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ci.dll is the Microsoft Windows Code Integrity Module, not a Visual C++ runtime or a general-purpose application DLL. If Windows reports that ci.dll is missing, corrupt, or could not be loaded, do not download a replacement from a random DLL site.
The correct repair depends on where the message appears:
- Windows will not boot: use Windows Recovery Environment, Startup Repair, System Restore, and official Windows repair tools.
- Windows starts but an application shows the error: identify the program or
Setup.exedisplaying it, then repair or reinstall that program. - A blue screen or crash dump names
ci.dll: investigate recently changed drivers, storage, memory, or security software instead of assumingci.dllitself is the cause.
What ci.dll does and where it belongs
ci.dll is part of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Its description is Code Integrity Module. Windows uses Code Integrity to help validate kernel-mode code, drivers, and other boot components. Microsoft documents Code Integrity as a Windows security function and identifies ci.dll as the Code Integrity cryptographic module in its validated Windows modules documentation.
On a normal installation, the file is located at:
C:WindowsSystem32ci.dll
System32 does not mean that the file is only for 32-bit Windows. On 64-bit Windows, System32 normally contains 64-bit system components. Windows also has 32-bit builds with their own system files. The correct file is determined by the Windows build and architecture, not by a file-size label or a download site’s “32-bit” or “64-bit” category.
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Versions of ci.dll vary between Windows releases and builds. Historical version and size listings should not be treated as current download targets. A file with the right name from another computer can still be the wrong binary.
ci.dll is not supplied by:
- Visual C++ Redistributable
- DirectX
- .NET
- A game or ordinary desktop application
The Visual C++ package is appropriate when an error names files such as VCRUNTIME140.dll or MSVCP140.dll, not when Windows has a genuine Code Integrity problem. See Microsoft’s latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads for the files that package actually provides.
Start with these two questions
Before changing anything, answer:
- Does Windows boot to the desktop?
- Which executable displays the message?
Those answers separate two problems that often get mixed together.
If the computer stops before sign-in and shows WindowsSystem32CI.dll, treat it as a Windows boot, component, installation-media, storage, or driver problem.
If Windows reaches the desktop and a popup appears at login, the popup may belong to a broken application launcher called Setup.exe. In that case, Windows can be healthy while the application is trying to load a dependency from its own folder.
Fix 1: Install Windows updates and repair system components
Time needed: 15 to 45 minutes, depending on pending updates and disk speed.
This is the safest first repair when Windows still starts. Microsoft recommends repairing the component store with DISM before running SFC.
Install pending updates
- Open Start.
- Select Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates.
- Install all available updates.
- Restart the computer, even if Windows does not immediately require it.
- Return to Windows Update and check again.
Do not interrupt the computer while updates are installing. If the ci.dll message began after an interrupted update or failed upgrade, allow Windows Update to complete before testing other repairs.
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Run DISM and SFC
- Open Start.
- Type
Command Prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Run this command:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Wait for DISM to finish. It may appear to pause for a while. Do not close the window simply because the percentage does not move immediately.
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Then run:
sfc /scannow
Restart Windows after both commands complete.
Microsoft’s System File Checker and DISM guidance explains this sequence. DISM repairs the Windows component store that SFC uses, while SFC checks protected system files such as ci.dll.
Read the result
SFC commonly reports one of these outcomes:
- Did not find any integrity violations: Windows did not detect protected-file corruption. Investigate the application, driver, storage, or boot configuration instead.
- Found corrupt files and successfully repaired them: restart and test the original error.
- Found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them: run Windows Update again, repeat DISM followed by SFC, or continue with WinRE and repair installation options.
- Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service: the installation may need offline repair from WinRE.
For a hands-on repair, hunting through Windows builds and repeating SFC and DISM without knowing what changed can be tedious. Outbyte PC Repair offers a free scan that shows what it finds, while repair actions are performed by the full version; it is optional, and Microsoft’s built-in DISM and SFC commands remain the primary repair path.
This process does not guarantee a fix for every boot failure. A successful SFC scan does not rule out damaged installation media, a failing disk, an incompatible driver, or a broken boot configuration.
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Fix 2: Repair or reinstall the application showing the popup
Time needed: 10 to 30 minutes.
If Windows starts normally and the message appears only when launching a particular program, the application may be looking for a dependency in its own installation directory. The presence of ci.dll in C:WindowsSystem32 does not prove that the application is loading that copy.
Common messages include:
The code execution cannot proceed because CI.dll was not found.
Reinstalling the program may fix this problem.
The program can't start because ci.dll is missing from your computer.
Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.
ci.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error.
Try installing the program again using the original installation media.
