FIXED: Starfield Error 0xc0000005

Starfield is being praised for its open-world setting and soundtracks, but it has clearly brought some errors within itself. One such error is Error 0xC0000005, which prevents the user from launching the game itself.

The causes of this error can be Incompatible System Specs, Windows Defender Interference, Corrupt or Deleted Game Files, Virtual Memory not enabled, Faulty RAM modules, Missing C++ Redistributables, Outdated Graphics Drivers, and Corrupted DirectX Shader cache files.

The error 0xc0000005 states, “The game has crashed. Error code: (0xC0000005).

Starfield Error 0xc0000005. (image captured by eXputer) — Starfield’s Error 0xc0000005. (image captured by eXputer)

Key Takeaways

Here’s how you can fix Error 0xc0000005:

Check Starfield’s System Requirements.
Add an exception in Windows Defender.
Verify Starfield’s files.
Delete DirectX Shader Cache.
Download and Install Essential C++ Runtime Libraries.
Disable in-game Overlays.
Disable GPU Overclocking.
Enable Virtual Memory.
Update your GPU Drivers.
Check and clean your RAM Modules.

System Requirements For Starfield

First off, check your system requirements, as it is crucial for your system to avoid such disasters as the Error 0xc0000005. Therefore, it is best to check your system specs to see if they meet the system requirements or not before installing or downloading the game.

The infographic below shows the required system requirements for Starfield:

Starfield System Requirements. (image captured by eXputer)

Exception in Windows Defender

Windows Defender can be the culprit of many errors due to its functionality of deleting any files it detects as malware or viruses. Most of the time, it’s false-positive. To go above fixing this, you should first deactivate your antivirus software and then launch the game.

If the game is running well with the antivirus disabled, then simply whitelist Starfield’s installation folder in your antivirus settings. Here is our guide on whitelisting the game directory If you need assistance.

Verify your Game Files

Before you attempt verifying files, I recommend deleting the main Starfield.exe in the installation folder first. The validate game files feature will replace it with a new one, and you’ll fix this error.

This problem in Starfield could be occurring due to corrupted or missing files. But the great thing is, you won’t need to redownload the whole game all over again.

Steam and Xbox App have an incredible verify game files feature that automatically detects faulty and missing files and downloads and repairs them, effectively fixing many issues.

It is good practice to verify your game files if you encounter any performance or instability issues as such. This was the case for most of the players on forums, and verifying game files fixed it for them.

Delete DirectX Shader Cache

DirectX shader cache plays an important part in rendering the on-screen images as it helps the API fetch data swiftly, resulting in faster and smoother gameplay without excessive loading times and issues. However, the DirectX shader cache can also be a potential culprit behind the Error 0xc0000005.

Due to the fact that the shader files can also go corrupt, resulting in this error. Therefore, you can delete the DirectX shader cache folder manually or through the Disk Cleanup Utility. Other players also found clearing DirectX Shader Cache as an effective fix.

Download and Install Essential C++ Runtime Libraries

Many games and applications installed on Windows may require the C++ runtime libraries to be installed for them to work properly without crashes and errors. Therefore, it is essential for the user to download and install all the essential C++ runtime libraries in order to avoid such mishaps.

Although the Windows update may already install these runtime libraries, it usually misses some of them. Therefore, it is better just to check your programs list and install all the missing ones from the official Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables Latest Supported Downloads page.

Try to download all the installer packages and install them all. For the ones that are already installed, the software will inform you. Skip those and install the rest.

Disable In-Game Overlays

Despite different use cases for different in-game overlays, keeping them on can sometimes cause issues with your games. This is because the overlays could interrupt the game’s process and cause it to crash. If you need help with this, you can follow our dedicated guide on disabling third-party application overlays.

Disable GPU Overclocking

Overclocking can give a drastic boost to your GPU’s performance. But it is recommended not to do it unless you have some means to keep it cool and stable in the overclocked state because, in the overclocked state, your GPU can become overheated.

Therefore, it becomes unstable with a high chance of its components getting damaged. Overclocking your GPU can also cancel the warranty provided by your GPU supplier or the GPU manufacturer. However, keeping your GPU underclocked or its core clocks at a stabilized limit is recommended.

Here’s how to disable your GPU’s overclocking and lower its clock speed limit:

Nvidia GPUs

Press the Alt+Z buttons to open the Nvidia GeForce Experience overlay.
Then click the performance tab on the top right to open the performance panel.
You can set your GPU’s core and clock speeds in this panel.
To disable overclocking, just click the reset button to restore default settings.

AMD GPUs

To access the performance settings, open the AMD software>access the tuning section> activate the manual control option within its settings.
It is possible to adjust the tunings here, but it is advised to keep them underclocked to prevent overclocking.

MSI Afterburner

Disabling overclocking using MSI Afterburner is a simple process. Just open the application and simply slide down your core clock and memory clock sliders in the settings.

Warning: Overclocking your GPU has little advantages, but it can cause some serious damage to your hardware.

Enable Virtual Memory

To enhance system performance and prevent errors that may occur when using memory-intensive applications like Starfield, it is advisable to utilize Virtual Memory/Paging Files.

Follow these steps to enable and increase your system’s virtual memory:

Double-click the This PC icon>right-click anywhere>select Properties>click the Advanced System Settings in the left panel to open them.
In this window, click the Settings button under the Performance heading to open performance settings.

Opening Performance Settings from the Advanced tab in System Properties. (image taken by eXputer)
After that, move to the Advanced tab>click the Change…. button under Virtual Memory.

Opening Virtual Memory/Paging File Settings. (image captured by eXputer)
Lastly, in the Virtual Memory settings, uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” checkbox.
Finally, select a drive, enable the Custom Size option, enter Initial and Maximum size, and click Set to apply all your changes.

Changing the Virtual Memory Size in Virtual Memory Settings. (image copyrighted by eXputer)

Tip: To avoid covering a large area, please do not enter a value that is too large.

Final Words

Months have gone by and this error has still been persistent in the game. The players are still encountering it even now, and this doesn’t seem to be fixed officially.

Thankfully, it’s not a common error, and only some players had the bad luck of encountering it. If you’re one of the unfortunate ones, my guide will definitely help you resolve it, at least until an official patch comes along.

If you have followed the methods mentioned above and are still encountering Error 0xc0000005, it would be advisable to attempt cleaning or replacing the RAM modules. It is possible that they are the root cause of the issue.

However, my error guide for the Starfield Error concludes. If you’ve followed and applied all the fixes above properly, your Starfield will start working normally, allowing you to commence your space adventure.