What the heck is a DLL?
Are DLL errors driving you crazy? If you’re like most people, you’ve come across a DLL error at some point. If you’re like an unlucky few, you might be plaqued by constant DLL problems.
A DLL file is a “Dynamic Link Library” file. DLL files allow programs to share small bits of code, and other resources, in order to complete their task. So, DLLs are the shared files, they get passed around to whoever needs them. This is a key element of Windows.
Why are DLLs used? Windows takes advantage of DLLs because they are not loaded into RAM when they are used. Because of this, the RAM memory space is conserved, and performance is not slowed down. Plus, DLL files are not always on the ready. They are only loaded when they are specifically needed by a program or application.
Typically, DLL problems happen when a DLL file is saved over top of and erased. This occurs when you install a new piece of software (or an older piece of software) and your new, accurate DLL is copied over with a different, older, or wrong DLL. Experts refer to this as DLL stomping. Another possible cause of DLL errors is when they are accidentall uninstalled. Whoops! Finally, DLLs can be corrupted and messed up by a virus, a bad program, or hard disk errors.
What do DLL errors cause?
Missing DLLs and other DLL errors lead to a variety of problems. For starts, a pile of error messages may appear on your screen. If you’re not a tech pro, good luck figuring out what this means! ““Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll” or “The file xxxx.dll was not found.” Not only that, but these errors can lead to a slower system.
Besides the annoying pop-up error message, a DLL error also signifies that the original application or program that called up the DLL did not finish properly. So, somewhere in your computer, a task didn’t finish. Cleaning up these DLL problems is crucial, both for your computer’s sake, and for your nerves.
