Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

OOOPS .... I did it again.


  • Please log in to reply

#1
David in NJ

David in NJ

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 6 posts
OK... This is what has happened to my system. Here we go again. I did something kinda stupid. No, it was stupid period. And now... I am reliving a mess that I went through a few weeks back.

I downloaded and installed a new browser.. FREE-BROWSER. During the installation process there was an error message saying something about having problems registering a DLL file... which I should have written down but stupidly didn't. I chose the option of "retry". Then... after the browser was installed I was prompted to re-boot.

Well, needless to say, the computer will start to boot, loading my wallpaper and I will see the taskbar "flash" for a second.... then all I am left with is my wallpaper and nothing else. No icons... and no Windows. Also... strangely enough, there are no error messages that you usually get with missing/damaged/corrupt DLL files. (???)

Anyway... I tried everything. scanreg /restore, which didn't bring me back far enough. I tried rebooting several times... to no avail.

I then emailed the browsers developer and asked him if there were any files that came with his system that could possibly have this effect on my Windows98se... and he was promptly wrote back with a list of 4 that he said were "windows" files... They are......

comdlg32.ocx
mscomctl.ocx
MSVBVM60.dll
shdocvw.dll

Now... it has been suggested to me by a few people (relativly computer saavy) that the file that is giving me the type of "symptoms" I am experiencing is

shdocvw.dll <-----

The thing is... I have no Windows98CD. And any bootdisk that I have created, doesn't work. Yes... my "A" drive is set as the first one in the drive sequence pecking order. I have never gotten a boot disk to work.

Obviously... at least to me I "forced" a DLL onto my system that is either corrupt or the wrong file version.

Does any of this make since to you guys. Are the above listed DLLs enough to paralyze my system if I have the wrong version or a corrupt copy?

Also... does the file mentioned as the potential "culprit" have any kind of history in producing these type of symptoms?

Thanks guys....

DAVID
  • 0

Advertisements


#2
Retired Tech

Retired Tech

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 20,563 posts
This will rebuild rather than restore the registry and also replace missing or corrupt system files

Boot the PC and keep tapping F8 right after the beep until you get options, select command prompt only, type scanreg.exe /fix then press enter, it will run through a few screens then say registry repaired. Press enter then press ctrl + alt + delete keys together to reboot.

When it has loaded, click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools, system information, tools then run system file checker and replace any files it asks for from the 98SE CD then reboot.

When it has loaded to the desktop, click start, programmes accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then run disc defragmenter from system tools

  • 0

#3
David in NJ

David in NJ

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 6 posts
Thanks Keith.... But as I said before, I have NO Windows98se CD. The last time I had a DLL issue I was fortunate enough to get an error message identifying the file in question... This time... believe it or not, I get no error message.

All I get is a blank wallpaper with no icons. The taskbar will flash for a second and then disappear. I cannot get into SAFE MODE... but I can bring up a C:prompt.

thanks

DAVID
  • 0

#4
Retired Tech

Retired Tech

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 20,563 posts
You can still run scanreg.exe /fix from the command prompt
  • 0

#5
David in NJ

David in NJ

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 6 posts
Thanks... the other day, I tried scanreg /restore and all the dates listed were not old enough to go back before the event. Doesn't scanreg /fix work with scanreg /restore?

Also... do I need to add the .exe?

thanks

DAVID
  • 0

#6
Retired Tech

Retired Tech

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 20,563 posts
Scanreg.exe /fix will rebuild the registry without resorting to restoring it

it needs to be typed as given
  • 0

#7
David in NJ

David in NJ

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 6 posts
OK Keith... we'll give it a shot. I will report back tomorrow with my results.

Thanks

DAVID
  • 0

#8
David in NJ

David in NJ

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 6 posts
OK... I did the scanreg.exe /fix, as per the suggestions, and it said it successfully rebuilt the registry. However.... same exact thing is happening.

BTW... with DLL issues, don't you usually get an error message identifying the culprit DLL(s)? I always have.

Thank You

DAVID
  • 0

#9
David in NJ

David in NJ

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 6 posts
Thanks... :tazz: Problem is solved. Here is the fix that did the trick.

From the startup menu (tap F8 at startup) select Command Prompt Only.
At the C:\> prompt type

cd windows\system (hit enter)

At the C:\windows\system prompt type

copy shdocvw.bak shdocvw.dll (hit enter)

You should get a "1 file copied" message.

Hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete to restart. See if this restores your desktop.

I'd like to thank all who offered their support for helping me out with this issue. Now... I'm back in business :)

Thank You

DAVID :)
  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP