When dartftp.dll is missing, the safest fix is to repair or reinstall the application that originally installed the PowerTCP FTP control. dartftp.dll is not a Windows system file, so downloading a replacement DLL or copying one into System32 is usually the wrong approach.
What this file actually does
dartftp.dll is the native ActiveX/COM FTP control from Dart Communications’ PowerTCP FTP for ActiveX. Older applications could use it for FTP and FTPS communication through Visual Basic, Visual C++, FoxPro, ASP, VBScript, or Office VBA.
The file is also identified as PowerTCP© FTP Control and is associated with PowerTCP© Tools. It is an application component, not a Microsoft runtime, DirectX file, ordinary .NET assembly, or Windows component.
Do not confuse it with Dart.Ftp.dll. That similarly named file belongs to Dart’s newer .NET FTP product. An older program that expects dartftp.dll normally requires the ActiveX/COM product and its matching supporting files.
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Dart’s publicly documented ActiveX release history identifies dartftp.dll in version 2.2.2.0, released on December 7, 2017. Version 2.2.1.0 introduced 64-bit DLLs, so the architecture must match the application using the control. A current Dart package may still be unsuitable for an older program that was built against a different PowerTCP release.
Causes and symptoms
| What you see | Most likely cause | Appropriate response |
|---|---|---|
| “dartftp.dll is missing” when one program starts | The parent application or its embedded PowerTCP files were removed | Repair or reinstall that application |
| “dartftp.dll was not found” after antivirus activity | The DLL was quarantined or deleted | Review Protection history, then repair the application |
| “The procedure entry point could not be located” | Wrong release or incompatible companion files | Restore the application’s original PowerTCP package |
| “dartftp.dll is either not designed to run on Windows” | Damaged file, wrong architecture, or missing dependency | Reinstall the complete matching component |
| The file exists but the program still fails | Missing COM registration or a missing dependency | Verify all files, then use the correct regsvr32 |
| A licensing or distribution message appears | The control is present but its license or deployment terms are not satisfied | Reinstall through the licensed application installer |
| SFC reports no problems | Expected if only the third-party DLL is affected | Repair the parent application instead of repeating SFC |
The exact wording varies by Windows version and by the application displaying the error. No reliable evidence identifies one particular game or consumer program as the usual source of this file. The executable named in the error, shortcut, or event log is more useful than the DLL name alone.
Fix 1: Identify the application that needs dartftp.dll
Before replacing anything, find the parent program. This prevents installing a newer or incompatible PowerTCP package.
Check the error dialog
Read the title bar and the text around the missing-file message. Note the application name, then search Windows for that program.
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- Press Windows key and type the application name.
- Right-click the result and select Open file location.
- Right-click the shortcut, select Properties, and review Target.
- Record the executable path.
If the dialog appears during startup, also note whether it occurs only when a particular business application, script, Office workbook, or legacy development tool opens.
Check installed applications
- Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Select Apps.
- Select Installed apps on Windows 11, or Apps & features on Windows 10.
- Search for the program named in the error.
- Open its menu and look for Modify, Change, or Repair.
For older installers:
- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter
appwiz.cpl. - Press Enter.
- Locate the parent program in Programs and Features.
- Select it and check whether Repair or Change is available.
Check Event Viewer if the program name is unclear
- Right-click Start and select Event Viewer.
- Expand Windows Logs.
- Select Application.
- Choose Find from the right-hand pane.
- Search for
dartftp.dll. - Open the matching event and record the Faulting application name, Faulting module name, and paths.
The parent executable is the key finding. If the program was supplied by an employer, vendor, or internal developer, use that installer before trying Dart’s general product package.
Fix 2: Repair or reinstall the parent application
This is the most likely and most reliable repair.
Try the built-in repair option
- Open Settings with Windows key + I.
- Select Apps.
- Open Installed apps or Apps & features.
- Select the affected application.
- Choose Advanced options, if available.
- Select Repair.
- Restart Windows and launch the application again.
If there is no Advanced options page:
- Open
appwiz.cpl. - Select the application.
- Choose Repair or Change.
- Follow the installer prompts.
- Restart Windows.
A successful repair normally restores the DLL, its companion files, and its COM registration. Test the same action that previously produced the error.
Reinstall from a trusted installer
If repair is unavailable or fails:
- Back up the application’s configuration and data according to the vendor’s instructions.
- Uninstall the affected application from Settings > Apps or Programs and Features.
- Restart Windows.
- Run the original vendor installer as an administrator.
- Install the same edition and architecture used by the application.
- Restart again.
- Test the program.
If the application was installed from company media, a deployment share, or an internal software portal, obtain a clean copy from that source. If it directly uses PowerTCP FTP for ActiveX, use Dart Communications’ official PowerTCP FTP for ActiveX package or official product collection, while confirming compatibility with the application’s expected release.
