fot. Jeffrey Beall

Microsoft has been trying for a long time to resolve DLL problems. DLL disaster is caused when various files on Windows system generate system errors, because of conflicts, version problems and file destruction. msvcr80.dll is a Microsoft C runtime library. Although there are many other libraries on Windows PC, it is the default for all DLLs that were compiled using the Visual Studio 2005 compiler and linker.

Hi I hope somebody can point me in the right direction, this is driving me nuts
I have the above file msvcr80.dll missing. I found this out after trying to sign into msn messenger. Where can i get advice for this, or where do find this file or how to retrieve

msvcr80.dll is an active component of the Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. Any application that is written using this software requires this file to run efficiently and properly. If your version of msvcr80.dll is corrupt or damaged, or is missing then you will suffer errors when using this application.

Lots of software have been developed using Visual Studio 2005 and it is often used in combination with other applications e.g. a visual web development application, in order to create powerful online tools. Version problems and other errors in the C runtime library commonly cause program failure on Microsoft systems. To counter this problem, Microsoft has enforced the use of manifest in applications. Manifest helps in identifying the exact version of the dependent file required by the application. This has been done by enabling side-by-side existence of multiple versions of the same file without any conflicts. These shared DLL files are copied to the WinSxS folder (side-by-side cache) instead of the default C:\Windows\System32 folder.

I had to do a system restore, probably because I was messing around with the registry. Apparently the system restore deleted some DLLs, including msvcr80.dll.

A missing or damaged file will mean that user is unable to properly run any application written using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. In some cases one will receive an error message when attempts to run certain features within an application or may be completely unable to open the application in the first place.

Download the msvcr80.dll file from the Internet or from an application installation. If you are suffering specific difficulties when attempting to use one software package in particular then uninstall and reinstall this application. This will remove any damaged or corrupt versions of the dll and replace it with a clean one.

I’ve had this issue pop up a few times now on machines where, when you attempt to install a program you will get a “… is missing MSVCR80.dll file” and the install will fail out. It was a vexing problem because these were fresh Windows installations, completely patched and up to date.

However, this solution has its own complications. For instance, not all Windows operating systems support side-by side execution. And on those that do support it, the complex installation process opens up many options for errors.

If an application is unable to reach the msvcr80.dll in its side-by-side execution folder, you may receive an error message which you already know: This application has failed to start because msvcr80.dll was not found. Re-installing the application might fix the problem.

This error occurs when a program that needs to use a DLL file from a side-by-side assembly does not comprise an application manifest file-application_name.exe.manifest or application_name.exe-in the WinSxS folder specifying the assembly it uses.

Note: The manifest file is an XML file comprising the full name of the application along with its extension.

Every time I launch Outlook 2007 I get the error about MSVCR80.DLL not found. I have reinstalled Office 2007 Premium. I have also check for the Outlook manifest file which does not exist. All other Office 2007 apps launch without a problem. This is a brand new PC so it is very frustrating. Help!

If you look for a solution to this error, you may be asked to download the latest version of the msvcr80.dll file from the Web and copy it to the C:\Windows\System32 folder. However, this is not the correct solution. The reason why is because the msvcr80.dll is already there on your PC. It’s just not in the system32 folder. Instead, it is in the WinSxS side-by-side execution folder. You may be able to resolve your current error by copying the DLL file to system32, but it will only generate other errors on the system.

I have installed all currently available updates, but the error persists. I am running under Windows XP. In my total naivety, I’m wondering whether the problem exists because of an incompatibility with Microsoft Office 2007?

The file is not distributed centrally by Microsoft. However, it gets installed on your system by the application that requires to use it. And if you have downloaded and installed .NET Framework 2.0 on your PC, then you probably already have the file on your PC.

As is said above, MSVCR80.DLL is the latest version of Microsoft’s C runtime library. Actually there are several runtime libraries, but this is the default for DLLs compiled with the Visual Studio 2005 compiler and linker. Version mismatches in the C runtime library are a common source of application errors, so Microsoft is now enforcing the use of a manifest that identifies the exact version of the dependent file, enabling “side by side” existence of multiple versions without conflict.

“An application has made an attempt to load the C runtime library incorrectly. Please contact the application’s support team for more information.” I am really lost. Any help will be more than appreciated

That sounds fair enough, but there are many complicating factors. Not all versions of Windows support side-by-side execution, and even on those that do, the installation procedure is complex; it is more than just copying a DLL. However, it still isn’t clear why it gets such errors, especially since the compiler had generated a manifest.

So how do you resolve the missing file error? First check if the manifest for the application is there in the WinSxS folder. If it is there, then chances are that the manifest file is corrupt or damaged. You may try to resolve the error by deleting this file and reinstalling your application.

However, if the file does not exist, then to permanently resolve the error you may have to create a manifest for the application that is causing the error and place it in the correct location. However, creating a manifest requires you to have programming experience. If you do not have that, then it is best that you report the error to the application manufacturer and ask them to provide you with a solution.