“The program can’t start because aswamsi.dll was not found.” The aswamsi.dll file is normally an Avast Antivirus or AVG AntiVirus component, not a Windows system file.
Which fix applies to you
Choose the description that matches what you see:
- The error appeared after an Avast or AVG update, reboot, or interrupted installation: repair the installed antivirus first.
- The file is missing from the Avast or AVG folder: check quarantine, then repair or reinstall the antivirus.
- A game reports an entry-point error: suspect an architecture or version mismatch and repair the antivirus installation.
- A game or Easy Anti-Cheat reports an “untrusted system file”: update the antivirus and game, then verify the game files. Do not assume the file is malware.
- The file is outside the Avast or AVG installation directory: treat it as suspicious and scan the computer.
- Several Windows components are also failing: run DISM and SFC after repairing the antivirus.
- You do not use Avast or AVG: identify which application installed the file before taking action. Do not download a replacement DLL.
What aswamsi.dll does
AMSI means Antimalware Scan Interface. It is a Windows interface that allows antivirus software to participate in supported antimalware scanning workflows.
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aswAMSI.dll is associated with the AMSI integration in Avast Antivirus and AVG AntiVirus or AVG Internet Security. Public file records describe variants as an Avast AMSI COM object or an AVG Internet Security System AMSI COM object.
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This is why a game, launcher, anti-cheat service, or another application may mention the file. Those programs can load, inspect, or interact with antivirus modules while they start.
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The file should normally remain inside the product directory, for example:
C:Program FilesAVAST SoftwareAvastaswAMSI.dll
C:Program FilesAVGAntivirusaswAMSI.dll
The exact path can vary by product generation and installation choices. It should not normally be copied to:
C:WindowsSystem32
C:WindowsSysWOW64
Some Avast installations use architecture-specific folders such as x86 and x64. Public records also list 32-bit versions, including 17.9.3761.0 and 17.3.3443.0. These are catalogue examples, not a complete list of current releases.
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Repair is the safest first step because it restores the component as part of the signed antivirus installation.
Repair Avast
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select Apps.
- Select Installed apps on Windows 11. On Windows 10, select Apps & features.
- Find Avast Free Antivirus or Avast Premium Security.
- Select the three-dot menu, then choose Uninstall.
- Confirm the uninstall prompt.
- When the Avast Setup window opens, choose Repair.
- Follow the prompts and restart Windows if requested.
- Start the application or game that produced the error.
Repair AVG
- Press Windows + I.
- Open Apps.
- Choose Installed apps on Windows 11, or Apps & features on Windows 10.
- Find AVG AntiVirus FREE or AVG Internet Security.
- Select the menu beside it and choose Uninstall.
- Confirm again when AVG asks whether you want to remove the product.
- In the AVG Setup window, select Repair.
- Complete the repair and restart the computer.
- Test the affected program again.
If the error disappears after the repair, the original problem was probably an incomplete update, damaged component, or missing dependency in the antivirus installation. Do not copy a separate DLL into the game folder.
Fix 2: Check quarantine and protection history
Avast or AVG may have quarantined, deleted, or blocked the file. This can happen after a detection, failed update, or damaged product component.
- Open Avast or AVG from the Start menu.
- Open Protection, Menu, or Settings, depending on the product interface.
- Look for Quarantine, Virus Chest, Threat History, or Protection History.
- Search for
aswAMSI.dll. - Check the recorded file path before taking action.
Restore the file only when all of these conditions are true:
- The path is inside the genuine Avast or AVG installation directory.
- The antivirus identifies the item as safe or as a false detection.
- The product is installed from the official vendor.
If the location is a game folder, a temporary folder, or an unfamiliar directory, do not restore it. Run a full scan and repair or reinstall Avast or AVG instead.
After restoring a legitimate quarantined file, restart Windows and test the affected program. If the file is immediately quarantined again, leave it quarantined and contact the antivirus vendor or reinstall the product from its official installer.
Fix 3: Reinstall Avast or AVG completely
Use a complete reinstall when repair reports that it failed, the error returns after restarting, or the antivirus installation is visibly incomplete.
- Save open work and close the antivirus, game launchers, and other applications.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Select Avast or AVG and choose Uninstall.
- Follow the vendor’s removal process.
- Restart Windows even if the uninstaller does not insist on it.
- Download the current installer only from the official Avast or AVG website.
- For AVG, use the official AVG AntiVirus installation package.
- For Avast, use the official Avast Antivirus for Windows download.
- Right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.
- Complete the installation and restart Windows.
- Open the antivirus and install any available product updates.
- Test the program that reported
aswamsi.dll.
If ordinary removal does not work, use the official Avast or AVG removal utility supplied by that vendor. Run it according to the vendor’s instructions, restart, and install a fresh package. Do not combine an isolated DLL download with a partially removed antivirus installation.
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Fix 4: Resolve an entry-point or architecture mismatch
An error such as:
The procedure entry point MiniDumpWriteDump could not be located in the dynamic link library ...aswAMSI.dll
usually points to incompatible files rather than a simple missing-file problem.
A 32-bit game may load an x86 antivirus component. A stale x86 or x64 module, an interrupted antivirus update, or a mismatched dependency can cause the entry-point failure.
Repair or reinstall Avast or AVG using the steps above. Do not replace only aswAMSI.dll with a file from another version. The surrounding antivirus files must match the component’s build and architecture.
