Jonathan Lalou's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘dll’

Has this ever happened to you? You’re excited to run a new piece of software—maybe it’s your first time executing an image manipulation with Image Magick, or perhaps launching a new video game—and instead of success, you get a cryptic pop-up: “The program can’t start because vcomp140.dll is missing from your computer.”

Panic sets in. While this issue popped up for us specifically when running Image Magick, it’s a common problem for almost any application built using Microsoft’s development tools. Fortunately, the fix is straightforward and highly reliable.

What is vcomp140.dll, Anyway?

This file is a core component of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015-2022. Think of it as a crucial library of instructions that certain programs need to run. If this specific file is missing, corrupted, or not properly registered, the program (like Image Magick) simply cannot initialize.

Here are the three definitive steps to get your software running again.

The 3-Step Solution: Bring Back Your Missing DLL

1. Install or Repair the Official Visual C++ Redistributable (The Best Fix)

This is the most effective solution and the one that works almost every time. We need to install the official package that contains this missing file.

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Download Center: Search online for the “Visual C++ Redistributable latest supported downloads” on the official Microsoft website.
2. Download BOTH Versions: This is the critical step. Even if you have a 64-bit operating system, the problematic application (like Image Magick) might be a 32-bit program. You need to install both:
   • vc_redist.x86.exe (32-bit)
   • vc_redist.x64.exe (64-bit)
3. Install and Reboot: Run both installation files. If the package is already partially installed, the installer may offer a “Repair” option—take it! Once both installations are complete, reboot your computer. This allows the operating system to fully register the new or repaired files.

2. Run the System File Checker (SFC)

If the DLL error persists after Step 1, other related system files might be corrupted. The Windows System File Checker (SFC) tool can fix these deep-rooted issues.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Search for CMD in the Start Menu, right-click, and choose “Run as administrator.”
2. Execute the Command: Type the following command and press Enter:sfc /scannow
3. Wait for the Scan: The process takes several minutes. It will scan all protected system files and replace any corrupted files with cached copies.

3. Reinstall the Problematic Application

If the error specifically occurs with one program (like Image Magick), the problem might be with that application’s installer, not Windows itself.

1. Uninstall: Go to Windows Settings > Apps and uninstall the application completely.
2. Reinstall: Download and run the latest installer for the application. Many installers check for and include the necessary Visual C++ Redistributable package, ensuring the dependencies are handled correctly this time.

🛑 A Crucial Warning: Avoid Third-Party DLL Sites

Please, never download vcomp140.dll (or any other DLL) from non-official “DLL download” websites.

These files are often:

• Outdated and won’t solve the problem.
• Corrupted or bundled with malware, posing a security risk.
• Simply copying the file into a system folder rarely works, as the files need proper registration by the Microsoft installer.

Stick to the official Microsoft download source in Step 1 for a clean and secure fix!

I hope this guide gets you back to manipulating images with Image Magick (or whatever application was giving you trouble) in no time! Let me know in the comments if this worked for you.