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What error 0xC0000602 means
Microsoft’s Windows Error Codes reference defines 0xC0000602 as STATUS_FAIL_FAST_EXCEPTION: “A fail fast exception occurred. Exception handlers will not be invoked and the process will be terminated immediately.” In practical terms, Windows stops the affected process at once. You might see the code when launching a game, utility, or other application; during an update; at startup; or as part of a blue-screen or repeated-restart cycle.
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This is a termination status, not a diagnosis. The code does not say whether the underlying cause is a recently installed driver, faulty hardware, damaged system state, low disk space, a Windows update, memory trouble, or an application-specific fault. The useful evidence is the context around the code: the executable that failed, any “What failed” module, the event recorded at the same time, and (when available) crash-dump information.
First, identify which failure you have
Use the symptom to choose the least disruptive branch. Do not jump directly to Reset this PC merely because the code looks serious.
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| What you see | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One application closes or refuses to launch, but Windows remains usable | Capture the application and module name, then check Event Viewer and recent driver or software changes | A fail-fast termination can be limited to one process |
| Windows crashes repeatedly after login | Start in Safe Mode, disconnect newly added hardware, and inspect drivers | Safe Mode loads a reduced set of drivers and services |
| A blue screen or automatic restart appears | Record the stop screen details, then use Safe Mode, updates, logs, and memory diagnostics | The surrounding stop information can identify a component that the hexadecimal status cannot |
| Windows will not reach the desktop | Use WinRE recovery options; if necessary, boot from Windows installation media | In-Windows tools require a working desktop |
1. Capture evidence before changing anything
Write down the exact wording and the point at which the error appears. Record whether it occurs during normal use, while opening a particular program, during an update, or before sign-in. If the screen names an executable or shows a “What failed” module, copy that name exactly. A filename can point you toward an application or driver; guessing from 0xC0000602 alone cannot.
When Windows is still usable, open Event Viewer and look at the Windows Logs > System log. Find critical or error events whose timestamps match the crash or restart. Also check the Application log when one program is involved. Keep the event source, event ID, faulting module, and timestamp together with your notes. This time correlation is more useful than treating every warning in the log as a cause.
If the computer produces a crash dump, preserve it before using cleanup or reset options. The dump and the event around it can distinguish a driver or memory problem from an application-only fail-fast termination. The code itself is not enough to make that distinction.
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When normal startup still works
- In Windows 11, open Settings > System > Recovery. In Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
- Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
- After the restart, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- When the numbered list appears, choose 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking if you need network access to obtain an update.
If the desktop is unstable, Safe Mode gives you a smaller driver and service set in which to perform the remaining checks. If the error disappears in Safe Mode, that is evidence that a startup program, third-party service, or nonessential driver deserves attention; it is not proof that a particular item is guilty.
When Windows cannot reach Settings
Interrupt normal startup two or three times by turning the computer off during the Windows logo phase. Windows should enter Automatic Repair and then WinRE. Choose Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, select Restart, and choose Safe Mode. If the recovery menu does not appear, use a Windows recovery or installation USB created on another working PC and select Repair your computer rather than installing immediately.
Disconnect recent hardware
Shut down before removing a newly installed USB device, expansion card, dock, storage device, or other peripheral. Leave essential input and display devices connected, start Windows again, and test the same action. If the code stops appearing, reconnect devices one at a time so you can identify the change. For internal hardware, follow the manufacturer’s electrical and warranty precautions; do not open a powered system.
3. Check Device Manager and reverse driver changes
In Safe Mode or a stable desktop, right-click Start and open Device Manager. Expand the categories related to the device involved in the crash and look for a yellow warning icon, an unknown device, or a device added immediately before the failures.
- Open the device’s Properties and read the Device status message on the General tab.
- On the Driver tab, note the provider, date, and version before making a change.
- Use Update Driver when a newer driver is available from Windows Update or the device maker.
- If the fault began immediately after a driver installation, use Roll Back Driver when that button is available.
- If the device is not required to start Windows, use Disable device as a reversible test. Uninstalling a driver is appropriate only when you know the package is the recent change and you have a supported replacement available.
Restart after each meaningful driver change and test the same workload. Changing several drivers at once removes the evidence needed to tell which change helped. If Device Manager shows no warning, the driver can still be involved; continue with Event Viewer and the other checks rather than treating a clean icon display as a guarantee.
4. Install Windows and driver updates
Open Settings > Windows Update in Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update in Windows 10. Select Check for updates, install available updates, and restart when requested. Also install optional driver updates when they match the hardware implicated by the event or Device Manager entry.
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If the problem started directly after a Windows update, do not assume that installing more updates will reverse it. Record the update date and proceed to the recovery section below, where you can uninstall the recent update from WinRE or Settings when that option is offered. Keep the machine connected to reliable power during updates and avoid forcing a shutdown while they are being applied.
5. Check disk space and memory
Keep adequate free space
Open Settings > System > Storage (Windows 11) or Settings > System > Storage (Windows 10) and inspect the system drive, normally C:. Microsoft’s general blue-screen guidance uses roughly 10% to 15% free space as a target, while noting that the exact requirement varies by configuration. This is operating guidance, not a claim that every 0xC0000602 event is caused by storage.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRemove or move files you recognize, empty temporary locations through Windows Storage settings, and uninstall applications you no longer need. Do not delete unknown files from system directories to reach a percentage. Recheck the free-space figure and test the workload that triggered the error.
Run Windows Memory Diagnostic
- Save your work, open Start, search for Windows Memory Diagnostic, and launch it.
- Choose Restart now and check for problems if you can allow an immediate reboot, or schedule the check for the next restart.
- Let the test complete without powering off the computer.
