In this guest post, James Ricketts explores DLL errors and how to resolve them. Learn more about James at the conclusion of this post.
DLL or Dynamic Link Library is a term that is referred to a particular type of file that can be shared by different programs whenever they need to perform certain general tasks. DLL files eliminate the need for having separate files for the same tasks that are required by applications. This not only reduces the space required by the hard drive, but it also makes the applications more efficient.
These files are usually not noticed by computer users as they work in the background. It is only when one of these files develops a glitch, that the user notices the name of a DLL file in the error message that is displayed on the computer screen. Since most users are unaware of the existence of DLL files, they have absolutely no idea how to resolve these errors. In this moment of despair, they decide to seek the help of a computer expert.
However, it is possible to fix your DLL error if you are aware of the fact that why DLL errors occur. Some of the common reasons behind DLL file errors are:
- A DLL file is removed from your system by mistake. This could happen during uninstallation of an application, during the cleaning of your hard disk or purely by human error. All these instances will lead to an error displaying the file name and not found message. So if you delete a file named antir.dll by mistake, which is used in the program known as PC guard you might see the error message antifr.dll not found.
- When a working DLL file is overwritten by a bad DLL file, it may result in error. This can happen during installation of a new application, especially if the new application is outdated, buggy, or badly written.
- A DLL file may become corrupt due to defects in the hard drive.
- Virus and spyware are known to corrupt DLL files leading to DLL errors. These malicious programs may also modify DLL registry entries to generate errors.
- Malfunctioning RAM, CPU, motherboard and other hardware can also result in DLL file errors.
- Sometimes, when you uninstall a program, some of the entries are not removed from the registry and cause DLL errors. An example of this is error csgina.dll failed to load which is a file associated with the Cisco VPN program.
Resolving Common DLL errors
- A great starting point is noting down the error message and the file name. You should follow it up with researching it on the internet. If the file is missing, you must download the file from a reliable source on the Internet or another computer with a similar configuration as yours and save it in the appropriate folder. Chances are that the DLL error goes away. If it does not, you might have to re-register the DLL file by using the regsvr32 command.
- If the DLL file error occurs during an installation, try uninstalling the application and see if the error is still there. If it is gone, you may try to download the application again and try installing it. You may also contact the manufacturer of the program for a solution.
- If you find during your research that the DLL file error is a result of a malware infection, you must sweep your system with a robust anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
- A lot of DLL errors are really stubborn and may re-occur. Therefore, it is a good practice to identify the sources of DLL errors in your registry and weed them out. You use an efficient registry tool to perform this task.
James Ricketts is a writer whose work can be seen at Instant-Registry-Fixes.org. To find out more about his work or to contact him, please visit Instant-Registry-Fixes.org.
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