How to Troubleshoot DLL Errors

There are many computer users who believe that troubleshooting computer problems or errors should be only done by a computer expert. There’s nothing wrong in seeking an expert’s help when resolving complex computer problems but we should at least try to solve simple computer problems. There are many computer errors that can be easily resolved and do not require any expert help. This article aims to discuss how you can personally troubleshoot a common computer problem known as DLL errors.

But first, what are DLL files?

DLL files are used by various computer applications to perform a particular task or function. A DLL file can be used by various applications to perform the same function. Since there are many DLL files on a PC, the problem of DLL error every now and then can happen commonly. On the other hand, compare to other system problems, DLL errors are quite simple to troubleshoot. DLL errors usually display error messages that are fairly illustrative which tells you the cause of the problem.

Some causes of a DLL error and solutions. Listed below are some of the common DLL problem and solutions.

Corrupted DLL file
Reinstalling the missing DLL file usually is the easiest solution when one of your DLL files is missing or got corrupted. All you need to do is to check which DLL was corrupted or missing and try reinstalling the DLL. Reinstalling a failed application that caused the error sometimes solves this problem also or you can download the missing DLL file on the Internet. Just remember to download only from a reliable source on the Internet.

Malware infection
There are computer malwares and viruses that affect the DLL files of your computer. Getting rid of the malware in your system that is causing DLL error can solve this problem. One common DLL error due to malware infections is the rundll errors. That is because malware programs intentionally changes the codes in the DLL files and make them inaccessible. This will result to DLL error whenever you open an application which tries to access an infected DLL file. Do a full scan of your computer system to delete the malware and repair the infected file. You can also search the internet on how to remove specific malwares on your computer. Install a reliable antivirus program and update it regularly to prevent malware programs from affecting your computer in the future.

Registry issues
The registry is the central storehouse of your system which stores important data such as data related to all your DLL files. Shell32.dll errors usually happen when the entries related to this DLL file are damaged or incorrectly modified. Repairing the entries can resolve such errors. Before you try to edit your registry remember that editing registry entries is a highly technical job and should not be attempted if you don’t have the necessary expertise to do the job. Instead, you can try to use good registry cleaning tool to repair the bad DLL entries in your system’s registry. A registry cleaner can repair damaged registry entries and delete all unwanted information accumulated in the registry.

Outdated files

Some DLL errors are caused by outdated files. Just by simply updating your drivers, software and operating system can help you avoid such problems from happening.