dartsock.dll Won’t Load: Trace PowerTCP and Repair Windows

Start with this diagnostic checklist

dartsock.dll is a missing or unloaded networking component used by legacy PowerTCP software. Before changing Windows, answer these questions:

• Which application shows the error? Read the application name in the message, window title, shortcut, or Event Viewer entry.
• When does it happen? Does it appear when Windows starts, when one older program opens, or after an update, cleanup, or antivirus event?
• Where is the file expected? The error may name the application folder, System32, or SysWOW64.
• Is the application 32-bit or 64-bit? A 32-bit application normally needs the 32-bit PowerTCP control, even on 64-bit Windows.
• Does dartsock.dll exist already? Search the application’s installation folder first. Do not download a replacement yet.

The safest first repair is to identify the parent application and repair or reinstall it from its original installer or the official Dart Communications PowerTCP package. dartsock.dll is not a normal Windows component, so copying a loose DLL into a system folder is usually the wrong fix.

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What dartsock.dll belongs to

dartsock.dll is the PowerTCP© Winsock Controls library from Dart Communications. It is part of PowerTCP© Tools, also distributed as PowerTCP Winsock for ActiveX.

The file provides ActiveX and COM networking controls for functions including:

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• TCP connections
• UDP communication
• DNS requests
• Ping operations
• Daemon or server-style networking functions

Older software built with Visual Basic, Visual C++, Delphi, PowerBuilder, ASP, or Office VBA can use these controls. Known application contexts include older recovery software and business applications, but there is no complete public list of every program that may redistribute the file.

This distinction matters:

• dartsock.dll is not a Windows system DLL.
• It is not a standard Microsoft runtime.
• It is not part of DirectX or .NET.
• Installing Visual C++ Redistributable does not normally supply it.
• Windows Update does not normally install it.

The vendor’s release history lists dartsock.dll version 2.12.1.0 and also lists earlier releases. Separate 32-bit and 64-bit files exist. A version number or file size found on an indexing site is not enough to prove that a DLL belongs to your application.

What the error usually means

You may see messages such as:

• “The program can’t start because dartsock.dll is missing from your computer.”
• “The code execution cannot proceed because dartsock.dll was not found.”
• “The specified module could not be found.”
• “Failed to load DartSock.dll.”
• “DartSock.dll is missing or corrupt.”
• “DartSock.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error.”
• “Cannot register DartSock.dll.”

These messages describe different failure points.

The file is actually missing

The application folder may have been incompletely installed, cleaned, updated, or removed by antivirus software. An uninstall may also have deleted a shared component that another old program still needs.

The file exists but a dependency is missing

“Specified module could not be found” does not always mean that dartsock.dll itself is absent. Windows may have found the DLL but failed to load another library required by it. Supporting files may include other PowerTCP components, such as dartras.dll or dartutil.dll.

The wrong architecture is being loaded

A 32-bit application cannot use a 64-bit ActiveX DLL as a substitute. The reverse is also true. On 64-bit Windows, the folders are named from the viewpoint of the operating system:

• C:WindowsSystem32 contains 64-bit system components.
• C:WindowsSysWOW64 contains 32-bit system components.

That naming often causes confusion. Do not choose a folder based only on the error text. Match the DLL and registration utility to the application.

The file is present but not registered

PowerTCP DLLs are ActiveX/COM components. Their installers normally register them automatically. If registration data was removed or an installation was interrupted, the program may see the file but still fail to create its COM object.

The file is corrupt or incompatible

A damaged binary, a wrong-version copy, or a trial/licensed mismatch can produce a load failure. “Not designed to run on Windows” commonly indicates corruption, incompatible architecture, or an incompatible binary. Copying a random version over it can make the problem harder to diagnose.

Fix 1: Repair or reinstall the parent application

This is the highest-probability fix because the application installer can restore the DLL, supporting files, registration entries, licensing information, and correct architecture together.

If the program appears in Installed apps

1. Close the affected program.
2. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
3. Select Apps.
4. Select Installed apps on Windows 11, or Apps & features on Windows 10.
5. Find the application named in the dartsock.dll error.
6. Select the three-dot menu on Windows 11, or the application entry on Windows 10.
7. Choose Advanced options if available.
8. Select Repair and wait for it to finish.
9. Restart Windows.
10. Open the application again.

If there is no Repair option, choose Modify if the installer provides it. Select a repair or complete installation rather than removing individual files.

If repair does not exist or fails

1. Locate the application’s original installer, installation media, or vendor-provided setup package.
2. Confirm that it is the installer for the affected program, not a standalone DLL package.
3. Right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.
4. Choose Repair if offered.
5. Otherwise, uninstall the affected application from Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
6. Restart Windows.
7. Run the official installer again as administrator.
8. Restart once more and test the application.

