The next time you try to start the game on the Windows operating system, you may receive an error related to the OpenAL_32.dll library. More precisely, of course, it will be said that it is connected with its absence. In this article we will try to figure out what openal32.dll is, why this file is needed and how to fix this very error.
What is OpenAL?
The story is worth starting, of course, with a definition. After all, before her decision, it is necessary to understand what we are dealing with. So, it’s important to understand that OpenALL is a dynamic library responsible for surround sound in video games and in audio-related programs. It is part of the OpenGL package, which is often installed on a system when Windows itself is installed.
Why does the error appear?
Now, realizing that OpenALL is the library necessary for playing audio correctly in games, you can go directly to the causes of this error.
And there can be only three:
- The library has been deleted from the computer.
- The library file has been modified by third-party programs.
- The fall was infected by a virus.
The first two points do not cause any difficulties in fixing the error, unlike the third. If there is a virus in your system that somehow affects the library presented, then even after replacing it, it will continue to do this, and this, in turn, means that the problem will not disappear.
To eliminate this nuance, you need to scan the entire system for viruses before following the instructions, and if they are found, delete it.
Now we know. why is OpenAL needed in the system, which means that you can move on to fix the problem.
We fix the error by installing the package
We know that OpenALL is part of the OpenGL package, which means that in order to implement the required library into the system, we need to install this package.
No one should have problems with this process, since the installation is similar to games and programs, but you need to be careful when downloading the package. The fact is that if you download it on unreliable resources, then the chance to catch the virus will be quite large, so try to find an official source to exclude this possibility.
We fix the error by downloading and installing the library
There is, of course, the likelihood that you could not find the resource with a particular package, or the previous instructions seemed too complicated to you. In this case, the second method may be easier.
It implies downloading a separate library from the Internet with its subsequent installation in the system. Like last time, there is the same nuance: you need to find this library on a reliable resource, and after downloading it, check with antivirus to make sure the file is authentic. After that, you can proceed to the second stage, which consists in placing the library in the desired directory, otherwise the system will not detect it further.
Unfortunately, there is no single directory, it all depends on the version of your OS. So, if you use a 32-bit system, you need to move the OpenALL32.dll file to the System32 folder, which is located in the Windows folder on the system drive. In the event that you have a 64-bit OS, this folder will be located in the same place, only SysWOW64 will be called.
Now you know not only that OpenALL is the library responsible for the sound in the game, but also how to fix the error associated with its absence.