In some cases, msvcp90.dll errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.
Msvcp90.dll Errors
There are several ways that msvcp90.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common error messages you might see:
Msvcp90. dll Not FoundThis application failed to start because msvcp90. dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem. Cannot find [PATH]\msvcp90. dllThe file msvcp90. dll is missing. The program can’t start because msvcp90. dll is missingCannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: msvcp90. dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.
These errors might appear while using or installing certain programs, when playing a PC game, or when Windows starts or shuts down.
How to Fix Msvcp90.dll Errors
Follow these steps in the order they’re listed here to address the simpler fixes first.
Download the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update and run it. This will replace/restore the msvcp90. dll with the most recent copy provided by Microsoft. You’re given a few download options from Microsoft for this update, based on the version of Windows you have installed: x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit). How to Tell if You Have Windows 64-Bit or 32-Bit Try your best to complete this step! Applying this update is almost always the solution to this particular problem. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some msvcp90. 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 msvcp90. dll error you’re seeing is related to a hostile program that’s masquerading as the file. Restore msvcp90. dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a “missing” msvcp90. dll file is that you’ve mistakenly deleted it. If you suspect this, but you’ve already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover the file with a free file recovery program. This is smart only if you’re confident you’ve deleted the file yourself and that it was working properly before you did that. Don’t undelete this DLL file if it was corrupted or malicious before you deleted it. If you’re debugging or testing a program, you might need to adjust the “Generate Manifest” setting in the configuration. 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 msvcp90. dll file could be included in one of those updates. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the msvcp90. dll error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, System Restore could solve the problem. Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual msvcp90. dll file troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions. Perform a clean installation of Windows. This erases everything from the hard drive and installs a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the msvcp90. dll error, this should be your next course of action. All the information on your hard drive will be erased during a clean installation. Make sure you’ve made the best attempt possible to fix the msvcp90. dll error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any msvcp90. dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, your DLL problem can only be hardware related.
Need More Help?
Don’t want to fix this DLL problem yourself? See our article How Do I Get My Computer Fixed? for a full list of your support options, plus help with everything along the way like figuring out repair costs, getting your files off, choosing a repair service, and a lot more.
You’re given a few download options from Microsoft for this update, based on the version of Windows you have installed: x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit).
If you suspect this, but you’ve already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover the file with a free file recovery program.
