Missing or Corrupt RunDLL32?

Let me start by saying what brand computer, what type, what OS I have... okay...


My computer is what's called a hand-me-down DELL brand Netbook, I don't know what model it is, but it has Intel Atom Processor in it, Operating System Windows XP. I have no idea exactly what year it is from, but it seems it has a 250 GB hard drive from the 132 GB free hard-drive space it has.


I got connected to the internet on it for the first time yesterday. I use it and whatever, and then when I shut it down and turn it back on a few minutes later, that annoying message that Windows has a missing or corrupt RunDLL32 file pops up, but there's something else. Before I shut the computer down it gave me the message that it needed some updates, Windows, and I always let it do the updates. It wasn't after the updates were performed for the first time that this started happening. Now it happens every time I try to access the control panel. I don't know how to fix this. Does anyone have any ideas? Is anyone else experiencing this?


I'll appreciate any advice on this. I never thought that having been on these forums since yesterday I would have to come to the Tech Help forum because of a problem so annoying. Thanks in advance.

alleycat said:

I've seen and fixed this problem before, but it's been some time ago.

As I recall, there is an auto "Fix This" somewhere on the Microsoft website (alone with a manual file download available).

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Guys, I read the newbie guide here in AW so I know how to multi-quote. OK, Alleycat, I am going to look into that. Thank you so much.

ejket said:

This is the safest way to proceed:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812340

I think there is or was a MS download for that file, but avoid any random scans or downloads which might be malware delivery systems.

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Hello, thanks for the link. I will definitely check it out.

alleycat said:

I'm going to guess she doesn't have the XP installation CD.

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And unfortunately, you guessed right, alleycat! I don't have the installation CD and this has no optical drive. I guess what I am going to have to do is try to install one of those free OS's like Ubuntu or Linux to resolve this problem and leave Windows XP alone because honestly, I think my copy of Windows is messed up already. I am going to have to re-download my copy of word 2010 directly from Microsoft to continue to have it on the computer. I just hope I still have the key. I wonder what word processors Ubuntu and Linux offer if any.

alleycat said:

I'm pretty sure about the "auto fix" on the MS website, but I don't have a link. It might take you a while to find it there somewhere.

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It's quite OK, alley. As long as there's a way to do this without having to use resources I don't have, I don't mind if it takes me a long time to find the auto fix for this problem. Now I know the message pops up when I try to enter the control panel, and since I don't need to do anything there so far, I am cool. Today I am going to focus on my WIP's because I have a lot to catch up on and tomorrow I'll hunt for that auto fix on the Microsoft website. Thank you for everything!

alleycat said:

No, it's not that big of a problem . . . once you get the right instructions.

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Hello again, Alley. I just wanted to let you know that I didn't find anyting in the Microsoft Website, at least an automatic way to download something to fix the problem so what I did was a general Google Search and it took me to an ehow.com article on a way to fix this and what it suggested was simply do a System Restore. I performed one to the date before I got connected to the Internet from this netbook for the first time, which was Jan. 12, 2012, and it seems it fixed it because right now the computer doesn't pop up that annoying message either after a restart or when I try to access the Control Panel which were the only instances it used to do it, and since the problem started on Jan. 13, I restored it on Jan. 12 because on Jan. 12 I hadn't gotten connected to the internet yet and I think the problem started when I first got connected to the internet. I don't know how it happened though because the only websites I visited were MSN, Yahoo, and Twitter, before I shut down and restarted the computer and got that error message for the very first time. Weird.


After the system restore I re-downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials, I ran a Quick Scan on it after it performed the virus-definition updates and now to be sure I am performing a full scan. People suggest programs on the net to counterarrest these viruses, but I am torn between Spybot Search and destroy, Malwarebytes and Ccleaner. Which one is the best? Or should I download all three and get them working?


Once again, thank you.
AmethystEva.

alleycat said:

If you use Security Essential as your primary security package, just keep Malwarebytes on hand to run a secondary scan from time to time. Use CCleaner or ATF daily to keep your computer cleaned up.

With Security Essential and MWB, you probably don't need Spybot. I use to use it, but my Kaspersky software and it didn't play well together, so I finally removed it.

