How to fix Fatal Error C0000022 on Windows?

C0000022 is Windows' code for "access denied". On a black start screen that reads "applying update operation", an update could not change a protected file, so undo or finish it from recovery. On a printer driver web page with a phone number, it is a scam, not an error on your PC.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2, with the Windows 7 and 8.1 recovery paths where they differ.

What Fatal Error C0000022 means and where you see it

C0000022 is not a Windows Update code or a printer code. It is an NTSTATUS value, the internal result codes Windows uses everywhere. Microsoft's list defines 0xC0000022 STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED as: a process has requested access to an object but has not been granted those access rights. The word "fatal" only says the program that hit it gave up.

So the same code means very different things depending on the window it shows up in. Find your case in the table first, because the fixes for a startup loop and for a printer web page have nothing in common.

Why C0000022 happens: causes ranked from most to least common

In the reports from 2022 to 2025 that we read, most people who search for this code met it on a printer driver page. The startup message is older and limited to Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and Server, but it is the one that stops a PC from working. The causes differ by place.

The security software link is not a guess. In October 2018 Windows 8.1 PCs that got update KB4462926 began stopping with this error, and administrators traced it to Sophos endpoint software. Users quoted a Sophos notice that an update to Sophos Core Agent 2.1.3 fixed it. We could not open that Sophos article ourselves.

The printer "fatal error C0000022" page: how to tell it is fake

Malwarebytes documented the pattern in May 2022 for Canon printers: a bogus driver download site lets the download fail, then shows a message about fatal error C0000022 and a number to call. The same text appears with HP, Epson and other brands. An HP community expert answering a scam victim put it plainly: if a site asks for money or wants to log into your computer, it is a fake site.

How to fix Fatal Error C0000022 on Windows

Fixes 1 and 2 are for the printer page. Fixes 3 to 7 are for the black startup screen and run from the recovery screens, which Windows opens by itself after two failed starts in a row. Fix 8 is for when Windows starts again or when Windows Update shows the code.

Fix 1. Close the fake driver page and add the printer from Windows or the maker's own site

5 to 10 minutesNo riskA web page showed "fatal error C0000022" while you tried to download a printer driver.

The error came from the web page, not from your PC, so there is nothing to repair. Microsoft says Windows supports most printers out of the box and that the best way to get a printer driver is Windows Update.

1. Close the tab with the error. If it will not close, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, select the browser and select End task.
2. Turn on the printer and connect it to the PC by USB, or to the same network as the PC.
3. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. On Windows 10, open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
4. Select Add device next to Add a printer or scanner and wait. The list can take a few minutes to fill.
5. Select Add device next to your printer. Windows installs a driver by itself.
6. If you want the maker's full software, type the address by hand: 123.hp.com for HP, or the support section of the maker's own site for Canon, Epson or Brother.
7. Print a test page from Printers & scanners > your printer > Print test page.

If a Find drivers button appears next to the printer, Microsoft explains that the printer works but may have fewer features until a full driver arrives through Windows Update. If the printer is not listed or Windows says it cannot connect, our guide to error 0x000003eb when installing a printer covers the real driver errors.

Fix 2. If you called the number or allowed remote access, lock the scammer out

20 to 40 minutesLow riskYou called the number from the C0000022 page, paid, or installed software someone asked you to install.

The people behind the page do not fix printers. They try to get remote access, payment or personal data. Removing their access and checking the PC stops further damage; the FTC lists remote access and financial information as the scammers' goal.

1. Disconnect the PC from the internet: turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the network cable.
2. Uninstall any remote access tool they asked for, such as UltraViewer, AnyDesk or TeamViewer. Step by step: Uninstall a program or app in Windows.
3. Run a full scan with Microsoft Defender, then an offline scan: How to scan for malware with Microsoft Defender.
4. Reconnect, and from another device change the passwords of your email, bank and Microsoft account. Turn on two-step sign-in.
5. If you paid, call your bank or card company with the number on the back of your card and ask to reverse the charge.
6. Report the site and the phone number at reportfraud.ftc.gov in the US, or to your national fraud office.

Fix 3. Start in Safe Mode once so the pending update can finish

10 to 20 minutesLow riskThe PC stops at "Fatal error C0000022 applying update operation" on every start.

Safe Mode starts Windows without third party drivers and services, so security software that blocks a file is not loaded. Users on Microsoft Q&A and Spiceworks report that the update then completed and Windows started normally afterwards.

1. Force the recovery screens. Turn on the PC. As soon as the maker's logo appears, hold the power button until the PC turns off. Do this twice. On the third start Windows should open the recovery environment. If you see a screen with Advanced options, select it.
2. Select Troubleshoot. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

   

3. Open Startup Settings. Select Advanced options > Startup Settings.

   

4. Restart. On the Startup Settings page, select Restart. The PC restarts and shows a numbered list.
5. Choose Safe Mode. Press 4 or F4 for Enable Safe Mode. Press 5 or F5 for Enable Safe Mode with Networking if you need the internet, for example to download a scanner or a driver.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10, from the Windows Recovery Environment. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Start Windows or a Mac in Safe Mode

• Windows 8 and 8.1: the recovery screens and the Startup Settings > 4 choice look the same as above.
• Windows 7: press F8 before the Windows logo and choose Safe Mode in Advanced Boot Options.
• A user on Spiceworks describes the result: after choosing Safe Mode, the PC went through the update steps again and started in normal mode. Sign in when it does.

