How to fix "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0150002)" error in Windows?

Error 0xc0150002 means Windows could not build the list of shared components a program asks for, so it stopped the program before its window opened. Most often an old Visual C++ 2005 or 2008 runtime is missing or damaged. Read the SideBySide entry in Event Viewer first: it names the program and the missing part.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0150002)" means

The full message reads: The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0150002). Click OK to close the application. Windows shows it when it starts loading a program but cannot prepare the shared parts that the program says it needs. Selecting OK only closes the message; the program does not run.

Many Windows programs carry a small description called a manifest. It lists shared components, called side-by-side assemblies, by name, version and processor type (x86 or 64-bit). Before the program starts, Windows reads that list and builds an "activation context". If a listed part is missing, damaged or unreadable, that step fails and you get 0xc0150002.

• 0xC0150002 is STATUS_SXS_CANT_GEN_ACTCTX. Microsoft's text: Windows was unable to process the application binding information; refer to the system event log for further information.
• 0xC0150004 is STATUS_SXS_ASSEMBLY_NOT_FOUND: the referenced assembly is not installed on the system. 0xC0150001 is STATUS_SXS_SECTION_NOT_FOUND. Both come from the same part of Windows.
• What that means for you: Windows itself tells you to read the event log. The log, not the code, names the missing part.
• It is not a virus warning and not a hardware alarm. It is a loading failure of one program.

Why a program fails to start with error 0xc0150002

Microsoft's C++ troubleshooting page lists what makes this kind of loading fail. The assembly named in the manifest is not installed in WinSxS nor next to the program, a policy redirects to a missing version, or the manifest itself is broken. In practice that sorts like this.

Why a 64-bit PC can still miss the 32-bit runtime

A manifest names the processor type of every component it needs. Microsoft notes that 64-bit assemblies cannot be loaded in 32-bit processes. Many older programs and games are 32-bit, so on 64-bit Windows they still need the x86 package of their runtime.

How to fix "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0150002)"

Fix 1 tells you which of the others to run. Fixes 2 and 3 solve most cases. Fix 4 is for a window that appears at sign-in. Fixes 5 and 6 are for when the event says too little or many programs fail. Test the program after each fix.

Fix 1. Read the SideBySide event in Event Viewer to find the missing part

5 minutesNo riskEveryone. Microsoft's own text for this code points to the event log.

When Windows cannot build a program's activation context, it writes an error with the source SideBySide. That entry holds the program path and, in most cases, the component that could not be found, which the error window does not show.

1. Write down the file name in the title bar of the error window, such as game.exe - Application Error, then select OK.
2. Press Win + R, type eventvwr.msc and select OK.
3. Open Windows Logs > Application, then select Filter Current Log in the right pane.
4. In Event sources, tick SideBySide and select OK.
5. Select the newest Error at the time of the failure and read the General tab.
6. Note the program path and every component name, version and processor type the text mentions. If the Application log is empty, repeat the filter in Windows Logs > System.

Fix 2. Install the Visual C++ 2005 or 2008 runtime the program asks for

10 to 15 minutesLow riskThe event or trace names Microsoft.VC80.CRT (Visual C++ 2005) or Microsoft.VC90.CRT (Visual C++ 2008), or you have an older program and no event.

Programs built with Visual C++ 2005 and 2008 load their runtime as a side-by-side assembly from WinSxS. Newer PCs often ship only the 2015 to 2022 runtime, which does not replace them. Each year's package installs next to the others; it does not overwrite them.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and type Visual C++ in the search box.
2. Look for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable or Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable, with (x86) and (x64) after the name.
3. If the year the event names is there, select the three dots, then Modify and Repair.
4. If it is missing, open Microsoft's Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads page and get that year's package from its older versions section.
5. Install the x86 package. On 64-bit Windows install the x64 package of the same year too.
6. Restart the PC and start the program.

Step by step, including .NET Framework: How to repair Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and .NET Framework.

Fix 3. Reinstall the program from its maker

10 to 20 minutesRead the warningThe event names the program's own folder or a component with its name, or the runtime is in place and it still fails.

