Overview
I just double-clicked to open a software — I was trying to launch a design tool. A friend of mine had also run into this before when playing a game. Suddenly, an error popped up saying "Unable to locate program entry point in dynamic link library XXX.dll." I clicked OK, and it just crashed. Tried several times, same thing happened. I was so frustrated!After going through tons of forum posts and tinkering around for half a day, I finally got it fixed. I've put together several solutions for this error. Whether you run into it when opening software, launching a game, or installing a program, these should help.
1. The "XXX.dll" in the error message is key!
First, take note of exactly which DLL file is missing in the error (e.g., msvcr120.dll, api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll, etc.). All subsequent steps should focus on that specific file — don't waste time on random fixes.
2. Try these in order! From simplest to most complex — high success rate.
2.1 Directly repair/replace the missing DLL file (quickest fix)
Go to the Microsoft official website or a reputable DLL download site (don't just grab files from random sites — they might carry viruses) and search for the DLL filename shown in the error.
Make sure to match your system version: is your computer 32-bit or 64-bit? Download the corresponding version of the DLL file (for 64-bit systems, place it in C:\Windows\System32; for 32-bit, place it in C:\Windows\SysWOW64).
After copying it over, right-click the DLL file and select "Register" (if this option isn't available, open an admin command prompt and type "regsvr32 + your DLL file path", e.g., regsvr32 C:\Windows\System32\msvcr120.dll).
Restart your computer and try opening the software again! In my case, I was missing msvcp140.dll, and this fixed it immediately.
2.2 Reinstall the problematic software (in case installation was incomplete)
Sometimes the software wasn't installed properly, causing dependent DLL files to be missing or corrupted.
Uninstall the problematic software first (make sure to check "delete configuration files" during uninstallation to avoid leftover files).
Go to the official software website and download a fresh installer (don't use the old one — it might be corrupted). During installation, don't change the default path (default paths are less likely to cause compatibility issues). Just keep clicking Next.
Once the installation completes, launch the software directly — often that resolves it!
2.3 Repair system runtime libraries (most common universal fix)
This error is most likely caused by missing or corrupted system components like VC++ runtimes or .NET Framework — especially on new computers or after a fresh OS install.
Download the "Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable All-in-One" package (search online for it, pick the latest version). During installation, check all VC++ versions (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015-2022 — all of them). Also install the corresponding .NET Framework version for your system (e.g., version 4.8 for Windows 10).
During the installation, you'll see "Repair" or "Install" — choose Repair, wait for it to finish, then restart your computer.
This method fixes about 80% of DLL-related errors. This is exactly what fixed my friend's gaming issue!
2.4 Use system commands to repair system files (for system-level corruption)
If none of the above work, system files may be corrupted.
Open an admin command prompt (right-click Start → Windows Terminal (Admin)).
Type the command "sfc /scannow" and press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete (about 5-10 minutes — don't close it midway).
After the scan finishes, type "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth" and press Enter to repair the system image.
Once both commands are done, restart your computer. That should bring things back to normal.