To check the path involved:
- Right-click the game shortcut and select Open file location.
- Note the application’s installation directory.
- If the error displays a DLL path, copy that path into File Explorer.
- Confirm whether the path points to Avast, AVG, the game, or an unrelated directory.
- Repair the product that owns the path.
If the game is 32-bit, that does not mean you should install random 32-bit and 64-bit copies of the DLL. Let the official antivirus installer place the correct files.
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Anti-cheat software can reject an antivirus module as an “untrusted system file,” particularly after either the game or antivirus has changed. That message does not automatically mean aswAMSI.dll is malicious.
First update Avast or AVG:
- Open the antivirus.
- Open Menu, Settings, or About.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install available program updates.
- Restart Windows.
Then update the game:
- Open the game launcher.
- Install pending launcher or game updates.
- Use its Verify, Repair, or Verify integrity option.
- Restart the computer.
- Test the game again.
For Windows Update:
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install available updates.
- Restart when prompted.
For a graphics or chipset driver:
- Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters for the graphics device, or System devices for chipset-related hardware.
- Right-click the device and choose Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows and test the game.
Outbyte Driver Updater can reduce the manual work of checking which drivers are stale: its free scan shows what needs attention, while driver installation through the full version is optional. It is not required, and repairing or reinstalling the antivirus remains the definitive fix when Avast or AVG owns the DLL.
If the anti-cheat warning remains, temporarily disabling antivirus protection can be used only as a controlled diagnostic. Do not leave protection disabled as a permanent workaround. If the signed antivirus module continues to be rejected, contact the game or anti-cheat vendor.
Fix 6: Repair Windows components only when Windows itself is damaged
aswAMSI.dll is not a protected Windows DLL, so SFC and DISM will not normally recreate it. Use these commands when other Windows components are also failing, Windows Update is damaged, or built-in applications show corruption.
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- Right-click Start.
- Select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for it to finish. Do not close the window during the repair.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Repair Avast or AVG again and test the affected program.
DISM repairs the Windows component store. SFC checks protected Windows system files. Neither command is a substitute for reinstalling a third-party antivirus product.
Repeatedly running these commands without knowing what changed usually wastes time. Outbyte PC Repair can make the manual troubleshooting stage easier by scanning for reported Windows problems; its free scan identifies issues, while repair through the full version is optional. It is not required, and it will not replace the Avast or AVG package that owns aswAMSI.dll.
Do not use regsvr32 as a routine fix
Do not run this command merely because the file has a .dll extension:
regsvr32 aswAMSI.dll
regsvr32 is intended for DLLs that expose a registration entry point such as DllRegisterServer. A normal antivirus runtime module may not support that interface. Registration will not repair a damaged Avast or AVG installation and can produce another error.
Repair or reinstall the parent antivirus instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not download aswAMSI.dll from a DLL repository
Downloading a replacement DLL is unsafe and usually addresses the wrong layer of the problem. The file must match:
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- The installed Avast or AVG product.
- The product build.
- The application architecture.
- Its related dependencies.
- The expected digital signature.
A random copy may be unsigned, tampered with, incompatible, or simply unable to work with the rest of the antivirus installation. It can also leave the original update or quarantine problem unresolved.
Use the official Avast or AVG installer and let it restore the complete product. Never place a downloaded copy in System32, SysWOW64, beside a game executable, or in another application directory.
Verify the file path and signature
If a file named aswAMSI.dll remains after repair, verify that it belongs to the installed security product.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Open the Avast or AVG installation directory.
- Right-click
aswAMSI.dll. - Select Properties.
- Check the Digital Signatures tab if it is present.
- Select the signature and choose Details.
- Confirm that Windows reports a valid signature.
- Check the Location field in the General tab.
An unexpected path or invalid signature deserves a full scan. Do not trust a file simply because its name matches the legitimate component.
FAQ
Is aswAMSI.dll part of Windows?
No. It is associated with Avast Antivirus and AVG AntiVirus. It is not a Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, DirectX, or .NET runtime file.
Why does a game mention an antivirus DLL?
Games, launchers, and anti-cheat services can inspect or load security modules during startup. A compatibility problem may therefore appear as a game launch error even though the damaged component belongs to Avast or AVG.
Should I install Visual C++ or DirectX?
Not as the first response to this file error. There is no evidence that aswAMSI.dll belongs to those packages. Repair the Avast or AVG installation first.
What if Windows says “specified module could not be found”?
The named file may be missing, or a dependency may be missing, damaged, or the wrong architecture. Repairing the parent antivirus is safer than searching for dependencies individually.
What if I do not have Avast or AVG installed?
Search the error’s full path and inspect the file’s properties. An aswAMSI.dll outside a recognized Avast or AVG directory may be an orphaned file or an impersonation. Scan the computer and remove the unknown application through Settings > Apps rather than downloading another copy.
When should I use System Restore?
Use it only when the problem clearly began after a recent software change and the restore point will not remove important applications, drivers, or updates. Repairing or reinstalling Avast or AVG is the more direct solution.
What information should I provide when asking for support?
Record the exact error text, the full DLL path, whether Avast or AVG is installed, the triggering game or application, recent antivirus or game updates, quarantine history, and the digital-signature result. This distinguishes a missing component from a dependency, architecture, or anti-cheat compatibility problem.
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