How To Fix Missing RunDLL32.exe Errors

“RunDLL32.exe is missing” errors are extremely common on all versions of Windows. This issue has been a big problem since Windows ’98 and is one which is still present today… with just as many people looking for ways to fix it. This tutorial should help you fix this problem for good:

What Is RunDLL32.exe?

RunDLL32.exe is a program that Windows uses to access the contents of DLL files on your PC. You may already know that there are 1,000’s of .dll files on your computer which contain functions and features which can be used by all your computer’s software. These files were introduced in the early days of Windows to hold common functions for the software of your PC, to save on hard drive space. Even though Windows is a lot more advanced now, .dll (Dynamic Link Library) files are still extremely popular with software developers.

Every time you use your PC, the software on your system has to open up 100’s of DLL files in order to read a lot of features and functions. The way that your software does this is to call an intermediary program called “RunDLL32.exe” (32 bit version) or “RunDLL.exe” (16 bit version) to read the DLL files and provide the information the software needs. Unfortunately, the RunDLL executables can cause a lot of problems for your system, and if there are any damaged parts of it then you will receive the error you’re seeing now.

Causes Of The “Missing RunDLL32.exe” Error

The RunDLL32 missing error is caused by one of three problems. The most common is that a virus or piece of ‘malware’ has infected the file and made it unrecognizable to Windows. This is the most likely reason why Windows cannot “find” the file – because it simple doesn’t recognize it. However, there are more problems that cause the error, including your PC moving the file and the registry being corrupted. The good news is that you can fix this error quite easily, and here’s how…

Steps To Fix The “Missing RunDLL32.exe Error”

Step 1 – Scan For Viruses

– Download This Virus Scanner

Viruses often infect the RunDLL program and edit it for their own gains. However, the editing of the program actually makes Windows unable to recognize the file and labels it as missing. The first thing you need to do is to run a virus scan to make sure that viruses are not causing the problem on your system.

Step 2 – Perform A System Repair

If you scan your PC for viruses and find that nothing happens, then you should try to repair your Windows installation. To do this, you do need some intermediate PC knowledge, but it should be okay if you follow the instructions below. What repairing your installation does, is to get Windows to replace all the system files on your PC (including RunDLL) with fresh copies – which should allow your PC to read the files that it needs again. Here’s what you need to do:

1) Back up all your important data onto a CD or USB stick

2) Insert the Windows Installation disc into your CD drive

3) Reboot your system & press DEL / F2 to enter the “BIOS” menu

4) Set the “boot device” as CD

5) Save & Exit. When Windows reboots, and says
“Press any key to boot from CD“, press a key

6) Wait for the installer to load & continue to the “Repair” screen

7) Use this tutorial to repair the Windows installation

If this dos not fix the RunDLL error, then there is something else wrong inside your system, and could be fixed by using a ‘registry cleaner’.

Step 3 – Clean The Registry

– Download This Registry Cleaner

The ‘registry’ is the central Windows database which stores the settings, information and options for your computer. This database contains everything from your latest emails to your desktop wallpaper and is best described as the “memory” for your PC. The registry also contains references to the DLL files of your system, and it’s often the case that many of these references will become damaged or corrupted. In order to fix this problem, you should try and download a registry cleaner, installing it and letting it clean out all the damaged settings that are inside the registry. You can download our recommended cleaner below: