Data Execution Prevention blocks code from running in memory regions marked as non-executable. Some older applications are not DEP-compatible.

How do I find which DLL is causing the crash?

Check the error dialog for the DLL name, or use Windows Event Viewer > Application log for the Faulting module name.

Windows Error — The Memory Could Not Be Read (0xc0000005)

Errorapplication

Overview

Windows 'memory could not be read' error (0xc0000005) occurs when an application tries to access memory it is not allowed to, caused by software bugs, bad RAM, or corruption.

Key Details

Error: 'The instruction at 0x... referenced memory at 0x.... The memory could not be read'
Status code 0xC0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION) — the process accessed invalid memory
Very common with games, older applications, and applications with DLL conflicts
Can indicate NULL pointer dereference, buffer overflow, or freed memory access
If multiple different applications show this error, suspect RAM failure

Common Causes

Software bug: the application has a memory access error in its code
Incompatible or corrupted DLL files the application depends on
Faulty RAM causing random memory corruption
DEP (Data Execution Prevention) blocking the application
Outdated Visual C++ Runtime or .NET Framework

Steps

1Update the application to the latest version — bugs may be fixed in newer releases
2Reinstall Visual C++ Redistributables (all versions: 2005 through latest)
3Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe) to check for RAM errors
4Try adding a DEP exception: System Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings > DEP > add exception
5If the error is in a specific DLL, run sfc /scannow to repair system files or reinstall the application