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STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_NE_FORMAT
The selected image has an incompatible legacy NE format
STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_NE_FORMAT (0xC000011B) means the Windows image loader examined the selected binary and found that it has New Executable (NE) format rather than the image format required by the current load operation. NE is a legacy 16-bit executable format; the result is narrower than a generic application crash.
What to verify
- Record the exact path that the loader selected, the parent process, and whether the request was to start an executable or load a module.
- Inspect the file header and hash. Confirm that deployment did not substitute an old 16-bit helper, wrong architecture artifact, truncated file, or unrelated file with the expected name.
- Compare the binary with the vendor's current distribution and supported operating-system requirements.
Recovery
Use a supported build in the format expected by the target Windows environment. If the product genuinely depends on legacy 16-bit software, run that component only in a compatible environment rather than patching headers or copying system loader files.
If the inspected file is supposed to be PE but its bytes do not match the authoritative package, repair the deployment source first. A compatibility setting cannot correct a corrupted or mis-selected image.
Official references
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