long file name, invalid page fault

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I trying to help my sister her computer, maybe someone can help me. She has
win98, and has no idea what could have caused the problem she is having.
After startup, an error message appears saying that explorer has caused an
invalid page fault in module comctl32.dll. After closing the error screen,
it goes to a blank desktop, no icons, no taskbar. Safe mode has the same
error. I ran scan disk and it said there was an invalid long file name, and
that it couldn't fix it, and I need to run scan disk under win98 to do so,
but without explorer running I dont know how to do that. Can someone help us
out here?
Thanks for any help you can give

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

It could be best to do as Terhune says, as it will give you a more
current Comctl32.dll than the following. Also, if any other IE file
needs replacing, that will hopefully do it.

• The Error Message "Explorer Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module
Unknown" Is Displayed When Starting Windows
(298343) - After you upgrade Internet Explorer, when you attempt to
restart the computer you may receive an error message similar to one of
the following errors: Explorer caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module
<unknown> -or- The Comctl32.dll file cannot...
http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -us;298343

Yet, by the following article...

http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] roduct=w98
Error Message: The Comdlg32.dll File Cannot Start
(137273) - When you try to start a program in Windows, you may receive
one of the following error messages: Error starting program. The
Comctl32.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.
Error starting program. The Comdlg32.dll file cannot.

....you may get a current one this way...

(a) Hold CTRL as you boot for the Startup Menu.
(b) Select "Command Prompt Only", which is DOS.
(c) At the DOS prompt, enter...

ATTRIB C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll -S -R -H
REN C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll Comctl32.dl_
COPY C:\Windows\Sysbckup\Comctl32.dll C:\Windows\System

Here is what that file looks like in Windows & in DOS...

COMCTL32.DLL
Desc: Common Controls Library
Loc: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
Size: 548,624 bytes
Mod: Thursday, August 29, 2002
Ver: 5.81

C:\>dir C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
COMCTL32 DLL 548,624 08-29-02 12:00a COMCTL32.DLL
1 file(s) 548,624 bytes

C:\>dir C:\Windows\Sysbckup\Comctl32.dll
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
COMCTL32 DLL 548,624 08-29-02 12:00a COMCTL32.DLL
1 file(s) 548,624 bytes

C:\>attrib C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll
COMCTL32.DLL C:\Windows\System\COMCTL32.DLL

C:\>attrib C:\Windows\Sysbckup\Comctl32.dll
A COMCTL32.DLL C:\Windows\Sysbckup\COMCTL32.DLL


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
"jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2D614205-4564-43F8-A5E6-8D5568DF71A2@microsoft.com...
| I trying to help my sister her computer, maybe someone can help me.
She has
| win98, and has no idea what could have caused the problem she is
having.
| After startup, an error message appears saying that explorer has
caused an
| invalid page fault in module comctl32.dll. After closing the error
screen,
| it goes to a blank desktop, no icons, no taskbar. Safe mode has the
same
| error. I ran scan disk and it said there was an invalid long file
name, and
| that it couldn't fix it, and I need to run scan disk under win98 to do
so,
| but without explorer running I dont know how to do that. Can someone
help us
| out here?
| Thanks for any help you can give

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I don't know, I don't think so. The error isn't the critical parameter. Not
being able to boot in either Safe Mode or Normal Mode, getting *almost* to
the Desktop but not quite.. The instructions are simply the best known way
to deal with that gross set of symptoms.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User

"jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:76ADDEA9-445B-48E3-855B-B4A118F9FC7E@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for the help. I just got off of work, when I get home I'll review
> the process more carefully to see if it's something I can handle on my
> own.
> I saw the link for that procedure when I was researching the problem, but
> I
> wasn't sure if it applied because she hadn't made any changes to her
> computer. Is an update from internet explorer the only way you will get
> that
> error?
>
> "Gary S. Terhune" wrote:
>
>> First of all, the "long-filename" error in Scandisk is uninmportant.
>> Ignore
>> it.
>>
>> The problem is a known one, and can be repaired, but it requires some
>> decent
>> knowledge of computers, particularly the use of old-fashioned file
>> manager
>> (you will be booting to something that looks like WIndows 3.1). Review
>> what
>> I'm repeating below and make sure you are comfortable with attempting the
>> repair. If you don't feel comfortable, do you know someone who's more
>> accustomed to old-style Windows?
>>
>> [The below was originally posted by Glen Ventura, MVP.)
>>
>> Follow the procedures here:
>> Blank Desktop or Illegal Operations Error Message After You Install
>> Internet
>> Explorer:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;249191
>>
>> If those procedures do not help, have a look here:
>> Recovering From a Failed Internet Explorer Upgrade in Windows 98:
>> http://www.cs.bsu.edu/~gjjones/adm [...] ows98.html
>> or
>> http://tinyurl.com/r5ba
>>
>> Especially this section at the end:
>>
>> "If you still have boot problems after you reboot, you should use the
>> command prompt
>> to edit the c:\windows\system.ini file. On the command line type edit
>> c:\windows\system.ini.
>>
>> "Once it is open, change the line shell=explorer.exe to
>> shell=progman.exe.
>> What you
>> are doing here is changing the default shell (that is having problems)
>> from
>> the
>> Windows Explorer to the old Windows Program Manager shell.
>>
>> "Reboot Windows. It should now successfully boot with no errors into an
>> empty
>> Program Manager shell. Use the File | Run | Browse drop down menu
>> selection
>> to
>> browse to c:\program files\internet explorer and launch ie5setup.exe or
>> ie6setup.exe
>> (depending on what is there). Do a custom install and check all the Bold
>> faced
>> options. When the setup program alerts you that these files are already
>> installed,
>> tell it to reinstall all of the files.
>>
>> "When the Internet Explorer Setup program is done and reboots, hit the F8
>> key to
>> bring up a Boot Menu. Choose Command Prompt and boot to the command
>> prompt.
>> Once
>> there, type edit c:\windows\system.ini and, once it is open, change the
>> line
>> shell=progman.exe back to shell=explorer.exe. Save and exit the file. You
>> have now
>> set the shell back to the original value."
>> --
>> Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
>> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>
>> ---000---
>>
>> --
>> Gary S. Terhune
>> MS-MVP Shell/User
>>
>>
>> "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:2D614205-4564-43F8-A5E6-8D5568DF71A2@microsoft.com...
>> >I trying to help my sister her computer, maybe someone can help me. She
>> >has
>> > win98, and has no idea what could have caused the problem she is
>> > having.
>> > After startup, an error message appears saying that explorer has caused
>> > an
>> > invalid page fault in module comctl32.dll. After closing the error
>> > screen,
>> > it goes to a blank desktop, no icons, no taskbar. Safe mode has the
>> > same
>> > error. I ran scan disk and it said there was an invalid long file
>> > name,
>> > and
>> > that it couldn't fix it, and I need to run scan disk under win98 to do
>> > so,
>> > but without explorer running I dont know how to do that. Can someone
>> > help
>> > us
>> > out here?
>> > Thanks for any help you can give
>>
>>
>>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I did find it when I changed the shell over to winfile.exe So what can I do
now?


"PCR" wrote:

