Bad Image error message & missing shell.exe

[missingitch]

Hi,

I have a Dell Dimension 5150 running Winxp Professional Service pack
2. When booting up I get an error message, entitled "program name.exe"
and a message, The application or DLL C:\windows\system32\***.dll is
not a valid windows image. Please check against your installation
diskettes". I get this message for every program I run, but each
program works perfectly once I click "OK" to close the error message.

I also get a message that windows cannot find shell.exe. I can't
find shell.exe by searching either.

I have all the recommended Windows updates and am running AVG anti
virus. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

I suggest downloading the Autoruns app, to help you disable the last
vestiges of some spyware your system has now removed.

AutoRuns for Windows v8.61:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/Autoruns.mspx