Troubleshooting Guide for Mscoree.dll Errors

Mscoree.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the removal or corruption of the mscoree DLL file. In some cases, these errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.

Mscoree.dll Errors

There are several ways these errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common messages:

• Mscoree.dll Not Found
• This application failed to start because mscoree.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
• Cannot find [PATH]\mscoree.dll
• The file mscoree.dll is missing.
• Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: mscoree.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.

Mscoree.dll error messages might appear while using or installing certain programs, when Windows starts or shuts down, or maybe even during a Windows installation.

The context of the error is an important piece of information that will be helpful while solving the problem.

How to Fix Mscoree.dll Errors

1. Restore mscoree.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" mscoree.dll file is that you've mistakenly deleted it.

   If you suspect that you've accidentally deleted mscoree.dll, but you've already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover it with a free file recovery program.

   Recovering mscoree.dll is a smart idea only if you're confident you've deleted the file yourself and that it was working properly before you did that.

2. Download and install the latest .NET Framework from Microsoft's website. This should replace the mscoree.dll file if it's corrupt, or add it to your computer if it's missing.

   If after trying this, the error is still present, completely remove the .NET Framework using a free uninstall utility. Then, reinstall it to see if that fixes the DLL error.

   Try your best to complete this step. Installing the software that provides the mscoree.dll file is a likely solution to this error.

3. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some mscoree.dll errors could be related to a virus or other malware infection on your computer that has damaged the DLL file. It's even possible that the error you're seeing is related to a hostile program that's masquerading as the file.

4. Reinstall the program that uses the mscoree.dll file. If the error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling the program should replace the file.

5. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the mscoree.dll error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, System Restore could solve the problem.

6. Update the drivers for hardware devices that might be related to mscoree.dll. If, for example, you're receiving a "The file mscoree.dll is missing" error when you play a 3D video game, try updating the drivers for your video card.

   The mscoree.dll file may or may not be related to video cards—this was just an example. The key here is to pay close attention to the context of the error and troubleshoot accordingly.

7. Roll back a driver to a previously installed version if mscoree.dll errors began after updating a particular hardware device's driver.

8. Install any available Windows updates. Many service packs and other patches replace or update some of the hundreds of Microsoft distributed DLL files on your computer. The mscoree.dll file could be included in one of those updates.

9. Test your memory and then test your hard drive.

   We've left the majority of hardware troubleshooting to the last step, but your computer's memory and hard drive are easy to test and are the most likely components that might cause mscoree.dll errors as they fail.

   If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.

10. Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.

11. Use a free registry cleaner to repair mscoree.dll related issues in the registry. A registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid mscoree.dll registry entries that might be causing the DLL error.

    We rarely recommend the use of registry cleaners. We've included the option here as a "last resort" attempt before the destructive step coming up next.

12. Perform a clean installation of Windows. This will erase everything from the hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the mscoree.dll error, this should be your next course of action.

    All the information on your hard drive will be erased during a clean install. Make sure you've made the best attempt possible to fix the mscoree.dll error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.

13. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any mscoree.dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, your DLL problem can only be hardware related.