Windows System Errors

Windows System Errors 12 — ERROR_INVALID_ACCESS

In Windows System Errors, code 12 is ERROR_INVALID_ACCESS. The official source describes it as “The access code is invalid.”. Its concrete cause depends on the operation and surrounding message.

Code12
SymbolERROR_INVALID_ACCESS
Source confidencehigh

Official definition

The access code is invalid.

In plain language

In Windows System Errors, code 12 is ERROR_INVALID_ACCESS. The official source describes it as “The access code is invalid.”. Its concrete cause depends on the operation and surrounding message.

Context to inspect

  • The surrounding operation, version and subsystem determine the actual cause.
  • The same numeric value can mean something different in another namespace.

Safe first checks

  1. Confirm which product, protocol or subsystem produced the code.
  2. Read the full surrounding error message and inspect relevant logs.
  3. Compare the code with the linked authoritative documentation before changing configuration.

Important context

The surrounding operation, version and subsystem determine the actual cause.

Authoritative source

Microsoft Learn — System Error Codes

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