A program can keep its manifest, its .config file and private side-by-side parts in its own folder. Microsoft's C++ troubleshooting page shows that Windows looks there when a part is not in WinSxS, and fails if it is missing. A fresh install puts those files back, and most installers also add the runtime they need.

1. Press Win + R, type appwiz.cpl and select OK to open Programs and Features.
2. Select the failing program and choose Repair if it is offered. Test the program.
3. If there is no repair or it did not help, right-click the program and select Uninstall.
4. Restart the PC.
5. Download the newest version from the maker's website or the store you bought it from, and install it.
6. Start the program before you change any other setting.

With the Settings app instead: Uninstall a program or app in Windows.

Fix 4. Stop the startup entry that launches a broken program at sign-in

10 minutesLow riskThe window appears when Windows starts or you sign in, and you did not open anything.

If 0xc0150002 appears at boot, something in your startup list is launching a program whose parts are gone, often the remains of a partly removed program. The SideBySide event from Fix 1 gives its path; disabling the entry stops the window without touching anything else.

1. Right-click Start, select Task Manager and open Startup apps.
2. Find the program from the error title bar or the event path. Right-click it and select Open file location to confirm it is the same file.
3. If you still use that program, do Fix 2 or Fix 3 for it instead. If you do not, right-click the entry and select Disable.
4. If it is not in the list, press Win + R, type taskschd.msc, open Task Scheduler Library and look for a task whose Actions tab starts the same file.
5. Right-click that task and select Disable. Do not touch tasks whose author is Microsoft.
6. Restart the PC and check whether the window returns.

Fix 5. Trace the program start with sxstrace to get the exact missing name

10 minutesNo riskThe event is missing or vague, or you installed the runtime and the program still fails.

sxstrace is Microsoft's tool to diagnose side-by-side problems on Windows 11 and Windows 10. It records every step of building the activation context and shows which manifest or assembly the program could not resolve.

1. Select Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes.
2. Type sxstrace trace -logfile:%TEMP%\sxstrace.etl and press Enter. Leave the window open; tracing runs until you stop it.
3. Start the failing program and wait for the 0xc0150002 window. Select OK.
4. Go back to Command Prompt and answer its prompt to stop tracing.
5. Type sxstrace parse -logfile:%TEMP%\sxstrace.etl -outfile:%TEMP%\sxstrace.txt and press Enter.
6. Type notepad %TEMP%\sxstrace.txt and press Enter. Press Ctrl + F and search for ERROR.
7. Read the lines just above the error: they name the assembly, its version and its processor type. Use the table above to see which fix it needs.

sxstrace trace -logfile:%TEMP%\sxstrace.etl
sxstrace parse -logfile:%TEMP%\sxstrace.etl -outfile:%TEMP%\sxstrace.txt
notepad %TEMP%\sxstrace.txt

Fix 6. Repair the Windows component store with DISM and SFC

20 to 30 minutesNo riskSeveral programs fail with 0xc0150002 or 0xc0150004, the trace names a Windows component, or nothing above helped.

Shared side-by-side parts come from the Windows component store in WinSxS. Microsoft's list has a separate code for a damaged store (0xC015001A). DISM repairs that store and SFC then restores damaged system files from it. On a healthy PC it changes nothing, so it comes last.

1. Open an elevated command window. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.

   

2. Run DISM first. Type the command below and press Enter. DISM downloads clean copies of damaged components from Windows Update, so it can take several minutes. Wait until it says The operation completed successfully.

   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

3. Run System File Checker. In the same window, type the command below and press Enter. Do not close the window until the verification reaches 100%.

   sfc /scannow

   

4. Read the result and restart. Compare the last message with the table below this guide, then restart the PC so that repaired files are loaded.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

If 0xc0150002 still appears

When one program still fails after Fixes 2 and 3, its installer is not putting the parts its manifest asks for on your PC, and only its maker can fix that. Send them the facts, not only the code.

1. Copy the text of the newest SideBySide error from Event Viewer (Fix 1).
2. Attach the sxstrace.txt file from Fix 5.
3. Run winver and copy the Windows version and OS build.
4. Send these to the program's support or official forum and ask which runtime its version needs.

