# Gem on windows fails with 1.9.0

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-on-windows-fails-with-1-9-0/127010>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 24, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-on-windows-fails-with-1-9-0/127010 "2008-01-24T05:48:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Munagala\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Munagala\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Munagala_R)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-on-windows-fails-with-1-9-0/127010/1 "2008-01-24T05:48:58Z")

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After installing 1.9.0-0 binaries from  
[http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/](http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/)  
on Windows, gem (i.e. gem list) fails with a popup diagnostic saying  
“The  
application  
failed to start because zlib.dll was not found.”

Any help on where to get this dll and where to put it is appreciated.  
Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Munagala\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Munagala\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Munagala_R)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-on-windows-fails-with-1-9-0/127010/2 "2008-01-24T15:42:10Z")

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On 24 ene, 02:48, Munagala R. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> [Note: parts of this message were removed to make it a legal post.]
> 
> After installing 1.9.0-0 binaries fromhttp://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/  
> on Windows, gem (i.e. gem list) fails with a popup diagnostic saying “The  
> application  
> failed to start because zlib.dll was not found.”

The message is clear: you lack zlib.dll file to use RubyGems  
(actually, the zlib extension is the one uss it).

> Any help on where to get this dll and where to put it is appreciated.

Try looking at [http://www.zlib.net/](http://www.zlib.net/) download the windows pre-compiled  
binaries, rename the zlib1.dll and put it there.

HTH,

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**Author:** ![Munagala\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Munagala\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Munagala_R)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-on-windows-fails-with-1-9-0/127010/3 "2008-01-24T15:46:18Z")

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On Jan 24, 7:40 am, Luis L. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> (actually, the zlib extension is the one uss it).
> 
> > Any help on where to get this dll and where to put it is appreciated.
> 
> Try looking athttp://www.zlib.net/download the windows pre-compiled  
> binaries, rename the zlib1.dll and put it there.

All the more reason we need a pure Ruby version of Zlib. 🙂

Regards,

Dan