- After Windows starts, open Event Viewer and inspect the memory-diagnostic result in the Windows Logs > System log.
A reported memory error is a hardware or memory-configuration lead that needs further testing, reseating, or replacement according to the computer or motherboard maker’s instructions. A clean result does not rule out every intermittent fault, but it makes a memory failure less immediately supported than a matching event or dump.
6. Use logs to separate an application fault from a system fault
In Event Viewer, compare the timestamp of the fail-fast event with nearby events from the same executable, driver, storage stack, or update service. An application crash that occurs only when one program starts points toward that program’s files, plug-ins, or dependencies. A crash that follows every login, appears across multiple programs, or coincides with a driver event points toward system state or hardware.
Do not treat routine informational events as causes merely because they occur near the failure. Look for a repeatable pattern: the same module, device, or update appears before each occurrence. If no component repeats, keep the code classified as generic and continue with the reversible checks rather than replacing hardware on speculation.
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7. Undo a recent system change
Uninstall a recent Windows update
Use this branch when the first 0xC0000602 occurrence follows a Windows update and the timing is consistent.
- From a working desktop, open Settings > Windows Update > Update history and choose Uninstall updates when available.
- Select the most recent update that matches the start of the problem and follow the prompts.
- If Windows will not start, enter WinRE and choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates. Select the appropriate quality or feature update option.
- Restart and test. Keep a note of the update removed so you can evaluate it again after a later fix or replacement release.
Some updates cannot be removed through Settings, and feature-update rollback has time and eligibility limits. In that case, use the WinRE option if offered; do not delete update files manually.
Run System Restore
If a restore point predates the failures, open Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore from a working desktop, or choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore in WinRE. Select a point created before the driver, update, or software change. System Restore normally rolls back system files, drivers, registry settings, and installed programs associated with that point without removing personal files, but review the affected-program list before confirming.
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System Restore does not repair defective hardware and will not necessarily remove every application-specific cause. If no suitable restore point exists, continue with the other recovery choices.
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8. Repair a PC that will not boot
WinRE is the correct workspace when normal Windows startup is unavailable. You can reach it through Automatic Repair after failed starts or from Windows installation media. Work through the least disruptive options first:
- Startup Settings/Safe Mode: use it to remove a recent driver or startup change.
- Uninstall Updates: use it when the failures follow a Windows update.
- System Restore: use a restore point made before the problem.
- Other Advanced options: use the option that matches the evidence, such as a startup repair choice when offered.
If BitLocker is enabled, WinRE may request the recovery key. Retrieve it before beginning recovery if you have access to the account or organization that manages the device. Do not guess at the key or repeatedly interrupt recovery.
9. Create installation media when built-in recovery is insufficient
When WinRE cannot repair the installation, use another working PC to create a bootable Windows installation USB for the correct Windows edition and architecture. Insert it into the affected computer, boot from the USB using the manufacturer’s boot-menu key, and choose Repair your computer to access recovery tools. If repair still fails, the same media can reinstall Windows.
Back up important files before resetting or reinstalling. A reinstall or reset can remove applications and, depending on the option selected, personal files. Manufacturer recovery media may include hardware-specific drivers and factory software that generic Windows installation media does not, so obtain the computer maker’s recovery option when those components matter.
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Choose Reset this PC, reinstall from recovery media, or perform a clean installation only after Safe Mode, driver reversal, updates, logs, memory checks, update removal, and System Restore have failed or are unavailable. Read every reset choice carefully: options that keep personal files still remove applications and reset settings, while a full wipe removes personal data. Confirm that you have backups, product keys or sign-in access for software you need, and the drivers required for network and storage devices.
A clean installation can remove a damaged Windows state, but it cannot fix defective memory, a failing drive, or another physical component. If the code returns on a freshly installed system, hardware or firmware deserves priority investigation rather than another reinstall.
Choose the least disruptive option that fits the evidence
| Option | Disruption | Personal-data expectation | Requires a working desktop? | Evidence it provides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Mode and driver changes | Low and generally reversible | Personal files remain | No; can be launched from WinRE | Whether reduced drivers or a specific device changes the symptom |
| Windows Update or driver update | Low to moderate; restart required | Personal files remain | Usually yes | Whether a supported replacement resolves a known compatibility issue |
| Uninstall a recent update | Moderate | Personal files remain | No; WinRE can do it | Whether the failure follows the removed update |
| System Restore | Moderate | Normally keeps personal files; affected programs and system changes roll back | No; WinRE can do it | Whether a pre-failure system state is stable |
| Reset this PC | High | Depends on the selected reset option; applications are removed | No | Whether replacing the Windows installation state changes the failure |
| Clean installation | Highest | Can remove personal files, applications, and settings | No | Whether a completely new Windows installation remains stable |
Common mistakes that make 0xC0000602 harder to fix
- Assuming the code names the culprit: it only describes fail-fast process termination.
- Changing several variables at once: updating every driver, removing multiple programs, and resetting Windows destroys the timeline that would identify the cause.
- Deleting system files to free space: use Windows Storage settings and remove only files you recognize.
- Ignoring a recent hardware change: disconnect newly added devices before buying replacements.
- Skipping backups before recovery: reset and reinstall choices can remove files and applications.
- Repeating a clean installation when hardware is failing: a recurring error after reinstalling points back toward memory, storage, drivers, firmware, or another physical component.
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When to seek hardware or professional help
Escalate beyond software troubleshooting when memory diagnostics report errors, the system drive shows signs of failure, the computer crashes before any recovery option loads, or the error returns after a clean Windows installation. Keep the Event Viewer entries, dump details, driver versions, update dates, and the exact reproduction steps. That record lets a technician test the component that the evidence actually implicates instead of starting with an indiscriminate replacement.
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