Error 0x0000273C is Winsock error 10044, WSAESOCKTNOSUPPORT: the program requested a socket type that the selected address family does not support. The reliable fix is to correct the program’s socket parameters; Windows repair steps help only when the error appears with broader system problems.
What error 0x0000273C means
Windows displays 0x0000273C in hexadecimal form. The same value is decimal Winsock error 10044, named WSAESOCKTNOSUPPORT. Microsoft defines it as: “The support for the specified socket type does not exist in this address family.” In practical terms, an application asked Windows Sockets to create a combination of address family, socket type, and protocol that the selected networking family or provider cannot supply.
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The error is generated by a Winsock API call, normally socket or WSASocket. When the call fails, it returns INVALID_SOCKET. The calling program must then retrieve the specific reason immediately with WSAGetLastError; a later Windows call can overwrite the error value.
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Why Windows reports WSAESOCKTNOSUPPORT
The socket type is unavailable in the selected address family
Every socket request combines an address family such as IPv4 or IPv6 with a socket type such as stream, datagram, or raw. The requested type must be implemented for that family. If it is not, Winsock returns 10044.
Microsoft’s example is an application requesting the optional SOCK_RAW type from a family that does not implement raw sockets. A program can therefore work with one family or provider and fail when configuration, protocol selection, or an operating-system preference causes it to use another.
The protocol does not match the socket semantics
The protocol argument must be compatible with the requested type and address family. A stream-oriented protocol paired with a datagram type, or another unsupported combination, can produce the same class of failure. This is an application-level mismatch, not something a general network reset can reliably correct.
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A layered Winsock provider rejects the request
VPNs, firewalls, antivirus network filters, packet-capture tools, and similar software can install layered Winsock service providers. A provider that is outdated, damaged, or incompatible with the request may be involved. This is a troubleshooting inference from Winsock’s provider model, not a Microsoft finding that every 0x0000273C report is caused by one of these products.
First determine whether the problem is one program or Windows itself
Record the exact application, action, and time at which the error appears. Then check whether another network-dependent program can open a connection. The distinction determines where to spend effort:
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- Only one application fails: treat the incident first as an application socket-configuration or compatibility problem. Reinstalling Windows networking components is unlikely to fix an invalid
af,type, orprotocolcombination inside that program. - Several applications fail, or the error accompanies crashes, restarts, device warnings, or other Windows instability: investigate the Windows environment as well as the original application.
- The error began after a VPN, firewall, antivirus, packet-capture tool, driver, or hardware change: include that change in the timeline and test it in a controlled way.
Do not infer a specific driver or application from the hexadecimal value. The code identifies the class of Winsock failure, not its owner.
Developer fix: correct the Winsock request
If you maintain the program that produces the error, these steps address the cause directly. Capture the failing call and its arguments before changing the machine.
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1. Reproduce and identify the failing call
Run the same workflow that produces the message under a debugger or application log. Establish whether the failure occurs in socket, WSASocket, or a wrapper that eventually calls one of them. A message shown by a user interface may be several layers removed from the actual call.
2. Log the address family, type, and protocol
Log the three values passed to the call, along with the code returned immediately afterward. The minimum useful record is:
SOCKET s = socket(af, type, protocol);
if (s == INVALID_SOCKET) {
int error = WSAGetLastError();
log_socket_failure(af, type, protocol, error);
}The important detail is timing: call WSAGetLastError immediately after the failed Winsock call and preserve the value in your own log. Do not call another API first and assume the later result still describes the socket failure.
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3. Select a socket type supported by the family
Compare the requested type with the capabilities of the chosen address family and provider. If the code requests SOCK_RAW, verify that raw sockets are implemented for that family and that the application genuinely requires them. Otherwise, select a supported type appropriate to the application’s communication model.
4. Match the protocol to the type
Check that the protocol value is valid for the selected family and socket type. Keep stream, datagram, and raw semantics consistent rather than relying on a value that happened to work on another machine. Test each intended family explicitly instead of silently falling through to an incompatible one.
5. Test the provider path
If the parameters are valid in a clean environment but fail on a particular installation, list the networking software that inserts a Winsock provider. Update that software according to its vendor’s documentation, or temporarily remove or disable it only in a controlled test. Record the result, then restore protection and network controls after testing. A provider test can narrow the cause; it does not prove that the provider is defective without a reproducible comparison.
6. Ship a useful diagnostic
Return the numeric error and a plain-language explanation to your support logs. Include the address family, type, protocol, operating-system version, and enabled network filters. That information lets the application vendor correct the request or document a supported configuration instead of asking users to perform unrelated system repairs.