Do not mix a newly downloaded dartftp.dll with older PowerTCP files. Dart documents these companion libraries:
dartsock.dlldartsecure2.dlldartcertificate.dlldartzip.dll
The installer should restore the complete set. Copying only dartftp.dll can leave the application unable to load its dependencies.
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Confirm the repair
After reinstalling:
- Open the application normally.
- Repeat the operation that previously failed.
- Confirm that the same missing-file message does not return.
- If the program starts but FTP or FTPS operations fail, check the application’s own connection and licensing settings.
A licensing error is not the same as a missing-DLL error. Reinstalling the file alone will not resolve a PowerTCP licensing or distribution problem.
Fix 3: Check antivirus quarantine
Security software can remove or quarantine an older ActiveX component even when the application installation is legitimate.
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- Open Start and type Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Review recent detections.
- Look for an entry associated with the affected application or
dartftp.dll. - Record the detection name and file path.
Restore the file only when all of the following are true:
- The application came from a known vendor or trusted business source.
- The file path belongs to that application.
- Your security team or antivirus vendor confirms the detection is a false positive.
- You can reinstall the complete application afterward.
After a confirmed false positive, repair or reinstall the parent application rather than relying on the restored isolated file. Add an antivirus exclusion only under your organization’s security policy. Do not disable protection broadly to force an old installer to run.
If the detection name is unknown or the installer came from an unofficial source, leave the file quarantined and obtain a clean installer from the original vendor.
Fix 4: Verify architecture and dependencies
A 32-bit application may require the 32-bit ActiveX control even when Windows itself is 64-bit.
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There is no universal label in every legacy program, but these checks help:
- Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Select Details.
- Start the affected program.
- Locate its executable.
- On some Windows installations, a 32-bit process is marked with
*32.
You can also ask the application vendor or internal developer which PowerTCP package the program requires. Do not assume that 64-bit Windows means the application needs a 64-bit DLL.
Dart added 64-bit DLL support in ActiveX version 2.2.1.0. Older applications may still require the 32-bit control and 32-bit COM registration.
Check the installation folder
Use the parent application’s executable path and inspect that folder. Look for dartftp.dll and the four documented companion libraries. They may be located in the application directory or another directory specified by the installer.
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Do not move them into C:WindowsSystem32 or C:WindowsSysWOW64 unless the vendor’s installer explicitly requires that location. Do not combine files from different PowerTCP releases.
If one companion file is absent, reinstall the complete package. A separate download of that single file is not a dependable repair.
Fix 5: Register the restored ActiveX control
Unlike an ordinary runtime DLL, PowerTCP ActiveX DLLs must be registered. Dart states that normal installers perform this automatically, but Regsvr32.exe can also be used.
Only register a file restored by the legitimate application or Dart installer. Registration will not repair a truncated, wrong-version, or incompatible DLL.
Register a 64-bit control on 64-bit Windows
Open Start, type Command Prompt, right-click it, select Run as administrator, and run:
%windir%System32regsvr32.exe "C:pathdartftp.dll"
Replace C:pathdartftp.dll with the actual vendor-installed path.
Register a 32-bit control on 64-bit Windows
For a 32-bit application, run:
%windir%SysWOW64regsvr32.exe "C:pathdartftp.dll"
The name SysWOW64 is counterintuitive, but this directory contains the 32-bit registration tool on 64-bit Windows.
Register on 32-bit Windows
Use:
%windir%System32regsvr32.exe "C:pathdartftp.dll"
Interpret the result
A successful registration displays a message indicating that registration succeeded. Restart the affected application and repeat the failed operation.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIf registration reports that the module could not be loaded, check the following:
- The path is correct.
- The DLL is not still quarantined.
- The correct 32-bit or 64-bit
regsvr32.exewas used. dartsock.dll,dartsecure2.dll,dartcertificate.dll, anddartzip.dllare present.- All files came from the same compatible PowerTCP release.
- The Command Prompt was opened as administrator.
A registration error usually points to a missing dependency, damaged file, or architecture mismatch. It does not automatically mean that another DLL should be downloaded.
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Fix 6: Repair Windows components only when Windows shows other damage
dartftp.dll is a third-party application file, so System File Checker normally will not restore it. Use DISM and SFC when Windows itself is showing broader symptoms, such as damaged built-in applications, failed system updates, or other protected system files reporting errors.
First install pending Windows updates and restart:
- Open Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install available updates.
- Restart Windows.
Then:
- Open Start.
- Type Command Prompt.
- Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for it to complete.
- Run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Test the affected application.
Microsoft describes DISM and SFC as tools for repairing Windows components and protected Windows system files. They are secondary diagnostics here, not a substitute for reinstalling PowerTCP FTP for ActiveX.
