FIXED: Starfield Error 0xc0000005

Starfield, the latest released RPG developed by Bethesda Softwares, was released just a few days back on September 6th. It is being praised for its open-world setting and soundtracks, but it has clearly brought some errors within itself. One such error is the Starfield Error 0xC0000005, which prevents the user from launching the game.

System Requirements For Starfield

First off, check your system requirements, as it is crucial for your system to avoid such disasters as the Starfield 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.

However, here are the required system specs for Starfield.

Minimum Requirements

• Operating System (OS): Windows 10 version 21H1
• Processor (CPU): AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB RAM
• Graphics Card (GPU): AMD Radeon RX 5700, NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti
• Storage (SSD): 125 GB available space

Recommended Requirements

• Operating System (OS): Windows 10/11 with updates
• Processor (CPU): AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB RAM
• Graphics Card (GPU): AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
• Storage (SSD): 125 GB available space

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, even if the files don’t contain any malware or viruses. Either way, you’re never sure about anything, so it is best to keep it ON.

However, you can always add the required file folders into Windows Defender’s exception. In this way, you’ll be able to protect your system while preventing the unfortunate of your required game files. Therefore, I’ve presented some simple steps below to add an exception in Windows Defender.

1. Press the Windows+I on the keyboard to open the Windows Settings app.
2. Open the Update and Security settings by clicking it.

   

3. Now open the Virus and Threat Protection settings.

   

4. Then click the manage settings button under the Virus and Threat Protection Settings heading.

   

5. In the manage settings, click the Add or Remove Exclusions button under the Exclusions heading to add an exclusion to the Windows Defender.

   

Verify your Game Files

Steam has an incredible function for corrupted or deleted game files 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. Furthermore, it is a safe process; you don’t have to worry about any potential viruses or malware.

However, here’s how you can do that.

1. Launch the Steam app and open the Library section.

   

2. Now right-click Starfield and select properties to open them.

   

3. Then select the Local files section and click the Verify Integrity of Game files button to verify and repair your game files.

   

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 Starfield Error 0xc0000005.

Due to the fact that the shader files can also go corrupt, resulting in error 0xc0000005. Therefore, you can delete the DirectX shader cache folder manually or through the Disk Cleanup Utility.

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 crashing 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.

However, if you can’t determine which versions you’re missing and which ones you already have, or you just want to do a clean install, you can download Visual C++ runtime libraries AIO from a third-party website. An AIO will automatically download and install all the essential Visual C++ runtime libraries, SDK, and redistributables after executing. 

But remember that the AIO way could harm your PC with viruses or malware. Therefore, it is recommended to download individually from the official website to keep your system protected.

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. Considering all that, you can follow the steps below to turn off some of the most used overlays.

Nvidia Geforce In-game Overlay

1. Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app and click the gear icon beside your profile to open settings.

   

2. Afterward, go to the general section and switch off the In-Game Overlay Switch.

   

Xbox Game Bar Overlay

1. Launch the Windows settings app by clicking the gear icon above the power icon in the start menu and go to the Gaming settings.

   

2. Afterwards, turn off the Enable Xbox Game Bar button in the Xbox Game Bar section.

   

Steam app Overlay

1. Launch the Steam app and click the Steam button in the upper left corner.

   

2. Then, from the opened menu, click the Settings option to open them.

   

3. Select the in-game section in the Steam settings and uncheck the box for Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game option.

   

Discord Overlay

1. Launch the Discord app and click the settings icon in the bottom left to open Discord’s settings.

   

2. After that, open the game overlay section to open its settings.

   

3. Now, just switch off the Enable in-game overlay switch, and that will disable Discord’s overlay.

   

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

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

AMD GPUs

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

For MSI Afterburner

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

   

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. 

However, follow these steps to enable and increase your system’s virtual memory. But ensure only to increase it to a reasonable size to avoid wasting valuable space.

1. Double-click the This PC icon on the desktop to open it.
2. Now right-click anywhere in This PC window to open the right-click menu and select Properties.
   

   

3. Then click the Advanced System Settings in the left panel to open them.
   

   

4. In this window, click the Settings…. button under the Performance heading to open performance settings.
   

   

5. After that, move to the Advanced tab and click the Change…. button under Virtual Memory in Performance settings.
   

   

6. Lastly, in the Virtual Memory settings, uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” checkbox.

   

7. Finally, select a drive, enable the Custom Size option, enter Initial and Maximum size, and click Set to apply all your changes.
   

   

Add in DEP Exception List

DEP (Data Execution Prevention) is a security technology integrated into Microsoft Windows that prevents the execution of unknown executable code from unauthorized locations. Moreover, It provides protection against various types of viruses, malware, and system vulnerabilities that may arise.

However, starfield error 0xc0000005 might occur because Starfield is mistaken for malware. To prevent this kind of error, you can add Starfield to the Exception list of DEP. By doing this, you can ensure that DEP is not the cause of any kind of such problem.

Here are some steps to add Starfield or any application to the DEP Exception list.

1. Open your system properties by right-clicking the This PC icon on the desktop and clicking Properties.
   

   

2. Once In the system properties, click the Advanced system settings option to open them.
   

   

3. Then, click the Settings…. button under the Performance heading in the Advanced tab.
   

   

4. After that, open the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) tab in the performance options window and check the Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select option.
   

   

5. Lastly, just click the Add…. button to add the Starfield to the exclusions list and click Apply to save your changes.
   

   

If you have followed the methods mentioned above and are still encountering the Starfield Error 0xc0000005, I recommend referring to our comprehensive guide on updating drivers. Following the steps outlined in the guide, you can update your drivers and resolve the error.

If the Starfield Error 0xc0000005 persists, 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.

Here are some guides to fix some other Starfield errors at eXputer:

• Starfield Into The Unknown Bug
• Starfield Sound Cutting Out Issue
• How To Fix Starfield Not Downloading
• Starfield Unable To Log In Error
• Starfield Crashing