Cannot find kernel32.dll

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

When my computer starts up, I get the following error message: "Cannot find
the file c:\wnnt\system\kernel32.dll". Can anyone tell me what this means
and how to fix it?
Thank you

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

You need to boot from the NT install CD and do a system
repair, with an ERD if you have it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

The computer starts okay after I cancel out the error message. Can I do a
repair with just the CD and not booting from it or the ERD?
"dlw" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5b3501c474ac$c53a5d70$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> You need to boot from the NT install CD and do a system
> repair, with an ERD if you have it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

That file is more or less the "guts" of the operating
system, and not finding it causes the machine not to
boot. It's strange that you are getting past it. If the
computer us running normally otherwise, it may be safer to
ignore it than try to fix it.

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi,

I wouldn't actually recommend using the 'repair' function - it will most likely
break the installation and make recovery even more difficult :-(

Calvin.

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Barbra,

Q1. How is this machine set up ? Was the hard drive just set up as one 'big
partition' (ie: Hard Disk = C or was it partitioned into several logical
drives ? What size is the HDD ?

Q2. Have you recently done anything like a Service Pack, Rollup, Hotfix or
defragmented the drive ?

The symptoms you describing are consistant with the file named in the error
message (kernel32.dll) being relocated beyond the 7.8GB barrier that exists
during NT startup. It is most likely the file is still on the hard disk, and
correct, just unreachable.

It is also possible that it is genuinely missing and/or corrupted - producing
the same symptoms you report. I need further detail from you to be able to sort
this out.

Hope this helps.

Calvin.

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi again Barbra,

I just reread your original question - please confirm the error message says
c:\winnt\system\kernel32.dll NOT c:\winnt\system32\kernel32.dll ??

It sounds vaguely like at some stage a really badly behaved programme may have
fiddled with something and has added a stupid registry entry pointing to a
non-existant copy of kernel32 with the wrong path.

This could be a bit tricky to clear up.

Calvin.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Calvin,

In answer to your questions, Hard Drive is 6 gigs - partitioned 3 gigs on C
and and 3 gigs on D. I haven't installed any service packs, upgrades, etc.
The error message was c:\winnt\system\kernel32.dll. The file, however, is
not in the system subdirectory, but is in the system32 subdirectory. Should
I copy it into the system directory?

Thank you for your responses.

Barbara
"Calvin" <nospam@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:41082de9$1@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Hi again Barbra,
>
> I just reread your original question - please confirm the error message
says
> c:\winnt\system\kernel32.dll NOT c:\winnt\system32\kernel32.dll ??
>
> It sounds vaguely like at some stage a really badly behaved programme may
have
> fiddled with something and has added a stupid registry entry pointing to a
> non-existant copy of kernel32 with the wrong path.
>
> This could be a bit tricky to clear up.
>
> Calvin.
>

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Barbra,

you probably could put a copy of kernel32.dll into the system folder - that will
probably silence the complaining app that is causing your error - but that
really is treating the symptoms rather than the cause.

As I explained in my last post, something or someone has been fiddling with your
system (most likely a registry entry) causing this silly situation. How
confident are you on editing the registry, or doing advanced troubleshooting
using diagnostic tools from sources like Systems Internals ? Also, how
important is this machine ? Reason I ask is that serious 'digging around' to
clear up a problem of this nature has an element of risk associated with it -
after all, we are only human and mistakes can be made - and the areas we are
dealing with an not overly forgiving of mistakes :-(

One other point - do you have up to date anti-virus software installed and has
the machine been thoroughly scanned ? It is possible the symptoms you are
seeing are the handywork of a virus or other intrusive programme.

Calvin.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Calvin,

I am not afraid to edit the registry or try troubleshooting. I have a clone
of the computer with Ghost and I would have no problem reloading the image
if I had to.

First, I will try to put a copy of the kernel32.dll file in the system
folder.

What is System Internals? Can I download the tools or do I have to purchase
the program?

Thank you for all your help.

Barbara

"Calvin" <nospam@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:410aec1a$1@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Hi Barbra,
>
> you probably could put a copy of kernel32.dll into the system folder -
that will
> probably silence the complaining app that is causing your error - but that
> really is treating the symptoms rather than the cause.
>
> As I explained in my last post, something or someone has been fiddling
with your
> system (most likely a registry entry) causing this silly situation. How
> confident are you on editing the registry, or doing advanced
troubleshooting
> using diagnostic tools from sources like Systems Internals ? Also, how
> important is this machine ? Reason I ask is that serious 'digging around'
to
> clear up a problem of this nature has an element of risk associated with
it -
> after all, we are only human and mistakes can be made - and the areas we
are
> dealing with an not overly forgiving of mistakes :-(
>
> One other point - do you have up to date anti-virus software installed and
has
> the machine been thoroughly scanned ? It is possible the symptoms you are
> seeing are the handywork of a virus or other intrusive programme.
>
> Calvin.
>

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Barbra,

the Systems Internals site: http://www.sysinternals.com provides a wealth of
TOTALLY FREE diagnostic and fault finding tools specifically targetted at Win
NT4.0 and above. Check it out when you get a chance.

I would probably start by downloading and running a copy of 'AutoRuns' - it
allows you to have a thorough look at all the programmes being automatically
started on the machine. My suspicion is that one of those programmes may be
unsuitable for NT4, and is trying to make calls into the kernel in the wrong
location, hence the error messages. The fact that it is looking for kernel32 in
the 'system' folder suggests it may be a Win95 programme, and a badly written
one at that.

As I said last time, copying kernel32 really is treating the symptoms, not
fixing the problem.

Calvin.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Calvin:

Thanks for the info. I will check it out and do some diagnostics.

Barbara.
"Calvin" <nospam@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:410ebf7d$1@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Hi Barbra,
>
> the Systems Internals site: http://www.sysinternals.com provides a
wealth of
> TOTALLY FREE diagnostic and fault finding tools specifically targetted at
Win
> NT4.0 and above. Check it out when you get a chance.
>
> I would probably start by downloading and running a copy of 'AutoRuns' -
it
> allows you to have a thorough look at all the programmes being
automatically
> started on the machine. My suspicion is that one of those programmes may
be
> unsuitable for NT4, and is trying to make calls into the kernel in the
wrong
> location, hence the error messages. The fact that it is looking for
kernel32 in
> the 'system' folder suggests it may be a Win95 programme, and a badly
written
> one at that.
>
> As I said last time, copying kernel32 really is treating the symptoms, not
> fixing the problem.
>
> Calvin.
>

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsnt.misc (More info?)

Hi Barbra,

Don't take what I have said, as to the cause of your problem, as holy writ - I'm
having a wild guess here at the moment - as you can appreciate, it is difficult
to come up with sensible answers when you are 1000s of km away from the machine
in question

Glad to help if you can dig up more info on what is going on.

Calvin.