Once you are in Windows, do not install updates yet. Go to Fix 8 first, so the same update does not hit the same block. More ways to reach Safe Mode: Start Windows or a Mac in Safe Mode.

Fix 4. Go back to a restore point with System Restore from the recovery screens

15 to 30 minutesRead the warningSafe Mode did not get past the error and System Restore was on before the update.

System Restore puts back system files, drivers and the registry from before the update, so the half applied update is gone. It is the fix HP's community experts gave for this exact message on HP laptops with Windows 8.1.

1. Go to Advanced options. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options.

   

2. Select System Restore. Select System Restore. If the drive is encrypted, enter your BitLocker recovery key when asked.

   

3. Choose a restore point and finish. Select a restore point from before the problem, optionally Scan for affected programs, then select Next and Finish.
4. Restart. When the restore is done, select Restart.

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10, from the Windows Recovery Environment. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Undo recent changes with System Restore

On HP PCs you can also reach recovery by pressing Esc repeatedly at power on, then F11. On Windows 7, press F8 and choose Repair your computer > System Restore.

Fix 5. Revert the pending update actions with DISM from the recovery Command Prompt

10 minutesLow riskThere is no restore point, or System Restore failed, and the message still returns.

The update left a queue of operations for the next start, and one of them is denied every time. Microsoft documents /RevertPendingActions for a boot failure: it reverts all pending actions from earlier servicing operations, because they might be the cause.

1. In the recovery screens, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. On Windows 7, choose Command Prompt in System Recovery Options.
2. Find the drive that holds Windows. In recovery it is often not C. Try D: and E: if C shows no Windows folder.

   dir C:\Windows

3. Run DISM against that drive. Replace C: with the letter you found.

   dism /image:C:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions

4. Wait until DISM reports that the operation completed. Do not close the window while it works.
5. Type exit, press Enter, and select Continue or restart the PC.

Fix 6. Remove the failing update package with DISM

15 minutesLow riskReverting pending actions did not help and you can see which update was installed last.

Windows 7 and 8.1 have no Uninstall Updates button in recovery, so DISM is the way to take an installed update out of a Windows that does not start. A Microsoft community answer gave this method for the C0000022 loop after Windows 7 SP1.

1. Open the recovery Command Prompt as in Fix 5 and find your Windows drive letter.
2. List the installed packages in a table. Replace C: with your drive letter.

   dism /image:C:\ /get-packages /format:table

3. Find the newest entry whose name starts with Package_for_KB and whose install time matches the day the error began. Write the full name down exactly.
4. Remove that package. Paste or type the full name after /packagename:.

   dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:PASTE_THE_PACKAGE_NAME_HERE

5. Wait for DISM to finish, type exit, and restart the PC.

A name looks like Package_for_KB4462926~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~ followed by a version number. We could not confirm the exact version of every package, so always copy the name from your own list.

Fix 7. Run Startup Repair to fix the boot files

10 to 30 minutesLow riskThe file in brackets is a boot file such as bfsvc.exe, or Windows now stops before the update screen.

bfsvc.exe is the Windows boot file servicing tool. When the update is denied while it changes boot files, the boot configuration can be left half done. Startup Repair checks why Windows does not start and repairs the boot files and settings it finds damaged.

1. Select Troubleshoot. On Choose an option, select Troubleshoot.

   

2. Open Advanced options. Select Advanced options.
3. Start the repair. Select Quick machine recovery (or Startup Repair on older versions).

   

4. Sign in if asked. Choose an administrator account and type its password. If Windows asks for the BitLocker recovery key, enter it.
5. Wait for the result. The check can take a while. If it fixes the problem, the PC restarts into Windows. If it cannot, it says so and shows where its log file is; select Advanced options and continue below.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10, from the Windows Recovery Environment. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run Startup Repair

On Windows 7 and 8.1 the tile is called Startup Repair; Windows 11 26H2 calls it Quick machine recovery. Full steps: Run Startup Repair. If Startup Repair reports it cannot repair the PC, its log is at C:\Windows\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt.

Fix 8. Once Windows starts, update the security software and reset Windows Update

20 to 40 minutesLow riskWindows starts again after any fix above, or Windows Update shows C0000022 without a startup loop.

The update you removed will be offered again, and the same block will deny it again. Updating or pausing the security software and clearing the update cache removes both causes before the next attempt.

1. Open your antivirus or endpoint software and update it to the newest version. In 2018 a Sophos update fixed the KB4462926 case.
2. If the error came back with a third party antivirus, pause its protection for the next update only, and turn it back on right after: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment.
3. Reset the Windows Update components and rename the SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 folders: Reset Windows Update components.
4. Check system files with sfc /scannow in an administrator Command Prompt: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files.
5. Install the updates again and restart while you are at the PC, so you see at once whether it passes.