If the application uses PowerTCP under a separate licensed deployment, obtain the supported package from Dart Communications or the application vendor. A trial DLL may not be suitable for a licensed deployment, and a current package may not support every very old application without vendor guidance.

How to tell whether this worked

The application should open without the missing-file message, and its networking feature should work. If the same error returns immediately after reinstalling, inspect the application directory for multiple copies and continue with the checks below rather than copying another DLL into Windows.

Fix 2: Check the application folder and conflicting copies

A legacy program may find a different dartsock.dll before it finds the version supplied with its own installation. This can happen when several old applications placed copies in their program directories or when someone manually copied a DLL into a Windows folder.

1. Right-click the application shortcut.
2. Select Properties.
3. On the Shortcut tab, read Start in, or select Open File Location.
4. Look for dartsock.dll in that folder.
5. Right-click it, select Properties, and inspect the Details tab.
6. Record the file description, product name, publisher, and version.
7. Do not delete or overwrite it yet.

Also search these locations:

• The affected application directory
• Its subfolders
• C:WindowsSystem32
• C:WindowsSysWOW64

Do not assume that the newest-looking file is correct. Different applications may require different PowerTCP versions. A wrong DLL can cause the application to start incorrectly, fail during a network operation, or show an access violation.

If the application vendor has a specific replacement procedure, follow that procedure. For example, some vendor support instructions rename an incorrect copy and rerun a named setup program. That kind of instruction is application-specific and should not be generalized to every dartsock.dll installation.

If you find a loose copy in a system folder, leave it alone until you know which application placed it. The proper repair is normally to restore the expected copy through the parent application installer.

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Fix 3: Check Windows Security quarantine

Antivirus or cleanup software may have removed the file. A filename alone does not prove that a copy is safe, so verify its source and path before restoring anything.

1. Open Start and type Windows Security.
2. Open Windows Security.
3. Select Virus & threat protection.
4. Select Protection history.
5. Review recent detections for dartsock.dll or the affected application.
6. Expand a detection to see its path and action.
7. Restore it only if the file came from the legitimate application installer or a trusted Dart deployment.
8. If Windows Security offers Allow on device, use that only after confirming the file’s provenance.
9. Run a new scan after restoring it.
10. Repair or reinstall the parent application if the file was removed again.

Microsoft warns that restoring a detected threat can cause it to be detected again. If the file is in an unexpected temporary folder, a user-download folder, or an unfamiliar application directory, do not restore it. Remove the untrusted copy and reinstall the legitimate application instead.

Fix 4: Register the DLL only after restoring the correct file

Registration genuinely applies here because PowerTCP Winsock is an ActiveX/COM control. It is not a universal solution for every DLL error, and it cannot repair a corrupt file or supply a missing dependency.

First run the parent application installer. If the file exists and the application vendor identifies it as the component needing registration, use the command that matches the DLL architecture.

Register a 32-bit dartsock.dll

A 32-bit application on 64-bit Windows needs the 32-bit registration utility:

%windir%SysWOW64regsvr32.exe "C:pathtodartsock.dll"

Register a 64-bit dartsock.dll

For a 64-bit application, use the 64-bit registration utility:

%windir%System32regsvr32.exe "C:pathtodartsock.dll"

Replace the path with the actual location. Do not type the example path literally.

To run the command:

1. Open Start.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right-click Command Prompt.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. Paste the appropriate command.
6. Press Enter.
7. Restart Windows.
8. Test the application.

A successful registration message means Windows accepted the registration entry points. It does not prove that the application has the correct version or that all dependencies are present.

If registration fails, possible reasons include:

• You used the wrong regsvr32.exe.
• The DLL is the wrong bitness.
• The file has no COM registration entry point.
• A dependent DLL is missing.
• The file is damaged.
• The application requires licensing or additional setup.
• The command prompt was not elevated.

Do not repeatedly register random copies from different folders. Return to the parent application installer and vendor documentation.

Fix 5: Repair broader Windows components only when Windows itself is damaged

Because dartsock.dll is a third-party application file, System File Checker will not normally recreate it. Use DISM and SFC when there are broader Windows symptoms, such as failed Windows updates, damaged built-in components, installation failures across several programs, or unexplained system corruption.

Run DISM

1. Open Start.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
4. Run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

1. Wait for the operation to finish.
2. Restart Windows.

Run System File Checker

After DISM completes, open an elevated Command Prompt again and run:

sfc /scannow

Wait until verification reaches 100 percent, then restart Windows and test the affected program.

DISM repairs the Windows image. SFC checks protected Windows resources. Neither command is a substitute for reinstalling PowerTCP or the application that owns it.

If you prefer an automated scan while working through repeated manual checks, Outbyte PC Repair can show what it identifies before repair, while the full version performs the repair. Reinstalling the application remains the definitive fix when dartsock.dll belongs to that application.

Fix 6: Check optional Windows components only when the application requires them

Do not enable random Windows features because a DLL error mentions networking. Older software may depend on a specific Windows component, but dartsock.dll itself is supplied by PowerTCP.

