libasf_plugin.dll is considered a type of Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. Dynamic Link Library files, like libasf_plugin.dll, are essentially a "guide book" that stores information and instructions for executable (EXE) files - like MpSigStub.exe - to follow. These files were created so that multiple programs (eg. NETGEAR Genie) could share the same libasf_plugin.dll file, saving valuable memory allocation, therefore making your computer run more efficiently.
Unfortunately, what makes DLL files so convenient and efficient, also makes them extremely vulnerable to problems. If something happens to a shared DLL file, either it goes missing or gets corrupted in some way, it can generate a "runtime" error message. Runtime is pretty self-explanatory; it means that these errors are triggered when libasf_plugin.dll is attempted to be loaded either when NETGEAR Genie is starting up, or in some cases already running. Some of the most common libasf_plugin.dll errors include:
- Access Violation at address - libasf_plugin.dll.
- libasf_plugin.dll could not be found.
- Cannot find C:\Program Files (x86)\NETGEAR Genie\bin\plugins\demux\libasf_plugin.dll.
- Cannot register libasf_plugin.dll.
- Cannot start NETGEAR Genie. A required component is missing: libasf_plugin.dll. Please install NETGEAR Genie again.
- Failed to load libasf_plugin.dll.
- The application has failed to start because libasf_plugin.dll was not found.
- The file libasf_plugin.dll is missing or corrupt.
- This application failed to start because libasf_plugin.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
Your libasf_plugin.dll file could be missing due to accidental deletion, uninstalled as a shared file of another program (shared with NETGEAR Genie), or deleted by a malware infection. Furthermore, libasf_plugin.dll file corruption could be caused from a power outage when loading NETGEAR Genie, system crash while loading libasf_plugin.dll, bad sectors on your storage media (usually your primary hard drive), or quite commonly, a malware infection. Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.