'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' Error

The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error is a message alerting users to a missing component of Visual C++, a compiler for the C, C++ and C++/CLI programming languages. Ordinarily, its appearance means that users can't access the program until they provide or repair the required file. Windows users have various means of resolving 'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error messages for free.

Quickly Visualizing Problems with Programs

Tracking software dependencies isn't always easy, and users that are expecting to open a freshly-installed or updated program can, sometimes, find themselves staring at alien error messages. 'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error is a particularly universal example that can apply to almost any program coded in C++, one of the most popular programming languages. Invariably, it appears in cases where the program refuses to open, offering no further help on the proper solution to the problem.

Since the 'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error appears typically due to file issues with the Visual C++ compiler, users' most natural remedy to it is through reacquiring Visual C++. Microsoft's website provides free downloads of multiple versions of the compiler. In some cases, the compiler-dependent program also may come with the required version of Visual C++, and users can navigate to the program's directory and install it from there.

Windows users who haven't installed all available Windows updates should strongly consider doing so. Besides improving overall security, patches will reduce the frequency of unwanted errors and compatibility issues, such as the 'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error. Users never should install updates from random websites or advertising networks and always verify the safety of domains offering files for download.

Going Deeper into DLL Restoration

If the above solutions fail at resolving the problem, users have more intensive means of recovering Visual C++ DLL files. As a default option, the Windows System File Checker utility can check for corrupted or missing files and repair or reacquire them. Users can access it in an administrator-privileged Command Prompt window by entering the 'sfc /scannow' command. However, a full check requires over ten minutes, on average.

More simplistically, users also can try reinstalling the affected program or checking their Recycle Bin for the missing DLL file.

The System Restore is one of the most comprehensive solutions, and users should reserve it for when other attempts fail at restoring the program. Rolling back to a previously-saved Restore Point will return all files and settings to the state they were in when the user established the save.

A 'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error usually isn't indicative of significant security issues. However, sometimes, Trojans and other threats may corrupt files or cause compatibility issues incidental to their primary attacks. Users should always scan for threats regularly with trusted security software to guarantee their PC or other device's safety from unwanted and threatening software.

Fortunately for most users, a 'The program can’t start because MSVCP100.dll is missing from your computer' error tends to be easily resolvable and causes few issues besides the immediate lack of access to the affected application.