Apps & software
Problems installing, starting and using desktop software, from Microsoft Office to browsers and runtimes.
- Microsoft Office2 guidesMicrosoft 365 and Office install errors, activation, crashes and update problems.
- Browsers2 guidesChrome, Edge and Firefox errors: pages that will not load, certificate warnings and crashes.
- Antivirus & securitysoonMicrosoft Defender and other security software errors, and false positives that block programs.
- Video & media software2 guidesVideo players, editors and codecs that fail to open, play or export files.
- Install & launch errors2 guidesPrograms that fail to install, update, uninstall or start on Windows.
- Missing DLLs & runtimes4 guides"DLL is missing" and side-by-side errors, and the official runtime packages that provide those files.
Recently published in Apps & software
- "The program can't start because a DLL is missing from your computer": which fix to useWindows could not find a DLL file the program needs, so the program refused to start. The file name in the message tells you the fix: most often it is a missing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, which you install from Microsoft.
- Installer error 1603: "A fatal error occurred during installation" and how to fix itError 1603 is the generic Windows Installer code for "something failed fatally, so the install was rolled back." It is a catch-all, so the fix depends on the cause. Start with the quick checks (already installed, folder and drive choice, SYSTEM permissions), then read a verbose log to find the real culprit.
- How to view and save the VLC log to find out why a file won't playVLC does not keep an error log on disk by default. It shows a live message log in the Messages window (Tools > Messages, or Ctrl+M on Windows and Linux), and that log is lost when you close the player. Open it, play the problem file, and click Save as... before closing VLC.
- "The program can't start because a DLL is missing": how to fix it on Windows"DLL is missing" is a general Windows message, not one error. The fix depends on the file name in the message: most often a Visual C++ runtime, a legacy DirectX file, or the app's own file. Start by reinstalling the app, then install the matching Microsoft runtime.
- OBS "Error opening file for writing": how to fix it"Error opening file for writing" is usually an installer message: the OBS Windows installer or updater could not overwrite a file, most often because OBS or a captured game still has it open, or security software blocked the write. Close everything that uses OBS, click Retry or reboot, then run the installer again. If your recording is what fails to save, check the Recording Path instead.
- msvcp140.dll is missing or not found: how to fix itmsvcp140.dll belongs to the Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable. Windows reports it missing when that package is absent, damaged, outdated or the wrong architecture. Installing the latest redistributable from Microsoft, both x86 and x64, fixes it in most cases.
- Chrome "Aw, Snap!" STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION: how to fix itSTATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION is the Windows code 0xC0000005. It means a Chrome process touched memory it was not allowed to, so Windows stopped it and Chrome showed the "Aw, Snap!" page. Updating Chrome, then testing extensions and graphics acceleration, are the usual first fixes.
- Installer error 2503 "Called RunScript when not marked in progress": how to fix itError 2503 is a Windows Installer (MSI) error that usually appears together with error 2502. It means the installer could not set up its install session, most often because it ran without administrator rights and could not write to a system folder. Running the installer as administrator fixes it in many cases; if not, re-register Windows Installer and check folder permissions.
- Chrome "error code 5": what it means and how to fix itGoogle does not document a single "Chrome error code 5". The phrase most likely points to an "access denied" style problem on Windows: Chrome's updater failing with 0x80070005, or an "Aw, Snap!" page showing STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION. Read the exact message first, then use the matching fix below.
- Office for Mac "Unknown error, the error code is 0x0": how to fix itError 0x0 in Office for Mac is a generic licensing failure, not a sign of damaged files. Microsoft has a known-issue page for it, now marked Resolved, and the fix it gives is to update Office on macOS 12 or later. Office 2019 users should try the same update first.
- Microsoft Office error code 147-0: how to fix itError 147-0 appears when the Click-to-Run update of Microsoft 365 or Office was interrupted, so Office will not start. Restarting the PC and waiting a few minutes fixed the one case documented. If it persists, repair Office with Quick Repair, then Online Repair.
- VCRUNTIME140.dll or MSVCP140.dll was not found: how to fix itThese DLLs belong to the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime, which many programs and games need but do not always install. Installing or repairing the latest Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft, both the x64 and the x86 package on 64-bit Windows, fixes the error in almost every case.