opencv-python on Windows Server Core

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When attempting to install and load the opencv-python package, you may run into the following error on Windows Server Core images (e.g. python:2.7-windowsservercore):

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
File "C:\Python\lib\site-packages\cv2\__init__.py", line 9, in
from .cv2 import *
ImportError: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found.

This error pops up because opencv relies on ancient Video for Windows, Microsoft AVI, and Microsoft ACM Audio components, none of which ship with the Windows Server Core base image.

If you need to use parts of opencv that don't rely on these components, copy the following libraries from your container host into the container's \System32 folder (assuming 64-bit usage here, adjust accordingly).

  • msacm32.dll
  • avifil32.dll
  • avicap32.dll
  • msvfw32.dll