cannot run due to missing msvcp90.dll

[darwinsgate]

I am just installed the latest calibre on my windows7 laptop and it will not run because msvcp90.dll is missing. It runs on my windows7 desktop.

TIA

[user_none]

This means that the Microsoft VC++ CRT files are not installed. Strange that you're getting that error because calibre should either bundle or install them... Though I don't do much with packaging so I could be wrong.

Installing the CRT manually should resolve the issue: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl...ils.aspx?id=29.

[kovidgoyal]

calibre does bundle the crt. You likely have a corrupted install. Uninstall, delete the calibre install folder and re-install.

[darwinsgate]

I uninstalled and deleted the calibre folder but I get the same error. Maybe my employer has erected some barrier to prevent installers from putting things in windows\system32 or something like that?

[Adoby]

I have seen others reporting similar problems. It seems to be related to limited rights to the temp folder. Also you may not be able to install anything if you aren't allowed to do so and have sufficient rights to do so. On a computer at work you may not be able to install anything yourself for security reasons. Ask your local network administrator.

[theducks]

Just run Calibre portable. That does not do a system install

[darwinsgate]

Nothing has worked so far.

calibre portable gets the same error about missing msvcp90.dll.

I run calibre on other computers in my Work network and I used to run it on the laptop that is now having problems.

I have full control of the c:\temp directory and c:\windows\temp.

I have reinstalled the VC redist package.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[darwinsgate]

I have tried all suggestions to no avail.

I have run calibre successfully on this laptop in the past and I run it on other computers in my work network.

Where is msvcp90.dll supposed to live? It's not in system32.

Thanks, dg

[BetterRed]

At a guess I'd say your employer has put a block on users installing Windows run time components on the desktop/laptop that your trying to use Calibre on now.

They've probably run into problems with user installed 3rd party software creating problems with their Line Of Business application software. Similar to how Calibre has problems coexisting with Roboform and Watcom.

Try doing what theducks advises use the portable version.

Originally Posted by darwinsgate

Where is msvcp90.dll supposed to live? It's not in system32.

It should be in the sub-directory of Windows Side by Side (winsxs) as defined by the manifest file in the Calibre2.Microsoft.VC90.CRT directory. But it won't be there if your employer has put a block on unauthorised users putting 'stuff' there.

System 32 is 'old hat', its there to support legacy software and lazy/amateur programmers. The transition to winsxs has been happening since Win 98.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

msvcp90.dll is present in the Microsoft.VC90.CRT folder inside the calibre install folder. calibre does not install any dlls into the system.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

msvcp90.dll is present in the Microsoft.VC90.CRT folder inside the calibre install folder. calibre does not install any dlls into the system.

Kovid, that's exactly what I thought (and nearly wrote too), but I thought I'd better check.

So I moved the files (dll's and manifest) in the Calibre2\Microsoft.VC90.CRT folder to another drive. When I started Calibre - it was fine, edit metadata, conversion, viewer, preferences etc - all A-OK.

So I looked at Calibre with Process explorer - See attachment

The instance of msvpc90.dll that is being used has been loaded from the winsxs location that's specified in the manifest file. That instance of the C++ run time folder and files were put in the winsxs folder when I built this system in 2010. I started using Calibre early 2012.

I seem to remember Windows doing some smarts with pre-loading frequently used dll's at boot time, and I would hazard that the V90 C++ run time libraries are used by 'lots' of programs on this computer.

Its all a bit of a mystery - but its better than the days of DLL HELL

BR

[kovidgoyal]

If you move the dlls out of the install folder and they exist in your system folders then, provided the versions are compatible, windows will load them from the system folder. Nothing surprising about that.

[BetterRed]

Kovid, it uses the instances from winsxs even if they're in the Calibre2\Microsoft.VC90.CRT folder, I should have said that, calibre portable also uses the winsxs instances.

What 'surprised' me was that I had understood (not from you) that Calibre was 'self contained' and ALWAYS used the C run time, python, qt libraries etc that ship with the product.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

No, I believe the windows library loader preferentially uses the system CRT dlls if they are present, the builtin ones are only used if the system ones are not present. A bit of searching in msdn should confirm that.

[darwinsgate]

I finally returned to trying to get my PoS laptop to run Calibre. I started by trying to run the portable install I left on the laptop. To my surprise, it worked.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

dG