Understanding DLL Error Messages And How To Solve Them

This article will help you understand DLL error messages and provide information on how to solve them on your own.

To begin with, let’s look at examples of common DLL error messages:

• File msoe.dll not found
• Could not find file msoe.dll

Error messages, such these indicate that the DLL file is missing from your system. To fix missing DLL errors, you may:

• Obtain the missing DLL file from a legitimate Internet database or another computer and copy it to its location on the Internet.


• Reinstall the application you uninstalled recently to restore any required DLL file removed during the uninstallation process.


• Update the application you recently installed to update any outdated files copied by it on the system.


• Reverse the process after which the missing DLL error started occurring and then perform system restore to rollback system settings to the time when your PC was free from errors.

Certain DLL error messages also point to the action that users need to perform to fix the error. For instance, the following DLL error message prompts you to reinstall the application that is generating the error.

"Unable to open the application. An important component - shtml.dll is missing. Reinstalling the application may fix the error."

Many DLL errors, especially RunDLL errors occur due to malware infection. An error message, similar to the one below may get displayed on your PC if your DLL files are infected.

"RUNDLL: Error loading shtml.dll. The specified module could not be found."

If you believe your DLLs are infected, run a virus/malware scan of your complete system to remove malicious programs from your system. The scan will also show the files that are infected with malware. Use your protective tool to rectify the infected files and if some DLLs are not repairable, delete them and download healthy DLLs from a legitimate online DLL database.

Certain DLL errors, such as Xprt5.dll application failed to start error, are application-specific and occur when you use previous versions of the application. You can fix such errors by installing the latest version of the application.

Registry issues may also cause DLL errors on your system. An error message, such as the one listed below shows that entries related to the Xprt5.DLL file within registry are invalid or have become corrupt.

"Cannot load Xprt5.DLL - DLL Registry Entry Point not found."

To resolve such errors, you will need to repair the DLL entries. Use an advanced registry cleaning tool to scan your system registry for invalid entries and to detect and repair the incorrect references within the registry.

The majority of  DLL errors can be easily fixed. You need to read the DLL error message carefully and try to understand why the error has occurred. If you receive a DLL error message that has not been discussed here, we recommend you search the Internet for the solution before seeking any technical help.