PHP 7: Missing VCRUNTIME140.dll

Php Problem Overview

I have an error when I start PHP 7 on Windows. When I run php on the command line, it returns a message box with system error:

> The program can't start because VCRUNTIME140.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

After that, CLI is crashing.

As I don't want to install a DLL file from an external website, I don't know how to fix this!

PHP version: 7.0.0alpha1 VC14 x64 Thread Safe

Php Solutions

Solution 1 - Php

On the side bar of the PHP 7 alpha download page, it does say this:

> VC9, VC11 & VC14 > More recent versions of PHP are built with VC9, VC11 > or VC14 (Visual Studio 2008, 2012 or 2015 compiler respectively) and > include improvements in performance and stability. > > - The VC9 builds require you to have the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2008 SP1 x86 or x64 installed > > - The VC11 builds require to have the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 x86 or x64 installed > > - The VC14 builds require to have the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 x86 or x64 installed

^{There's been a problem with some of those links, so the files are also available from Softpedia.}

In the case of the PHP 7 alpha, it's the last option that's required.

I think that the placement of this information is poor, as it's kind of marginalized (i.e.: it's basically literally in the margin!) whereas it's actually critical for the software to run.

I documented my experiences of getting PHP 7 alpha up and running on Windows 8.1 in PHP: getting PHP7 alpha running on Windows 8.1, and it covers some more symptoms that might crop up. They're out of scope for this question but might help other people.

Other symptom of this issue:

Apache not starting, claiming php7apache2_4.dll is missing despite it definitely being in place, and offering nothing else in any log.
php-cgi.exe - The FastCGI process exited unexpectedly (as per @ftexperts's comment below)

Attempted solution:

Using the php7apache2_4.dll file from an earlier PHP 7 dev build. This did not work.

(I include those for googleability.)

Solution 2 - Php

Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 (x32 bit version) - RC.

This should correct that. You can google for what the DLL is, but that's not important.

PS: It's officially from Microsoft too:)

Where I found it: Downloads (Visual Studio)

Solution 3 - Php

Installing vc_redist.x86.exe works for me even though you have a 64-bit machine.

Solution 4 - Php

If you've followed Adam's instructions and you're still getting this error make sure you've installed the right variants (x86 or x64).

I had VC14x64 with PHP7x86 and I still got this error. Changing PHP7 to x64 fixed it. It's easy to miss you accidentally installed the wrong version.

Solution 5 - Php

For things like this, you don't blindly keep clicking 'Next', 'Next', and 'I Agree'.

WAMP informs you about this during and before installation:

> The MSVC runtime libraries VC9, VC10, VC11 are required for Wampserver > 2.4, 2.5 and 3.0, even if you use only Apache and PHP versions with VC11. Runtimes VC13, VC14 is required for PHP 7 and Apache 2.4.17 > > VC9 Packages (Visual C++ 2008 SP1) > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5582 > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=2092 > > VC10 Packages (Visual C++ 2010 SP1) > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8328 > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13523 > > VC11 Packages (Visual C++ 2012 Update 4) The two files > VSU4\vcredist_x86.exe and VSU4\vcredist_x64.exe to be download are on > the same page: > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679 > > VC13 Packages] (Visual C++ 2013[) The two files VSU4\vcredist_x86.exe > and VSU4\vcredist_x64.exe to be download are on the same page: > https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40784 > > VC14 Packages (Visual C++ 2015) The two files vcredist_x86.exe and > vcredist_x64.exe to be download are on the same page: > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145 > > You must install both 32 and 64bit versions, even if you do not use > Wampserver 64 bit.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to to run all Microsoft Visual C++ installations with administrator privileges (right click → Run as Administrator). Just missing this small step wasted my entire day.

Solution 6 - Php

I had same problem when installing Robot Framework 2.9.2 using the Windows installer version on Windows 7.

I could solve it installing the VC14 builds require to have the "Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 x86 or x64 installed" from Microsoft website.

Solution 7 - Php

I got same error and found that my Microsoft Visual C++ is 32 bit and Windows is 64 bit. I tried to install WAMP 7 32 bit and the problem was solved.

Maybe we need to install WAMP 32 bit if Visual Studio is 32 bit. And vice versa.

Solution 8 - Php

I had the same issue, I changed the ports, restarted the services but in vein, only worked for me when I updated the Microsoft Visual c++ files

Solution 9 - Php

Usually this is an error in your PHP configuration.

It's actually pretty easy to figure out what exactly is going on:

Create a small file (test.php) with the standard phpinfo() script
Open a command prompt
Start php manually using the small file, e.g. '"\program files\php\php.exe" test.php
Read the error messages :-)

Content Type	Original Author	Original Content on Stackoverflow
Question	Félix Desjardins	View Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - Php	Adam Cameron	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - Php	Thomas	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - Php	Prakash N	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Php	Halcyon	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Php	Rusty	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Php	Maq Said	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - Php	Nandkishor Gokhe	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - Php	Ubaid Ur Rehman	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 9 - Php	atlaste	View Answer on Stackoverflow