Error 0xc0000034, "Object name not found"

This code is Windows saying it looked for a named file, device, or boot entry and could not find it. Microsoft's name for it is STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND. It appears in two very different places, inside a running program that cannot find a file it expects, and at startup, when the boot data points at something that no longer exists, so the first step is always to note where you saw it.

The fix, in order

  1. Note where the error appears. If it appears at startup before Windows loads, follow the boot steps below. If it appears inside a program, skip to step 5.
  2. Boot from Windows installation or recovery media. Start the PC from a USB installer, choose Repair your computer, then Troubleshoot, then Command Prompt.
  3. Rebuild the boot data. In the recovery Command Prompt run bootrec /fixmbr, then bootrec /fixboot, then bootrec /scanos, then bootrec /rebuildbcd, answering Yes when it offers to add a Windows install it finds.
  4. Check the drive is detected. Restart into the BIOS or UEFI setup and confirm the system drive is listed. If it is not, check its cable or seating, or try another port, since a drive Windows cannot see cannot boot.
  5. If the error is inside a program, reinstall that program from its official source. The program is looking for a file its install should have provided, and a fresh install restores it.
  6. Repair Windows files. In an admin Command Prompt run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
  7. Check the drive for errors. In an admin Command Prompt run chkdsk C: /f /r and let it finish, since a damaged file system can hide files that are actually there.
Back up your files before running boot repairs if you can. The repair commands are safe and do not delete personal files, but if the drive is failing, any further writes risk more damage, so copy important files to another drive first when the PC still boots.

If it still happens

If the boot repair commands cannot find a Windows install, the system partition may be damaged or the drive may be failing, so check the drive health from the recovery environment or another PC before reinstalling. If the error appears in a program after a fresh install, the program may be looking for a file on a drive letter that changed, so check its settings for a path pointing at a drive or folder that no longer exists.

Common questions

Does 0xc0000034 mean Windows is broken? Not always. It means one named thing could not be found, which can be a single missing file or a damaged boot entry. If Windows still starts and only one program fails, the problem is small and local, and only a boot-time appearance points at the startup data.

Why does 0xc0000034 appear at startup? At startup it usually means the boot configuration data points at a file or partition that no longer exists, often after a disk change, a failed update, or a clone to a new drive. Rebuilding the boot data from the recovery environment restores the missing entry.

Can I fix 0xc0000034 without reinstalling Windows? Yes, in most cases. The boot repair commands rebuild the startup data without touching your files, and the file repair commands replace damaged system files the same way. A full reinstall is only needed when the drive itself is failing or the repairs cannot find the Windows install.

Related errors

Error 0xc000000f · Error 0xc0000142 · Error 0xc0000006

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