Output better error message than `...query_engine-windows.dll.node The specified module could not be found.` or `Command failed with exit code 3221225781`

[CarmeloDascola]

Bug description

I am trying to set up an existing project in a new device running Win10. I install the dependencies (including "@prisma/client": "^3.3.0"). When I try to run prisma generate I get this:

Prisma schema loaded from prisma\schema.prisma
Error: Unable to require(`C:\Users\carme\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\prisma\query_engine-windows.dll.node`)
 The specified module could not be found.
\\?\C:\Users\carme\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\prisma\query_engine-windows.dll.node

query_engine-windows.dll.node is in my project node_modules/prisma folder, but it doesn't appears in node_modues/.prisma

If I try to run prisma -v I get:

Error: Command failed with exit code 3221225781: C:\Users\carme\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\prisma\node_modules\@prisma\engines\introspection-engine-windows.exe --version

Tried deleting node_modules, manually reinstalling @prisma/client, rebooting the system, but no success. Any idea? thanks.

How to reproduce

In my case just running prisma generate causes the issue.

Expected behavior

No response

Prisma information

Environment & setup

OS: Windows 10
Database: PostgreSQL
Node.js version: v16.13.0

Prisma Version

[aqrln]

Hi @CarmeloDascola and thanks for your report! Could you please check if installing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable fixes the issue?

[aqrln]

Could you please check if installing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable fixes the issue?

Based on the new information in #9940, and the fact that you have a new device, I'm now pretty sure it should fix the issue for you.

What we should do, I believe, is either document this and maybe show a warning with the link to download vc_redist if loading the library fails (which might be confusing if loading it fails for unrelated reasons), or link the CRT statically on Windows (RUSTFLAGS="-C target-feature=+crt-static") and not rely on an implicit dependency that may or may not be present on the system.