What does Error-code 0xc0000135 (or -1073741515 Exit-code) mean when starting a Windows app?

From the ntstatus.h SDK header file:

//
// MessageId: STATUS_DLL_NOT_FOUND
//
// MessageText:
//
// The program can't start because %hs is missing from your computer. 
// Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.
//
#define STATUS_DLL_NOT_FOUND             ((NTSTATUS)0xC0000135L)    // winnt

The “try reinstalling the program” advice is solid, it is however up to you to figure out exactly what needs to be installed. The name in the message is often missing or is not a good lead because a DLL can’t be loaded due to a missing dependency.

You need a utility that can trace LoadLibrary() calls, I recommend SysInternals’ ProcMon over the built-in “loader snaps” feature. Towards the bottom of the displayed trace you’ll see Windows searching for the missing DLL and failing to find it. If it is mscoree.dll then you forgot to install .NET 3.5 on the target machine.

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