Method 1: Solving the DLL Error by Copying the Str_fre.dll File to the Windows System Folder 

1. The file you will download is a compressed file with the ".zip" extension. You cannot directly install the ".zip" file. Because of this, first, double-click this file and open the file. You will see the file named "Str_fre.dll" in the window that opens. Drag this file to the desktop with the left mouse button. This is the file you need.

   

2. Copy the "Str_fre.dll" file you extracted and paste it into the "C:\Windows\System32" folder.

   

3. If you are using a 64 Bit operating system, copy the "Str_fre.dll" file and paste it into the "C:\Windows\sysWOW64" as well.

   NOTE! On Windows operating systems with 64 Bit architecture, the dll file must be in both the "sysWOW64" folder as well as the "System32" folder. In other words, you must copy the "Str_fre.dll" file into both folders.

   

4. In order to run the Command Line as an administrator, complete the following steps.

   NOTE! In this explanation, we ran the Command Line on Windows 10. If you are using one of the Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP operating systems, you can use the same methods to run the Command Line as an administrator. Even though the pictures are taken from Windows 10, the processes are similar.

   1. First, open the Start Menu and before clicking anywhere, type "cmd" but do not press Enter.
   2. When you see the "Command Line" option among the search results, hit the "CTRL" + "SHIFT" + "ENTER" keys on your keyboard.
   3. A window will pop up asking, "Do you want to run this process?". Confirm it by clicking to "Yes" button.

   

5. Paste the command below into the Command Line window that opens up and press Enter key. This command will delete the problematic registry of the Str_fre.dll file (Nothing will happen to the file we pasted in the System32 folder, it just deletes the registry from the Windows Registry Editor. The file we pasted in the System32 folder will not be damaged).

   %windir%\System32\regsvr32.exe /u Str_fre.dll

   

6. If you have a 64 Bit operating system, after running the command above, you must run the command below. This command will clean the Str_fre.dll file's damaged registry in 64 Bit as well (The cleaning process will be in the registries in the Registry Editor< only. In other words, the dll file you paste into the SysWoW64 folder will stay as it).

   %windir%\SysWoW64\regsvr32.exe /u Str_fre.dll

   

7. We need to make a clean registry for the dll file's registry that we deleted from Regedit (Windows Registry Editor). In order to accomplish this, copy and paste the command below into the Command Line and press Enter key.

   %windir%\System32\regsvr32.exe /i Str_fre.dll

   

8. If you are using a 64 Bit operating system, after running the command above, you also need to run the command below. With this command, we will have added a new file in place of the damaged Str_fre.dll file that we deleted.

   %windir%\SysWoW64\regsvr32.exe /i Str_fre.dll

   

9. If you did all the processes correctly, the missing dll file will have been installed. You may have made some mistakes when running the Command Line processes. Generally, these errors will not prevent the Str_fre.dll file from being installed. In other words, the installation will be completed, but it may give an error due to some incompatibility issues. You can try running the program that was giving you this dll file error after restarting your computer. If you are still getting the dll file error when running the program, please try the 2nd method.

Method 2: Copying the Str_fre.dll File to the Software File Folder 

1. First, you must find the installation folder of the software (the software giving the dll error) you are going to install the dll file to. In order to find this folder, "Right-Click > Properties" on the software's shortcut.

   

2. Open the software file folder by clicking the Open File Location button in the "Properties" window that comes up.

   

3. Copy the Str_fre.dll file into this folder that opens.

   

4. This is all there is to the process. Now, try to run the software again. If the problem still is not solved, you can try the 3rd Method.

Method 3: Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Software That Is Giving the Str_fre.dll Error 

1. Press the "Windows" + "R" keys at the same time to open the Run tool. Paste the command below into the text field titled "Open" in the Run window that opens and press the Enter key on your keyboard. This command will open the "Programs and Features" tool.

   appwiz.cpl

   

2. The Programs and Features screen will come up. You can see all the softwares installed on your computer in the list on this screen. Find the software giving you the dll error in the list and right-click it. Click the "Uninstall" item in the right-click menu that appears and begin the uninstall process.

   

3. A window will open up asking whether to confirm or deny the uninstall process for the software. Confirm the process and wait for the uninstall process to finish. Restart your computer after the software has been uninstalled from your computer.

   

4. After restarting your computer, reinstall the software that was giving the error.
5. You can solve the error you are expericing with this method. If the dll error is continuing in spite of the solution methods you are using, the source of the problem is the Windows operating system. In order to solve dll errors in Windows you will need to complete the 4th Method and the 5th Method in the list.

Method 4: Solving the Str_fre.dll Problem by Using the Windows System File Checker (scf scannow) 

1. In order to run the Command Line as an administrator, complete the following steps.

   NOTE! In this explanation, we ran the Command Line on Windows 10. If you are using one of the Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP operating systems, you can use the same methods to run the Command Line as an administrator. Even though the pictures are taken from Windows 10, the processes are similar.

   1. First, open the Start Menu and before clicking anywhere, type "cmd" but do not press Enter.
   2. When you see the "Command Line" option among the search results, hit the "CTRL" + "SHIFT" + "ENTER" keys on your keyboard.
   3. A window will pop up asking, "Do you want to run this process?". Confirm it by clicking to "Yes" button.

   

2. Paste the command in the line below into the Command Line that opens up and press Enter key.

   sfc /scannow

   

3. The scan and repair process can take some time depending on your hardware and amount of system errors. Wait for the process to complete. After the repair process finishes, try running the software that is giving you're the error.

Method 5: Getting Rid of Str_fre.dll Errors by Updating the Windows Operating System 

Most of the time, softwares have been programmed to use the most recent dll files. If your operating system is not updated, these files cannot be provided and dll errors appear. So, we will try to solve the dll errors by updating the operating system.

Since the methods to update Windows versions are different from each other, we found it appropriate to prepare a separate article for each Windows version. You can get our update article that relates to your operating system version by using the links below.

Windows Update Guides 

1. Windows Update Guide
2. Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 Update Guide
3. Windows 7 and Windows Vista Update Guide
4. Windows XP Update Guide