DLL is short for the Dynamic-link library, which is a shared library for housing different programs. All these programs can have their own modules, and the DLL houses them. The programs can even accommodate some common modules in the DLL and share it.
The advantage of these libraries is that you can modularize code efficiently using memory and disk space. The code can be reused. This entire process helps you get rid of performance issues as well. Your programs will run faster and with more efficiency due to DLLs.
There are, however, some common problems associated with using DLLs. They are not independent files like.exe files and are shared between multiple programs. So, any issue in a single program or the system can cause the dreaded DLL error. This is a common Microsoft problem and seen in almost all of the versions of the OS.
How to fix DLL errors?
Since DLLs get shared between multiple programs, the following scenarios can cause an error.
- A DLL file has been upgraded while it is being used by another program.
- A.dll file has been deleted from the system.
- A user or a program has fixed an error in the current, shared.dll file.
- A shared.dll file has been overwritten by an older version.
These problems with.dll file errors are called.dll conflicts, and you will see the missing.dll error if any of these things happen in the system.
Here are some common principles that will help you fix DLL errors.
Download A .dll File
If your Windows is throwing missing or not found dll errors, you may simply go online and download the missing DLL files. That is not going to solve your problem all the time but worth giving a try. You need to make that the DLL file is clean and safe from malware that can end up infecting your entire system.
Reboot
The old on and off again method is the easiest way to fix any DLL errors you can have. Sometimes the problem might not be that there is a corruption in the file, it could just be that there is a missing cache, and then restart can fix the problem from the root.
However, in some of the missing DLL file cases, you might not be able to reboot, and you might have to plug off your entire system to do a forced restart.
Look Into The Trash Bin
you may have deleted the DLL file or somebody else might have. Either way, you want to take a look at your recycle bin to see if the file is there. If it is there, just restore it, and that will solve any problem you’re having.
If you are not able to see the file in the recycle bin, you can use recovery software. But if the DLL file is corrupted, in that case, this is not going to solve the problem. This only works if your DLL file is still intact but just got deleted accidentally.
If you have MAC, check out to restore files: https://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/restoring-missing-apps-after-an-incomplete-icloud-restore
Put The Previous Version Of Your System
This is not the best option, but this will get you to the last point when your system was intact. The problem with this method is if you have had some near registry changes or installed any other apps, they will get deleted. This is still better than having to do a complete reinstall of the software.
Reinstall Your Software
If you have the original CD of the software, you can try reinstalling it. This will get rid of whichever program is throwing the missing DLL file error.
Update Drivers
If you have hardware connected to your systems such as a printer or a scanner, the missing DLL file error could be caused one of your devices is using an older version of the driver which is not compatible with the current DLL file.
So, your scanner might be looking in the wrong DLL file, and when it cannot access that, it throws the error. Try to update the driver of any third-party devices you are connecting with your PC.
Update Your Windows Version
If you have any of the windows updates pending, it can mean there are a lot of patches and updates that need to happen to the DLL files on your computer. Don’t keep it holding for a very long time, or your DLL files will become outdated, which could be the cause of the missing DLL file error, to begin with. Run all of the updates and see if that fixes the problem.
Malware
If your PC is infected with malware, there could be additional DLL files that are interfering with the function of the old one. Use a good antivirus or at least scan your PC with the malware software and see if there is an infection that needs to be quarantined.
Run Up SFC Scan
The system file checker scan is one of the best ways you can fix the missing DLL file error. If you have Windows 7 or any of the later OS versions, the SFC scan can replace the missing DLL file which is causing the issue. type “sfc /scannow” in The command prompt. Run the scan in safe mode and wait to see if the problem gets fixed.
Check The System Update Readiness Tool
This tool exists to fix the corruption errors that come up in windows OS, which could potentially resolve the DLL file error.
Start Up Repair
Before you use this option, try any of the other methods to resolve this. This fix can cause an issue with the programs you have running. If any of the programs have updated their DLL files, the startup repair will restore the version to the original state, which can cause a malfunction of the program. But hey, if nothing works, no harm in trying this.
Wrapping Up
So, these were a few ways through which you can fix DLL errors. What are your views on this? Don’t forget to share the option that fixed the error for you in the comments below.
