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“tar.dll was not found,” “The file tar.dll is missing or corrupted,” and “Error loading tar.dll” usually mean that an application cannot load an archive plug-in it expects.
The safest fix is to identify the application requesting tar.dll, then repair or reinstall that application from its official installer. tar.dll is associated with the historical “Tar Plugin for 7-Zip,” developed by Igor Pavlov. It is not a normal Windows system file, so copying it into System32 is usually the wrong repair.
The 60-second answer
- Read the complete error and note the executable or folder path.
- If the path belongs to 7-Zip, uninstall or repair 7-Zip.
- Download the current matching installer from the official 7-Zip website.
- Choose x64 for most 64-bit Intel or AMD Windows installations, or x86 when a legacy 32-bit program requires it.
- If another application requested the file, repair or reinstall that application instead.
- Check Windows Security quarantine before restoring anything.
- Do not download a loose
tar.dllfrom a DLL download sites site or place it inSystem32.
Current 7-Zip downloads provide complete installers and do not advertise tar.dll as a separate current component. If reinstalling modern 7-Zip does not recreate the file, the error likely belongs to an older program or a different archive utility.
What is tar.dll
tar.dll is a dynamic-link library associated with an old 7-Zip TAR format plug-in. Historical file catalogs describe it as the “Tar Plugin for 7-Zip” and identify it as a 32-bit file, but those records are not current 7-Zip support documentation.
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It is important to separate this file from Windows’ built-in TAR support. Modern Windows includes a tar.exe command-line utility based on libarchive. That executable is not the same component as the historical tar.dll.
tar.dll should not normally be present in either of these Windows folders:
C:WindowsSystem32C:WindowsSysWOW64
The correct location, when a program genuinely needs a private DLL, is normally the directory belonging to that application.
First identify the program that requested the file
The filename alone does not prove that 7-Zip is the current owner. Another archive utility, old installer, game launcher, or bundled application may contain a file with the same name.
Check the error carefully for a path such as:
C:Program Files7-Zip...
C:Program Files (x86)SomeApplication...
C:GamesSomeGame...
C:ProgramDataVendor...
Also note the executable name shown in the title bar or error message. A message appearing when you launch a game is more likely to belong to that game or its launcher than to a separately installed copy of 7-Zip.
If the window disappears quickly:
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+Escto open Task Manager. - Select Details.
- Look for the program that starts when the error appears.
- Right-click it and choose Open file location.
- Record the folder path before making changes.
You can also search the application’s installation folder:
- Open File Explorer.
- Browse to the folder identified by the error.
- Search for
tar.dll. - Check whether the file is missing, present with a different size, or located in a separate
Formatsor plug-in folder.
A message saying “The specified module could not be found” does not always mean that tar.dll itself is absent. Windows may have found tar.dll but failed to load one of its dependent DLLs.
Fix 1: Repair or reinstall the owning application
This is the most likely solution for a missing tar.dll.
If the program is a modern 7-Zip installation
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for 7-Zip.
- Select the three-dot menu beside it.
- Choose Advanced options if available.
- Select Repair.
- Start the affected application again.
If Repair is unavailable or does not help:
- Return to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Select the three-dot menu beside 7-Zip.
- Choose Uninstall.
- Restart Windows.
- Download the appropriate installer from the official 7-Zip website.
- Install 7-Zip again.
- Reopen the program that reported the error.
For a traditional desktop installer, use the older repair path:
- Press
Win+R. - Type
appwiz.cpl. - Press Enter.
- Select the affected program.
- Choose Repair or Change if offered.
- Follow the installer prompts.
- Restart Windows and test again.
Use the x64 7-Zip installer on most 64-bit Intel or AMD Windows systems. Use x86 when the affected software is a legacy 32-bit application that expects a 32-bit plug-in layout. Windows being 64-bit does not automatically mean that every application installed on it is 64-bit.
If the error path points to another product, reinstall that product instead. A current 7-Zip installation may not restore an obsolete tar.dll expected by unrelated software.
