If you are getting any DLL error message on your computer, or you are unable to play games or run any app on it due to the DLL error or getting the DLL error message while booting your Windows system, then this is the article for you.
Here, in this article, we will tell you what the DLL error is and how it is caused. Then we will also state a number of ways in which you can fix the DLL error on your Windows PC.
The DLL Error
One of the more important system files of your Windows PC is the DLL files. Various application software use the same .dll file and thus even if a single DLL file is corrupt, it may affect all the applications that are related to it.
Your Windows system is made more efficient by the DLL files as they boot the operating system by reusing the same code or files to run various features through lots of applications.
DLL errors are of various types and some of their common error messages are as follows:
- MSVCP140.dll, MSVCP120.dll, MSVCP110.dll, and MSVCP100.dll errors
- MSVCR100.dll, MSVCR71.dll errors
- D3DX9_43.dll error
- VCRUNTIME140.dll error
- NTDLL.dll missing error
- Netapi32.dll file not found
- “DLL file Access Violation.”
- “The WSClient.DLL file is missing”
- “Cannot register .dll file”
- “Cannot find C:\Windows\System32\\.dll.”
- “This application failed to start, an important component .dll is missing. Reinstalling the application may fix the error.”
What Causes the DLL Error?
The installation of malicious software, mostly malware and spyware, is one of the most common causes of DLL errors in Windows but there are some other reasons as well:
- If the updated DLL files were replaced with a preceding version by a recently installed application.
- If there are some defective hardware or some hardware malfunctioning that is damaging files.
- If there are malicious adware, malware, spyware or computer viruses, they infect the system files.
- Accidental deletion of a file.
- If an important DLL file is overwritten.
- If the DLL file is crashed or contaminated.
- If the DLL files are inaccessible, misplaced or corrupted.
- If invalid key entries overload the registry.
- Disk fragmentation
How to Fix the DLL Error?
- Clean Registry Keys
- Re-Register the Contaminated DLL File
- System Restore
- To Fix The Damaged System Files Run SFC
- Using CHKDSK Utility Check the Hard Drive Errors
- Install DirectX
- Reinstall Visual C++ Redistribution
1. Clean Registry Keys
A key module of all the Windows operating systems is the registry key which is also the main database and without it the Windows system won't work. All information and settings for the software, hardware, users and preferences on your PC are stored and recorded in the registry. Even the change in the settings of the Control Panel, files or installed software is all executed by the user side.
But because of the incomplete installation/uninstallation, configuration conflicts, application errors, etc., the registry gets overstuffed and accumulates old, useless and incorrect records after some months. The computer then becomes slow due to this and starts showing various errors like DLL missing.
It is best to try the professionally designed Registry Cleaner to remove these unwanted and useless registry keys and delete them all without any hassle.
It is very difficult and dangerous to follow the manual methods to fix corrupt registry or clean registry junk because even a small mistake during the removal process can harm your system and make it corrupt.
2. Re-Register the Contaminated DLL File
You need to follow the given steps very carefully to re-register a DLL file as even a single mistake here could affect your system badly.
The name of the DLL error that is thrown by your system has to be noted down first. Proceed with the following steps after you have copied the name of the DLL file:
- Press Windows + X and then select Command prompt (admin) to open the Command Prompt with admin privilege.
- After that run the given commands one by one. Press the Enter key after typing the first command and do the same for the second command.
regsvr32 /u FILENAME.dllregsvr32 FILENAME.dll
regsvr32 “C:\Windows\System32\myfile.dll”
This can work for you to fix the DLL error.
3. System Restore
You can very easily restore your system and take your computer back in time to solve the problem. You just have to follow these given steps very carefully:
- Open the Control Panel. You can open it by searching "Control Panel" and then clicking on the respective icon from the search results.
- Then click on Recovery and then Open System Restore.
- Then you just have to select a restore time by following the onscreen instructions and allow Windows to complete the process.
Check if the missing DLL files error is resolved or not after restoring the system to the earlier state.
4. To Fix The Damaged System Files Run SFC
Repair all the damaged system files with ease by going with the built-in Windows SFC (system file checker) utility.
Just follow these steps to do this:
- Use Windows install disc.
