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Fix: The procedure entry point error on Windows
18 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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The procedure entry point is Windows error, and it usually affectsUplayapplication. This error can also prevent other applications from running, so today we’re going to show you how to fix it onWindows 10.
The procedure entry point could not be located [FIXED]
1. Reinstall the Uplay application
As previously mentioned,The procedure entry pointerror message usually appears when trying to start Uplay. However, you can easily fix the problem simply by reinstalling Uplay. Users reported that removing Uplay and deleting all files from its directory fixed the problem for them, so be sure to try that.
On the other hand, several users reported that your antivirus can interfere with Uplay and cause this error. According to users, the problem is related toBullguardAntivirus and Firewall, so you might want to disable it temporarily. Users reported that they fixed the problem by following these steps:
Several users claim that you don’t even have to uninstall Uplay to fix it. Simply download the latest Uplay setup file and run it to update Uplay. After doing that, you should be able to use Uplay without any problems.
2. Rename the libcef.dll.old file
According to users, the cause forThe procedure entry pointerror can be your libcef.dll file. This file is related to Uplay, but for some reason, the name of the file can change. If the file name isn’t correct, Uplay won’t be able to start and you’ll encounter this error. To fix the problem, you just have to rename this file by doing the steps above.
After you rename the file, the issue should be resolved completely. Keep in mind that this solution works only if you don’t havelibcef.dllavailable. If this file is present in the Uplay directory, this solution doesn’t apply to you, so you can just skip it.
3. Repair the Visual C++ packages
Many applications rely on Visual C++ Redistributables in order to work. However, if there’s any problem with Visual C++ Redistributables you might encounterThe procedure entry pointerror. Several users claim that you can fix the problem simply by repairing Visual C++ packages. To do that, follow the steps from above.
Keep in mind that you might have to repair all Visual C++ Redistributables that you have on your PC in order to fix this problem. If repairing the Redistributables doesn’t help, you might have to reinstall them. Keep in mind that you’ll have to install multiple versions of C++ Redistributables and not just the latest one. Different applications often require different versions of C++ Redistributables in order to run properly, so you’ll have to install multiple versions.
4. Use Steam to launch your game
Now you need to download Uplay again and install it. To do that, follow these steps:
According to users, you can fixThe procedure entry pointerror simply by starting your game fromSteaminstead of Uplay. To fix the problem, first, you need to close Uplay entirely. Sometimes Uplay can run in the background, so you’ll need to useTask Managerto close it.
By starting your game from Steam, Uplay will automatically start and you won’t have any problems with it. Keep in mind that you might have to start games from Steam as a workaround until you find a permanent solution.
5. Remove your graphics card driver
Once your PC restarts, Windows will install the default driver. After the default driver is installed, check if the problem still persists. If not, you might want to update your driver, but be sure not to install the same version that caused you this problem.
According to users,The procedure entry pointerror can appear due to problems with yourNvidia graphics drivers. To fix the issue, users are suggesting removing your driver and checking if that solves the problem.
There’s also one more way to remove your driver. We showed you how to remove it from Device Manager, but this method can sometimes leave leftover files and registry entries that can still cause the problem. To completely remove your graphics card driver, we suggest that you useDisplay Driver Uninstaller. This is a freeware third-party tool that will automatically remove your graphics card driver and all files related to it. If you want to be sure that your graphics card driver is completely removed, we suggest that you use this tool.
Users reported this problem with Nvidia drivers, but even if you don’t use Nvidia graphics, you might want to try reinstalling your drivers and see if that helps.
6. Disable Windows Defender
After you disable Windows Defender, reinstall your game and check if the problem still appears. We have to mention that Group Policy Editor is available only on Windows Pro or Enterprise Editions. If your Windows doesn’t have Group Policy Editor, you can disable Windows Defender by modifying your registry. To do that, follow these steps:
Several users reported that they encounteredThe procedure entry pointerror while trying to run certain games. It seems that this problem can be caused byWindows Defender, so in order to fix it we need to disable Windows Defender. To do that, you just need to follow the steps described above.
Keep in mind that editing the registry can be potentially dangerous, so use extra caution. If you want to enable Windows Defender again, simply change the value data ofDisableAntiSpywareDWORD to 0 or delete it.
7. Completely remove VLC player from your PC
The procedure entry point error usually affects Uplay, but it can also appear in other applications. Users reported this error in Tunngle, and it seems that it was caused byVLC Media Player.
To fix the problem, you need to uninstall VLC Media Player and remove all registry entries associated with it.
To completely remove VLC from your PC, you might consider a cleaning software that can help you remove any unwanted programs.
CCleanercan perform this job in a few clicks and also erase junk files or temporary files from your system.
Users reported that removing the VLC player fixed the problem for them, so be sure to try it. If you still want to use VLC as your media player, be sure to download and install the latest version and check if the issue still appears.
8. Replace the configuration and .dll files
Users reportedThe procedure entry pointerror while trying to runAssassin’s Creed 4. According to users, the issue is caused by corrupted configuration and .dll files. To fix the problem, you’ll need to replace the corrupted files with new ones. The list of files that you need to replace includesorbit_api,steam_api,steam_api.dll,uplay_r1.dll, anduplay_r1_loader.dll.
Keep in mind that downloading these files from third-party websites can be a security concern, therefore it’s always better to copy them from another user that has a working copy of the game. After you copy these files to the game’s directory, the problem should be fixed and everything will start working without issues.
