Many Windows users are experiencing an file missing issue. They see an error whey they open a program that says:
- The program can’t start because MSVCR71.dll is missing from your computer…
- This application failed to start because MSVCR71.dll was not found…
- …
This is an annoying issue. You can‘t open you program because of this error. And you may not even know what the missing file is! But don’t worry. The following shows you what MSVCR.dll is and how you can fix this error.
What is MSVCR71.DLL?
MSVCR71.dll is a runtime file of the Windows operating system. It contains functions that are required by some programs written in specific programming languages. They can’t run properly if this file is not found.
How to fix MSVRC71.dll not found or missing
The following are a few fixes that have helped many users fix their MSVCR71.dll missing or not found error. You don’t have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you.
- Install Visual C++ Redistributable Packages
- Recover the MSVCR71.dll file
- Copy msvcr71.dll from another computer
- BONUS TIP: Update your device drivers
Fix 1: Install Visual C++ Redistributable Packages
MSVCR71.dll comes with Visual C++ redistributable packages. You can restore the missing MSVCR7.dll file by installing those redistributable packages. To do so:
1) Click the Start menu in the lower left corner of your screen. Then type cmd, right click Command Prompt in the result, and click Run as administrator.
2) Type control /name microsoft.system and press Enter on your keyboard.
3) Check your system type (whether it’s 32-bit or 64-bit).
4) Go to the Microsoft’s Visual C++ Downloads page. Then download the redistributable package of each version.
5) Open the downloaded files and install them on your computer.
6) Restart your computer. Then check to see if this fixes your error.
Hopefully it does. But if not, there are still two fixes for you to try…
Fix 2: Recover the MSVCR71.dll file
To recover the DLL file, you can download DLL online and install it manually, but this process may be a bit complicated and time-consuming.
The DLL-files.com allows you to search for and download specific DLLs easily. Here’s how:
1) Go to the DLL-files.com.
2) Type MSVCR71.dll in the search bar and click Search DLL file.
3) Select the latest DLL file that correspond with your operating system and click Download.
4) When finished, extract the zip file to any location you like on your computer. Then copy the DLL file from the folder and paste it to C:\Windows\System32 as well as the install folder of the program that requests the file.
You can restart the app to check again. If the error disappears, congrats! If not, read the last fix.
Fix 3: Copy MSVCR71.dll from another computer
You can also restore the missing file by copying it from another computer. Make sure the computer you get the file from has the same operating system as yours. Here’s how to do it:
1) On your own computer, click the Start menu in the lower left corner of your screen. Then type cmd, right click Command Prompt in the result, and click Run as administrator.
2) Type control /name microsoft.system and press Enter on your keyboard.
3) Do the step 1 to 2 for the computer you’re going to copy the MSVCR71.dll file.
4) Make sure the Windows editions and system types of both computers are the same. (If not, it’s recommended that you find another computer.)
5) On the other computer, open File Explorer (by pressing the Windows logo key and E on your keyboard), then go to C:\Windows\SysWOW64 (or C:\Windows\System32 if you can’t find it there). Copy the MSVCR71.dll file and save it to a flash drive or external hard drive.
6) On your own computer, open File Explorer, then paste the file to the exact same location as where you copy the file from.
7) On your own computer, click the Start menu in the lower left corner of your screen. Then type cmd, right click Command Prompt in the result, and click Run as administrator.
8) Type regsvr32 msvcr71.dll and press Enter on your keyboard.
Now check to see if this gets rid of your error.
BONUS TIP: Update your device drivers
You should check that all your device drivers are up to date. This won’t fix the error, but it will help stabilize your system, generally. If you don’t have the time, patience or skills to update your drivers manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.
Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to be troubled by the wrong driver you would be downloading, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing. Driver Easy handles it all.
You can update your drivers automatically with either the 7 days free trial or the Pro version of Driver Easy. It takes just 2 clicks, and you get full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee with the Pro version:
- Download and install Driver Easy.
- Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
- Click the Activate & Update button next to the flagged device to automatically download and install the correct version of this driver.
Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (You’ll need the Pro version for this – when you select Update All, you’ll get a prompt to upgrade. If you’re not prepared to purchase the Pro version yet, Driver Easy provides a 7-day trial at no cost, granting access to all Pro features like fast downloads and easy installation. No charges will occur until after your 7-day trial period ends.)
- Restart your computer for the change to take effect.