> Like Comctl32.dll, Commctrl.dll is located in two folders...
>
> COMMCTRL.DLL
> Desc: Custom Controls Library
> Loc: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
> C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
> Size: 155,136 bytes
> Mod: Thursday, July 22, 1999 12:16:44 AM
> Ver: 4.10.1998
>
> C:\>DIR C:\Windows\System\COMMCTRL.DLL
> Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
> COMMCTRL DLL 155,136 07-22-99 12:16a COMMCTRL.DLL
> 1 file(s) 155,136 bytes
>
> C:\>DIR C:\Windows\Sysbckup\COMMCTRL.DLL
> Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
> COMMCTRL DLL 155,136 07-22-99 12:16a COMMCTRL.DLL
> 1 file(s) 155,136 bytes
>
> Your looks good in size, but the date is older. Can it be you are
> Win98-FE (first edition), instead of the SE I am? Then, I guess you are
> fine with that file.
>
> Looking again at what you wrote earlier, speaking of Comctl32.dll...
>
> | So then I tried to extract it using the
> | procedures in PCR's reply and now after rebooting it says it cannot
> find
> | comctl32.dll and that explorer.exe cannot run and again to reinstall
> | windows. But if I don't have an installation disk I won't be able to
> do that
> | right? If it says the file I extracted is missing does that mean I
> can't get
> | it back without reinstalling windows?
>
> Where did you extract it from? Can it be..?.. C:\Windows\Options\CABS.
> Then, THAT is a copy of your Installation CD.
>
> But how can you have Extracted it, & it be nowhere? Let's try using a
> "/a" on that DOS command...
>
> C:\>dir C:\Windows\Sysbckup\Comctl32.dll /a
> Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
> COMCTL32 DLL 548,624 08-29-02 12:00a COMCTL32.DLL
> 1 file(s) 548,624 bytes
>
> C:\>dir C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll /a
> Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
> COMCTL32 DLL 548,624 08-29-02 12:00a COMCTL32.DLL
> 1 file(s) 548,624 bytes
>
> ALSO, if you followed the instructions of...
> http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -us;298343
> The Error Message "Explorer Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module
> Unknown" Is Displayed When Starting Windows
>
> ....Then you did...
> ren comctl32.dll Comctl32.old
>
> ....Therefore...
> REN C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.old comctl32.dll
>
> ....should get it back.
>
>
> --
> Thanks or Good Luck,
> There may be humor in this post, and,
> Naturally, you will not sue,
> should things get worse after this,
> PCR
> pcrrcp@netzero.net
> "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:3B1D1CDB-F89C-4601-88EC-9BCAC037B92D@microsoft.com...
> | I checked all dll in the directory and there was a commctrl.dll in
> | c:\windows\system. Can I do anything with that? It says:
> | Directory of C:\windows\system
> | Commctrl dll 155,136 05-11-98 8:01p
> | 1 file 155,136 bytes
> |
> | Thanks.
> | "jj676" wrote:
> |
> | > Unless I didn't do it right, it said the file wasn't found in the
> directory.
> | > So, is there anything else I can try? Or is reinstalling windows
> about it?
> | > Thanks for the continued help!!!!!
> | > "PCR" wrote:
> ....snip
>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I think you have recovered Comctl32.dll, for whatever good that is. To
be certain...
DIR C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll

Well, no, DOS wouldn't care what is in System.ini. See my other recent
post for what you may try next. I sent it before seeing this. It will be
an attempt to boot to a DOS box, per someone who may be too lazy to
enter this thread himself.

ACTUALLY, the DIRs in there-- to see what you have.. Setup, IE6, IE5..,
you may try at your normal True DOS. Unfortunately, the "START" command
won't work at True DOS, but only in a Windows DOS box.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
"jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5583B15D-40B3-4BDD-8114-80397696762D@microsoft.com...
| Yes I have win98-FE.
| You're right, that is where I extracted it from, I didn't think of
that
| being a copy of the installation disk....
|
| I tired using the "/a" command and it still wasn't found. and I tried
| REN C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.old comctl32.dll and it just went
to the
| next line C:\> Is it supposed to do anything after that command?
|
| I did think of something that may be the problem and I didnt remember
this
| til now, (of course, isnt that always the case) but when I tried one
of
| Gary's suggestions, changing the shell to winfile.exe, I don't know if
I
| changed it back to explorer.exe before I tried extracting it. Could
that be
| why it's not found? It is back in explorer.exe now, but I dont recall
when I
| changed it back.
|
| "PCR" wrote:
|
| > Like Comctl32.dll, Commctrl.dll is located in two folders...
| >
| > COMMCTRL.DLL
| > Desc: Custom Controls Library
| > Loc: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
| > C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
| > Size: 155,136 bytes
| > Mod: Thursday, July 22, 1999 12:16:44 AM
| > Ver: 4.10.1998
| >
| > C:\>DIR C:\Windows\System\COMMCTRL.DLL
| > Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
| > COMMCTRL DLL 155,136 07-22-99 12:16a COMMCTRL.DLL
| > 1 file(s) 155,136 bytes
| >
| > C:\>DIR C:\Windows\Sysbckup\COMMCTRL.DLL
| > Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
| > COMMCTRL DLL 155,136 07-22-99 12:16a COMMCTRL.DLL
| > 1 file(s) 155,136 bytes
| >
| > Your looks good in size, but the date is older. Can it be you are
| > Win98-FE (first edition), instead of the SE I am? Then, I guess you
are
| > fine with that file.
| >
| > Looking again at what you wrote earlier, speaking of Comctl32.dll...
| >
| > | So then I tried to extract it using the
| > | procedures in PCR's reply and now after rebooting it says it
cannot
| > find
| > | comctl32.dll and that explorer.exe cannot run and again to
reinstall
| > | windows. But if I don't have an installation disk I won't be able
to
| > do that
| > | right? If it says the file I extracted is missing does that mean
I
| > can't get
| > | it back without reinstalling windows?
| >
| > Where did you extract it from? Can it be..?..
C:\Windows\Options\CABS.
| > Then, THAT is a copy of your Installation CD.
| >
| > But how can you have Extracted it, & it be nowhere? Let's try using
a
| > "/a" on that DOS command...
| >
| > C:\>dir C:\Windows\Sysbckup\Comctl32.dll /a
| > Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP
| > COMCTL32 DLL 548,624 08-29-02 12:00a COMCTL32.DLL
| > 1 file(s) 548,624 bytes
| >
| > C:\>dir C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.dll /a
| > Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
| > COMCTL32 DLL 548,624 08-29-02 12:00a COMCTL32.DLL
| > 1 file(s) 548,624 bytes
| >
| > ALSO, if you followed the instructions of...
| > http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -us;298343
| > The Error Message "Explorer Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module
| > Unknown" Is Displayed When Starting Windows
| >
| > ....Then you did...
| > ren comctl32.dll Comctl32.old
| >
| > ....Therefore...
| > REN C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.old comctl32.dll
| >
| > ....should get it back.
| >
| >
| > --
| > Thanks or Good Luck,
| > There may be humor in this post, and,
| > Naturally, you will not sue,
| > should things get worse after this,
| > PCR
| > pcrrcp@netzero.net
| > "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
| > news:3B1D1CDB-F89C-4601-88EC-9BCAC037B92D@microsoft.com...
| > | I checked all dll in the directory and there was a commctrl.dll in
| > | c:\windows\system. Can I do anything with that? It says:
| > | Directory of C:\windows\system
| > | Commctrl dll 155,136 05-11-98 8:01p
| > | 1 file 155,136 bytes
| > |
| > | Thanks.
| > | "jj676" wrote:
| > |
| > | > Unless I didn't do it right, it said the file wasn't found in
the
| > directory.
| > | > So, is there anything else I can try? Or is reinstalling
windows
| > about it?
| > | > Thanks for the continued help!!!!!
| > | > "PCR" wrote:
| > ....snip
| >
| >
| >