• On a work or school PC, software policies may block installing runtimes. Ask your IT department before you change anything.
• Disk errors (Disk or Ntfs entries in the System log) point to a failing drive, which can damage WinSxS again. Check it with Check a disk for errors (chkdsk) and back up your files.
• A related code: if the same window shows 0xc0000141 instead, see our guide to error 0xc0000141, which has different causes.
• Windows parts fail too and DISM cannot repair the store: an in-place repair that keeps your files is next, Reinstall Windows without losing files.

How to keep error 0xc0150002 from coming back

Side-by-side errors come back when shared runtimes are removed or a program is half removed. A few habits prevent most of them.

Frequently asked questions

What does error 0xc0150002 mean?

It means Windows could not process a program's binding information, so it stopped the program before it opened. In Microsoft's NTSTATUS list, 0xC0150002 is STATUS_SXS_CANT_GEN_ACTCTX, a side-by-side error. The program's manifest asks for shared components, and Windows could not find or read one of them. Microsoft's own text says to look in the event log, where a SideBySide entry names the missing part.

How do I fix the 0xc0150002 error?

Open Event Viewer, filter the Application log for the source SideBySide and read the newest error. If it names Microsoft.VC80.CRT or Microsoft.VC90.CRT, install the Visual C++ 2005 or 2008 Redistributable from Microsoft, x86 and on 64-bit Windows also x64. If it names the program's own part, reinstall the program from its maker. If the window appears at sign-in, disable the startup entry. Repairing Windows with DISM and SFC comes last.

Why does 0xc0150002 appear when Windows starts?

Because a startup entry or scheduled task launches a program whose side-by-side parts are missing. This often happens after a program was partly removed, or after a clean-up tool deleted an old Visual C++ runtime. Read the SideBySide event to get the program path, then either repair that program or disable its entry in Task Manager under Startup apps. Run a malware scan first if the path is in a Temp or AppData folder.

What is the difference between 0xc0150002 and 0xc0150004?

Both are side-by-side codes from the same part of Windows. The code 0xc0150004 is STATUS_SXS_ASSEMBLY_NOT_FOUND: the referenced assembly is not installed on the system. 0xc0150002 is broader: Windows could not build the program's activation context at all, and a missing assembly is the most common reason. The fixes on this page work for both, starting with the SideBySide event and the Visual C++ runtime it names.

What about "unable to start correctly 0xc0150001"?

0xc0150001 is STATUS_SXS_SECTION_NOT_FOUND: a requested section is not present in the activation context. It belongs to the same side-by-side family and shows the same window. Read the SideBySide event and run sxstrace (Fix 5) to see what the program could not resolve, then reinstall the program or the runtime it names. If many programs show it, repair the component store with DISM and SFC.

Does this error appear on Windows 10?

Yes. The same window and code appear on Windows 10, and every fix on this page works the same way there. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so it gets no new security fixes. The cause is the program and its runtime, not the Windows version, so moving to Windows 11 alone does not fix it: the same runtime must be installed there too.

Is 0xc0150002 a virus?

No, the error itself is not a virus warning. It is a loading failure that Windows shows for any program whose side-by-side parts are missing. It is worth a malware scan only when the event names a file you never installed, especially one in a Temp or AppData folder that starts by itself. In that case run a full Microsoft Defender scan before you delete anything.

Can I fix it by downloading a missing DLL?

No. Side-by-side components are registered in WinSxS with a manifest, version and processor type, so a single DLL copied into a folder does not satisfy the program. DLL download sites also carry the wrong versions and sometimes malware. Install the Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft, or reinstall the program from its maker. Those put every file and manifest where Windows looks for them.

What is "ошибка при запуске приложения 0xc0150002" or "error 0xc0150002 sigma"?

The Russian text is the same message in a Russian Windows: the application was unable to start correctly with code 0xc0150002, and the Spanish "la aplicación no se pudo iniciar correctamente" is the same too. The fixes here apply in every language. Searches that add a program name, such as Sigma, mean that program is the one failing; we could not confirm which Sigma program is meant, but the SideBySide event will name what it is missing.