Identify the program
Look at the title bar of the popup. It may name the application or Setup.exe.
If the popup appears at login:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Select Startup apps.
- Look for the program associated with the message.
- Right-click it and choose Disable.
- Restart Windows.
Disabling the startup entry is a diagnostic step. If the popup disappears, you have identified the launching program, but the underlying installation still needs attention.
For more detail:
- In Task Manager, right-click the relevant startup item.
- Select Open file location, if available.
- Note the full folder and executable name.
- In Windows Search, open Task Scheduler.
- Review Task Scheduler Library for a task that launches the same program.
- Also check Settings → Apps → Installed apps for the matching application.
Do not delete a startup entry if you have not confirmed which program owns it. A leftover Setup.exe can be an orphaned installer, but the name alone is not enough to identify it.
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- Open Settings.
- Select Apps.
- Select Installed apps.
- Find the application named in the popup.
- Select the three-dot menu beside it.
- Choose Advanced options, if available.
- Select Repair.
- Restart and test the program.
If there is no Repair option, uninstall the application from the same menu. Restart Windows, then reinstall it using the program’s original installer or its official vendor source.
If the popup names Setup.exe but you cannot identify a legitimate application, scan the executable and the computer with Windows Security before reinstalling anything.
Fix 3: Check Microsoft Defender quarantine
Time needed: 10 to 20 minutes.
If ci.dll disappeared after a security alert, a suspicious installer, or an antivirus action, check Protection history.
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- Open Start.
- Type Windows Security.
- Open the app.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Review recent detections involving
ci.dll, an installer, or the program that displays the popup. - Expand a detection to see its path and status.
Do not restore a quarantined file merely because its name is ci.dll. Restore it only if you have verified that it is a genuine Microsoft-signed system file and the detection is a false positive. Microsoft warns that restoring an unsafe file can cause Defender to detect it again.
If the detection involves malware or an untrusted installer:
- Leave the threat quarantined or remove it as Windows Security recommends.
- Run a full scan from Virus & threat protection.
- Restart Windows.
- Run DISM and SFC.
- Reinstall the affected application from its official source.
Microsoft’s Protection history instructions explain the available quarantine actions.
Fix 4: Use Startup Repair when Windows will not boot
Time needed: 15 to 60 minutes.
A typical boot message looks like this:
Windows failed to start.
File: WindowsSystem32CI.dll
Status: 0xc0000098
The operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors.
This does not prove that the file is physically missing. The message can reflect a damaged component, failed upgrade, boot configuration problem, storage issue, or faulty installation media.
Enter Windows Recovery Environment
If Windows fails several starts, it may open WinRE automatically. You can also reach it by interrupting startup several times, or by starting from official Windows installation media and selecting the repair option.
In WinRE:
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced options.
- Select Startup Repair.
- Choose the Windows installation if prompted.
- Enter the account password if requested.
- Wait for the repair to complete.
- Restart the computer.
Microsoft’s Startup Repair guidance covers this recovery path.
If Startup Repair reports that it cannot repair the computer, return to Troubleshoot → Advanced options and try System Restore.
Use System Restore
- Open Troubleshoot → Advanced options.
- Select System Restore.
- Choose a restore point from before the error began.
- Review the affected programs and drivers.
- Confirm the restore.
- Allow Windows to restart.
System Restore changes system files, drivers, settings, and installed applications after the selected restore point. It is intended not to remove personal files, but review the summary carefully before proceeding. Microsoft explains the process in its System Restore documentation.
If you run repair commands from WinRE, Windows may not be assigned drive letter C:. Use the correct Windows volume letter rather than assuming it. Offline DISM and SFC commands require the right Windows directory and should be used carefully.
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Fix 5: Recreate damaged installation media
Time needed: 30 to 90 minutes.
If the error appeared while installing Windows, immediately after a failed upgrade, or only when booting from a USB installer, suspect damaged installation media or an incomplete installation.
The status 0xc0000098 has been reported in connection with failed Windows installation attempts and faulty media. Recreate the USB using Microsoft’s official Windows download page.
The general process is:
- Use another working Windows computer if necessary.
- Open Microsoft’s Windows download page.
- Download the official media creation tool or installation image offered for your Windows edition.
- Use a blank USB drive with sufficient capacity.
- Create the installation media again.
- Start the affected computer from that USB.
- Select Repair my PC instead of immediately installing Windows.
- Try Startup Repair, System Restore, or Command Prompt.
- If the installed system is damaged beyond repair, consider an in-place repair or clean installation after securing personal files.
Also test another USB port and confirm that the computer is booting from the newly created drive. If installation media behaves inconsistently, investigate the USB drive, disk, RAM, and firmware settings rather than replacing ci.dll manually.