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Which one worked, the uninstall or the over-install of IE-- which START
command precisely? In any case, the normal advice now is to go to
Windows Update, & see whether it offers anything, especially IE related.

Perhaps make a full system backup first, so as always to get back to at
least a working system, if slow. Update the backup after things get
quicker. Would you like my list of backup apps?


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
"jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7D342DD7-CFFC-423E-A2D9-BCC21C22953D@microsoft.com...
| Besides everything running kind of slowly, I am having problems
opening
| anything that needs rundll32.exe to open it, like add/remove programs,
and
| the shortcut to yahoo mail, for example. Any ideas, I'd appreciate
it,
| thanks again for all the help so far.
|
| "jj676" wrote:
|
| > Hey thanks!!!!This worked, though it didn't give me anything about
options
| > just do you want to reinstall it.....But it is back up and running,
and I
| > didn't lose anything...So thank you for sticking it out with me!!!
Just one
| > more thing....it boots up really slowly, and then loads the desktop
slowly,
| > any way to fix that?
| > Thanks again
| >
| > "PCR" wrote:
....snip

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Thanks for all the help. My computer did alert me that there were updates
available I check and see what they are. Should that fix the problem with
rundll32.exe? If not, should I extract that file from the cab file, and if
so what is the destination for it windows or windows/system?

I never did get it to work in winfile before booting to command.com, and the
start command that I used was
DIR "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\Setup.exe"

Thanks again, you don't know how happy my sister is to have her computer
working again. I'll let you know if there are anymore problems you can help
me with ;-) Hopefully there won't be.

"PCR" wrote:

> Which one worked, the uninstall or the over-install of IE-- which START
> command precisely? In any case, the normal advice now is to go to
> Windows Update, & see whether it offers anything, especially IE related.
>
> Perhaps make a full system backup first, so as always to get back to at
> least a working system, if slow. Update the backup after things get
> quicker. Would you like my list of backup apps?
>
>
> --
> Thanks or Good Luck,
> There may be humor in this post, and,
> Naturally, you will not sue,
> should things get worse after this,
> PCR
> pcrrcp@netzero.net
> "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7D342DD7-CFFC-423E-A2D9-BCC21C22953D@microsoft.com...
> | Besides everything running kind of slowly, I am having problems
> opening
> | anything that needs rundll32.exe to open it, like add/remove programs,
> and
> | the shortcut to yahoo mail, for example. Any ideas, I'd appreciate
> it,
> | thanks again for all the help so far.
> |
> | "jj676" wrote:
> |
> | > Hey thanks!!!!This worked, though it didn't give me anything about
> options
> | > just do you want to reinstall it.....But it is back up and running,
> and I
> | > didn't lose anything...So thank you for sticking it out with me!!!
> Just one
> | > more thing....it boots up really slowly, and then loads the desktop
> slowly,
> | > any way to fix that?
> | > Thanks again
> | >
> | > "PCR" wrote:
> ....snip
>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

So far no more errors or problems with my computer, I extracted rundll32.exe
from SFC and the programs that needed it to run are running fine.
The error message was just that "the file rundll32.exe that this shortcut
refers to is missing" or something to that effect. But thats fixed now. And
I did go to windows update, and things are running a little better. But I
still would appreciate a list of your back up apps, just in case, if the
offers still good.

What I meant by "I did find it when I changed the shell over to
> winfile.exe" is that when I first tried to find comctl32.dll in the directory using the shell explorer.exe, it kept coming up as not found. That's when I figured that I didn't change the shell back over to explorer.exe after trying Gary's suggestion of trying progman, or winfile for the shell, before I tried extracting comctl32.dll from the cab file. So I changed the shell back over to winfile and then searched the directory and it did find it. I don't remember though how it did end up coming up under explorer.exe...I remember trying your suggestion of "REN C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.old comctl32.dll" to get it back...But I son't know if that's when it worked or not.... But anyway, even after finding it in winfile, I still couldn't boot into windows it said error running winfile.exe reinstall windows.
But that problem is solved and I owe it to you and everyone else's
suggeestions.
Thanks for everything
********


"PCR" wrote:

> | start command that I used was
> | DIR "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\Setup.exe"
>
> That's a DIR! Well, if you STARTed that, then you did an uninstall of
> IE, which really reverted it to a prior version. Spend a little time at
> Windows Update.
>
> | I never did get it to work in winfile before booting to command.com
>
> What did you mean by... "I did find it when I changed the shell over to
> winfile.exe", then? Remember saying that?
>
> | the problem with rundll32.exe?
>
> Maybe it isn't Rundll32.exe, really, that's bad. You've been through a
> monster uninstall. Spend time at Windows Update, but you won't get one
> from there. Here is how to recover it, which should be harmless. If
> still problematic, best start a new thread, & be more SPECIFIC about the
> error message(s) & circumstances.
>
> RUNDLL32.EXE
> Desc: Run a DLL as an App
> Loc: C:\WINDOWS
> Size: 24,576 bytes
> Mod: Friday, April 23, 1999 10:22:00 PM
> Ver: 4.10.1998
>
> That is old enough (Win98SE) never to have been modified by an update.
> So, extract it with SFC.
>
> (1) "START, Run, SFC"
> (2) Bolt "Extract one file from installation disk"
> (3) Enter "RUNDLL32.EXE" in the "Specify..." box.
> (4) Click "Start". It should offer to "Save file in C:\WINDOWS".
> If not, make it so.
> (5) In "Restore from", if not already pre-filled, browse to
> (a) Installation CD (likely the Win98 folder) or
> (b) The folder that has your cabs on the hard drive, likely
> "C:\WINDOWS\options\cabs\".
> (5) Click "OK"
>
> If it discovers the file already exists, it will offer to back it up.
> May as well do so. If it discovers the file is "in use", it will request
> that you reboot to complete the install.
>
>
> --
> Thanks or Good Luck,
> There may be humor in this post, and,
> Naturally, you will not sue,
> should things get worse after this,
> PCR
> pcrrcp@netzero.net
> "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C4B55E89-9E29-43DB-8DAB-0E64FFFB7BA7@microsoft.com...
> | Thanks for all the help. My computer did alert me that there were
> updates
> | available I check and see what they are. Should that fix the problem
> with
> | rundll32.exe? If not, should I extract that file from the cab file,
> and if
> | so what is the destination for it windows or windows/system?
> |
> | I never did get it to work in winfile before booting to command.com,
> and the
> | start command that I used was
> | DIR "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\Setup.exe"
> |
> | Thanks again, you don't know how happy my sister is to have her
> computer
> | working again. I'll let you know if there are anymore problems you
> can help
> | me with ;-) Hopefully there won't be.
> |
> | "PCR" wrote:
> |
> | > Which one worked, the uninstall or the over-install of IE-- which
> START
> | > command precisely? In any case, the normal advice now is to go to
> | > Windows Update, & see whether it offers anything, especially IE
> related.
> | >
> | > Perhaps make a full system backup first, so as always to get back to
> at
> | > least a working system, if slow. Update the backup after things get
> | > quicker. Would you like my list of backup apps?
> | >
> | >
> | > --
> | > Thanks or Good Luck,
> | > There may be humor in this post, and,
> | > Naturally, you will not sue,
> | > should things get worse after this,
> | > PCR
> | > pcrrcp@netzero.net
> | > "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> | > news:7D342DD7-CFFC-423E-A2D9-BCC21C22953D@microsoft.com...
> | > | Besides everything running kind of slowly, I am having problems
> | > opening
> | > | anything that needs rundll32.exe to open it, like add/remove
> programs,
> | > and
> | > | the shortcut to yahoo mail, for example. Any ideas, I'd
> appreciate
> | > it,
> | > | thanks again for all the help so far.
> | > |
> | > | "jj676" wrote:
> | > |
> | > | > Hey thanks!!!!This worked, though it didn't give me anything
> about
> | > options
> | > | > just do you want to reinstall it.....But it is back up and
> running,
> | > and I
> | > | > didn't lose anything...So thank you for sticking it out with
> me!!!
> | > Just one
> | > | > more thing....it boots up really slowly, and then loads the
> desktop
> | > slowly,
> | > | > any way to fix that?
> | > | > Thanks again
> | > | >
> | > | > "PCR" wrote:
> | > ....snip
> | >
> | >
> | >
>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

"jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:C5190A82-B26C-4B0A-8EC3-991F27AE76BD@microsoft.com...
| So far no more errors or problems with my computer,

Great day in the morning, & halleluiah! Again!

| I extracted rundll32.exe
| from SFC and the programs that needed it to run are running fine.

Gooood.

| The error message was just that "the file rundll32.exe that this shortcut
| refers to is missing" or something to that effect. But thats fixed now.

Hmm. It could have been the shortcut was not pointing to the right location for Rundll32.exe, which normally is C:\WINDOWS. Next time, R-Clk the shortcut, Properties, & look in the Target box. But OK, so long as all is well now.

| And
| I did go to windows update, and things are running a little better.

Good. Do a thorough Scandisk & Defrag, too, but DON'T let them constantly restart.

| But I
| still would appreciate a list of your back up apps, just in case, if the
| offers still good.

OK, in a separate post.

|
| What I meant by "I did find it when I changed the shell over to
| > winfile.exe" is that when I first tried to find comctl32.dll in the directory using the shell explorer.exe, it kept coming up as not found. That's when I figured that I didn't change the shell back over to explorer.exe after trying Gary's suggestion of trying progman, or winfile for the shell, before I tried extracting comctl32.dll from the cab file. So I changed the shell back over to winfile and then searched the directory and it did find it.

I get it. You changed the "Shell=" line in System.ini, but you still were unable to boot. Back in DOS, you did the DIR & found Comctl32.dll. OK, I get it.

| I don't remember though how it did end up coming up under explorer.exe...I remember trying your suggestion of "REN C:\Windows\System\Comctl32.old comctl32.dll" to get it back...But I son't know if that's when it worked or not....

Yea, that's what did it.

| But anyway, even after finding it in winfile, I still couldn't boot into windows it said error running winfile.exe reinstall windows.

Right, but you weren't IN Winfile! You just set it up in System.ini (Shell=Winfile.exe) to boot to Winfile, which didn't work. Subsequently, "Shell=Command.com" did allow you to boot to the DOS Shell & fix things with the START command. That's how I'll remember it, anyhow.

| But that problem is solved and I owe it to you and everyone else's
| suggeestions.
| Thanks for everything

You are welcome. OK, bye.