- Boot from your inserted Windows installation Disc.
- After this, just follow the instructions that appear on the screen: choose language, time and keyboard input and then click on the Repair your computer.
- Then select the Windows installation drive and click on the Next.
- From the System Recovery Options box, select the Command Prompt.
- Press the Enter key after typing the following command.
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows\
Note: You have to remember that the D: here has to be replaced with the letter of the drive letter where the Windows Operating System is installed.
5. Using CHKDSK Utility Check the Hard Drive Errors
The DLL missing or not found error can also be triggered by a problematic hard drive as sometimes its file integrity is compromised due to several internal and external problems.
You can use a built-in Windows CHKDSK utility to solve this issue. You just have to run the given steps carefully to run the CHKDSK command.
- Boot from your inserted Windows installation Disc.
- After this, just follow the instructions that appear on the screen: choose language, time and keyboard input and then click on the Repair your computer.
- Then select the Windows installation drive and click on the Next.
- From the System Recovery Options box, select the Command Prompt.
- Press the Enter key after typing the following command.
chkdsk C:/f
6. Install DirectX
The DLL missing error can be solved by installing Direct X on your computer. You just have to make sure that the DirectX required version is installed on your PC and that it is downloaded from Microsoft's official website.
You can follow these steps to install DirectX:
- Press Windows+ R key.
- Type “dxdiag" and click OK
- To see which version your system is running select the "System tab"
- Go to Microsoft’s “DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer” page.
- For the dxwebsetup.exe file click on the “Download” button.
- You can just follow the instructions on the screen after this and dxwebsetup.exe file will be downloaded and you will get the latest version of DirectX.
Then check again if the error is fixed.
7. Reinstall Visual C++ Redistribution
Reinstalling the Visual C++ Redistribution in your system is a fix that has worked for many users so you should just install it from the Microsoft website.
You can just follow the given steps:
- Move to the “Visual C++ Redistributable Packages ” download page.
- Click on “Download”.
You have to keep in mind that an old version of Redistribution is required by a few applications to work. Just reinstall the earlier version to fix the problem. The DLL error must be resolved after doing this.
Automatic Solution: DLL Repair Tool
If the missing DLL files error remains even after following the manual fixes then it is worth going for the automatic solution to fix DLL errors without any hassle.
To fix various DLL errors and issues with ease, download the trusted DLL Repair Tool which is compatible with all Windows versions.
Apart from fixing the missing DLL files error, it also fixes other errors like Application errors, Registry errors, preventing PC issues, etc. and also optimises the computer's performance. Also, as the tool is designed for everyone, it doesn't require any professional or programming knowledge to operate.
Conclusion
DLL errors can cause various problems on your Windows PC such as being unable to play games or run any application. DLL files are vital for the efficient operation of your system as they enable the reuse of codes and files to run different features through multiple applications. There are various reasons why DLL errors occur, such as the installation of malicious software, defective hardware, accidental file deletion, and more.
To fix these errors, you can try different methods, such as cleaning registry keys, re-registering contaminated DLL files, system restoring, fixing damaged system files, and installing DirectX or Visual C++ Redistribution. It is important to be cautious while performing these methods and follow the instructions carefully to avoid harming your system.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a DLL file?
DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library. It is a type of file that contains a set of code, data, and resources that can be used by multiple applications at the same time. DLL files are commonly used in Windows operating systems to provide shared functionality and reduce the overall size of executable files.
2. How do DLL errors occur?
DLL errors occur due to a variety of reasons, such as malware infections, hardware problems, outdated or corrupt drivers, improper installation or removal of software, or problems with the Windows registry.
3. How can I fix DLL errors?
To fix DLL errors you can try cleaning the Windows registry, re-registering the DLL file, restoring the system to an earlier state using System Restore, running a virus scan, updating drivers, repairing system files using the SFC utility, and reinstalling the affected software.
4. Can DLL errors harm my computer?
No, DLL errors don't directly harm your computer, they can indicate deeper issues that may affect system stability or performance. For example, DLL errors caused by malware infections can compromise system security, and DLL errors caused by hardware problems may indicate a failing component that needs to be replaced.
