0xC000006C STATUS_PASSWORD_RESTRICTION — Windows Error Code

Q: What does the Windows error code 0xC000006C mean?

It is the Win32 / NTSTATUS code STATUS_PASSWORD_RESTRICTION (decimal -1073741716). Password does not meet domain password policy requirements.

Q: How do I decode 0xC000006C in PowerShell?

Run [ComponentModel.Win32Exception]::new(-1073741716).Message in any PowerShell session. For HRESULT-style codes, use err.exe from the Windows SDK or the WinDbg !error command.

Q: Where does Windows typically log this error?

It depends on the originating subsystem (Windows Update → %WinDir%\WindowsUpdate.log; AD/Kerberos → Security event log on the DC; BSOD → minidump under C:\Windows\Minidump; MSI → %TEMP%\msi*.log; WMI → Microsoft-Windows-WMI-Activity). Always cross-reference the timestamp and module name with the Application and System event logs.

Description

STATUS_PASSWORD_RESTRICTION (hex code 0xC000006C, decimal -1073741716) is a Windows warning-level error code in the NT Status Codes family. Microsoft surfaces this code through the Win32 API, the Common Language Runtime, the kernel, the event log, PowerShell, command-line tools (sfc, dism, gpupdate, sc), and Windows-side applications such as Outlook, Teams, Office, and System Center.

Password does not meet domain password policy requirements.

This page documents what triggers 0xC000006C, the most common scenarios where it appears, the likely root causes, and a step-by-step troubleshooting workflow you can run against affected endpoints. It is intended for system administrators, MSP technicians, helpdesk engineers, and anyone diagnosing Windows behavior in a managed environment.

In-depth explanation

This is a warning-severity code. The operation did not necessarily fail; Windows may have completed it with side effects, conflicts, or a state that requires user attention. It is normally safe to retry, but should still be logged so repeated occurrences can be triaged.

It is an NTSTATUS code (returned from kernel APIs). Win32 may translate it into a more familiar ERROR_* equivalent through RtlNtStatusToDosError.

The code can be looked up programmatically in PowerShell with [ComponentModel.Win32Exception]::new(-1073741716).Message (for Win32 / NTSTATUS codes that map cleanly), or with net helpmsg <decimal> for the legacy decimal range. For HRESULT-style codes, decode the facility and code with err.exe from the SDK or via the WinDbg !error command.

Common causes

Kernel-mode caller passed an invalid parameter or handle.
Driver bug in a third-party filter, antivirus, or backup agent.
Memory pressure — paged or non-paged pool exhausted.
Concurrent access conflict on a kernel object.
Volume / registry hive corruption preventing the operation.

Troubleshooting steps

Inspect the System event log around the failure for the matching NTSTATUS entry, including the originating process and module.
If a kernel-mode driver is implicated, capture a kernel dump and analyze with WinDbg (!analyze -v).
Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to rule out OS-level corruption.
Check for matching Win32 errors via RtlNtStatusToDosError — most NT statuses have a more familiar ERROR_* sibling that is easier to triage.
Repro with Process Monitor (procmon) to capture the exact API call, parameters, and stack at the moment of failure.

Decode in PowerShell

# Decode 0xC000006C (-1073741716) in PowerShell
[ComponentModel.Win32Exception]::new(-1073741716).Message

# Or via WinDbg / err.exe (Windows SDK)
# err 0xC000006C

# Or net helpmsg (legacy decimal range only)
# net helpmsg <decimal>

Frequently asked questions

What does the Windows error code 0xC000006C mean?

It is the Win32 / NTSTATUS code STATUS_PASSWORD_RESTRICTION (decimal -1073741716). Password does not meet domain password policy requirements.

How do I decode 0xC000006C in PowerShell?

Run [ComponentModel.Win32Exception]::new(-1073741716).Message in any PowerShell session. For HRESULT-style codes, use err.exe from the Windows SDK or the WinDbg !error command.

Where does Windows typically log this error?

It depends on the originating subsystem (Windows Update → %WinDir%\WindowsUpdate.log; AD/Kerberos → Security event log on the DC; BSOD → minidump under C:\Windows\Minidump; MSI → %TEMP%\msi*.log; WMI → Microsoft-Windows-WMI-Activity). Always cross-reference the timestamp and module name with the Application and System event logs.

Is this code recoverable?

Yes — this code is informational or warning-level. The operation can normally be retried after addressing the condition described in the summary.

Should I open a Microsoft support case for this?

Open a case if the error reproduces after applying the troubleshooting steps, particularly if it blocks production workloads, occurs across multiple endpoints, or is associated with a security boundary (BitLocker recovery, Kerberos failure, DCOM hardening, SmartScreen / WDAC). Have a fresh CBS log, minidump, or Get-WinEvent export ready before opening the case.