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Common DLL Errors And How You Can Resolve Them
When it comes to researching and troubleshooting computer errors, millions of computer users have been empowered because of the Internet. Vast information available on the Internet has not only helped in saving billions of dollars for computer community, but has also played a great role in making today’s computer user more aware and prepared to take on computer errors.
This article is another step in the pursuit of enlightening computer users to combat a common category of computer application errors known as DLL errors. Along with EXE errors, DLL errors are one of the most frequently encountered application errors.
DLL or Dynamic Link Library files were originally a product of Microsoft, the makers of the Windows operating system. They were created to make the computer system more efficient and simple by creating a library of files which can be called upon to perform certain tasks. Today almost every Windows-based software application uses DLL files to make their applications smaller and faster.
Common DLL errors:
DLL file errors occur when something happens to a DLL file itself or to the process to which the file is associated with. Usually, it is one of the following things that generate a DLL error message.
- File not found errors: When a file goes missing or is not accessible, your system will generate errors, such as “Msvcr71.dll Not Found”.
- Infections from malicious software like spyware, virus, and Trojans: A common example of DLL errors caused by malware is the rundll error. The rundll file is used by Windows to invoke functions stored in DLL files. You get rundll errors when an application is unable to reach the code that it needs to perform a particular task.
- Incorrect installation and removal of a program: Incorrect addition and removal of programs may generate buggy files on the system and generate errors.
- Hardware issues: DLL errors can occur to due to problems in the hard drive or other system hardware. In such cases, you will see stop error messages like:
“STOP: C0000221 Unknown Hard Error \SystemRoot\System32\ntdll.dll”
Resolving DLL Errors
Just like most computer errors, in order to resolve DLL errors you must first diagnose the cause of the error message. This can either be done by searching on the Internet or directly going to a few websites that are dedicated to resolving DLL errors. These websites provide authentic information on resolving DLL errors. Usually solving DLL problems will involve one or more of the following steps:
- If the file is missing, you may obtain the file from a genuine source and replace it on the system. You can also reinstall the complete application to which the DLL file belongs.
- If you suspect that malware infection is behind the error, you will need to scan and eliminate malware from your system with the help of a good anti-malware tool.
- If the error occurs during installation or uninstallation of an application, you should take the cue and reverse the process immediately.
- At times, you will find that the DLL error is occurring due to a driver problem. In such cases, the first step should be to replace the device driver involved.
- In the end, it is always a great idea to sweep your Windows registry with a reliable registry tool as many DLL errors leave traces behind.