Fix 6: Investigate drivers after a blue screen
Time needed: 20 to 60 minutes.
A crash dump naming ci.dll does not automatically mean that ci.dll caused the crash. Code Integrity may be where Windows detected a problem involving an incompatible, unsigned, or corrupted driver.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThink back to what changed immediately before the blue screen:
- graphics, storage, chipset, network, or other driver installation
- antivirus or security software update
- hardware replacement
- Windows update
- disk cloning or migration
Roll back or reinstall a recent driver
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the device category associated with the recent change.
- Right-click the device.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Driver tab.
- Choose Roll Back Driver if it is available.
- If rollback is unavailable, choose Uninstall Device.
- Restart Windows.
- Install the correct driver from the hardware manufacturer or through Windows Update.
Do not use a driver intended for a different Windows architecture or hardware model. If Windows will not start normally, use Safe Mode from WinRE → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings.
When several devices have changed, finding the stale or incompatible driver manually can mean checking versions one by one. Outbyte Driver Updater provides a free scan showing which drivers it identifies, while driver installation is performed by the full version; it is optional, and the hardware manufacturer remains the safest source for a specific driver.
Advanced users can use Driver Verifier to isolate problematic drivers, but Microsoft warns that it can itself cause crashes and is primarily intended for testing and debugging. Do not enable it casually on a computer that is already unstable.
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regsvr32 is designed for DLLs that expose registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer or DllUnregisterServer. It registers ordinary COM or ActiveX components in the Windows registry.
ci.dll is a protected Windows Code Integrity module, not a normal self-registering application component. Running:
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regsvr32 ci.dll
does not restore a missing system file, repair the Windows component store, or fix boot validation. It can produce an error because the module does not provide the registration function that regsvr32 expects.
Microsoft documents how regsvr32 works and the DllRegisterServer requirement. Use regsvr32 only when the software vendor specifically documents it for a DLL that supports registration.
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Do not download ci.dll from a DLL archive, copy it from another computer, or place it in a game folder or System32.
That approach can introduce:
- malware or a tampered binary
- a file from the wrong Windows build
- a 32-bit file on a 64-bit installation, or the reverse
- a file with incompatible signatures or dependencies
- a replacement that hides the real storage, driver, or boot problem
Windows system components should come from Windows Update, DISM, SFC, WinRE repair, official installation media, or an official repair installation. If an application truly requires a private copy of a dependency, repair or reinstall that application from its official installer instead.
Do not delete ci.dll, disable Secure Boot, or disable Code Integrity protections simply to suppress the message.
Likely causes and the matching repair
| Situation | Most likely direction |
|---|---|
Boot fails and names WindowsSystem32CI.dll |
Startup Repair, System Restore, DISM/SFC, storage and boot checks |
| Error began during Windows installation | Recreate official installation media |
Windows boots and Setup.exe appears at login |
Identify and repair the orphaned or broken startup program |
| File disappeared after a security alert | Check Defender Protection history and scan for threats |
| Blue screen began after a driver change | Roll back, uninstall, or replace the driver |
| Error follows cloning or hardware replacement | Check disk health, boot configuration, and drivers |
| SFC and DISM succeed but boot still fails | Investigate media, disk, RAM, drivers, or use an in-place repair |
Frequently asked questions
Is ci.dll a Windows file?
Yes. It is Microsoft’s Code Integrity Module and is part of the Windows operating system.
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Is ci.dll a Visual C++ file?
No. Installing or repairing Visual C++ does not normally repair ci.dll. Use the Visual C++ package only when the complete error names a Visual C++ runtime file.
Why does an application say ci.dll is missing when the file exists?
The application may be using its own dependency-loading path, a broken installation, or a different Setup.exe. Check the executable’s full path and repair or reinstall the owning application.
Is the same ci.dll used on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows?
No. Windows architecture and build matter. Do not substitute files based only on the filename. On ordinary installations, the system copy is under C:WindowsSystem32.
Should I copy ci.dll from another PC?
No. The other computer may have a different Windows build, architecture, signature, or system state.
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Should I run SFC before DISM?
Run DISM first, then SFC:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
What information is useful when asking for help?
Provide the Windows version, the exact error text, any status code, whether Windows boots, whether the message appears at login or while launching a program, and the program or executable named in the popup.
What if every repair succeeds but the error remains?
Stop replacing files and broaden the diagnosis. Test the installation media, disk, RAM, and recently changed drivers. From WinRE, try System Restore or an official repair installation. A ci.dll reference can be the visible symptom of a larger boot or hardware problem.
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