ShellExtension_x86.dll is considered a type of Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. Dynamic Link Library files, like ShellExtension_x86.dll, are essentially a "guide book" that stores information and instructions for executable (EXE) files - like mrt.exe - to follow. These files were created so that multiple programs (eg. Paint.NET) could share the same ShellExtension_x86.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 ShellExtension_x86.dll is attempted to be loaded either when Paint.NET is starting up, or in some cases already running. Some of the most common ShellExtension_x86.dll errors include:
- Access Violation at address - ShellExtension_x86.dll.
- ShellExtension_x86.dll could not be found.
- Cannot find C:\Program Files\paint.net\ShellExtension_x86.dll.
- Cannot register ShellExtension_x86.dll.
- Cannot start Paint.NET. A required component is missing: ShellExtension_x86.dll. Please install Paint.NET again.
- Failed to load ShellExtension_x86.dll.
- The application has failed to start because ShellExtension_x86.dll was not found.
- The file ShellExtension_x86.dll is missing or corrupt.
- This application failed to start because ShellExtension_x86.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
Your ShellExtension_x86.dll file could be missing due to accidental deletion, uninstalled as a shared file of another program (shared with Paint.NET), or deleted by a malware infection. Furthermore, ShellExtension_x86.dll file corruption could be caused from a power outage when loading Paint.NET, system crash while loading ShellExtension_x86.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.
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