PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: marklhess90745 on December 10, 2006, 05:46
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Thanks to all that saw my very first post and made me feel so welcome.
The first problem I'd like to straighten out is a DLL error that pops up when I log into Windows.
It pops up with
DLL
Error loading w03764f8.dll
The specified module could not be found
I have talked to others who tell me this is a virus but not how to correct it.
Would someone be able to help stop this from occuring?
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Hi Mark,
I assume, to eliminate the possibility of it being a virus, you have done a complete virus scan, with fully updated anti-virus software?
DLL problems are notoriously difficult to rectify. That particular dll isn't recognised on Google - is there any other information which could give us a clue as to what it relates to?
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Do any of your programs not run properly ?
If so then it may be connected to that program and if you unistall and reinstall that program it may repair or replace that .dll
If everything seems to be ok then go to Start/Run and type in MSCONFIG then click ok.
Tick the selective start up part then Startup.
Untick anything in there that doesnt relate to your anti virus or firewall.
Click on Apply then Close and it will ask you to reboot.
That will stop the .dll loading with windows, hopefully.
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If you go to http://www.hijackthis.de/, download and run the program, this might, with a bit of luck, reveal what the .dll is related to, and then you can decide whether to remove it, reinstall the connected program, or disable it in MSCONFIG, as Sandra suggested.
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I seem to have a number of software packages showing up in HiJack this, all of which I've previously deleted. Is it safe for me to check the boxes and remove them? "Weather Watcher" and "Spyware Doctor" are examples.
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Well, you have to be a bit careful with shared .dlls, Clive, but if you have previously uninstalled those programs, they are probably just remnants left behind, and therefore safe to delete.
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I've deleted a couple of the remnants and everything is still fine. :D
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After viewing your suggestion(s), I really watched :o what takes place during the .DLL error. I noticed that my Lexmark 4200 Series All-In-One shows up with an "X" on it, then the "error" pops up. After clicking the OK button the computer continues the Start-up sequence and the "X" disappears. So it would appear that the DLL could be related to my Lexmark printer.
All ideas for resolving this issue are greatly appreciated.
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You could start by reinstalling any software and drivers that came with the Lexmark. That should replace any damaged or missing .DLL files.
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So, you are suggesting I un-install the printer. Is it suitable to use the Control Panel's Printers and Other Hardware? or should I see if there is an uninstall on the original Installation CD?
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If it will unistall from the Printers and Faxes folder that should be ok.
If not do it from inside teh Device Manager.
Then reboot and it should reinstall the printer or ask for the CD.
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Well, the .DLL problem persisted even after removing the Lemark All-In-One. Is there any way to find out when this thing pops up in the sequence of the boot process?
As you have done, I scoured the internet (if that's possible) for references where W03------.DLL are mentioned and came up with a big fat goose egg, almost like this is a dummy popup that has been placed by a virus, worm, or malware that puts the pop-up there to annoy me.
Is this a possibility, and would re-installing WindowsXP resolve an issue like this?
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Some popups are put there with a link to a program that will supposedly "cure" the problem.
If you are not getting a message saying free scan for this or that and buy this then its probably not one of those.
Did you try stopping unnecessary programs starting up as windows boots up by using MSCONFIG as I suggested earlier ?
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When I went to the MSCONFIG as you suggested, I found the first line item Startup Item is:
RUNDLL32
Its associtated Command is (if I can copy is correctly):
RUNDLL32.EXE w03764f8.dll,n 003563a40000000303764f8
Its Location:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
From its face value, this is the offending line! What can be done (now) to resolve/prevent this from continuing to be a problem?
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RUNDLL32 is an important Windows file Mark. For gawds sake don't delete that!
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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 (http://www.superantispyware.com/)
Ad Aware (http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1)
Spybot S&D (http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-1)
Ewido (AVG) (http://www.ewido.net/en/)
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.
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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
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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 :)
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Sandra is correct 8-) 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.
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So if I start the computer up in "safe" mode I shouldn't get the error because "safe" mode doesn't load drivers?
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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.
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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. :-\
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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.
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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?
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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!
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i'd say use hijackthis first as it is a great piece of software