Fix esrv.exe application error

Some users report getting an error message with esrv.exe every time they start. Initially, it appeared in the technical assemblies of the preliminary access of Windows 10, but it was decided on modern computers. Most users report the following message each time they start:

esrv.exe is an application error. The application could not start correctly (0xc0000142). Click “OK” to close the application.

IMPORTANT. If you click OK, the error still disappears, but it will appear each time it starts up.

Statistics show that the problem occurs when the user installs a large update of Windows or upgrades to Windows 10 from the old version.

Fix esrv.exe error when starting the application.

What kind of file esrv.exe

Eserv is a process that relates to updating Intel drivers. In most cases, problems are caused by the fact that the Intel driver update was incorrectly deleted or processed manually by the user or automatically using Windows Update during the installation of the system update. Incorrect deletion will leave some elements that can still cause the process at each start. Since Windows can no longer find and start it (or a process related to it), the error of the esrv program and application download will be displayed instead. Since Intel stopped supporting Intel Driver Update and replaced it with Intel Driver & Support Assistant, Windows Update tries to make the transition on its own. However, during this process, something may go wrong, which leads to an application launch error.

Fix error when starting the application esrv.exe

If you also encounter this problem, then you will find all the effective methods to solve it. Perform them one by one until you get rid of error 0xc0000142 when running the application esrv.exe.

Rename esrv.exe files

Some users were able to solve the problem by renaming each instance of esrv and manually changing the file extension. Here is a quick guide to finding and renaming each instance of a file:

  • Open the explorer and access the C drive (or the partition in which the Windows files are stored). In the upper right corner in the search field, enter "esrv.exe". You will see at least two copies in the Entel folder, located in the "Programs" directory.
  • Right-click on all instances, and click Rename. Then simply add “.old” to the end of the extension. This will mean that your operating system is now ignoring this file.
  • Click "Yes" in the "Rename" dialog to confirm the changes.
  • Restart the computer and check whether the malfunction returns when you next start.

If problems still occur during start-up, proceed to the following methods.

Remove programs that cause esrv.exe launch error

The simplest way to prevent error esrv.exe is to remove the program to which it belongs — you can conditionally remove the Intel driver update from programs and components.

IMPORTANT. If you are worried about losing functionality after uninstalling the Intel driver update, do not worry. Intel has already replaced the old driver update. Windows should automatically find and download the latest version.

Below is a brief guide on how to stop running an esrv application on every launch by uninstalling the Intel Driver software:

  • Press the Windows key + R to open a new window Run. Type "appwiz.cpl" and press "Enter" to open the "Programs and Features".
  • Scroll through the application list to find the Intel Driver software.
  • Right-click the Intel Driver Software and select Uninstall. Then follow the on-screen instructions to completely remove the software from your system.

  • After uninstalling the Intel Driver software, close Programs and Features and restart the computer.
  • On the next start, check whether the malfunction returns.

If the problem is resolved, go back to the Programs and Features and check if the Intel Driver Software has been replaced by the Intel Driver & Support Assistant. Otherwise, you can download the utility manually from the official site. If error appears again, go to the next tip.

Disable services using esrv.exe

Another way to fix a problem on Windows 7 is to disable services using esrv:

  • Press Win + R and type services, press Enter; A list of all system functions will open. We are interested in only 3: Intel System Usage Report Service, Intel SUR QC Software Asset Manager and User Energy Server Service queencreek.
  • Find each of them, open the properties by double clicking;
  • If the service is currently active, select “Stop”;
  • After that, "Disable" and "OK." Done!

Use Autoruns to remove the startup key associated with esrv.exe

If none of the above methods removed the application’s malfunction, you need to remove the boot keys that call the service. Consider the process on the example of the program Autoruns, designed to remove the run, runonce, registry keys and boot folders. Since the problem occurs with every start, the problem is most likely caused by a scheduled task that was created by the wrong uninstall. Follow the guide below to remove the esrv autorun, thereby preventing this error:

  • Download Autoruns and unzip the archive to any convenient place. Open the folder into which you extracted the contents, and double-click on Autoruns.exe.
  • When the welcome window appears, do nothing until the “All” list is fully loaded with startup items.
  • When the list is full, press Ctrl + F to bring up the search function. In the search field, enter "esrv.exe" and click the "Find Next" button.
  • Then right-click on the first blue highlighted value and select “Delete” to remove the launch item. After that, call the search function again and repeat the procedure until the startup elements that mention the esrv file are specified.

Close Autoruns and restart the computer. The next time you start, you no longer have to worry about the application launch error.