STATUS_MAPPED_FILE_SIZE_ZERO (0XC000011E) Fix

What's going on with 0XC000011E?

This error shows up when a program tries to map a file into memory, but that file is exactly zero bytes. Windows says "you can't map nothing." The error code is STATUS_MAPPED_FILE_SIZE_ZERO, and it usually means some corrupted cache or temp file got left behind as an empty stub.

You'll see this most often when launching a game like Call of Duty Warzone or a design tool like AutoCAD — right after an update or a crash. The app tried to read a file that should have had data, but the file was empty.

Cause #1: Corrupted prefetch files — the most common culprit

Prefetch files are tiny database files Windows uses to speed up app launches. Over time, they get corrupted, especially after a power failure or a forced shutdown. When Windows tries to map a corrupted prefetch file that's zero bytes, boom — you get 0XC000011E.

Here's how to clear them. It won't hurt anything — Windows rebuilds prefetch files automatically.

1. Close all running applications.
2. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
3. Type prefetch and press Enter. A folder will open.
4. You'll see a prompt saying "You don't have permission to access this folder." Click Continue — yes, it's safe, you're the admin.
5. Once inside, select all files (Ctrl + A).
6. Press Shift + Delete to permanently remove them. Confirm with Yes.
7. After deleting, you should see an empty folder. If any files won't delete, skip them — they're in use. Reboot and try again.
8. Restart your computer.

After the restart, launch the app that was failing. In most cases, the error is gone. The prefetch folder is empty, and Windows will rebuild it fresh next time you open the app.

Cause #2: Temp files left behind by a failed update or installer

If clearing prefetch didn't fix it, the next place to check is the temp folders. When an installer or a Windows update crashes partway through, it can leave behind empty temporary files. The next time you run the program, it finds a zero-byte temp file and throws the error.

Clean both temp folders — the user temp and the system temp.

1. Press Windows Key + R, type %temp%, and press Enter.
2. Select all files (Ctrl + A) and delete them (Shift + Delete). Some files will say "in use" — skip those. That's normal.
3. Press Windows Key + R again, type temp (without the percent signs), and press Enter.
4. You'll be in C:\Windows\Temp. Select all and delete. You might get an admin prompt — click Continue.
5. Empty the Recycle Bin after you're done.
6. Restart your PC.

After the restart, try launching the app again. I've seen this fix errors in Photoshop and Visual Studio when prefetch cleanup alone didn't work.

Cause #3: The application's own data file is corrupt or empty

Sometimes the problem isn't with Windows — it's with the app's own saved data. For example, a game's save file or a config file might have been written incorrectly during a crash. The app tries to map it, sees it's zero bytes, and errors out.

This is trickier because you need to find which file is empty. Here's a practical approach:

1. Open the application folder. For most programs, that's C:\Program Files\[App Name] or C:\Program Files (x86)\...\.
2. Look for files that are 0 bytes. To find them quickly, open Command Prompt as admin and run:

   dir /s /a-d | findstr /i "0 File(s)"

   This scans the current directory and subdirectories for empty files. It might take a minute for large folders.
3. If you find an empty file that's critical — like a .dll or .exe — do not delete it. Instead, reinstall the application. If it's a config or save file (e.g., .cfg, .sav), rename it to filename.old and see if the app rebuilds it on next launch.

I've seen this with Steam games — the appmanifest.acf file goes zero bytes after a disk error. Renaming it forces Steam to verify and redownload it. That's the fix.

Quick-reference summary table

Start with prefetch. It's quick, safe, and fixes most cases. If that doesn't do it, move to temp files. Only dig into app-specific files if the first two don't work. And remember — if you're on Windows 11 22H2 or newer, you might also see this error after a failed cumulative update. In that case, run sfc /scannow from an admin command prompt, then reboot.