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August 13, 2010

Causes and Solutions to Common DLL Errors

The job of troubleshooting a computer error becomes relatively easy once you know its cause.  After you know what is causing the error, you can then perform definite steps to fix the error.

In this article, we will discuss a common type of error that has troubled Windows users for a long time and still continues to do so – DLL errors.

Listed below are some common causes of DLL errors, such as the msvcr80.dll and winhttp.dll errors:

• Corrupt or missing DLL file.
• Problems in one or more application files.
• Outdated files.
• Malware Infection.
• Registry Issues.

Depending on the cause of the DLL error, perform the steps discussed below to fix DLL errors:

Reinstall the application

If the DLL error is occurring because the DLL is missing, then uninstall and reinstall the application with which you are getting the error. When you install an application all the files that are required by the program get saved on your computer. If the error is occurring because of a missing DLL you can fix the DLL error by reinstalling the application.

Reinstalling the application will also fix the DLL error if the error was occurring due to a missing or corrupt application file.

Download the missing DLL file from the Internet

If the DLL file is missing and the error does not get fixed by reinstalling the application, then you need to download the missing DLL file from the Internet. This method should be adopted only when reinstalling the application does not solve the missing DLL issue.

When the DLL file listed in the error message is not part of the application with which you received the error then reinstalling the application does not help in procuring the missing DLL file. To understand this point, let’s see one example.

For instance, you may receive a winhttp.dll error when you try to run or install MSN Messenger.

Although the error message prompts you to reinstall MSN messenger, that does not do any good. The reason being that winhttp.dll is not a part of the MSN messenger application, thus it is not saved on your computer when you reinstall MSN messenger.

The solution in such cases is to download the missing DLL file from a reputable online DLL directory. Save the DLL in your system folder and perform the following steps to register the DLL file:

1. Click Start and then click Run.
2. Type the following in the Open box and press Enter

  regsvr32 <DLL Filename>

Perform a malware scan

If the error persists, the DLL file listed in the error message might be infected. Run a malware scan on your computer and remove any threats found.

Perform a registry scan

Issues in the registry are a common cause of recurring DLL errors, such as the msvcr80.dll error. If you are up against recurring DLL errors and the above steps fail to fix the DLL error, chances are that the error is occurring due to issues in your registry.

To fix the issue, clean your registry to remove unwanted and redundant information stored in it. To clean the registry, it is recommended that you use a reliable registry maintenance tool.

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