Windows 11 and Windows 10 recovery when wider symptoms exist
Use the following sequence when 0x0000273C appears together with crashes, restarts, device failures, or general instability. These actions repair or isolate the Windows environment; they do not rewrite an application’s invalid socket arguments.
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Remove recently added hardware
Shut down the computer and disconnect newly installed hardware or peripherals that appeared just before the problem. Reconnect devices one at a time after testing. This is especially useful when the error arrived with a restart, blue-screen-like behavior, or a new warning in Device Manager.
Start Windows in Safe Mode
Use Safe Mode to load Windows with a limited set of drivers and services. If the error or accompanying instability disappears there, a startup service, filter, driver, or third-party provider becomes more likely. Safe Mode does not identify the exact component; it gives you a reduced environment for comparison.
Inspect Device Manager
Open Device Manager and look for warning icons. For a device associated with the symptoms, install an available driver update or temporarily disable the device and test again. Re-enable it after the test. If the warning returns, record the device name and status code for the hardware or application vendor.
Keep adequate free disk space
Microsoft’s recovery guidance recommends keeping roughly 10% to 15% of the system drive free. Check the drive that contains Windows and remove or move files only after confirming they are not needed. Low space can interfere with updates, logs, temporary files, and recovery operations, although freeing space does not change an application’s unsupported socket request.
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Use the update troubleshooter and then check for updates through the normal Windows interface.
On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, find Windows Update, select Run, restart when prompted, and check for updates again.
On Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Update, run the troubleshooter, restart, and then check for updates.
Account for Windows 10’s support boundary
Microsoft states that after October 14, 2025, it will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Windows 10 may continue to run, but an update-related symptom may not receive ongoing fixes through the standard support channel. This date matters when deciding whether to continue troubleshooting an old installation or plan a supported operating-system migration.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRun System File Checker
If Windows system-file damage is suspected, open an elevated Command Prompt or Windows Terminal and run:
sfc /scannowSystem File Checker scans protected Windows files and attempts to repair corruption that can make Windows malfunction. Allow the scan to finish, restart if requested, and test the original scenario again. SFC can address damaged system files; it cannot correct a program that supplies an unsupported socket type, address family, or protocol.
Use System Restore when earlier steps fail
If the problem began after a driver, application, update, or provider change and a suitable restore point exists, use System Restore to return Windows to an earlier state. Choose a restore point dated before the change and review the affected programs and drivers before confirming. System Restore is an environment rollback, not a repair of source code or application configuration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will resetting Winsock fix 0x0000273C?
A blanket Winsock reset is not established as a universal fix for WSAESOCKTNOSUPPORT. The authoritative definition points to an unsupported socket type in the selected address family, while a reset changes the local networking configuration. If one application consistently passes invalid parameters, resetting Winsock leaves that request unchanged.
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Quick Recap
Choose the least invasive remedy
| Action | What it changes | Best fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
Correct af, type, or protocol |
The application’s Winsock request | A reproducible failure in one program | Requires access to the application code or vendor support |
| Test or update a layered provider | VPN, firewall, antivirus, packet-capture, or similar Winsock integration | Failure begins after provider software is installed or changes | The provider involvement is an inference until a controlled comparison confirms it |
| Safe Mode and Device Manager checks | Startup services and device drivers loaded by Windows | Error appears with crashes, restarts, or device warnings | Safe Mode narrows the field but does not name the offending component |
| Windows Update troubleshooting | Windows Update components and available operating-system fixes | System instability or update-related symptoms | Windows 10 no longer receives free updates, technical assistance, or security fixes after October 14, 2025 |
sfc /scannow |
Protected Windows system files | Suspected system-file corruption | Does not alter an application’s socket parameters |
| System Restore | Windows state, drivers, and applications affected by a restore point | The issue follows a recent system change | Needs an appropriate restore point and rolls back more than the networking call itself |
A practical decision path
- Write down the exact application and action that triggers 0x0000273C.
- Test another network-capable application. If only one fails, contact or debug that application before changing Windows networking.
- If you are the developer, capture the failing
socketorWSASocketcall, logaf,type, andprotocol, and retrieve the error immediately withWSAGetLastError. - Verify that the address family supports the requested socket type, with particular care around optional
SOCK_RAWrequests. - Verify protocol compatibility and test without recently changed layered providers in a controlled environment.
- If Windows itself is unstable, remove recent hardware, use Safe Mode, inspect Device Manager, maintain 10%–15% free disk space, run Windows Update troubleshooting, and run
sfc /scannow. - Use System Restore only when the symptoms began after a change and an appropriate restore point is available.
- Do not treat a Winsock reset as a guaranteed answer; use it only when supported by the relevant vendor’s instructions or by evidence of a damaged provider configuration.
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