Topic: DLL Error

[Simon]

RUNDLL32.EXE is a legitimate Windows process, and shouldn't be disabled, but the one you are seeing may not be the genuine one, as it can also be imitated by malware programs.

What I would suggest, is to download several different spyware removal programs, and hopefully they will remove anything spurious.  These are different to Anti-Virus software, as you can have more than one installed, and each one tends to find different things.  Here are a few suggestions, all of which offer free versions:-

SuperAntiSpyware
Ad Aware
Spybot S&D
Ewido (AVG)

At least one of those should remove your problem DLL, and they may also find other stuff worth getting rid of too.  Best of luck, and let us know how you get on.

[marklhess90745]

Hi, Clive!

Have you referred to my previous posts?

I get an error on the w03764f8.dll as my pc goes through the boot and setup process.

Can the RUNDLL32 line be modified to "remove" the reference to the w03764f8.dll?

I have looked on the internet and cannot locate ANY reference to it.

Thanx

[Sandra]

It isnt essential to have it in your startup items.

Untick it and reboot and say ok when the window opens saying that you have used the Systems Config.

If its needed by any programs it will load when you start the program.

If you then find that the popup message appears when you load a program then thats the one that has a problem and we can hopefully find out why at that point.

Unticking start up items only stops them loading with windows, it doesnt interfere with any programs that needs it and you definately dont need rundll32.exe loading with windows 

[Scottytoohotty]

Sandra is correct  disable it on your startup items (that isn't deleting it, it just won't start when the computer starts and shouldn't pop up with the error message)

extra note: i don't ever remember getting missing dll errors from viruses until AFTER i removed the virus.

[marklhess90745]

So if I start the computer up in "safe" mode I shouldn't get the error because "safe" mode doesn't load drivers?

[Scottytoohotty]

you wouldn't get the error because safe mode doesn't load drivers OR run startup items.


just disable the rundll32.exe item in msconfig (uncheck it) and restart and if it doesn't come up again then you don't worry about it anymore.

[marklhess90745]

I use the configuration editor to remove (uncheck) the allegedly offending line.
Is there a way to completely edit this startup file so that the line is completely removed?

It was so much easier in WIN98. 

[Simon]

It's a bit fiddly, but if you expand the column on the right in MSCONFIG, it tells you the location of the file in the Registry.  Make a note of this, then you should be able to go to Start > Run > regedit, navigate to the item and remove it.  It's good advice to back up your registry before making any changes (File > Export), just in case something goes wrong.

[marklhess90745]

Thanks!

I took your advise and [search]ed for the offending line in the REGEDITor.

The line appears this way:
My Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg\slk563a7

The command value is where the Value Data:
RUNDLL32.EXE w03764f8.dll,n 003563a40000000303764f8

appears.

Does this appear to be something of importance or can it be deleted as you suggest?

[Simon]

OK, I'm not a registry expert, but that looks a little strange.  "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HKEY_CURRENT_USER" should be one or the other, in this case, I suspect it might be "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\".  I have checked that entry on my own PC, and I don't have a MSConfig folder in that directory of my registry, so I would guess that it shouldn't be there in yours.  Are there any other items in that folder, other than "startupreg\slk563a7"?  The real MSConfig folder should be in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupfolder".  If you check on your PC, you should find it there, with all the genuine startup entries.

I think it would be safe to delete the "MSConfig\startupreg\slk563a7" part of the registry entry you found, but as I said above back up your registry before making any changes, then if you find problems afterwards, you can restore it to how it was.

You might find the following program useful, but as the item you found isn't in the correct place, I'm not certain that this program would clear it.

http://www.get-in-control.com/msconfig-cleanup/

You could also try www.hijackthis.de, which might be a safer way to remove the item without manually fiddling with the registry.  Download and run the file, and if your startup item is there, tick and remove it.  You can also send the logfile for analysis if you want to see what other nasties might be lurking.

Good luck!

[sam]

i'd say use hijackthis first as it is a great piece of software