dllfile(3).dll

[Gary S. Terhune]

Just happened to be looking through my System32 folder, and noticed a lot of
superceded DLLs and other system files with parenthetical additions to the name.
Like audiosrv(3).dll, rpcss(3).dll, even two or three extras in some
cases--shell32(4).dll, and shell32(3).dll, for instance--all in excess of the
"normal" versions.

I know that WinXP uses this naming convention for all kinds of files, instead of
overwriting, and I can see good reason for it in some areas--but in the System
folder? In all cases, the parenthetically annotated versions are older and legit
versions, but I can't figure out why they would be saved in this manner--surely,
this isn't how WinXP saves backups in case of uninstalls? Are they for backwards
compatibility? Are they garbage?

Curious minds want to know... Well, at least one does, anyway.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Windows 9x

*Recommended Help Sites*
http://www.dts-l.org
http://www.mvps.org
http://www.aumha.org

How to Use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups
http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=newswhelp
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Quaoar]

Just happened to be looking through my System32 folder, and noticed a
lot of superceded DLLs and other system files with parenthetical
additions to the name. Like audiosrv(3).dll, rpcss(3).dll, even two
or three extras in some cases--shell32(4).dll, and shell32(3).dll,
for instance--all in excess of the "normal" versions.

I know that WinXP uses this naming convention for all kinds of files,
instead of overwriting, and I can see good reason for it in some
areas--but in the System folder? In all cases, the parenthetically
annotated versions are older and legit versions, but I can't figure
out why they would be saved in this manner--surely, this isn't how
WinXP saves backups in case of uninstalls? Are they for backwards
compatibility? Are they garbage?

Curious minds want to know... Well, at least one does, anyway.

Archive for the Roll Back Driver feature in Device Manager?

Q

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

These are primarily core system files. Only thing that makes real sense (other
than a SNAFU), is that they're there to permit rollback of Updates--and that
doesn't really strike me as sensible, after all. On the other hand, if they're
somehow involved in Compatibility Mode (where an app can run as if on a Win98
system, for instance)... That has a certain logic to it.

If not for that, I can only wonder if I've done too much fiddling with this
system--too many betas, etc.-- and it needs rebuilding from the ground up. Been
looking for a good excuse to do that anyway, <g>. I'm getting two new Maxtor
External USB2 250GB HDs on Monday, to back up our systems and store them offsite
(one onsite, one off, swapping weekly.) Just in time, eh?

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Windows 9x

*Recommended Help Sites*
http://www.dts-l.org
http://www.mvps.org
http://www.aumha.org

How to Use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups
http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=newswhelp
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++