• How To: Fix Missing DLL Problems

  Applies to: Microsoft Windows (All versions)

  Symptoms

  You run a program and receive a message:

  Cannot find the file xxxxxxxx.exe (or one of its components.)

  followed by:

  Error starting program. A required .DLL file xxxxxxxx.DLL was not found.

  Cause

  A system file required by the application has been deleted. This can happen after uninstalling software.

• DLL Errors - What They Are and Why They Can Be the Cause of Poor PC Performance
  
  DLL stands for dynamic-link library. They were first developed in the mid-1960s for the Multics OS (1965-2000) and their original purpose was to save on the disk space and memory needed by software programs by keeping them locally on the hard drive.
  
  The premise is this - a DLL file holds data that is stored in a library that is retrieved and shared by applications whose purpose or use is more or less the same.
  
  As you can imagine, all this sharing between different applications can cause havoc in the Windows registry as you add, update and remove various programs on your PC.
  
  For instance, if Software A and Software B both use a particular DLL file and you download and update Software B on your PC, the DLL file originally used by both applications may be overwritten. And although technically, this may be a new DLL file, it is not the same DLL file used by Software A. So when you try to open Software A on your PC... bingo! you get a DLL error.
  
  As if DLL errors are not enough of a headache by themselves, all these problems weigh heavily on the Windows registry, causing poor PC performance in the end.
  
  DLL Errors - What You Can Do About It
  
  There are several ways by which you can prevent DLL errors from occurring.

  • If the Dynamic Link Library error states that a DLL file is missing, you must locate it on the Internet, download it and install it on your PC.
  
  
  • A DLL error may occur if the required DLL file is disabled. Depending on the application you are using, there are ways or options you can use to enable a disabled DLL file.
  
  
  • Sometimes, a DLL error occurs when the software accessing it is old. In this case, download and install the latest version of the software and use that version.
  
  
  • A DLL error can also be caused by spyware and PC viruses! Ensure you have anti-spyware and anti-virus programs installed on your PC.
  
  
  • Use registry cleaner software regularly to ensure that your Windows registry is always ´fit´. Ironically, fixing a DLL error can call for adding, updating and removing applications, which in turn can cause even more obsolete and unnecessary data on the Windows registry.

Find Out What's Causing the DLL Errors and Repair Now!