OLEAUT32.dll not found - help

[gregf]

One day, out of the blue it would seem, one of my Windows XP PCs
stopped booting, but instead gave the error message-
lsass.exe - Unable to locate Component
This application failed to start because OLEAUT32.dll was not found.
Re-installing the application may fix this.

I put in a second hard drive to boot from, scanned for virus and
spyware, etc. Still did the same thing. So then I found the dll file on
the booting harddrive and copied it the first drive that's not working
into the same folder (system32) and tried again. Now it goes right to
the screen that demands to pick a mode to boot in, saying it cannot
boot normally.
I'd like to know what happened, and how to fix this, it would be such a
waste to lose the programs installed on the HD for no apparent reason.

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

See if you're able to start Windows in Safe Mode Command Prompt, and run a System Restore rollback.

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449

If that does not help, a repair install might help:

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


One day, out of the blue it would seem, one of my Windows XP PCs
stopped booting, but instead gave the error message-
lsass.exe - Unable to locate Component
This application failed to start because OLEAUT32.dll was not found.
Re-installing the application may fix this.

I put in a second hard drive to boot from, scanned for virus and
spyware, etc. Still did the same thing. So then I found the dll file on
the booting harddrive and copied it the first drive that's not working
into the same folder (system32) and tried again. Now it goes right to
the screen that demands to pick a mode to boot in, saying it cannot
boot normally.
I'd like to know what happened, and how to fix this, it would be such a
waste to lose the programs installed on the HD for no apparent reason.