How to Fix Minecraft Exit Code -1073741819 (0xC0000005)

Exit code -1073741819 means Minecraft crashed because Java attempted to read or write to a memory address it was not allowed to access. It looks catastrophic, but it usually comes down to an unstable graphics driver, bad memory settings, or a mod misbehaving at the native level.

What the code actually means

Windows reports process exit codes as signed 32-bit integers, which turns 0xC0000005 into -1073741819. Microsoft defines STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION as an exception raised when a thread tries to read, write, or execute memory without valid permissions or at an invalid address.

Find the culprit in your crash logs

I'd do this before changing any settings, because locating the exact file turns guesswork into a quick fix.

Start with the launcher log located at %APPDATA%\SuperLauncher\logs\superlauncher.log. SuperLauncher overwrites this log every launch, so copy it to another folder before opening the launcher again. It records the Java version used, installation folders, loader steps, and game console output. When the game fails to start, SuperLauncher displays a red notice pointing directly to this file.

Next, check %APPDATA%\.minecraft\ for a crash report created by the Java Virtual Machine. These files are named hs_err_pid<pid>.log, where <pid> is the process ID number of the crashed game session. Open the file in Notepad, scroll to the summary section, and look for the fatal error line and problematic frame:

# A fatal error has been detected by the Java Runtime Environment:
#
# EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at pc=0x00007ffa05146280, pid=19572, tid=12408
#
# JRE version: OpenJDK Runtime Environment Microsoft-32931 (17.0.3+7)
# Java VM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Microsoft-32931 (17.0.3+7-LTS, mixed mode, tiered)
# Problematic frame:
# C  [nvoglv64.dll+0xabc123]

The string in brackets on the problematic frame line names the module that attempted the illegal memory access. The usual suspects include:

• nvoglv64.dll or nvwgf2umx.dll: NVIDIA display driver
• atio6axx.dll or amdxx64.dll: AMD Radeon display driver
• ig7icd64.dll or igxelpc64.dll: Intel integrated graphics driver
• jvm.dll: OpenJDK core runtime library
• openal32.dll: native audio library used by Minecraft

If no hs_err_pid file appeared in %APPDATA%\.minecraft\, open Windows Event Viewer. Press Windows key + R, type eventvwr.msc, press Enter, and open Windows Logs > Application. Look for Error events with Event ID 1000 where Exception code is 0xc0000005. The Faulting module name field gives you the exact DLL name.

As a rule of thumb, if the problematic frame names a graphics driver DLL, your GPU driver crashed while processing rendering commands. If it names jvm.dll across multiple crashes with different address locations, unstable system RAM or CPU clock speeds are the primary cause.

Fix 1: update or clean-reinstall graphics drivers

Graphics drivers communicate directly with your GPU and system memory. When a driver file becomes corrupted, outdated, or conflicts with new OpenGL instructions, it attempts to read from an unallocated memory address, forcing Windows to terminate javaw.exe.

1. Download the latest driver installer from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel for your graphics card model.
2. If installing over your current driver does not stop the crash, perform a clean removal.
3. Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from Wagnardsoft.
4. Boot Windows into Safe Mode by holding Shift while clicking Restart in the Start menu, then navigating to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and pressing 4 or F4.
5. Run DDU in Safe Mode, choose your GPU vendor, and click Clean and restart.
6. Once Windows reboots normally, run the driver installer you downloaded earlier.

For step-by-step instructions on running DDU safely, see our guide on exit code -1073740791.

How to confirm it worked: launch your Minecraft profile in SuperLauncher, enter a world, and play for ten minutes. Open %APPDATA%\SuperLauncher\logs\superlauncher.log and verify that the game exited cleanly without a red notice or return code -1073741819.

Fix 2: test system RAM stability and disable memory overclocks

System memory instability is the leading hardware cause of exit code -1073741819. When RAM operates with aggressive XMP or EXPO profiles, loose timings, or failing memory chips, bit flips occur in system memory. Java expects predictable memory reads, so a single flipped bit creates an invalid pointer that triggers an access violation.

1. Restart your PC and press the Del or F2 key to enter the motherboard BIOS.
2. Locate the memory settings menu and disable XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD), resetting RAM to standard factory speeds (such as 2133 MHz for DDR4 or 4800 MHz for DDR5).
3. If you applied CPU or GPU overclocks in utility software like MSI Afterburner or Ryzen Master, reset core and memory offsets to stock values.
4. Save BIOS changes, reboot into Windows, and test RAM integrity.
5. Press Windows key + R, type mdsched.exe, press Enter, and select Restart now and check for problems. Let the test complete fully.
6. For more thorough testing, download MemTest86, create a bootable USB drive, boot from it, and run at least four test passes.

