If the above steps fail, underlying Windows corruption may be at fault. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run sfc /scannow (System File Checker) to repair protected system files. Follow this with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to fix the component store. Additionally, corrupted Windows Registry entries for DLL registration can be reset. Use a reputable registry cleaner sparingly, or manually search for orphaned DLL entries under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDLLs . A more drastic but often effective step is performing an in-place upgrade (keeping apps and files) using the Windows Media Creation Tool, which refreshes all system components without erasing personal data.
The most immediate cause is a missing or corrupted DLL. Unlike core system DLLs (e.g., kernel32.dll ), an "additional" DLL is often shipped with the application or a third-party component. The first diagnostic step is to reinstall the offending application. If the error persists, download the specific DLL from a trusted source (never from generic "DLL download" sites, which risk malware). Instead, obtain it from the original software vendor, an official GitHub repository, or a secondary installation of the same software. Once obtained, place the DLL in the application’s root directory or the correct system folder ( C:\Windows\System32 for 64-bit DLLs or SysWOW64 for 32-bit). After placement, run regsvr32 filename.dll from an elevated Command Prompt to register it in the Windows Registry.
Many "additional DLLs" belong to runtime environments, especially Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables and DirectX. For instance, MSVCP140.dll or VCRUNTIME140.dll errors indicate missing C++ runtimes. The solution is to download and install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio (both x86 and x64 versions). Similarly, if the missing DLL relates to graphics or audio (e.g., X3DAudio1_7.dll ), running the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer will restore legacy DirectX components. Importantly, install all redistributables—even older versions—since different applications link to specific versions.