How can I fix a .dll file that is damaged?

I was installing some software on my computer and when it was finished it asked for the automatic reboot so the software would work. I did that and now when my computer starts up it goes through all of the normal tasks untill it gets to the desktop where a norton anti virus blue and yellow screen pops up and says that NAV will not work. So then I hit the "O" for ok. Then the computer goes to my desktop and I am able to see the wallpaper in the background and then an error message flashes and it says that the file COMCTL32.DLL is not working, check the file and see what the problem is. I hit the OK button. My wallpaper is there but nothing else will show up. If I double click anywhere the error message appears again. When I hold down ctl, alt, del the normal screen comes up but does not have anything in the list. Can you help? Thanks for your time.

Russ

This question was answered on February 6, 2001. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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OK, Russ, this won't be simple, but if you can follow these steps, I think we can fix the problem.

Some programs replace Windows .dll files with their own versions of thefiles when you install them When this happens, Windows knows it and Windows is not happy about it.It sounds like this is what happened The Windows Commctrl.dll,Commdlg.dll, Shell.dll, Lzexpand.dll, Ver.dll, or Mmsystem.dll files may have been replaced by files from the software you installed You will need to replace these unfriendly .dll files with the original or later versions of the .dll files for the Windows operating system.

In the instructions that follow, replace <name> with the name of the

appropriate file This file will be one of the following files:

Commctrl.dll for Comctl32.dll

Commdlg.dll for Comdlg32.dll

Shell.dll for shell32.dll

Lzexpand.dll for Lz32.dll

Ver.dll for Version.dll

Mmsystem.dll for Winmm.dll

Restart your computer to a command prompt, and then copy the <name> file from the Windows\Sysbckup folder to the Windows\System folder This replaces the existing file (the damaged one) with the correct Windows version of the file

NOTE: The program that replaced the <name> file with another version of the file may have set some of the <name> file's attributes If you are having trouble copying the file from the Windows\Sysbckup folder to the Windows\System folder, use Windows Explorer to check the <name> file's properties If the file's Read-Only, Hidden, or System properties are selected, click those check boxes to clear them

In most cases, this should be as far as you need to go However,

if the <name> file in your Windows\Sysbckup folder is also damaged or is not the correct version of the file, you will have to take another step You will have to extract a new version of the file from the .cab files on your original Windows disks or CD-ROM to the Windows\System folder .cab files are "cabinets" that contain all the Windows operating system files To take out one file, you need to "extract" it

For information about using the EXTRACT command to extract a file, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q129605

TITLE : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

You can access the Knowledge Base by logging on to www.microsoft.com, then clicking the "Support" tab at the top Search by the Article ID Number, and yo will find the file you need

To extract a new copy of the <name> file, you need to perform one of the following steps, depending on the file:

Extract the Kommctrl.dll file from the Precopy1.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Kommctrl.dll file to Commctrl.dll

>>

Extract the Commdlg.new file from the Win95_11.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Commdlg.new file to Commdlg.dll.

>>

Extract the Shell.new file from the Win95_11.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Shell.new file to Shell.dll

>>

Extract the Lzexpand.dll file from the Precopy1.cab file to the Windows\System folder >>

>>

Extract the Ver.new file from the Win95_17.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Ver.new file to Ver.dll

>>

Extract the Mmsystem.dll file from the Win95_13.cab file to the Windows\System folder

NOTE: The specific cabinet file numbers may vary from version to version Use the /A switch to search the entire cabinet set of the appropriate type (Precopy or Win95)

Good computing Feel free to inquire again if you cannot fix the problem with the suggestions I gave you.

About the author

Posted by Robert of Chandler-Gilbert Community College on February 6, 2001

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