If you are a player, especially a guy being fond of PC games, then you must have met the situations of some games can't run normally or they run with all sorts of strange problems. At this time, you only need to make sure your Windows has installed the following system components (or being called running environment is more suitable), then you will be able to pass unimpededly in the game world! Of course, the correct version is also critical.

Under Windows, a lot of software (especially the games) depend on some runtime libraries (we call them Game Essential Plugins/Components) for normal working, and most of time they are not built in the system. That means when some software, game needs them, you have to install them manually first (fortunately, most of software or game will mention its necessary runtime library name and version in its statement or readme file).

What will happen without installing the necessay runtime library of software of game? Well, in that case your software/game won't start at all, frequently pop up all sorts of error dialogs, be forced to stop, and many other puzzling problems... In short, they just can not be normally used.

Here, in view of the player, AppNee sorted out almost any form of necessary runtime library as a collection post (including typical error messages and screenshots) for everyone, which can be regarded as the most comprehensive and accurate one for now. Please note: for many games, they just need the correct and specific version of runtime library, definitely not the newer the better.

Sample Screenshots 

Error Example Screenshots

Game/Software Essential Components List

Component Typical Error
DirectX End-User Runtimes (AKA: DirectX Redist, short for DX) (includes Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectPlay, DirectSound, DirectInput)
  • missing d3dx9_xx.dll, e.g.: d3dx9_40, d3dx9_41, d3dx9_43, etc.
  • missing d3dx_xx.dll
  • missing XINPUT1_3.dll
  • could not be located in the dynamic link library d3d9.dll
  • missing d3dcompiler_xx.dll
Notes:
  • Just download and install the latest version of DirectX
  • As long as it prompts " missing d3xxxxx.dll" or similar errors, then they are all the same problem
  • Recommend to use the "online update installation" to connect the official website to update directly
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0/3.0/3.5/4.0/4.5/4.6 Redistributable Package
  • The application failed to initialize properly (0xc000***, such as: 0xc0000135)
  • Application Error: The memory could not be read/written
  • Individual game starts without response
Notes:
  • .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Notes: compared with the last version it has certain improvements, and does not support Windows 7 or higher version
  • .NET Framework 3.5 Notes: this version only supports Windows XP and lower version, does not support Windows 7 and higher
  • .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 Notes: it can solve a series of known application compatibility problems: KB959209
Microsoft XNA Framework 4.0 Some games require XNA environment to run, please install it before running them

Notes:

  • XNA 4.0 requires .Net Framework 4.0 or higher version installed first
Microsoft XNA Framework 3.1 XNA 3.1 requires .Net Framework 2.0
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005/2008/2010/2012/2013/2015 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86/x64)
  • all kinds of Unknown Error: e.g.: configuration is not correct
  • Application Error: This application was unable to start correctly (0xc0150002)...
  • System Error: The program can't start because .... is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem
  • Application Error: The memory could not be read/written
  • can't find Msvcp100.DLL
  • missing mfc100u.dll
  • missing mspdb60.dll, vcomp100.dll, Vbase90.dll, Vision90.dll, mscvr.dll, MSVCR100.dll, MSVCR90.dll, MSVCRXX.dll, msvcp71.dll, msvcr71.dll
  • missing any dll file beginning with 'msvc'
  • Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library Error!
  • The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0150002)...
  • This application requires Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package
  • The application was unable to start correctly (0x000007b). Click OK to close the application
  • Japanese series of games speciallied
Notes:
  • For 64-bit OS, do make sure to install both vcredist_x86 and vcredist_x64
  • Recommend to install 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 at the same time, as the necessary running environment of most PC games
  • VC Redist is just a runtime library, not the VC++ IDE, do not confuse
Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML)
  • MSXML 4.0 is not properly installed
  • The module "msxml.dll" failed to load
  • The MSXML4 SP2 component is not installed. Please reinstall ... to restore or repair this missing component
Microsoft Games for Windows - LIVE Redistributable (Games for Windows Software Setup, Games for Windows Marketplace Client) can not find xlive.dll

Notes:

  • A few games developed based on the Games for Windows – Live platform, so can't start without the correct version of Live Redistributable
NVIDIA PhysX (NVIDIA PhysX System Software) missing PhysXLoader.dll

Notes:

  • Includes the latest PhysX runtime builds to support all released PhysX content
  • If you are using the Nvidia display adapter and it supports PhysX features, then you only need to install the corresponding video card driver; if it does not support PhysX, then you need to install this NVIDIA PhysX System Software alone
OpenAL (Open Audio Library) Windows Installer (oalinst) missing openal32.dll

Notes:

  • Without OpenAL installed, it will cause the loss of immediacy sense in some games, no sound or even can't start
Microsoft AppLocale Utility This was originally Microsoft's internal code conversion tool under Windows XP, later used to solve the messy word problems when running the Traditional Chinese games or software in the Simplified Chinese Windows

Notes:

  • Commonly known as messy code canceller, with its help you can run the old application without having to change the OS language for the non-unicode application
Microsoft SilverLight 4.0/5.1 Cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in
Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) is an indispensable environment to run any JAVA application

Notes:

  • JRE has a variety of versions according to different operating system, please choose the right one to download
Steam game platform client missing steam.dll, steam_api.dll
Adobe Flash Player Online flash games, video necessary browser plugin
Adobe AIR Cross-platform technology similar to Java
Windows Installer (Windows installation service) This component will be cut off in many Lite or Ghost version of Windows, which often causes to encounter the errors like "can not access" or "Windows Installer service could not be started" when installing some software. At this moment, just download and reinstall your Windows Installer
*** Notes: some components have dependencies, that means it will not work correctly without the components installed first it depends on