Fix: Chrome.exe Bad Image, Error status 0xc000012f

While using the latest version of Google Chrome browser on my Windows PC recently, I received a Chrome.exe Bad Image error message. Chrome just wouldn’t load, and I was wondering what had happened and what needed to be done now, apart from going in for an uninstall and fresh install.

Chrome.exe – Bad Image

A particular file is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Error status 0xc000012f.

This post will tell you what you can do if you get such an error message.

For your information., 0xC000012F means STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_NOT_MZ.

Now, first of all, I’d recommend that you try to reset your Chrome using the newly introduced Reset Chrome feature.

If this does not help, maybe you could try this approach. It helped me and I am sure that it will help you too.

Navigate to the following folder:

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application

Here you will see files. One chrome.exe and the other old_chrome.exe. Delete chrome.exe and rename old_chrome.exe to chrome.exe.

Now see if you are able to open your Chrome. If you can great.

But if you see now, under About Google Chrome, you will see it showing an earlier version. Click on the Update button to update your Chrome to the latest version and you are all set to go.

If nothing helps, then you may have to consider uninstalling Chrome and going in for a fresh install.

If you are a Chrome user, some of these links may interest you:

1. How To Speed Up Google Chrome
2. Fix: Google Chrome Freezing or Crashing on Windows computer
3. Your profile could not be opened correctly in Google Chrome.