Still seeing Fatal Error C0000022? Read the logs and check the hardware

The startup message shows only the operation number and a short file name. The servicing log shows the full path and the step that was denied. From the recovery Command Prompt, type notepad and use File > Open to browse the Windows drive and read these files.

• What to send to support: the full message with both operation numbers and the file in brackets, your Windows version, the KB number of the last update, your antivirus, and the CBS.log lines around c0000022.
• When it is hardware: the drive clicks, starts take minutes, or the maker's diagnostics fail. HP's experts ask for the built in hardware test first (Esc, then F2 on HP PCs). Replace a failing drive before you reinstall.
• When nothing works: copy your files off the drive on another PC, then reinstall Windows. From a working desktop, see Reinstall Windows without losing files.

How to stop Fatal Error C0000022 from coming back

The startup loop and the printer page have different roots, but both are easy to avoid with a few habits. The first three points prevent the update loop; the last two keep you away from the fake driver sites.

• Keep security software up to date before monthly updates install. The 2018 wave hit PCs with an older endpoint agent.
• Keep System Protection turned on for drive C, so Fix 4 has a restore point to go back to.
• Restart for updates while you are at the PC, not with an overnight shutdown, so a loop is caught at once.
• Add printers through Settings > Printers & scanners first. Get extra software only from an address you type by hand, such as 123.hp.com.
• Treat any driver page that shows a phone number or a chat with "support" as fake. Printer makers do not ask you to call to download a driver.

Frequently asked questions

What is fatal error C0000022?

It is Windows' access denied code, STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED in Microsoft's NTSTATUS list. A program asked Windows for access to a file, folder or registry key and did not get it, so it stopped. On a black startup screen it means an update could not change a protected file. On a printer driver web page that shows a phone number, it is part of a scam and nothing on your PC is wrong. Find your case in the table near the top.

During printer setup a page said fatal error C0000022. What does it mean?

It means you were on a fake driver download site. Malwarebytes and HP's community experts describe the same pattern: the download fails, the page shows a fatal error C0000022 message, and it asks you to call or chat with "support", who then ask for payment or remote access. Close the page and add the printer in Settings, or get the software from the maker's own address, as in Fix 1.

Is the HP fatal error C0000022 message real?

Not when it appears on a website together with a phone number or a chat window. HP gives printer drivers for free on 123.hp.com and through the HP Smart app, and an HP community expert warns that a site asking for money or remote access is fake. A real installer error never comes with a number to call. If you already let someone connect, follow Fix 2.

I called the number on the C0000022 page. What should I do now?

Disconnect from the internet, uninstall any remote access program they asked for, and run a full Microsoft Defender scan, as in Fix 2. Then change your email, bank and Microsoft passwords from another device. If you paid, call your bank or card company and ask to reverse the charge. Report the site and the number at reportfraud.ftc.gov in the US, or to your national fraud office elsewhere. Do not answer if they call back.

How do I fix "Fatal error C0000022 applying update operation" when Windows will not start?

Force the recovery screens by turning the PC off twice during start, then choose Safe Mode under Startup Settings (Fix 3). Users report that the update then finishes. If not, use System Restore from Advanced options (Fix 4), then DISM with /RevertPendingActions (Fix 5) or remove the update package by name (Fix 6). Your personal files stay with all of these.

What does 0xc0000022 mean, and is it the same as C0000022?

Yes, it is the same code. Windows writes NTSTATUS values with the 0x prefix in some places and without it in others, so 0xC0000022 and C0000022 both mean access denied. People also type c00000022 with an extra zero. The meaning stays the same, but the fix depends on the window. As "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000022)", it is a program that cannot read its own files, not the update or printer problem on this page.

Can antivirus software cause fatal error C0000022?

Yes, that is the best documented cause of the startup message. In October 2018 Windows 8.1 PCs with Sophos endpoint software stopped with this error after update KB4462926, and users reported that Sophos fixed it with a new Core Agent version. Safe Mode works around it because third party security drivers do not load there. Do not remove protection for good: update the software, or pause it for one update and turn it back on.

Does fatal error C0000022 happen on Windows 10 or Windows 11?

The startup message with "applying update operation" belongs to Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 and their Server versions. Every report we found names one of those, and we could not confirm a single Windows 10 or 11 case with that text. On Windows 11 the code shows up mostly on fake printer driver pages, which do not depend on the Windows version. Windows 10 and 11 use different update screens.

Will I lose my files fixing the C0000022 startup loop?

Not with Fixes 3 to 7. Safe Mode, DISM and Startup Repair do not touch personal files. System Restore keeps your documents and photos but removes apps, drivers and updates installed after the restore point. Only a full reinstall removes files, and only if you choose that option. If your PC holds files you have no copy of, copy them to another drive before a reinstall.

How long does the C0000022 fix take?

The printer page takes 5 to 10 minutes: close it and add the printer in Settings. The startup loop takes 15 to 60 minutes, because each recovery tool needs a restart. Safe Mode is the quickest when it works. System Restore usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. DISM can take longer on an old hard disk, and you should not interrupt it while it runs.