files > click Browse. A new window will open with Starfield game files. Go to Starfield > Content and right-click Starfield executable > Properties > Compatibility tab > check “Run This Program in compatibility mode for” and select Windows 7. Apply the changes, launch Starfield, and the Error 0xc0000142 is now fixed.
That is all for our Starfield fixes for the 0xc0000142 error. If you are experiencing other Starfield errors and crashes, check our Failed To Create Save Game Fix, Crash Fixes, and How To Change FOV. Also, see our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and their fixes if you are experiencing errors with other PC video games or PCs.