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missing .dll file, windows won't load



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 29th 04, 06:36 PM
greg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default missing .dll file, windows won't load

I have Windows 98SE and when I recently went to start the
computer the following appeared: "A required .DLL file,
C:\windows\system\msvcrt.dll wsa not found." After this, a
screen appears telling me there was an error loading
explorer.exe and that I need to reinstall Windows.
Questions: Anyone know where/how I can find this .dll file
and re-load it onto the HD without reinstalling Windows.
OR If I have to reinstall, any way to do so without losing
all of the other programs/files on my HD? Any help is
greatly appreciated! Thanks!
  #2  
Old July 29th 04, 06:46 PM
Ron Badour
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default missing .dll file, windows won't load

To replace a missing or corrupt file with an original copy, you must locate
the file in the .cab files on your W98 CD. Using the machine you are
posting with, open Explorer and select the folder containing the .cab files.
Open the Tools menu, click Find, Files and type: *.Cab in the Named box.
Type the name of the wanted file in the Containing Text box and click Find
Now. This lists the .cab file your wanted file is located in. Double click
the .cab file to see what's in it and right click to extract the wanted file
to a floppy disk.

Boot with a floppy start up disk--CDRom support is not required. If you do
not have a start up disk, make one with the Fat32ebd.exe file located on the
W98 CD: tools/mtsutil/fat32ebd.
At the A: prompt, put in the floppy containing the file you extracted.
Assuming you are replacing a .dll file named xyz, type: Copy A:\xyz.dll
C:\windows\system\xyz.dll and hit enter. Once the file is copied,
remove the floppy disk and reboot. While .dll files are filed in the system
folder, other files may be filed elsewhere so make sure you specify the
right folder.
************
Once the PC is running again, it may complain about the .dll you restored as
there are many versions of it. Here is my standard blurb for that should
you need it.

I think the best way to explain this error message is to list an example and
then walk you through the troubleshooting logic I'd use. **Example**: The
LOADWC.EXE file is linked to missing export SHLWAPI.DLL:wnsprintfA

File one is expecting file number two to be able to do something which it
cannot do. This generally means the second file was replaced with an older
version which doesn't contain the functionality that first file was
expecting to find. There's a possibility file number two is corrupt or
missing but most likely an older version file is the cause. In either case,
replace *your* file two with a current (or more current) version. For help
finding a replacement file, go here and do a search:
http://support.microsoft.com/service...on/dllinfo.asp

Do a search on *your* file two and be sure to include the file extension
(.dll). Once the results appear, locate the version of file two that your
PC is using and work up the list. When you click on the more information
link, you will find what product(s) that version of the .dll is contained
in. This may give you a clue as to what version of the file should be
there.

For example, using the sample listed above, you find version 5.0.2614.3500
of the shlwapi.dll is on file and by checking the list of files, you find
this version comes with W98SE. Going up the list, you find version
5.50.4134.600 is contained in IE 5.50. If you had updated your browser to
IE5.5, there's the problem--the correct version of shlwapi.dll got
overwritten by the copy with comes with W98SE.

Finally, the troubleshooting information above centers on file two since it
should most likely be the source of the problem; however, file one could be
an incorrect version or it might be corrupt.

--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"greg" wrote in message
...
I have Windows 98SE and when I recently went to start the
computer the following appeared: "A required .DLL file,
C:\windows\system\msvcrt.dll wsa not found." After this, a
screen appears telling me there was an error loading
explorer.exe and that I need to reinstall Windows.
Questions: Anyone know where/how I can find this .dll file
and re-load it onto the HD without reinstalling Windows.
OR If I have to reinstall, any way to do so without losing
all of the other programs/files on my HD? Any help is
greatly appreciated! Thanks!



  #3  
Old July 29th 04, 06:56 PM
greg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Thanks!

Thanks Ron! You're a life saver!
G


-----Original Message-----
To replace a missing or corrupt file with an original

copy, you must locate
the file in the .cab files on your W98 CD. Using the

machine you are
posting with, open Explorer and select the folder

containing the .cab files.
Open the Tools menu, click Find, Files and type:

*.Cab in the Named box.
Type the name of the wanted file in the Containing Text

box and click Find
Now. This lists the .cab file your wanted file is

located in. Double click
the .cab file to see what's in it and right click to

extract the wanted file
to a floppy disk.

Boot with a floppy start up disk--CDRom support is not

required. If you do
not have a start up disk, make one with the Fat32ebd.exe

file located on the
W98 CD: tools/mtsutil/fat32ebd.
At the A: prompt, put in the floppy containing the file

you extracted.
Assuming you are replacing a .dll file named xyz, type:

Copy A:\xyz.dll
C:\windows\system\xyz.dll and hit enter. Once

the file is copied,
remove the floppy disk and reboot. While .dll files are

filed in the system
folder, other files may be filed elsewhere so make sure

you specify the
right folder.
************
Once the PC is running again, it may complain about

the .dll you restored as
there are many versions of it. Here is my standard blurb

for that should
you need it.

I think the best way to explain this error message is to

list an example and
then walk you through the troubleshooting logic I'd use.

