{"record":{"id":"231234f46ab30cb8","repo":"microsoft/playwright","slug":"host-system-is-missing-dependencies-n-n-details","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Host system is missing dependencies!\\n\\n${details.join('\\n')}","messagePattern":"Host system is missing dependencies!\\\\n\\\\n(.+?)","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"Error","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/dependencies.ts","lineNumber":204,"sourceCode":"        `Some of the Media Foundation files cannot be found on the system. If you are`,\n        `on Windows Server try fixing this by running the following command in PowerShell`,\n        `as Administrator:`,\n        ``,\n        `    Install-WindowsFeature Server-Media-Foundation`,\n        ``,\n        `For Windows N editions visit:`,\n        `https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3145500/media-feature-pack-list-for-windows-n-editions`,\n        ``);\n  }\n\n  details.push(\n      `Full list of missing libraries:`,\n      `    ${[...missingDeps].join('\\n    ')}`,\n      ``);\n\n  const message = `Host system is missing dependencies!\\n\\n${details.join('\\n')}`;\n  if (isSupportedWindowsVersion()) {\n    throw new Error(message);\n  } else {\n    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console\n    console.warn(`WARNING: running on unsupported windows version!`);\n    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console\n    console.warn(message);\n  }\n}\n\nexport async function validateDependenciesLinux(sdkLanguage: string, linuxLddDirectories: string[], dlOpenLibraries: string[]) {\n  const directoryPaths = linuxLddDirectories;\n  const lddPaths: string[] = [];\n  for (const directoryPath of directoryPaths)\n    lddPaths.push(...(await executablesOrSharedLibraries(directoryPath)));\n  const missingDepsPerFile = await Promise.all(lddPaths.map(lddPath => missingFileDependencies(lddPath, directoryPaths)));\n  const missingDeps: Set<string> = new Set();\n  for (const deps of missingDepsPerFile) {\n    for (const dep of deps)\n      missingDeps.add(dep);","sourceCodeStart":186,"sourceCodeEnd":222,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/microsoft/playwright/blob/c8fc3bf8d31542d59b4d4d9eaab1df93ff541dc6/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/dependencies.ts#L186-L222","documentation":"Thrown by validateDependenciesWindows when ldd-style validation against the installed browser binaries finds missing DLLs on a supported Windows version. details lists remediation steps (e.g. installing the Media Feature Pack for N editions) plus the full list of missing libraries, then the aggregated message is thrown.","triggerScenarios":"Launching a browser on Windows whose host is missing required runtime DLLs (media feature pack, VC redistributables, codecs); Windows N edition without the Media Feature Pack; partial install where system libs were removed.","commonSituations":"Windows N/KN editions; fresh or stripped Windows server images; environments where required media/VC runtimes were intentionally omitted; running on an older Windows build flagged as supported but missing components.","solutions":["On Windows N/KN editions, install the Media Feature Pack (link is included in the error details).","Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable and any other runtime listed in 'Full list of missing libraries'.","Run `npx playwright install-deps` (with elevation) to let Playwright install the Windows dependencies automatically."],"exampleFix":"# elevate, then\nnpx playwright install-deps\n# Windows N: Settings > Apps > Optional features > Add 'Media Feature Pack'","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"// Pre-flight: ensure known runtimes exist before launching\nimport { existsSync } from 'node:fs';\nfunction windowsDepsLikelyMissing() {\n  return process.platform === 'win32' && !existsSync('C:\\\\Windows\\\\System32\\\\mf.dll');\n}","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"try {\n  await browser.launch();\n} catch (e) {\n  if (/Host system is missing dependencies!/.test(e.message)) {\n    // install Media Feature Pack / VC redist / run install-deps, then retry\n  } else throw e;\n}","preventionTips":["Use the official Playwright Docker image or a Windows image with runtimes pre-installed.","On Windows N editions, install the Media Feature Pack up front.","Run npx playwright install-deps during image build."],"tags":["install","windows","dependencies","missing-libraries","system"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"c8fc3bf8d31542d59b4d4d9eaab1df93ff541dc6","analyzedAt":"2026-08-12T07:26:36.950Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-12T13:17:24.610Z"}