rundll32.exe error

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
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G

Guest

I can't change any of my settings because whenever I try it says
C:\windows\system32\rundll32.exe is not a vaild win32 application.

What gives? I can't get off the windows cd as I bought a laptop and there
was no windows cd.
 
JB,

User Process Explorer which can be downloaded here:

Page:


http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx

Direct Download:

http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/ProcessExplorer.zip

Locate the RUNDLL32.EXE process, double-click it & scroll down the list of
'strings'. Do you see any rogue references to non Microsoft webpages etc? If
so, you can use that tool to suspend or kill the process. Once killed & it
pops back up it means there is another process watching it

You can also download & run the Autoruns tool to look for suspicious startup
entries that maybe watching its back. Here's the tool:

Page:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/autoruns.mspx

Download:

http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/Autoruns.zip

Look on the LOGON tab & you'll see two registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Are there any references to the RUNDLL32.EXE there other than the soundcard?
Maybe when you delete them they come straight back, which means something is
watching their backs too & you have at least 2 processes keeping things
alive

If you see rubbish in the above keys for 'Qicktime Task' or 'Real Media
Update' (TKBell) then you can safely delete those as they aren't needed

Awaiting your feedback about the RUN keys & the process
 
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