If the error belongs to a game or launcher
Do not copy a DLL into the game folder manually first. Use the launcher’s built-in repair process:
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- Select the affected game.
- Open its settings or management menu.
- Choose Verify files, Repair, or Scan and repair.
- Wait for the check to finish.
- Restart the launcher and test the game.
The exact wording varies by launcher. This process replaces missing or damaged files using the publisher’s package and is safer than obtaining a loose DLL.
Fix 2: Check antivirus quarantine
Security software can remove a plug-in after an update, a scan, or a change in detection rules. Do not immediately restore the file simply because an application reports it missing.
To review Windows Security:
- Open Start.
- Type Windows Security and open it.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Review entries for the affected application or
tar.dll. - Check the file path, detection name, and action taken.
Only restore or allow the file when all of the following are true:
- You recognize the application that owns the file.
- The file came from the application’s official installer.
- The quarantine record points to the expected installation directory.
- You have scanned the system and understand why the detection occurred.
Microsoft warns that restoring a detected threat can expose the device. If the file came from an unofficial DLL site, leave it quarantined and remove it rather than creating an exclusion.
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Fix 3: Check for a 32-bit and 64-bit mismatch
A legacy application may require a 32-bit plug-in even when Windows 11 or Windows 10 is 64-bit. Installing a 64-bit replacement into a 32-bit application directory will not solve that problem.
Common clues include:
- “The application was unable to start correctly.”
- “This application is not designed to run on Windows.”
- “The specified module could not be found.”
- The error appears only when starting an old application.
- The file exists, but Windows refuses to load it.
Check the application location:
C:Program Filescommonly contains 64-bit applications.C:Program Files (x86)commonly contains 32-bit applications.
These folder names are useful clues, not absolute proof. The application’s own documentation and installer determine which architecture it requires.
The safe correction is to install the application build intended for that program. Do not mix a DLL from one architecture with an executable from another, and do not copy files between System32, SysWOW64, and application folders based on a forum instruction.
If the error began after updating 7-Zip, reinstall the version required by the dependent application. A current 64-bit package may not contain the historical plug-in layout expected by an older 32-bit program.
Fix 4: Determine whether a dependency is missing
Sometimes tar.dll exists, but Windows cannot load it because another library it needs is missing or damaged.
Start with the application’s official repair or reinstall process. Do not immediately install every runtime package available.
Visual C++, DirectX, and .NET are not normal providers of tar.dll. Install or repair one of those runtimes only when the application specifically identifies it, its installer requires it, or the vendor’s support instructions call for it.
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To check Windows optional components:
- Open Start > Settings > System > Optional features.
- Select More Windows features under related settings, if shown.
- Review the available Windows Features.
- Do not enable random features to solve a
tar.dllerror. - Close the dialog without changes unless the application’s documentation specifically requires a feature.
Enabling Windows Features does not normally recreate a third-party 7-Zip plug-in.
Fix 5: Do not use regsvr32 as a general DLL repair
regsvr32 is intended for DLLs that provide a registration entry point such as DllRegisterServer. It is commonly used with certain COM and ActiveX components.
There is no verified indication that the historical 7-Zip TAR plug-in is a self-registering COM component. Therefore, this command is normally irrelevant:
regsvr32 tar.dll
Running it may produce errors such as “The module was loaded but the entry-point DllRegisterServer was not found.” That does not prove Windows is missing another repair tool. It usually means the DLL was never meant to be registered.
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Fix 6: Repair Windows components when system corruption is suspected
Windows repair tools are appropriate when multiple built-in Windows features are failing, updates are damaged, or other protected system files are reporting corruption. They are a lower-probability fix for tar.dll because this file is not a Windows component.
Before running repairs, save open work and use an administrator account.
Run DISM
- Open Start.
- Type
cmd. - Right-click Command Prompt.
- Choose Run as administrator.
- Select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for the operation to complete.
- Restart Windows if requested.
Run System File Checker
Open an elevated Command Prompt again and run:
sfc /scannow
Wait until verification reaches 100 percent. Then restart Windows and test the affected application.
