Error 0xc0000142, "The application failed to initialize properly"
This code is Windows saying a program started, then stopped because one of the libraries it loads failed to start with it. Microsoft's name for it is STATUS_DLL_INIT_FAILED. The window never names the library, so the fix is a process of elimination, starting with the program itself and the shared runtimes it depends on.
The fix, in order
Note which program fails, then restart the PC. A restart clears a stuck startup state, and knowing exactly which program fails tells you whether the problem is local to one app or system-wide.
Reinstall the failing program from its official source. Uninstall it first, restart, then install a fresh download. For Steam games use Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity of game files.
Repair the Visual C++ Redistributables. Download the 2015 to 2022 packages from Microsoft and install vc_redist.x86.exe and vc_redist.x64.exe. If the program is older, add the 2010 and 2013 sets the same way.
Repair the .NET Framework. Open Settings, Apps, Installed apps, find Microsoft .NET, choose Modify, then Repair. If there is no repair option, run the .NET Framework Repair Tool from Microsoft.
Try a clean boot. Open System Configuration (msconfig), hide all Microsoft services, disable the rest, disable all startup items in Task Manager, and restart. If the program now opens, re-enable items a few at a time to find the one that breaks it.
Run the program as administrator. Right-click its shortcut, choose Run as administrator, and if that works, set it permanently under Properties, Compatibility, Run this program as an administrator.
Repair Windows files. In an admin Command Prompt run sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Do not download single DLL files from DLL sites. They cannot tell you which library actually failed, and a mismatched copy can turn this error into a worse one. Reinstalling the program and its runtimes is the fix that replaces the right files.
If it still happens
If the program fails only when launched as a different user or from a scheduled task, the cause is usually desktop permissions or a program that injects a DLL at startup, so test it from a normal desktop login and check for overlay, recording, or security software that loads into every process. If every program fails, run the SFC and DISM steps above, then use System Restore to return to a point before the error first appeared.
Common questions
Is 0xc0000142 a virus? No. It means a library failed to start when a program launched, which is usually a damaged install, a damaged runtime, or another program interfering at startup. Malware can damage files and cause it indirectly, but the code itself is not an infection.
Why does 0xc0000142 happen only for some programs? Each program loads its own set of DLLs, so only the programs that load the broken or blocked library fail. If every program fails, the problem is in a shared Windows component or a program that injects itself into everything that starts.
Does reinstalling Windows fix 0xc0000142? It usually does, because it replaces the damaged files, but it is a last resort. Reinstall the failing program, repair the runtimes, and try a clean boot first, since those steps fix most cases without wiping anything.