OLE controls, such as DLL or ActiveX Controls (OCX) files, must be registered. Registering an OLE control updates the Windows registry with the location and the capabilities of the file so that a program runs correctly.
To help troubleshoot some issues with Windows, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or other programs, you can use the Regsvr32 tool (Regsvr32.exe) to register and unregister OLE controls.
For example, the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article requires you to use Regsvr32.exe to unregister the Wuv3is.dll control before you reinstall it from the Windows Update site:
241122
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/241122/
)
Application error when you click Product Updates
If the registration of a control is unsuccessful or you want developer information about how to troubleshoot unsuccessful OLE control registration, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article
140346
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/140346/
)
Possible reasons for OLE control registration failure
Regsvr32.exe is included with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later versions, Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2) or later versions, and Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 (SP5) or later versions. Regsvr32.exe is installed in the System folder (Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98/Windows 95) or System32 folder (Windows NT/Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7).
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On a 64-bit version of a Windows operating system, there are two versions of the Regsv32.exe file:
- The 64-bit version is %systemroot%\System32\regsvr32.exe.
- The 32-bit version is %systemroot%\SysWoW64\regsvr32.exe.
Regsvr32.exe usage
RegSvr32.exe has the following command-line options:
Click here to show/hide solution
Regsvr32 [/u] [/n] [/i[:cmdline]] dllname
/u - Unregister server
/i - Call DllInstall passing it an optional [cmdline]; when it is used with /u, it calls dll uninstall
/n - do not call DllRegisterServer; this option must
be used with /i
/s – Silent; display no message boxes (added in Windows XP and Windows Vista)
When you use Regsvr32.exe, it tries to load the component and call its
DLLSelfRegister function. If this attempt is successful, Regsvr32.exe displays a dialog box that indicates success. If the attempt is unsuccessful, Regsvr32.exe returns an error message. This may include a Win32 error code.
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
193625
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/193625/
)
WinInet error codes (12001 through 12156)
For example, to manually register a Sample.ocx ActiveX control, type the following command at command prompt:
c:\regsvr32.exe sample.ocx
Regsvr32.exe error messages in Windows Vista and later versions
The following list contains RegSvr32 error messages and possible causes:
Click here to show/hide solution
- The command-flag ""%1"" is not valid. Please review the command usage and try again.
An invalid combination of options was passed in the command line to regsvr32.exe.
- This command is only valid if a Microsoft Visual Studio OLE Activex Control project is opened.
Regsvr32.exe was invoked by Visual Studio but no modules were specified in the command line.
- To register a module, you must provide a binary name.
Regsvr32.exe was invoked without specifying any modules in the command line.
- The command OleInitialize failed to run. Your computer might be low on memory. Close any open programs and then try again.
Regsvr32 must initialize the COM library before it can call needed COM library functions and uninitialize the library when it shuts down. These error messages occur if an attempt to initialize or uninitialize the COM library is unsuccessful.
- The module ""%1"" failed to load.\n\n Make sure the binary is stored at the specified path or debug it to check for problems with the binary or dependent .DLL files.\n\n%2.
There was an error in loading a module that was specified in the command line. The error text is displayed as part of the message.
- The module ""%1"" was loaded but the entry-point %2 was not found.\n\nMake sure that ""%1"" is a valid DLL or OCX file and then try again
Regsvr32.exe was unable to find the required entry point in the module specified in the command line. This can occur if the entry points are not exported correctly from the module or if the module is not a .DLL or .OCX file.
- The module ""%1"" was loaded but the call to %2 failed with error code %3.\n\nFor more information about this problem, search online using the error code as a search term.
There was an error when regsvr32.exe invoked the entry point in the module specified in the command line. The error code is displayed as part of the message.
- The module ""%1"" may not compatible with the version of Windows that you're running. Check if the module is compatible with an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of regsvr32.exe.
This error can occur, for example, if regsvr32.exe is run on an x86 computer and the module specified in the command line is a 64-bit module.
Regsvr32.exe error messages in versions of Windows earlier than Windows Vista
The following list contains RegSvr32 error messages and possible causes:
Click here to show/hide solution
- Unrecognized flag: /invalid_flag
You typed an invalid combination of flags or switches (refer to the "Regsvr32.exe Usage" section in this article).
- No DLL name specified.
You did not include a .dll file name (refer to the "Regsvr32.exe Usage" section in this article).
- Dll_Name was loaded, but the DllRegisterServer or DllUnregisterServer entry point was not found.
The specified Dll name is not a .dll or .ocx file. For example, typing regsvr32 wjview.exe generates this error message.
- Dll_Name is not an executable file and no registration helper is registered for this file type.
The specified Dll name is not an executable file (.exe, .dll, or .ocx). For example, typing regsvr32 autoexec.bat generates this error message.
- Dll_Name was loaded, but the DllRegisterServer or DllUnregisterServer entry point was not found.
The specified Dll name may not be exported, or a corrupted version of the specified Dll name may be in memory. Consider using Pview to detect the file and remove it.
- Dll_Name is not self-registerable or a corrupted version is in memory.
For example, typing regsvr32 icwdial.dll returns this error message because the Icwdial.dll file is not self-registerable. If you suspect a corrupted version of Dllname is in memory, try restarting your computer or re-extract the original version of the file. If you are running Windows NT, you may have to use the Kill or Pview tool from the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article
197155: How to kill an orphaned process
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/197155)
- OleInitialize failed (or OleUninitialize failed)
Regsvr32 must initialize the COM library before it can call needed COM library functions and uninitialize the library when it shuts down. These error messages occur if an attempt to initialize or uninitialize the COM library is unsuccessful. For example, the Ole32.dll file may be corrupted or may be the wrong version.
- LoadLibrary("Dll_Name") failed. GetlastError returns 0x00000485
From Winerror.h, 0x00000485 = 1157 (ERROR_DLL_NOT_FOUND). This means "One of the library files that are needed to run this application cannot be found." For example, typing regsvr32 missing.dll returns this error message if the Missing.dll file is not found.
- LoadLibrary("Dll_Name") failed. GetLastError returns 0x00000002
From Winerror.h, 0x00000002 = 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND). This means "The system cannot find the file specified." In other words, a dependent DLL was not found. For example, typing regsvr32 icwdial.dll with Tapi32.dll (a dependency) missing returns this error message.
- LoadLibrary("dskmaint.dll") failed. GetLastError returns 0x000001f
From Winerror.h, 0x000001f = 31 (ERROR_GEN_FAILURE). This means "A device attached to the system is not functioning." This behavior can occur if you try to register a Win16 .dll file. For example, typing regsvr32 dskmaint.dll returns this error message.
- DllRegisterServer (or DllUnregisterServer)in Dll_Name failed. Return code was: string
Search the Winerror.h file for the string that is specified in the message.
Article ID: 249873 - Last Review: September 10, 2012 - Revision: 11.0
Applies to
- Windows Vista Enterprise
- Windows Vista Business
- Windows Vista Business N 64-bit Edition
- Windows Vista Home Basic
- Windows Vista Home Basic N
- Windows Vista Home Basic N 64-bit Edition
- Windows Vista Home Premium
- Windows Vista Starter
- Windows Vista Ultimate
- Windows Vista Business N
- Windows Vista Business 64-bit Edition
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Update Rollup 2
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional N
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition N
- Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
- Windows 7 Enterprise
- Windows 7 Home Basic
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- Windows 7 Professional
- Windows 7 Starter
- Windows 7 Ultimate
- Windows 7 Enterprise N
- Windows 7 Home Premium N
- Windows 7 Professional N
- Windows 7 Starter N
- Windows 7 Ultimate N
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