Download and Fix pcalua.exe

Sometimes Windows system displays error messages regarding corrupted or missing pcalua.exe files. Situations like that can occur, for example, during a software installation process. Each software program requires certain resources, libraries, and source data to work properly. Corrupted or nonexistent pcalua.exe file can therefore effect in failed execution of the started process.

pcalua.exe file Program Compatibility Assistant. The file was developed by for use with software. Here you will find detailed information about the file and instructions how to proceed in the event of pcalua.exe related errors on your device. You can also download pcalua.exe file compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Vista devices which will (most probably) allow you to solve the problem.

Compatible with: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Vista

User popularity

3.1 Scanning for malicious software
3.2 System and driver update
3.3 System File Checker tool
3.4 System recovery

4 Download pcalua.exe

4.1 List of pcalua.exe file versions

File info

General information
Filename	pcalua.exe
File extension	EXE
Description	Program Compatibility Assistant

Software
Program	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Author	Microsoft Corporation

Details
MIME type	application/octet-stream
File type	Executable application
System	Windows NT 32-bit
Copyrights	© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Character set	Unicode
Language cod	English (U.S.)

Most common pcalua.exe file related problems

There are various types of errors related to pcalua.exe file. pcalua.exe file may be located in wrong file directory on your device, may not be present in the system, or may be infected with malicious software and therefore not work correctly. Below is a list of most common error messages related to pcalua.exe file. If you encounter one listed below (or similar), please consider the following suggestions.

pcalua.exe is corrupted
pcalua.exe cannot be located
Runtime Error - pcalua.exe
pcalua.exe file error
pcalua.exe file cannot be loaded. Module was not found
cannot register pcalua.exe file:
pcalua.exe file could not be loaded
pcalua.exe file doesn't exist

pcalua.exe

Application could not be started because pcalua.exe file is missing. Reinstall the application to solve the problem.

Problems related to pcalua.exe can be addressed in various ways. Some methods are meant only for advanced users. If you don't have confidence in your skills, we suggest consulting a specialist. Fixing pcalua.exe file errors should be approached with utmost caution for any mistakes can result in unstable or unproperly working system. If you have the necassary skills, please proceed.

How to fix pcalua.exe errors in just few steps?

Remember, before taking any action related to system files perform a backup copy of your data!

pcalua.exe file errors can be caused by various factors, so its is beneficial to try to fix them using various methods.

Step 1: Scan your computer for any malicious software

Windows files are commonly attacked by malicious software that prevents them from working properly. First step in addressing problems with pcalua.exe file or any other Windows system files should be scanning the system for malicious software using an antivirus tool.

If by any chance you don't have any antivirus software installed on your system yet, you should do it immediately. Unprotected system is not only a source of file errors, but, more importantly, makes your system vulnerable to many dangers. If you don't know which antivirus tool to choose, consult this Wikipedia article – comparison of antivirus software.

Step 2: Update your system and drivers.

Installing relevant Microsoft Windows patches and updates may solve your problems related to pcalua.exe file. Use dedicated Windows tool to perform the update.

Go to the Windows "Start" menu
Type "Windows Update" in the search field
Choose the appropriate software program (name may vary depending on your system version)
Check if your system is up to date. If any unapplied updates are listed, install them immediately.
After the update has been done,restart your computer in order to complete the process.

Beside updating the system, it is recommended that you install latest device drivers, as drivers can influence proper working of pcalua.exe or other system files. In order to do so, go to your computer or device producer's website where you will find information regarding latest driver updates.

Step 3: Use System File Checker (SFC) tool

System File Checker is a Microsoft Windows tool. As the name suggests, the tool is used for identyfing and addressing system file related errors, including those related to pcalua.exe file. After an error related to%fileextension% file has been discovered, the program attempts to automatically replace the pcalua.exe file with properly working version. To use the tool:

Go to the Windows "Start" menu
Type "cmd" in the search field
Locate "Command Prompt" result – don't run it yet:
Click the right mouse button and select "Run as Administrator" option
Type "sfc /scannow" in console prompt to start the program and follow the instructions

Step 4: Restoring Windows system

Another approach is to restore system to previous state, before the pcalua.exe file error occured. In order to restore your system, follow the instructions below

Go to the Windows "Start" menu
Type "System Restore" in the search field
Start the system restore tool – it's name may differ depending on version of the system
The application will guide you through the process – read the messages carefully
After the process has finished, restart your computer.

