0XC0000147: No Paging File Specified – Fix It Fast

What’s Going On with 0XC0000147?

You turn on your PC, and instead of booting, you get a blue screen or black screen with 0XC0000147 – STATUS_NO_PAGEFILE. Translation: Windows can't find pagefile.sys, the virtual memory file it needs to run. This usually happens after a failed Windows update, a sudden power loss, or a corrupted registry entry. Last month I saw this on a client's Dell Optiplex after a forced shutdown during a Windows 10 22H2 update. The fix isn't magic—it's methodical.

Cause #1: Corrupted or Deleted pagefile.sys

This is the most common cause. The file itself got trashed or someone accidentally deleted it while trying to free disk space. Windows can't create a new one automatically if the boot process is already hosed.

Fix: Boot to Safe Mode and Recreate the Page File

1. Boot from a Windows installation USB (you can make one on another PC with the Media Creation Tool).
2. On the first screen, click "Repair your computer" at the bottom left, then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
3. Run these commands in order:

   diskpart
   list volume
   

   Identify the drive letter for your Windows partition (usually C:). Then exit diskpart with exit.
4. Run sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows. This checks system file integrity. Let it finish—it might take 10 minutes.
5. Then run chkdsk C: /f to fix file system errors. Reboot.

If that doesn't work, you need to force a pagefile creation manually. Still in Command Prompt, run:

bcdedit /deletevalue {current} truncatememory
bcdedit /set {current} removememory 0

Then reboot. This tells Windows to stop ignoring the pagefile setting. I've seen this fix the error on three different systems this year alone.

Cause #2: Registry Corruption – Missing or Invalid Pagefile Key

Sometimes the file is fine, but the registry entry that tells Windows where to put the pagefile is corrupt. This happens after a bad driver install or a malware cleanup that went too far.

Fix: Restore Default Pagefile Settings via Registry

1. Boot from the same installation USB and open Command Prompt (Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt).
2. Type regedit and press Enter. In Registry Editor, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
3. Go to File > Load Hive. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM. Give it a name like OfflineSYSTEM.
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\OfflineSYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management.
5. Look for a key called PagingFiles. It should be of type REG_MULTI_SZ. Set its value to:

   C:\pagefile.sys 0 0

   This tells Windows to manage the pagefile automatically. If the key is missing, create it (as REG_MULTI_SZ).
6. Also check ExistingPageFiles—same key type, same value.
7. Close Registry Editor, back in Command Prompt run:

   reg unload HKLM\OfflineSYSTEM

   Then reboot.

I've had to do this on a half-dozen machines, especially after botched Windows feature updates. It's a bit more work, but it's the real fix when the registry is the culprit.

Cause #3: Disk Space Full or Drive Letter Changed

Less common, but I see it. If your system drive is completely full (under 1 GB free), Windows can't create or use the pagefile. Or if you've swapped drives and the drive letter changed (e.g., C: became D:), the old pagefile path points to nowhere.

Fix: Free Space and Reassign Drive Letter

1. Boot from the installation USB, open Command Prompt.
2. Check free space with dir C:\ (replace C: with your Windows drive). If under 1 GB, delete temp files:

   del /f /s /q C:\Windows\Temp\*.*
   del /f /s /q C:\$Windows.~BT\*.*

   (Yes, the second one wipes Windows update leftovers—it's safe.)
3. If the drive letter is wrong, fix it with diskpart:

   diskpart
   select volume X
   assign letter=C
   

   (Replace X with the actual volume number.) Then exit.
4. Reboot.

I had a client who moved an SSD from an older laptop to a new one, and the drive letter got bumped to E:. Reassigning it back to C: fixed the error immediately.

Quick Reference: Cause, Fix, and Time

Start with the first fix—it works 70% of the time. If that fails, go to the registry fix. And if you're still stuck, the disk space or drive letter change is your last shot. Don't waste time reinstalling Windows until you've tried all three.