HP Performance Advisor Unable to load DLL 'swtoolsdriver.dll' The specified module cannot be found

[joselso]

This morning I started HP Performance Advisor, and it asked for Administrator permission to be updated to version 2.1.5501.0.

After I agreed and the update was done, I tried to start the program anew and a pop-up announcement said:

Unable to load DLL 'swtoolsdriver.dll' The specified module cannot be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)

It also mentioned a file AdvisorError.txt that is supposed to be found on my desktop with the error details, and recommended to send it to ap-assist@hp.com; however, no such txt file is to be found on my computer.

On the other hand, the so-called missing file swtoolsdriver.dll does exist in its rightful location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP Performance Advisor\lib64\swtoolsdriver.dll

The error persists and now HP Performance Advisor can no longer be started.

I have found a similar complaint, dated 11 July 2020, in another HP forum, in URL:

https://h30471.www3.hp.com/t5/cao-zuo-xi-tong-he-ruan-jian/hui-puZ440an-zhuangHP-Performance-Advisor...

(I read the Google-translated version, and I hope HP will now make an effort to solve this new issue for users of all HP forums, of all nations).

[Brian1965 · Accepted solution]

Just noticed that a new version of HP Performance Advisor is available. Version 2.1.5517.0

Try installing this version. If the problem persists, you may need to remove the HPPA software via the control panel, run a registry clean, (CCleaner has a free version that works well on W7), RESTART THE COMPUTER, then re-install a fresh copy of HPPA.

When/if using CCleaner, keep running the registry scans/cleans until no further errors are detected! You only need to back up the registry BEFORE the first clean - CCleaner will prompt you to do this - just save in your My Documents folder. Items detected on the 2nd or 3rd scans etc. have already been backed up - skip the backup registry prompt and go straight to cleaning. The first scan and clean will detect and remove any broken or orphaned registry keys.  This can result in newly orphaned or damaged registry entries being detected in subsequent registry scans/cleans.

[joselso]

Thanks, excellent that you noticed the new version of HPPA. Apparently it was issued by HP about 2 weeks after the faulty version 2.1.5501.0, so someone at HP noticed the error messages that popped up, and took action.

I first right-clicked on the faulty version in the Control Panel>Programs and Features, hoping to Repair HPPA, but the error persisted; so I uninstalled HPPA, then read in the Windows Event Viewer a confirmation by MsiInstaller that HPPA was successfully removed, then I restarted Windows 7 and installed successfully the new HPPA version.

I prefer to rely on MsiInstaller logs and on Windows Event Viewer, rather than resort to heavy-handed tools like CCleaner or the old  Windows Installer Cleanup utility  that was removed by microsoft from their Download Center a few years ago. These are very strong tools that may cause 'collateral damage'.