The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b)

Question

To start, I would suggest to test whether there is a problem between your application and its dependencies using dependency walker

A load time dependency could not be resolved. The easiest way to debug this is to use Dependency Walker. Use the Profile option to get diagnostics output of the load process. This will identify the point of failure and should guide you to a solution.

The most common cause of this error is trying to load a 64 bit DLL into a 32 bit process, or vice versa.

It is a missing dll. Possibly, your dll that works with com ports have an unresolved dll dependence. You can use dependency walker and windows debugger. Check all of the mfc library, for example. Also, you can use nrCommlib - it is great components to work with com ports.

I tried all the things specified here and found yet another answer. I had to compile my application with 32-bit DLLs. I had built the libraries both in 32-bit and 64-bit but had my PATH set to 64-bit libraries. After I recompiled my application (with a number of changes in my code as well) I got this dreaded error and struggled for two days. Finally, after trying a number of other things, I changed my PATH to have the 32-bit DLLs before the 64-bit DLLs (they have the same names). And it worked. I am just adding it here for completeness.

It has been mentioned in earlier answers that using dependency walker is the way to go, in my case (my application keeps failing with the error code), dependency walker showed a few dll that are NOT relevant!

Finally figured out that I can run profiling by going to "profile" menu and it will run the application and stop at the exact dll that's cause the problem! I found out a 32bit dll was picked because of path and fixed it.

I experienced the same problem developing a client-server app using Microsoft Visual Studio 2012.

If you used Visual Studio to develop the app, you must make sure the new (i.e. the computer that the software was not developed on) has the appropriate Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package. By appropriate, you need the right year and bit version (i.e. x86 for 32 bit and x64 for 64 bit) of the Visual C++ Redistributable Package.

The Visual C++ Redistributable Packages install run-time components that are required to run C++ applications built using Visual Studio.

Here is a link to the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 .

You can check what versions are installed by going to Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features.

Here's how I got this error and fixed it:

1) I developed a 32 bit application using Visual Studio 2012 on my computer. Let's call my computer ComputerA.

2) I installed the .exe and the related files on a different computer we'll call ComputerB.

3) On ComputerB, I ran the .exe and got the error message.

4) On ComputerB, I looked at the Programs and Features and didn't see Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x64).

5) On ComputerB, I googled for Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable and selected and installed the x64 version.

6) On ComputerB, I ran the .exe on ComputerB and did not receive the error message.