If all the above-mentioned methods failed and the pcalua.exe file problem has not been resolved, proceed to the next step. Remember that the following steps are intended only for advanced users.

Download and replace pcalua.exe file

The last solution is to manually download and replace pcalua.exe file in appropriate folder on the disk. Select file version compatible with your operating system and click the "Download" button. Next, go to your web browser's "Downloaded" folder and copy the downloaded pcalua.exe file.

Go to the folder where the file should be located and paste the downloaded file. Below is the list of pcalua.exe file example directory paths.

Windows 10: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 8.1: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 8: 1: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 7: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows Vista: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows Vista: C:\Windows\System32\

If the steps did not solve your pcalua.exe file problem, you should consult a professional. A probability exists that the error(s) might be device-related and therefore should be resolved at the hardware level. A fresh operating system installation might be necessary – a faulty system installation process can result in data loss.

File versions list

Filename pcalua.exe

System Windows 10

File size 25600 bytes

Date 2017-03-18

Download

File details
	MD5	c6c4129011eba4b4c61aa3aedf2cbaac
	SHA1	1567bdfef803451c4ce36fe775b21dcdb316bac2
	SHA256	861de330c4836bfcd7832d19d0c8bf89258cd7010e97a6dfb5625c7858104f68
	CRC32	4621a49b
	Example file location	C:\Windows\System32\

Filename pcalua.exe

System Windows 8.1

File size 11264 bytes

Date 2014-11-21

Download

File details
	MD5	9739e09b8a02d63d1f400a5504246367
	SHA1	0b2bcd1df5f8bfb0e1d0347f9df1250fe460b5de
	SHA256	14f3c34b238b09de1de98a32aed148c7d9d1e16c1841b0fd0233e63231020758
	CRC32	cccd54aa
	Example file location	C:\Windows\System32\

Filename pcalua.exe

System Windows 8

File size 11776 bytes

Date 2012-07-26

Download

File details
	MD5	de561ae6a5dc79676bb0dd4c65a72ffb
	SHA1	0a5a87af27fb06de69cce94f23bd0131cb3649a0
	SHA256	78d08ad36678415bae499f5f17e8971a715f626c7c8e027e335673dcb47195c1
	CRC32	640db32c
	Example file location	1: C:\Windows\System32\

Filename pcalua.exe

System Windows 7

File size 9728 bytes

Date 2009-07-14

Download

File details
	MD5	2549089234e799d510296d327ea2b679
	SHA1	280038828c2412f3867ddb22e07759cb26f7d8ea
	SHA256	823d3530fc8b4a8069c7b70fd5eb393ac789bae6cda07652cc4f341461c66d48
	CRC32	e53f1deb
	Example file location	C:\Windows\System32\

Filename pcalua.exe

System Windows Vista

File size 7680 bytes

Date -0001-11-30

Download

File details
	MD5	97e6678b67175c2ebb1d0d7c919f5ffc
	SHA1	f26b2ac36129717942e5fe2cf002010fd339017b
	SHA256	e0648e0b39e3fe10d6359a74cae6a291c8d9f3d0b5f798eb69ff36ceef5e5ca1
	CRC32	e5d9f0e1
	Example file location	C:\Windows\System32\

Filename pcalua.exe

System Windows Vista

File size 8704 bytes

Date 2006-11-02

Download

File details
	MD5	ec2fcdf5340553114c8e10926ad5e718
	SHA1	19d9ca4e4218a20590899acf3fa31c5fb38997c5
	SHA256	9dfde0324df2f9089564471b77a4902a25bd200d5a2c28f3a55d95f97db230c1
	CRC32	40c1a5b3
	Example file location	C:\Windows\System32\