What are tzdb.dat Error Messages?

Dynamic Link Library tzdb.dat Errors

tzdb.dat is considered a type of Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. Dynamic Link Library files, like tzdb.dat, are essentially a "guide book" that stores information and instructions for executable (EXE) files - like klist.exe - to follow. These files were created so that multiple programs (eg. Adobe Captivate) could share the same tzdb.dat file, saving valuable memory allocation, therefore making your computer run more efficiently.

Unfortunately, what makes DLL files so convenient and efficient, also makes them extremely vulnerable to problems. If something happens to a shared DAT file, either it goes missing or gets corrupted in some way, it can generate a "runtime" error message. Runtime is pretty self-explanatory; it means that these errors are triggered when tzdb.dat is attempted to be loaded either when Adobe Captivate is starting up, or in some cases already running. Some of the most common tzdb.dat errors include:

• Access Violation at address - tzdb.dat.
• tzdb.dat could not be found.
• Cannot find C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 2017 (32 Bit)\JVM\lib\tzdb.dat.
• Cannot register tzdb.dat.
• Cannot start Adobe Captivate. A required component is missing: tzdb.dat. Please install Adobe Captivate again.
• Failed to load tzdb.dat.
• The application has failed to start because tzdb.dat was not found.
• The file tzdb.dat is missing or corrupt.
• This application failed to start because tzdb.dat was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

Your tzdb.dat file could be missing due to accidental deletion, uninstalled as a shared file of another program (shared with Adobe Captivate), or deleted by a malware infection. Furthermore, tzdb.dat file corruption could be caused from a power outage when loading Adobe Captivate, system crash while loading tzdb.dat, bad sectors on your storage media (usually your primary hard drive), or quite commonly, a malware infection. Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.

How to Fix tzdb.dat Errors in 3 Steps (Time to complete: ~5-15 minutes)

If you're encountering one of the error messages above, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve your tzdb.dat issue. These troubleshooting steps are listed in the recommended order of execution.

To begin System Restore (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. When you see the search box, type "System Restore" and press "ENTER".
3. In the search results, find and click System Restore.
4. Please enter the administrator password (if applicable / prompted).
5. Follow the steps in the System Restore Wizard to choose a relevant restore point.
6. Restore your computer to that backup image.

If the Step 1 fails to resolve the tzdb.dat error, please proceed to the Step 2 below.

You can uninstall Adobe Captivate software by following these instructions (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. In the search box, type "Uninstall" and press "ENTER".
3. In the search results, find and click "Add or Remove Programs"
4. Find the entry for Adobe Captivate 2017 Release and click "Uninstall"
5. Follow the prompts for uninstallation.

After the software has been fully uninstalled, restart your PC and reinstall Adobe Captivate software.

If this Step 2 fails as well, please proceed to the Step 3 below.

Adobe Captivate 2017 Release

Adobe Systems Incorporated

When the first two steps haven't solved your issue, it might be a good idea to run Windows Update. Many tzdb.dat error messages that are encountered can be contributed to an outdated Windows Operating System. To run Windows Update, please follow these easy steps:

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. In the search box, type "Update" and press "ENTER".
3. In the Windows Update dialog box, click "Check for Updates" (or similar button depending on your Windows version)
4. If updates are available for download, click "Install Updates".
5. After the update is completed, restart your PC.

If Windows Update failed to resolve the tzdb.dat error message, please proceed to next step. Please note that this final step is recommended for advanced PC users only.

If Those Steps Fail: Download and Replace Your tzdb.dat File (Caution: Advanced)

If none of the previous three troubleshooting steps have resolved your issue, you can try a more aggressive approach (Note: Not recommended for amateur PC users) by downloading and replacing your appropriate tzdb.dat file version. We maintain a comprehensive database of 100% malware-free tzdb.dat files for every applicable version of Adobe Captivate. Please follow the steps below to download and properly replace you file:

1. Locate your Windows operating system version in the list of below "Download tzdb.dat Files".
2. Click the appropriate "Download Now" button and download your Windows file version.
3. Copy this file to the appropriate Adobe Captivate folder location:
   
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_221\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files\Futuremark\3DMark\jre\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2019b\sys\java\jre\win64\jre\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Users\Tester\Downloads\_temp_matlab_R2019b_win64\sys\java\jre\win64\jre\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files (x86)\Sweet Home 3D\jre8\lib\
   Show 7 more directories +

   Windows 10: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-12\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft Launcher\runtime\jre-x64\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.8.0_231\jre\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Animate CC 2019\jre\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 2017 (32 Bit)\JVM\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-13.0.2\lib\
   Windows 10: C:\Program Files\IBM\SPSS\Statistics\Subscription\JRE\lib\
   
4. Restart your computer.

If this final step has failed and you're still encountering the error, you're only remaining option is to do a clean installation of Windows 10.

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