System32.dll missing... :(

Zaphod B

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHH sonofab!tch.
rite now that's off me chest...

I had to delete system32.dll thank to one of those lovely little viruses. Not a good idea I know but it was late and I just wanted to get rid of the little bastard (Mcafee refused to clean it). Anyway the virus seems to be gone but so is system32.dll, so I get error messages popping up all over the place and general problems. Now I can't find system32.dll anywhere. Not on my Win XP CD, not on my other comp or the Win2K CD for that... not on Google...

Any ideas where I can find the damn thing?
(Preferably not involving formatting the hdd and reinstalling everything but if that's the only solution I guess I don't have a choice).

Thx in advance.

LoLth

On winxp can you not do a restore to a previous system state?

Or win2k, you should be able to get into the repair console and restore the file from the hidden repair directory.

theciscokid

you could fix it if xp has the same option as 2000 - never checked

the system.dat + user.dat have back up files system.da0 and user.da0

u could rename one of them to the .dat (which would bring ur computer back to a previous state)

after showing all hidden files and file extensions..

go to a cmd prompt and move to the dir of the .dat

ren system.da0 system.dat

that might work or i may be way off

:rolleyes:

LoLth

If it's windows XP:

Running System Restore

If you can boot Windows:

Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore. Click the Restore My
Computer to an earlier time, next.

If you cannot boot Windows:

Boot into safe mode. Click the System Restore link. Click the Restore My Computer to an
earlier time, next.

have a look at

THIS SITE

If you are running Windows 2000

C:\>sfc /?
Microsoft(R) Windows 2000 Windows File Checker Version 5.00 (C) 1999 Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved
Scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions.

SFC [/SCANNOW] [/SCANONCE] [/SCANBOOT] [/CANCEL] [/ENABLE] [/PURGECACHE] [/CACHESIZE=x] [/QUIET]

/SCANNOW Scans all protected system files immediately.
/SCANONCE Scans all protected system files once at the next boot.
/SCANBOOT Scans all protected system files at every boot.
/CANCEL Cancels all pending scans of protected system files.
/QUIET Replaces all incorrect file versions without prompting the user.
/ENABLE Enables Windows File Protection for normal operation
/PURGECACHE Purges the file cache and scans all protected system files immediately.
/CACHESIZE=x Sets the file cache size



which again is copied from a website that you can find HERE

If it's win98 (not ME)

start >> run >> type in SFC

replace any files it throws up to you but do not replace user.exe or GUID.dll (or is it exe?) anyway, it's GUID.something.

Hope that helps.

Zaphod B

Waaaaaagh.... I just checked my System settings and realised I'd turned off the system restore option ages ago... I have no system restore points... I think I'll just curl up in the corner and slowly go insane now.

LoLth

minght cause more problems than it fixes but XP automatically creates a restore point after installation. You should have that one.

However, if you can get in to command prompt (as in start windows) then the scf /scannow should run the system file checker.

Alternatively boot from the winxp disk and select the repair option. (I have NEVER had the repair result in what I would term a successful fix. It usually ends up in a messy runaround as I run checkers etc.)

Capt'n Midnight

or had installed the command console ... then you could just copy it over the one that is already there.

Another option is to install a second copy of XP in another folder and use it to copy over the files

Zaphod B

Sorry to drag this back up again but I haven't been able to try this until recently.

I ran SFC, a window came up telling me it was checking that all protected system files were of the right version, and a status bar very slowly crawled across. When it reached the end it just shut down, without ever telling me there was anything wrong with my files. I restarted and once again I'm told system32.dll is missing
Any ideas? The installing WinXP in another folder idea sounds like the best solution but is it as simple as that or will it fork up my system? Thx in advance.

maxheadroom

You could do a repair installation of XP.

sceptre

Originally posted by maxheadroom
You could do a repair installation of XP.

Do that.

Pop in your XP disc, boot with that, select Repair installation when it gives you the option.

kernel32.dll

Are you sure it's not a 3rd party file form some app that you have?

Zaphod B

I guess it could be since I don't have any major problems now, but if so is there any way to stop the error message coming up when Windows loads? It's just annoying really

halkar

system32.dll is not part of Windows and it was probably created by the virus you had and have references in the registry which is causing the annoying errors, if you feel comfortable with the regedit than do a search on system32.dll or try another up-to-date virus scanner.

GUI

(1)win.ini
(2)hkey local machine\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run

(3)hkey current user\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run

(4)c:\documents and settings\userid\start menu\programs\startup

(5)c:\documents and settings\all users\start menu\programs\startup


in 1 of those 5 places u will find the reference to that "system file" ;-)

ya its actually a fake virus message..
just delete reference from one of those locations and ur sorted

uch

Halkar is Correct, system32.dll is not a microsoft file, it was created by the virus you got, do you remember the name of the Virus, if so check out the mcAfee virus Library to find the method of removing all the reg entries.