Microsoft recommends running DISM before SFC. These commands repair protected Windows components. They will not normally reconstruct a missing third-party 7-Zip plug-in, so reinstall the owning application even if both commands report successful repairs.
When manually repeating DISM and SFC becomes guesswork, Outbyte PC Repair can scan for system problems and show what it identifies; its repair functions are handled by the full version, and it is not required for an application-specific DLL fix.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix 7: Check application updates and drivers only when relevant
An application update may have damaged its plug-in directory or introduced an architecture mismatch. Check the application’s built-in updater or reinstall its current official package.
Drivers are not normal providers of tar.dll, so Device Manager is not a first-line fix. Use it only when the error occurs alongside graphics, storage, or device failures.
To check a relevant driver:
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the relevant category, such as Display adapters or Storage controllers.
- Right-click the device.
- Choose Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows if a driver is installed.
For a more reliable driver repair, use the hardware manufacturer’s official support page rather than a random driver site. Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for outdated drivers and identify the versions it finds; installation through the full version is optional, and drivers are unlikely to be the cause when only tar.dll is missing.
Fix 8: Use System Restore after a recent change
System Restore can help when the problem began immediately after an application update, failed installation, driver change, or cleanup operation.
- Press
Win+R. - Type:
rstrui.exe
- Press Enter.
- Select Next.
- Choose a restore point created before the error began.
- Select Scan for affected programs if available.
- Review the list.
- Select Finish to start the restore.
System Restore affects installed programs, drivers, system files, and settings. It normally preserves personal files. If no suitable restore point exists, repair or reinstall the owning application instead.
Why downloading tar.dll is unsafe
A loose DLL from an unofficial download site can be:
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- The wrong architecture.
- From a different application.
- Corrupted or modified.
- An obsolete version.
- Missing its own dependencies.
- Placed in a directory where it creates a new loading problem.
Even when the filename matches, the file may not match the executable requesting it. It can also hide the real cause, such as an incomplete installation or antivirus quarantine.
The safe sources are the official installer for the application that requested the file and, for Windows components, Microsoft’s own repair tools and support documentation. Do not download tar.dll separately or copy it into System32 or SysWOW64.
What to do if reinstalling does not help
If reinstalling 7-Zip does not recreate tar.dll, assume that the error may belong to another or obsolete application.
Collect these details:
- The complete error text.
- The executable name.
- The full path shown in the error.
- Whether the file exists in that directory.
- Windows 10 or Windows 11 edition and architecture.
- The affected application’s version.
- Whether the issue began after an update, uninstall, cleanup, restore, or antivirus detection.
Then repair the application named by that evidence. If the program is no longer supported, look for a newer release or contact its publisher rather than substituting a DLL from an unrelated source.
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Is tar.dll part of Windows?
No. tar.dll is associated with an old 7-Zip TAR plug-in. Windows’ built-in TAR functionality is provided through tar.exe, which is a separate component.
Is every tar.dll error caused by 7-Zip?
No. The filename may be used by another archive utility, installer, game, or legacy application. The requesting executable and full path are more useful than the filename alone.
Should I copy tar.dll into System32?
No. It is not a Windows system DLL, and copying it into a system directory can create architecture and loading problems. Repair the owning application instead.
Should I install Visual C++, DirectX, or .NET?
Only when the error or application documentation specifically identifies that runtime. Those packages are not the normal source of tar.dll.
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A dependency of tar.dll may be missing, the file may be corrupted, or the application may be loading the wrong architecture. Reinstall the owning application and check its exact installation path.
Will reinstalling current 7-Zip restore every tar.dll error?
Not necessarily. Current 7-Zip packages do not promise a separately distributed tar.dll. If reinstalling 7-Zip does not restore it, identify the older or different application that requested the file.
Can I register tar.dll with regsvr32?
Normally no. regsvr32 is for self-registering DLLs, not ordinary application plug-ins. Use the application’s repair or installer process.
What is the correct final fix?
Identify the program that requested tar.dll, then repair or reinstall that program using its official installer. That restores the correct files, dependencies, architecture, and folder layout together.
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