Can't find SHELL32.dll - Could be a problem...

  • Thread starter Thread starter contrapositive
  • Start date Start date
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contrapositive

Hi. Against my better judgment, my kids installed something on their PC -- a
Windows Longhorn service pack, or some such, which attempts to change parts
of the Windows XP interface to look like Longhorn (when it was still
Longhorn). It sort of worked (for a while) and then something went terribly
wrong. Now when you boot the machine, it shows the Windows XP loading
screen, then it prompts you to check the disk for errors (since it didn't
last shutdown properly), and then the following errors occur (all in message
boxes, not verbatim):

1. services.exe - Unable to locate component: App has failed to start
because SHELL32.dll was not found... [OK]
2. lsass.exe - Unable to locate component: App has failed to start because
SHELL32.dll was not found... [OK]
3. User Interface Failure: The login user interface DLL msgina.dll failed to
load [Restart]

I've tried logging in via Safe Mode and rebooting to a command prompt, but
the same thing happens. I've tried booting from the Windows start-up disk,
but it doesn't have any effect. The drive may be bad, as we don't use it
much (it is recognized in BIOS/CMOS though). I did confirm the boot sequence
as A, C, SCSI. (In fact I reloaded the fail-safe defaults in BIOS just in
case). Before I go through the agony of switching floppies between PC's, is
there anything else I can try to get past this? Ideally, I could reinstall
Windows over the existing image, without losing any data. At the very least,
I would just like to access the file system.

Thanks in advance.

-jk
 
as A, C, SCSI. (In fact I reloaded the fail-safe defaults in BIOS just in
case). Before I go through the agony of switching floppies between PC's,
is there anything else I can try to get past this? Ideally, I could
reinstall Windows over the existing image, without losing any data. At the
very least, I would just like to access the file system.
Click to expand...


to preform a repair installation
merely boot from your XP cd.
the first screen you get will ask you if you would like to
repair XP (using the repair console) ...say "no"

the next screen will ask you if you would like to repair a current
XP installation (or perform a fresh installtion)

at this point you opt to performa the repair.

what will happen is XP will be installed over the corrupted version.
if all goes well...XP will be reinstalled...and all your data and previous
settings will still be there.
you will merely need to reinstall your windows updates...
and of course NOT fool with unreliable software!
 
philo said:
to preform a repair installation
merely boot from your XP cd.
the first screen you get will ask you if you would like to
repair XP (using the repair console) ...say "no"

the next screen will ask you if you would like to repair a current
XP installation (or perform a fresh installtion)

at this point you opt to performa the repair.

what will happen is XP will be installed over the corrupted version.
if all goes well...XP will be reinstalled...and all your data and previous
settings will still be there.
you will merely need to reinstall your windows updates...
and of course NOT fool with unreliable software!
Click to expand...

Yes, lesson learned with the rogue software. As for the rest of your advice,
it worked like a charm. First thing I tried after getting logged back in,
was to uninstall this Longhorn Transformation Pack. But that didn't work (I
guess because some of its files were overwritten by XP). No matter; I plan
to wipe the drive and do a full reinstall soon.

Thanks again!
 
Yes, lesson learned with the rogue software. As for the rest of your
advice, it worked like a charm. First thing I tried after getting logged
back in, was to uninstall this Longhorn Transformation Pack. But that
didn't work (I guess because some of its files were overwritten by XP). No
matter; I plan to wipe the drive and do a full reinstall soon.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

you are welcome...
chances are the repair install has essentially restored your machine to good
working order and nothing else need be done other than the updates...
but if you want to do the full reinstall with a format first
you will be sure all of the bad software is gone
 
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