c:\WINDOWS\system32\hnetcfg.dll, Not a valid windows Image

[Tony D.]

Did you ever run into this?

I am running windows XP on an e machine t 1115.
1st. There was an error message with reference to CompuServe DLL
c:\WINDOWS\system32\hnetcfg.dll, Not a valid windows Image. Please
check this against your installation disk; when CompuServe was
starting, then I would close the error message and all was well. It
was annoying though, so I did system restore, now I am getting the
error all the time, with reference to msmsgs.exe.
I can close it and continue on the computer for a while, but it will
pop up again, and I have to close it 2 or 3 times, and it will "stay
away" for a while, and then come back. any Ideas.
The windows XP disk I have is the one that came with the computer
from e machine.
Thanks, Tony
D.

 

[Tony D.]

Well this is weird.
Maybe you can explain. I found the file on line, and went into the
system32 folder, and found the hnetcfg.dll file. I clicked
properites, and it said 0 KB in size. (the new hnetcfg.dll I
downloaded was 235 KB in size)
I renamed hnetcfg.dll to hnetcfg.dllold, and tried to install the
new file into the system 32 folder, but it said it already existed;
did I want to replace it?
I figured I better not. I did not see the hnetcfg.dll file near
hnetcfg.dllold, but found it way at the bottom of the folder.
Does windows have these .dll files stored somewhere else, and
reinstall them as needed, or do you think it may have been some type
of trozen virus that was snuck in there, disguised as the hnetcfg.dll
file.
Beats me? But I rebooted and all is well.
No more error message when starting CompuServe or when in windows.
I am curious? Any Ideas?
Thanks, Tony D.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I renamed hnetcfg.dll to hnetcfg.dllold, and tried to install the
new file into the system 32 folder, but it said it already existed;
did I want to replace it?
I figured I better not. I did not see the hnetcfg.dll file near
hnetcfg.dllold, but found it way at the bottom of the folder.
Does windows have these .dll files stored somewhere else, and
reinstall them as needed, or do you think it may have been some type
of trozen virus that was snuck in there, disguised as the hnetcfg.dll
file.

Yes it does - they are cached so that if any get damaged, the Windows
File Protection can restore a new copy instantly - which is what
happened when you renamed that original one. Doing so, and rebooting
for the newly restored one to come into use is a good way to 'refresh' a
specific file.

They are cached in either windows\system32\dllcache, or if there is a
SP1 version that will be in windows\ServicePackFiles (and will be used
preferentially). On my system this is only in that ServicePack cache,
so it may have been new in SP1. It's the 'Home Networking Manager'


If you really *must* install a new, non-standard version do it by
replacing first in dllcache; then in ServicePackFiles, then rename the
one in use. If Windows File Protection then asks for the CD, pat it on
the head and Cancel, saying that you do *not* want to replace

 

[Tony D.]

Good Deal,
Thank You,