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Do not use registry cleaners to remove old COM entries. They can make a legacy application harder to repair.
Fix 7: Consider drivers and Windows Features only when the evidence points there
A display, printer, scanner, network, or storage driver does not normally provide dartftp.dll. Likewise, enabling a random Windows Feature will not restore this Dart Communications component.
Windows Features
Check Windows Features only if the parent application’s documentation specifically requires an optional Windows component:
- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter
optionalfeatures. - Press Enter.
- Review the feature named by the application vendor.
- Enable it only when required.
- Select OK and restart if prompted.
Do not enable unrelated legacy components merely because the DLL error appears.
Device Manager
Use Device Manager if the affected program also reports a separate hardware or driver problem:
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the relevant device category.
- Right-click the device.
- Select Properties.
- Review the Device status message and Driver tab.
- Obtain driver updates from the hardware or computer manufacturer.
Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for driver versions so you do not have to guess which of dozens of drivers is stale; its free scan identifies findings, while driver installation is handled by the full version. A driver update will not replace dartftp.dll, and reinstalling the affected application remains the correct fix for this file.
Fix 8: Handle failed cleanup, backups, and moved applications
A program restored from a disk image or copied manually may contain the DLL but lack registration, dependencies, or the expected installation paths.
If the application was moved:
- Uninstall the moved copy.
- Restart Windows.
- Reinstall it to the vendor’s intended location.
- Apply the same PowerTCP release supplied with that application.
- Test before copying back custom configuration files.
If an incomplete uninstall left an old copy behind, do not delete files from Windows system folders. Use the application’s official uninstaller, then reinstall from trusted media. For a custom-built or portable application, ask its developer for the deployment package, manifest, required dependencies, architecture, and registration procedure.
System Restore is appropriate only when the problem began after a clearly identifiable change and a suitable restore point exists:
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- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter
rstrui.exe. - Press Enter.
- Review the restore point date and affected programs.
- Choose a suitable point only if you understand what will be reverted.
- Complete the restore and test the application.
Why random DLL downloads are unsafe
Avoid websites offering isolated copies of dartftp.dll. Such files may contain malware, belong to the wrong PowerTCP release, use the wrong architecture, lack the four companion libraries, or fail because COM registration is missing. They may also create licensing and support problems.
Use the original application vendor’s installer first. If you are deploying PowerTCP FTP for ActiveX directly, use Dart Communications’ official product and distribution materials, and confirm that the package matches the calling application.
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Windows Update can repair Windows servicing problems and deliver operating-system fixes, but it is not expected to provide dartftp.dll.
Use System Restore only when:
- the error began after a known installation or system change;
- a restore point predates that change;
- you understand which applications and drivers may be rolled back.
Neither action replaces the parent application’s installer.
Evidence to collect if the error persists
For a help-desk ticket or vendor request, collect:
- The exact full error text.
- The name and complete path of the calling executable.
- Whether the application is 32-bit or 64-bit.
- The path and properties of any existing
dartftp.dll. - Whether the four companion DLLs are present.
- The PowerTCP or parent application installer version.
- The result and exact text from
regsvr32. - The relevant Event Viewer Application Error event.
- Any antivirus detection name and quarantine path.
- Whether the application was installed, restored, or copied manually.
This evidence distinguishes a missing file from a registration problem, dependency failure, incompatible release, licensing issue, or damaged parent application.
FAQ
Is dartftp.dll part of Windows?
No. It is a Dart Communications PowerTCP FTP for ActiveX component. There is no evidence that it ships with Windows or belongs in System32 or SysWOW64.
Should I install Microsoft Visual C++, DirectX, or .NET?
Not solely to restore dartftp.dll. Install those technologies only if the parent application separately documents them as requirements.
Is dartftp.dll the same as Dart.Ftp.dll?
No. dartftp.dll is the older ActiveX/COM FTP control. Dart.Ftp.dll belongs to Dart’s newer .NET FTP product and is not an automatic replacement.
Does regsvr32 apply to this file?
Yes. Dart documents that PowerTCP DLLs must be registered. Use the registration tool matching the DLL architecture, not merely the Windows architecture.
Why does the file exist but still fail?
The file may be the wrong release, damaged, incorrectly registered, or unable to find dartsock.dll, dartsecure2.dll, dartcertificate.dll, or dartzip.dll.
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Will SFC restore the file?
Usually not. SFC repairs protected Windows system files, while dartftp.dll is a third-party application component.
Can I copy the DLL from another computer?
Only if the other computer has the same parent application, PowerTCP release, architecture, dependencies, and deployment configuration. In practice, reinstalling the complete application is safer and more repeatable.
What is the safest first step?
Identify the executable showing the error, then repair or reinstall that application from its original vendor installer. Use Dart’s official package only when the application directly requires it and compatibility has been confirmed.
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