If the problem still persists, users are suggesting disabling Windows Defender entirely and checking if that solves the problem. For more information on how to disable Windows Defender, be sure to checkSolution 6for detailed instructions.
9. Disable your antivirus
Your antivirus software is rather important, but it can sometimes cause The procedure entry point error to appear while trying to play certain games. To fix the issue, it’s advised to temporarily disable your antivirus and check if that solves the problem.
This is just a simple workaround, but if it works, be sure to use it in the future if this error appears again. Keep in mind that almost any third-party antivirus software can cause this problem to appear, so be sure to try this solution.
10. Install the latest updates
If you’re frequently getting The procedure entry point error message, you might be able to solve it by updating your Windows. By default, Windows 10 automatically installs the necessary updates in the background, but sometimes you might miss an important update.
However, you can always check for updates manually by doing the following:
Keeping your Windows up to date is one of the best ways to ensure that errors such as this one don’t appear, so be sure to update Windows as often as you can.
11. Copy the steam_api.dll file
Users reported The procedure entry point error message while trying to start a Gmod server on their PC. Apparently the problem is occurring because steam_api.dll file is missing. To fix the issue, you just need to copy the missing file to the Gmod server directory. This is rather simple, and you can do it by following these steps:
After you copy the steam_api.dll file, the problem should disappear and you’ll be able to run Gmod server without any problems.
12. Copy libxml2.dll file
According to users, this error message can appear while using APPandora app. The problem occurs because a certain .dll file is missing, but you can fix the problem simply by copying that file. To do that, follow these steps:
directory. If you’re using 32 -bit version of Windows, navigate to the
directory instead.
After copying the missing files, APPandora app will start working again without any problems.
Reinstall / update your browser
Google Chromeis a great browser, but it can also suffer fromThe procedure entry pointerror. Several users reported this error message in Chrome, and in order to fix it, you just have to reinstall Chrome on your PC. Keep in mind that you’ll need to install the latest version of Chrome in order to fix this issue.
In addition to Chrome, this issue also affectsFirefox, so if you’re using Firefox as your default browser, reinstall it and update it to the latest version to fix this problem.
Solution 14 – Rename the dxgi.dll file
According to users, this error can appear while trying to use mods with certain games. The cause for this problem is dxgi.dll file, and in order to fix the issue, you need to find and rename that file. To do that, follow these steps:
After renaming the file, try to start the game again and check if the problem still appears.
Solution 15 – Change System Variables
According to users,The procedure entry pointerror message can appear while startingDWG ViewerorDWG TrueViewsoftware. If you’re using these tools, you might be able to fix the problem simply by changing your system variables. To do that, follow these steps:
After doing that, you just need to save changes and the problem should be resolved. Keep in mind that this problem can also affect other applications. If you’re having this error with other applications, we strongly advise you to check their Path variables and edit them if necessary.
Solution 16 – Reinstall Jabber and removeMeetingService files
Several users reported this error message while using Jabber. To fix the issue, you need to uninstall Jabber and remove certain .dll and .xml files. To do that, follow these steps:
This is a simple solution, and users reported that reinstalling Jabber and removingMeetingServicefiles fixed the issue for them, so be sure to try it out. Several users reported that removing the entireCisco Jabberdirectory fixed the problem for them, so be sure to try that as well.
Solution 17 – Verify the integrity of game files
The procedure entry pointerror message usually appears when trying to run certain games using Uplay. According to users, the issue can occur if your game files are corrupted. To fix the problem, you’ll need to check the integrity of your game cache. To do that in Uplay, follow these steps:
If you’re having this problem with Steam games, you can verify the game cache by doing the following:
After the verification is finished, check if the problem still appears. Few users claim that verifying their games solved the issue for them, so be sure to try that.
Solution 18 – Reinstall Adobe Photoshop
According to users, the issue can appear after installing AdobePhotoshop. The issue is caused by a corrupted .dll file, and in order to fix this problem, you need to reinstall Photoshop. To do that, you need to follow these steps:
After you reinstall Photoshop, the problem should be resolved and you’ll be able to use it without any issues.
Solution 19 – Perform a System Restore
IfThe procedure entry pointerror message started appearing recently, you might be able to fix the problem by performing aSystem Restore. This is a useful feature that will restore your PC to the previous state and fix any recent problems. Keep in mind that this feature might remove any recently saved files, so you might want to back them up. To perform a System Restore, do the following:
Once you restore your PC, check if the problem still appears.
Solution 20 – Copy the missing .dll files to the Syncios directory
This error message can appear while using the Syncios software on your PC. Missing .dll files are causing this error to appear, and in order to fix it, you need to copy them to Syncios directory. To do that, follow these steps:
directory. If you’re using a 32-bit version of Windows, you’ll need to navigate toC:Program Files (x86)directory instead.
After doing that, the problem should be fixed and you’ll be able to run Syncios app without any problems.
Have issues with specific .dll files? You can consider theDLL Errors Troubleshooting Hubon our website.
Also, you may visit theWindows 10 Errors sectionfor guides on fixing common Windows problems with the computer.
The procedure entry point errormessage can prevent you from running your favorite applications or games. This error is usually caused by missing .dll files, but you should be able to solve it by using one of our solutions.
More about the topics:DLL errors,Microsoft Windows Defender,Uplay
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
