Duplicate Dll Files

[Edward W. Thompson]

I have been reviewing the duplicate DLL files on my system. What appears to
be common is six copies of "system" DLL files. As an example "dpvoice.dll"
is found at:

c:\windows\system32
c:\windows\system32\dllcache
c:\windows\RegisteredPackages\******
c:\windows\lastgood\system32
c:\windows\lastgood\dllcache
c:\windows\lastgood\RegisteredPackages\******

Surely all these duplicates of the same file cannot be required for either
functionality or for "backup" purposes. Can anyone suggest which can be
"safely" removed and whether, if removed, WINXP will reinstall them?

 

[John Dingley]

Unless you are short of disk space I'd leave well alone. If a file gets
corrupted and you have only one copy then no repair can be done without
resorting to reinstalling something.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have been reviewing the duplicate DLL files on my system. What appears to
be common is six copies of "system" DLL files. As an example "dpvoice.dll"
is found at:

c:\windows\system32
c:\windows\system32\dllcache
c:\windows\RegisteredPackages\******
c:\windows\lastgood\system32
c:\windows\lastgood\dllcache
c:\windows\lastgood\RegisteredPackages\******

Surely all these duplicates of the same file cannot be required for either
functionality or for "backup" purposes. Can anyone suggest which can be
"safely" removed and whether, if removed, WINXP will reinstall them?

This all arises from the system file protection - and they are to an
extent overkill.

The basic file, that is in use, is the one in System32. There is also a
backup in system32\dllcache that will be copied if WFP finds any damage
to the first - eg an accident or a naughty software install seeking to
replace it with something that might well be incompatible (the old 'dll
hell' trouble). That you should most certainly keep.

In this particular case, the file is part of Direct X 9, and when you
downloaded and installed that, it put its files as a further layer of
backup in 'Registered Packages', as well as copying them to the 'use'
places. . Whether retaining that folder serves any real purpose I
doubt, though I have not bothered to remove it (in all it is only 24 MB
on my system).

Lastgood tries to keep an emergency, reserve copy of the entire vitals
of the system that could be reinstated in the event of a really serious
crash (when you would find it offered as an option on a boot-time menu).
I have never had to make use of it - but it is probably as well to have
it around. IN any case, if you did delete it I think you would find it
got regenerated after any successful boot/close cycle