If memory diagnostic tools detect errors, test your RAM sticks individually by removing all but one module and rerunning the diagnostic test on each stick.

How to confirm it worked: your memory diagnostic tool completes without reporting any hardware errors, and Minecraft runs continuously without triggering an EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION in hs_err_pid files.

Fix 3: remove mods that use native libraries or bytecode transformers

In modded Minecraft profiles, exit code -1073741819 often occurs when a mod interacts directly with native C/C++ code through Java Native Interface (JNI) or alters rendering pipelines in ways that violate memory boundaries. Mods providing custom audio engines, controller support, physics, or specialized rendering hooks are frequent sources of native crashes.

1. Open SuperLauncher, click on your modded profile, and click the 'Open version folder' button.
2. Open the mods folder located at ...\<profile name>\mods.
3. Create a temporary folder on your Desktop and move all mod files into it.
4. Launch the profile through SuperLauncher to confirm the vanilla game boots without errors.
5. Move half of your mods back into ...\<profile name>\mods and test launch.
6. Continue this binary search process, halving the suspect group each time, until the specific mod causing the crash is identified.
7. Check the mod page on Modrinth or GitHub for updates compatible with your Minecraft version and Java runtime.

How to confirm it worked: Minecraft reaches the main menu with your refined mod list, and no hs_err_pid file appears in %APPDATA%\.minecraft\.

Fix 4: configure security software memory exclusions

Antivirus software and Windows security features monitor active processes for suspicious memory modifications. Some security suites misinterpret Java memory management or native library extraction as an exploit attempt, forcibly revoking access to allocated memory pages while javaw.exe is running.

1. Open your antivirus software settings and locate the Exclusions or Allowed Applications section.
2. Add the game root folder %APPDATA%\.minecraft to the exclusion list.
3. Add the SuperLauncher folder %APPDATA%\SuperLauncher to the exclusion list.
4. Open Windows Security from the Start menu.
5. Click App & browser control, select Exploit protection settings, and click Program settings.
6. Ensure that Control Flow Guard (CFG) or Data Execution Prevention (DEP) overrides are not blocking javaw.exe.

How to confirm it worked: launch Minecraft from SuperLauncher without antivirus alerts appearing, and verify in %APPDATA%\SuperLauncher\logs\superlauncher.log that Java initialized memory allocations without process interruption.

Fix 5: re-download corrupted game version files

If game files or extracted native libraries inside your version folder become corrupted on disk, Java will throw an access violation when trying to execute instructions from those damaged files.

1. Close SuperLauncher completely.
2. Press Windows key + R, type %APPDATA%\.minecraft\versions, and press Enter.
3. Locate the folder corresponding to your profile name (%APPDATA%\.minecraft\versions\<profile name>).
4. Right-click the profile folder and select Delete.
5. Reopen SuperLauncher and launch your profile.

SuperLauncher automatically detects missing files, downloads fresh game libraries and the required Java runtime (Java 8, 17, 21 or 25 depending on the version), and rebuilds the version directory. Note that the first launch after re-downloading takes a few minutes as files are fetched.

How to confirm it worked: SuperLauncher finishes downloading the fresh version files and launches Minecraft directly to the main menu without showing a red notice.

What doesn't help

I wouldn't bother with these common missteps when troubleshooting an access violation crash:

• Increasing the RAM slider in SuperLauncher settings. Bumping the slider under Settings > 'Game launch' > 'Memory (RAM)' adjusts the Java heap size. Exit code -1073741819 is a native memory permissions failure outside the Java heap. Allocating 8 GB or 12 GB when your system RAM is unstable actually increases crash frequency.
• Deleting worlds or server lists. Your world saves in %APPDATA%\.minecraft\saves contain block and entity data, not native code. Deleting saves will not resolve a driver or memory address failure.
• Changing Java paths or JVM arguments manually. SuperLauncher handles Java selection automatically per Minecraft version (Java 8, 17, 21 or 25) and downloads missing Java automatically. Users cannot set a custom Java path or custom JVM arguments, and manual flags cannot override a native Windows memory exception.
• Purchasing a new copy of the launcher. SuperLauncher is a free launcher made by Ukrainian developers. Minecraft: Java Edition should be bought from official sources, but exit code -1073741819 is a system and driver issue rather than an account license error.

Next steps if the crash continues

I'd double-check your crash report one more time if the fixes above do not stop the crash. Open %APPDATA%\.minecraft\ and find the latest hs_err_pid log. Read the Problematic frame: section to see if a new DLL file is named. If an unfamiliar file appears, search for that exact DLL name to identify which background utility or system driver introduced it. For broader guidance on decoding JVM crash reports, see our guide on exit code 1 or our guide on reading crash reports.