Get windows error description from exception codes

27 December, 2025
Time to read: 1 mins
bashpowershell
Last update: 27 December, 2025
$ certutil -error 0x5

0x5 (WIN32: 5 ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED) -- 5 (5)
Error message text: Access is denied.
CertUtil: -error command completed successfully.

You can also use decimal numbers, for example, the following are equivalent:

$ certutil -error 50
$ certutil -error 0x32

0x32 (WIN32: 50 ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED) -- 50 (50)
Error message text: The request is not supported.

To view multiple possible error meanings from multiple header files, see the error lookup tool https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/debug/system-error-code-lookup-tool

$ Err_6.4.5.exe c000021a
# for hex 0xc000021a / decimal -1073741286
STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED                ntstatus.h​
# {Fatal System Error}​
# The %hs system process terminated unexpectedly with a​
# status of 0x%08x (0x%08x 0x%08x).​
# The system has been shut down.​
# as an HRESULT: Severity: FAILURE (1), FACILITY_NULL (0x0), Code 0x21a​
# for hex 0x21a / decimal 538​
ERROR_ABIOS_ERROR                               winerror.h​
# An error occurred in the ABIOS subsystem.​
# 2 matches found for "c000021a"

ThioJoe - “Never Wonder About Windows Errors Again”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88a-cW9vNxY

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