Fix 0xC01E0112: Graphics allocation closed permanently

Quick fix (30 seconds): Restart the program or your PC

This error happens when a program grabs video memory and then crashes or closes without letting it go. The allocation is marked "closed permanently" by Windows because the process that owned it died.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

Step 2: Look under the Processes tab for any game or graphics-heavy app that's still running. If you see it, right-click it and pick End task.

Step 3: Now restart the program that showed the error. If it starts fine, you're done. If you still see 0xC01E0112, move on.

Step 4: Restart your whole PC. Hold Shift while clicking Restart in the Start menu to force a full shutdown first (this clears memory caches better). After the reboot, try your app again.

What to expect: After a restart, the locked memory gets freed. If the error disappears, it was a one-time glitch. If it comes back every time, you've got a driver or software problem.

Moderate fix (5 minutes): Update or reinstall your GPU driver

The most common cause of repeated 0xC01E0112 errors is a corrupted or outdated display driver. Windows Update often installs generic drivers that don't handle video memory properly. Don't use those.

Option A: Clean install Nvidia driver

1. Download the latest driver from Nvidia's site. Match your exact GPU model and Windows version.
2. Disconnect from the internet (unplug Ethernet or turn off Wi-Fi). This stops Windows from auto-installing a driver mid-process.
3. Run DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode. Download it from Guru3D.
4. Open DDU, select your GPU type (Nvidia), and click Clean and restart. This wipes every trace of the old driver.
5. After reboot, run the Nvidia installer you downloaded. Choose Custom (Advanced), then check Perform a clean installation.
6. Reconnect to the internet.
7. Restart once more after install finishes.

Option B: Clean install AMD driver

1. Go to AMD's support page and download the Adrenalin driver for your card.
2. Disconnect from the internet.
3. Boot into Safe Mode and run DDU with AMD selected. Click Clean and restart.
4. After reboot, run the AMD installer. During setup, choose Factory Reset (it's an option at the bottom).
5. Reconnect to the internet after install.
6. Restart your PC.

What to expect: After a clean driver install, the error should stop appearing. If you still see it, the problem is likely in the app itself, not the driver.

Advanced fix (15+ minutes): Check for memory leaks and corrupt system files

If the error keeps happening across multiple programs, your graphics card might have a hardware issue, or Windows itself has a corrupt file. Here's how to check both.

Step 1: Run System File Checker

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Press Win + X, choose Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This scans all protected system files and replaces any corrupt ones.
3. Let it finish. It takes 5-15 minutes. After it's done, restart your PC.

Step 2: Check for memory leaks in a specific game or app

Some games have bugs that cause video memory to grow until it hits a limit. For example, Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite are known for this. Here's what to look for:

1. Open Task Manager while the game is running. Go to the Performance tab, then click GPU.
2. Watch the Dedicated GPU memory usage line. If it climbs steadily over 10 minutes and doesn't drop, that's a memory leak.
3. Lower the game's graphics settings, especially texture quality and shadow detail. These use the most video memory.
4. If the error still appears, try running the game in windowed mode instead of fullscreen. Some games handle memory better that way.

Step 3: Test your GPU hardware

If none of the above helps, your graphics card might be failing. Run a stress test:

1. Download FurMark from Geeks3D or OCCT from OCBASE.
2. Run the stress test at 1080p for 10 minutes. If the screen goes black, shows artifacts, or throws the same 0xC01E0112 error, your GPU likely has bad memory.
3. Check your temperatures in HWMonitor (CPUID). If the GPU hits over 85°C, it might be overheating. Clean the fans and repaste if you're comfortable with that.

Step 4: Last resort – Reset Windows

If you've tried everything and the error still appears on multiple apps, your Windows install might be deeply corrupted. Reset it without losing your files:

1. Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
2. Under Reset this PC, click Reset PC.
3. Choose Keep my files. This removes apps but keeps documents and photos.
4. Select Cloud download for a fresh copy of Windows.
5. Follow the prompts. It'll take 30-60 minutes. After reset, reinstall your GPU driver fresh (don't use Windows Update's version).

Real-world trigger: I've seen this error most often after a game crashes while loading a new map. The GPU allocates memory for the new assets, the game dies before freeing it, and Windows marks that allocation as closed but still holds the reference. Restarting the game is usually enough, but if you alt-tab during loading screens a lot, you're more likely to hit it.

What to expect after the advanced fix: If the error still shows after a Windows reset and a clean driver install, it's almost certainly a hardware defect. Time to replace the GPU or RMA it.