How-To

How to Fix Error Code 0xc0000001 on Windows

By Brian Burgess

Published July 21, 2023

Windows BSOD Error Code 0xc0000001 prevents users from accessing the desktop. Here’s how to fix it.

When you’re trying to sign into Windows 11, you might get a BSOD with the 0xc0000001 error code.

This error locks you out of your PC and prevents you from signing into the desktop. Reasons for the problem can be due to corrupt or missing system files, damaged disk sectors, or damaged apps and services.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to fix error code 0xc0000001 so you can get into your Windows 11 PC.

Run Windows 11 Startup Repair

If you experience the error code 0xc0000001 while trying to sign into your computer, one of the first troubleshooting steps is to try Startup Repair from the Windows Recovery Environment.

To complete a Startup Repair on Windows 11:

1. Press and hold the Shift key and restart Windows 11.
2. When the blue recovery environment launches, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options and select the Startup Repair option.
3. Windows will reboot, and you’ll see the progress while it diagnoses and repairs startup problems.

Once the repair process completes, try logging in to your account and gain access to the desktop and your other apps and data.

Check Your Disk for Errors

Bad hard disk sectors can cause an error code 0xc0000001 and prevent you from logging in. To resolve the problem, you can run the ChkDsk utility to scan for and fix bad disk sectors.

To run ChkDsk:

1. Launch PowerShell as Administrator.
2. When the terminal launches, type the following command and press Enter:

   chkdsk /r /f

3. A new prompt will appear where you type Y and reboot your PC.
4. When you reboot your PC, the Check Disk Utility will scan for and fix bad sectors on the disk. You can monitor its progress at the bottom of the screen while the check is running.

After completing the scan, try logging into your system again and see if the error is gone.

Check for Corrupt or Missing System Files

If your operating system has corrupted or missing system files, it can cause an error code 0xc0000001. You can run SFC and DISM scans on your PC to resolve that issue.

Note the scans can take a while to complete, and once they do, restart your PC, and see if you can sign in error-free.

Clean Boot Windows 11

Another potential cause of the BSOD error is a corrupt app or service running during startup. To narrow down the problematic app or service, you can perform a clean boot of Windows 11.

Once you do a clean boot, if the issue is no longer there, you’ll have a good point of reference for where to start troubleshooting.

The troubleshooting can be tedious, but if the clean boot works, you can start enabling one app or service at a time until you come across the one causing the problem.

Use System Restore

If the options above don’t resolve the error, your next best bet is to recover with a Restore Point using System Restore. This will allow you to revert your system to an earlier working state when the error wasn’t affecting your PC.

If you are unable to get to your desktop, you can boot into Safe Mode and use System Restore from there.

Reset Your PC

If you are unable to use System Restore or don’t have a restore point to revert to, you’ll need to reset your Windows 11 PC. Resetting your PC allows you to keep your personal files but removes apps and reinstalls Windows.

Fixing Errors on Windows 11 Systems

When you experience a BSOD error code 0xc0000001 when signing into Windows 11, it can be frustrating. But by using the troubleshooting steps above, you should be able to fix the problem and start using your PC again.

There are other issues you may experience with Windows 11 systems. For example, you might need to fix a VIDEO DXGKRNL FATAL error or repair an NTFS File System BSOD error.

Perhaps you run into a different error code and need to fix the 0xc00007b error on Windows that stop apps from launching. Or, during everyday use, you might encounter an error that says, “The exception breakpoint has been reached” during a restart or launching of an app.