Resolving Error Stop: 0xC000012F in Windows

A Windows based system files can get corrupted due to unexpected shutdown, virus attack, hardware malfunction and many similar reasons, thereby creating issues while performing tasks. When you try to upgrade your Windows-based system or add any new drivers, you might encounter certain issues. In such critical situations, you might need to reformat the hard disk as a solution. If valid data backup is not present, you will need to use Data Recovery applications.

As you start you Windows based computer system, you might receive the below error message:

“Stop: 0xC000012F STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_NOT_MZ

The specified image file did not have the correct format, it did not have an initial MZ.”

You might also encounter the above error message while trying to add or install a new driver or while upgrading Windows. You also get Trap Code like 0x0000006b with this error message.

Cause

The above symptoms are observed if one of the system files are corrupted that system is trying to load. The system prompts this error message while copying a file. When the system is suffering from some hardware malfunction, it might give the above error. So, to troubleshoot such situations, you need to examine the hardware that are connected to the system.

Solution

The error message doesn’t specify the file in question. So, you cannot perform steps like installing or copying the file. It is recommended to backup all the data first and try performing steps like:

• You should try to revert the system to Last Known Good state if you encounter the above error while performing drivers’ changes. To do so, you need to press space bar while starting the system.
• To get a clue of corrupted file, you can try selecting the [VGA MODE] option from boot menu.
• If you encounter the above error while upgrading Windows, you should try steps like:

-> You can attempt disabling caching options and shadowing in BIOS
-> Try removing connected hardware except hard drive and controller
-> Try to update BIOS
-> Diagnose connected hardware and troubleshoot the same
-> If problem persists, reformat the hard disk and reinstall Windows

After reformatting if you don’t find data backup in valid state, you should use commercial data recovery software. Such applications can locate the missing information and provide comprehensive data recovery.