**Example**: The
LOADWC.EXE file is linked to missing export

SHLWAPI.DLL:wnsprintfA

File one is expecting file number two to be able to do

something which it
cannot do. This generally means the second file was

replaced with an older
version which doesn't contain the functionality that

first file was
expecting to find. There's a possibility file number two

is corrupt or
missing but most likely an older version file is the

cause. In either case,
replace *your* file two with a current (or more current)

version. For help
finding a replacement file, go here and do a search:
http://support.microsoft.com/service...leversion/dlli

nfo.asp

Do a search on *your* file two and be sure to include the

file extension
(.dll). Once the results appear, locate the version of

file two that your
PC is using and work up the list. When you click on the

more information
link, you will find what product(s) that version of

the .dll is contained
in. This may give you a clue as to what version of the

file should be
there.

For example, using the sample listed above, you find

version 5.0.2614.3500
of the shlwapi.dll is on file and by checking the list of

files, you find
this version comes with W98SE. Going up the list, you

find version
5.50.4134.600 is contained in IE 5.50. If you had

updated your browser to
IE5.5, there's the problem--the correct version of

shlwapi.dll got
overwritten by the copy with comes with W98SE.

Finally, the troubleshooting information above centers on

file two since it
should most likely be the source of the problem; however,

file one could be
an incorrect version or it might be corrupt.

--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"greg" wrote in

message
...
I have Windows 98SE and when I recently went to start

the
computer the following appeared: "A required .DLL file,
C:\windows\system\msvcrt.dll wsa not found." After

this, a
screen appears telling me there was an error loading
explorer.exe and that I need to reinstall Windows.
Questions: Anyone know where/how I can find this .dll

file
and re-load it onto the HD without reinstalling Windows.
OR If I have to reinstall, any way to do so without

losing
all of the other programs/files on my HD? Any help is
greatly appreciated! Thanks!



.

  #4  
Old October 25th 04, 09:45 PM
Jim Orlando
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


Greg, your advice was superb! And after restoring the .DLL I needed, the
system did complain about "...is linked to missing export xxxxx ...". And
following your subsequent instructions enabled me to get past that message.

"Ron Badour" wrote:

To replace a missing or corrupt file with an original copy, you must locate
the file in the .cab files on your W98 CD. Using the machine you are
posting with, open Explorer and select the folder containing the .cab files.
Open the Tools menu, click Find, Files and type: *.Cab in the Named box.
Type the name of the wanted file in the Containing Text box and click Find
Now. This lists the .cab file your wanted file is located in. Double click
the .cab file to see what's in it and right click to extract the wanted file
to a floppy disk.

Boot with a floppy start up disk--CDRom support is not required. If you do
not have a start up disk, make one with the Fat32ebd.exe file located on the
W98 CD: tools/mtsutil/fat32ebd.
At the A: prompt, put in the floppy containing the file you extracted.
Assuming you are replacing a .dll file named xyz, type: Copy A:\xyz.dll
C:\windows\system\xyz.dll and hit enter. Once the file is copied,
remove the floppy disk and reboot. While .dll files are filed in the system
folder, other files may be filed elsewhere so make sure you specify the
right folder.
************
Once the PC is running again, it may complain about the .dll you restored as
there are many versions of it. Here is my standard blurb for that should
you need it.

I think the best way to explain this error message is to list an example and
then walk you through the troubleshooting logic I'd use. **Example**: The
LOADWC.EXE file is linked to missing export SHLWAPI.DLL:wnsprintfA

File one is expecting file number two to be able to do something which it
cannot do. This generally means the second file was replaced with an older
version which doesn't contain the functionality that first file was
expecting to find. There's a possibility file number two is corrupt or
missing but most likely an older version file is the cause. In either case,
replace *your* file two with a current (or more current) version. For help
finding a replacement file, go here and do a search:
http://support.microsoft.com/service...on/dllinfo.asp

Do a search on *your* file two and be sure to include the file extension
(.dll). Once the results appear, locate the version of file two that your
PC is using and work up the list. When you click on the more information
link, you will find what product(s) that version of the .dll is contained
in. This may give you a clue as to what version of the file should be
there.

For example, using the sample listed above, you find version 5.0.2614.3500
of the shlwapi.dll is on file and by checking the list of files, you find
this version comes with W98SE. Going up the list, you find version
5.50.4134.600 is contained in IE 5.50. If you had updated your browser to
IE5.5, there's the problem--the correct version of shlwapi.dll got
overwritten by the copy with comes with W98SE.

Finally, the troubleshooting information above centers on file two since it
should most likely be the source of the problem; however, file one could be
an incorrect version or it might be corrupt.

--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"greg" wrote in message
...
I have Windows 98SE and when I recently went to start the
computer the following appeared: "A required .DLL file,
C:\windows\system\msvcrt.dll wsa not found." After this, a
screen appears telling me there was an error loading
explorer.exe and that I need to reinstall Windows.
Questions: Anyone know where/how I can find this .dll file
and re-load it onto the HD without reinstalling Windows.
OR If I have to reinstall, any way to do so without losing
all of the other programs/files on my HD? Any help is
greatly appreciated! Thanks!




 




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