| ********
|
|
| "PCR" wrote:
|
| > | start command that I used was
| > | DIR "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\Setup.exe"
| >
| > That's a DIR! Well, if you STARTed that, then you did an uninstall of
| > IE, which really reverted it to a prior version. Spend a little time at
| > Windows Update.
| >
| > | I never did get it to work in winfile before booting to command.com
| >
| > What did you mean by... "I did find it when I changed the shell over to
| > winfile.exe", then? Remember saying that?
| >
| > | the problem with rundll32.exe?
| >
| > Maybe it isn't Rundll32.exe, really, that's bad. You've been through a
| > monster uninstall. Spend time at Windows Update, but you won't get one
| > from there. Here is how to recover it, which should be harmless. If
| > still problematic, best start a new thread, & be more SPECIFIC about the
| > error message(s) & circumstances.
| >
| > RUNDLL32.EXE
| > Desc: Run a DLL as an App
| > Loc: C:\WINDOWS
| > Size: 24,576 bytes
| > Mod: Friday, April 23, 1999 10:22:00 PM
| > Ver: 4.10.1998
| >
| > That is old enough (Win98SE) never to have been modified by an update.
| > So, extract it with SFC.
| >
| > (1) "START, Run, SFC"
| > (2) Bolt "Extract one file from installation disk"
| > (3) Enter "RUNDLL32.EXE" in the "Specify..." box.
| > (4) Click "Start". It should offer to "Save file in C:\WINDOWS".
| > If not, make it so.
| > (5) In "Restore from", if not already pre-filled, browse to
| > (a) Installation CD (likely the Win98 folder) or
| > (b) The folder that has your cabs on the hard drive, likely
| > "C:\WINDOWS\options\cabs\".
| > (5) Click "OK"
| >
| > If it discovers the file already exists, it will offer to back it up.
| > May as well do so. If it discovers the file is "in use", it will request
| > that you reboot to complete the install.
| >
| >
| > --
| > Thanks or Good Luck,
| > There may be humor in this post, and,
| > Naturally, you will not sue,
| > should things get worse after this,
| > PCR
| > pcrrcp@netzero.net
| > "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
| > news:C4B55E89-9E29-43DB-8DAB-0E64FFFB7BA7@microsoft.com...
| > | Thanks for all the help. My computer did alert me that there were
| > updates
| > | available I check and see what they are. Should that fix the problem
| > with
| > | rundll32.exe? If not, should I extract that file from the cab file,
| > and if
| > | so what is the destination for it windows or windows/system?
| > |
| > | I never did get it to work in winfile before booting to command.com,
| > and the
| > | start command that I used was
| > | DIR "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\Setup.exe"
| > |
| > | Thanks again, you don't know how happy my sister is to have her
| > computer
| > | working again. I'll let you know if there are anymore problems you
| > can help
| > | me with ;-) Hopefully there won't be.
| > |
| > | "PCR" wrote:
| > |
| > | > Which one worked, the uninstall or the over-install of IE-- which
| > START
| > | > command precisely? In any case, the normal advice now is to go to
| > | > Windows Update, & see whether it offers anything, especially IE
| > related.
| > | >
| > | > Perhaps make a full system backup first, so as always to get back to
| > at
| > | > least a working system, if slow. Update the backup after things get
| > | > quicker. Would you like my list of backup apps?
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > --
| > | > Thanks or Good Luck,
| > | > There may be humor in this post, and,
| > | > Naturally, you will not sue,
| > | > should things get worse after this,
| > | > PCR
| > | > pcrrcp@netzero.net
| > | > "jj676" <jj676@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
| > | > news:7D342DD7-CFFC-423E-A2D9-BCC21C22953D@microsoft.com...
| > | > | Besides everything running kind of slowly, I am having problems
| > | > opening
| > | > | anything that needs rundll32.exe to open it, like add/remove
| > programs,
| > | > and
| > | > | the shortcut to yahoo mail, for example. Any ideas, I'd
| > appreciate
| > | > it,
| > | > | thanks again for all the help so far.
| > | > |
| > | > | "jj676" wrote:
| > | > |
| > | > | > Hey thanks!!!!This worked, though it didn't give me anything
| > about
| > | > options
| > | > | > just do you want to reinstall it.....But it is back up and
| > running,
| > | > and I
| > | > | > didn't lose anything...So thank you for sticking it out with
| > me!!!
| > | > Just one
| > | > | > more thing....it boots up really slowly, and then loads the
| > desktop
| > | > slowly,
| > | > | > any way to fix that?
| > | > | > Thanks again
| > | > | >
| > | > | > "PCR" wrote:
| > | > ....snip
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| >
| >
| >