How to fix
Winscomrssrv.dll error
on Windows

Every time I boot my Windows 10 laptop, I receive a pop-up titled RunDLL - it says that "There was a problem starting winscomrssrv.dll." I tried restarting, but that did nothing to address my problem. I just wonder what it is and how I can get rid of it.

If you have been receiving a "RunDLL. There was a problem starting winscomrssrv.dll. The specific module could not be found" pop-up message, it means that your computer was infected with a malware type known as a Trojan.[ref en-1]

There are millions of different malicious computer infections that were created over the years - some more widespread and severe, while others are considered to be minor. Each of these parasites is programmed to do different tasks on an infected device, and none of them benefit the victim.

The infection is usually triggered by users being deceived into installing it (i.e., after opening a malicious spam email attachment and let it run macros) or when there is a vulnerability present within the software installed on Windows. For example, now extinct Flash Player has numerous flaws that had to be patched regularly to prevent users from being attacked by cybercriminals.

When malware infects a Windows computer, it needs to establish itself in order to begin and sustain its operations. This means that a Trojan imports its own files, modifies Windows settings, alters registry,[ref en-2] group policy, and sometimes destroys or damages certain files on the system.

If present, anti-virus programs warn users about what has been detected - these typically use pre-determined database or heuristic[ref en-3] names - and then delete all the malicious components of malware automatically. While you are no longer in danger thanks to your security tool, the pop-up can be rather annoying.

In this case, winscomrssrv.dll is a leftover from malware that was already removed from your machine by security software. The DLL file is a library that Windows can not recognize anymore due to the missing reference to it. Therefore, in order to fix this error, you would have to remove it from your machine.

Below you will find a few methods that could help you get rid of this annoying RunDLL error for good.

Fix 1. Run an automatic repair tool

DLL files are important executables that allow Windows to run certain tasks when required. There are plenty of such files on your operating system - some of them are being called up by certain applications, while some programs import their own DLLs. That being said, errors surround them are plenty: the most common ones include:

• MSVCP140.dll is missing
• VCRUNTIME140.dll is missing
• MSVCP100.dll is missing, etc.

They prevent users from executing certain operations (for example, launch a particular app) or might show up on startup and simply be annoying. Winscomrssrv.dll not found error is a prime example of how malware can negatively impact the Windows operating system and cause troubles, even after the infection itself is successfully terminated.

[d1] is one of the best tools on the market that can quickly and effectively mitigate virus damage on any Windows operating system. It can also remove most of the already installed malware, although keep in mind that you still need real-time protection with effective anti-virus software.

Fix 2. Run SFC and DISM

System file corruption can also be checked with built-in commands. Here's how:

• Type in cmd in Windows search
• Right-click on Command Prompt result and select Run as administrator
  

  

  
  
• Once the new window opens, paste the following command and press Enter:
  sfc /scannow
  

  

  
  
• Wait till the scan is complete
• If the scan ends up in an error (usually "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them."), copy and paste these commands, pressing Enter after each:
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Restart your PC.

Fix 3. Use Autoruns utility by Microsoft

Unfortunately, the Task Manager does not provide enough functions to pinpoint the precise startup locations of certain files. Luckily, a lightweight utility provided by Microsoft can solve this problem and help you remove the startup item from your system. You don't even need to install it - simply pick the correct Windows version:

• Download Autoruns for Windows from the official website
  

  

• Go to the folder the file was downloaded to (Downloads by default)
• Right-click on the Zip file and select Extract to Autoruns and enter the extracted folder

  

• Pick the right version: Autoruns.exe if you are using 32-bit Windows or go for Autoruns64.exe if you are using 64-bit OS
• Right-click on the correct EXE file and select Run as administrator

  

• If UAC shows up, click Yes
• Agree to License Terms
• Once Autoruns opens, type in winscomrssrv in the Filter bar - an entry should be shown right away

  

• Right-click on the entry and select Delete.

  

If you continue experiencing startup errors, lookup and delete the following files using Autoruns:

• startupchecklibrary
• srvhost.