FIX: Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll

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Key notes

  • If you encounter Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll while running the system preparation tool, don’t panic, because there’s a fix for it!
  • You can fix this scary error with some registry tweaks, check out this guide to see the full steps.
  • Another great solution is to use a specialized repair tool to fix the operating system errors, which you can find below.
  • Also keep reading to find out which folder you have to delete in order to fix this error for good.
How to fix the Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll

While running the System Preparation tool you may encounter several errors. One such error is Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll.

This error is common in an older version of Windows and occurs due to a missing .dll file in the installation directory. One Windows user reported a similar error in the Microsoft community:

Trying to run sysprep – fatal error because MSE was once installed
I have a W7 Prof 64 bit machine I am trying to Sysprep.
I had MSE installed previously and uninstalled it. And I am aware of the REARM issue and I dont believe it to be the cause.

If you are also troubled by this error, here are a couple of troubleshooting tips to help you resolve the Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll error in Windows.

How can I fix the Sysprep dll errors on my Windows PC?

1. Delete an invalid entry from the registry

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
  2. Type regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
  3. On the Registry Editor, click on File and Export. Give the file a name and save it in a safe location. This way you can restore the registry files if anything goes wrong.
  4. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:
    HKLMsoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepCleanup
  5. Right-click on Cleanup Key.
  6. Select Permissions.
  7. In the Permission window, select Administrators.
    Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll
  8. Under Permissions for Administrators, check Allow box for Full Control.
  9. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.
  10. Select the CleanUp key again.
  11. From the right pane, delete the following value:
    2D153B43-11B4-461F-AA43-832B2C8B8872
  12. Right-click on the value and select Delete.
  13. Close the registry editor.

If you can’t edit your Windows 10 registry, then you should use a proper repair tool for this.

To get a better idea, such repairing tools use their resources to scan your PC and find damaged software files quickly. Thus it will find corrupted system files or invalid registry entries.

Once they detect the issues with your system, they can start finding the missing or damaged DLLs and replace them with functional ones from its big database.

2. Use an uninstaller tool

  1. Download an uninstaller tool
  2. Install and Launch the uninstaller.
  3. Under Applications, check for the Microsoft Security Essentials application.
  4. Select it, and click Uninstall.
  5. Next, run the CCleaner app, and clean any leftover junk files related to MSE.
  6. Once done, restart your PC and run the System Preparation tool.

In case you want to fully remove specific programs and applications from your system, the best way to accomplish this is with one of these efficient uninstaller tools.

3. Delete the Panther folder

Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll
  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to the following location:
    C:WindowsSystem32sysprep 
  3. Right-click on the Pather folder.
  4. You can delete the folder or simply rename it.
  5. Run the System Preparation tool again, and it should run successfully without errors.

File Explorer is slow in Windows 10? Follow the simple steps from this guide and get it running fast again with ease.

The Sysprep Fatal Error, Could not load MSESysprep.dll seems to occur due to incomplete uninstallation of Microsoft Security Essentials.

By following the steps in this article you can fix the error and continue with the Sysprep process.

If you have any other questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

More about the topics: DLL errors