If the application vendor tells you that a Windows feature is required:

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type:

optionalfeatures

1. Press Enter.
2. Review the feature named by the vendor.
3. Select its checkbox.
4. Select OK.
5. Restart if Windows requests it.
6. Test the application.

Avoid enabling legacy components such as older .NET versions unless the application specifically requires them. Installing unrelated features does not replace the Dart control.

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Fix 7: Update or reinstall related drivers only for a separate driver symptom

A network adapter driver is not the same thing as dartsock.dll. Device Manager cannot restore this application DLL. However, if the program opens after repairing PowerTCP but networking fails, or Device Manager shows a network adapter error, address that separate problem.

1. Right-click Start.
2. Select Device Manager.
3. Expand Network adapters.
4. Right-click the affected adapter.
5. Select Properties.
6. Open the Driver tab.
7. Select Update Driver.
8. Choose Search automatically for drivers.
9. Restart Windows if a driver is installed.

If the device remains faulty, obtain the driver from the computer or adapter manufacturer. Do not remove a working driver merely because dartsock.dll is missing.

When several hardware drivers need checking, Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for outdated drivers and identify what needs attention, with installation handled by the full version. This is optional and does not replace reinstalling the PowerTCP-based application.

Fix 8: Use System Restore when the timing is clear

System Restore is reasonable when the failure began immediately after a program update, cleanup operation, or installation and a suitable restore point exists.

1. Open Start.
2. Type Create a restore point.
3. Open the matching Control Panel result.
4. Select System Restore.
5. Select Next.
6. Choose a restore point from before the dartsock.dll failure.
7. Select Scan for affected programs if available.
8. Review the changes.
9. Select Next, then Finish.
10. Allow Windows to restart.

System Restore can revert applications and settings, and it can undo changes made after the selected point. It may not restore a third-party DLL correctly if the original application installation is still incomplete, so reinstall the parent program afterward if necessary.

Why copying dartsock.dll is unsafe

Do not download dartsock.dll from a random DLL download website or copy it from another PC. That approach can fail because the replacement may have:

• The wrong 32-bit or 64-bit architecture
• A version incompatible with the application
• Missing PowerTCP companion files
• Missing COM registration
• Trial or licensing differences
• A damaged or malicious source

It can also hide the real problem, such as an incomplete application update or antivirus quarantine.

Use the original application installer, the supported Dart Communications PowerTCP package, or the software vendor’s recovery instructions. Keep the DLL in the location selected by the installer rather than manually placing it in System32 or SysWOW64.

If the error remains after reinstalling

Work through this final checklist:

1. Confirm the exact application that reports the error.
2. Confirm whether that application is 32-bit or 64-bit.
3. Check that the repaired DLL is in the application’s expected directory.
4. Check for a second, conflicting copy.
5. Review Windows Security Protection history.
6. Reinstall the parent application using Run as administrator.
7. Register the correct DLL architecture only if the application requires COM registration.
8. Check whether supporting files such as dartras.dll or dartutil.dll are also missing.
9. Run DISM and SFC only if Windows shows broader corruption.
10. Contact the application vendor or Dart Communications if the program requires licensing, a legacy version, or a special deployment package.

An application can still fail on current Windows after a successful DLL registration because of obsolete ActiveX behavior, licensing, missing dependencies, or operating-system compatibility. Registration confirms only one part of the installation.

FAQ

Is dartsock.dll part of Windows?

No. It is a Dart Communications PowerTCP Winsock ActiveX/COM library supplied with an application or PowerTCP deployment.

Which program installed it?

There is no single universal parent program. Older applications can redistribute it. Identify the program named in the error, its shortcut location, or the folder containing the DLL.

Should I delete dartsock.dll?

No, not as a first step. Deleting it can remove the only working copy or create a second problem for another legacy application. Repair the owning application instead.

Does it need registration?

Often, yes. PowerTCP DLLs are ActiveX controls and installers normally register them. Use the matching 32-bit or 64-bit regsvr32.exe only after restoring the correct file.

Why does the error mention System32 or SysWOW64?

Those folders can appear in Windows loader or registration errors. The names do not by themselves identify the required DLL architecture. Match the DLL to the application, not to the wording of the folder path.

Will SFC restore dartsock.dll?

Normally no. SFC checks protected Windows resources, while dartsock.dll is a third-party Dart file. Reinstall the parent application.

Is the file malware?

The filename alone cannot answer that. Verify its path, publisher information, installer source, and Windows Security status. A legitimate copy should come from the application’s trusted installer or supported PowerTCP deployment.

What if the application still fails after repair?

Check for a wrong-version copy, missing companion files, missing dependencies, licensing requirements, or a 32-bit and 64-bit mismatch. Then contact the application vendor or Dart Communications instead of adding another downloaded DLL.

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