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OK, thank you for the valuable information! Since I performed that System Restore this morning at 4:00 AM, I haven't had recurrence of the incident with the rundll32.exe file. I am going to download Malwarebytes and Ccleaner both later on.


I consider all my inquiries answered, but the info in this thread might be useful to someone else that's experiencing the same problem and just happens to be here on the AW Cooler.

alleycat said:

You might want to ATF Cleaner as well. It's nice to use when you want to do a quick cleanup. It runs very fast.

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It's the first time I've heard of ATF Cleaner. Thank you! I'd only heard about Malwarebytes and Spybot. They seem to be the most popular ones.

alleycat said:

Be sure to set MLB so it's not running as your active protection at the same time you're running Security Essentials.

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Thanks for the tip. I am going to do that. Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good program. I've been using it since May 2011 with the other laptop I had that I gave away and traded for this one because I really wanted the netbook, portability, you know...I can't help but wonder, though, does Kaspersky have a free version or do you have the full, paid version? I might consider getting that one if MSE suddenly fails to protect me against one of those super trojans and worms that evil people create every day on cyber space.

alleycat said:

I think you might be slightly confused about the difference between a cleaner and anti-malware software. A cleaner, such at ATF or CCleaner, is just to make it easy to get rid of temporary or unneeded files that your computer generates on a daily basis. Neither is security software.

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Yes, I am confused when it comes to ATF cleaner. I heard about it for the first time, from you, the day before yesterday, so of course. I have used Ccleaner. It's a great program. I used to delete unnecessary programs with the Ccleaner, too, much easier than I did with Add-or-Remove-programs in the Control Panel, by the way. I am still going to download both Ccleaner and ATF. Thanks for telling me about the ATF cleaner. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

Nephytis said:

too bad i wasn't able to get on the internet much this weekend cause my first guess would've been you have a virus of some sort. if a system restore fixed it, you got something from a website. i've actually had that particular bug before.

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I've been exactly the opposite. We'd all been disconnected from the internet since New Year's 2012, didn't get back on until Friday, last Friday, and I got so caught up I've done barely any writing. I searched for a good writer's community to read from other writers and ask for advice, and I came across the AW Water Cooler and I was hooked. I registered that day around noon and my acct was activated around 3:00 that afternoon and as soon as I logged on, first I read a few messages, the newbie guide, most important of all, and as soon as I learned the basics of posting and the community rules, I configured my profile and started posting. Yes, it's definitely a virus and I am glad to hear from someone else that's had it before. It seems there's someone evil dedicated to making our computing experience difficult with such an annoying problem.

Nephytis said:

one program that i didn't see mentioned was AVG, it's free, updated weekly and comes with virus scan/internet protection. i use it and a combination of MWB.

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Yes, AVG is a great program. I used it last year from Jan. to May, and after a total system recovery I had to perform when my computer was completely unable to start, and the system recovery was able to fix the problem, I decided to try Microsoft Security Essentials. We have four computers in this house, three laptops and a netbook, last one being the one I'm using, love it, and we have MSE installed on all computers and so far it's been great. I have to take my time and install MWB on all four computers, though. This computer only has one browser, IE8, and all other computers have the good, old-fashioned IE, but they have IE9, and two of the computers have Google Chrome, and one of those computers has IE9, Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. I've heard bad things about IE, so I am considering Firefox because Chrome is a good browser but when I tried it this weekend on this laptop before the system restore I had to perform, I noticed it doesn't have the little arrow on the address bar like most other browsers do, and it doesn't have a home button, at least not by default when it's first installed, and I have no idea how to configure it and activate those capabilities.

Nephytis said:

windows also comes with its own firewall settings. you could try turning those on as well. but xp's firewall is a bit tricky; i had to turn mine off when i ran the OS.

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I've used Windows XP Home Edition for like 5 years, 2001 to 2006, until I was first introduced to Vista, Windows most-hated OS to date, and I have turned the firewall on and off a couple times, not on this computer, though, here I always keep it on.

I looked in the Help and Support Center and found out this is a Dell Inspiron 1010 Netbook, black on the top, most beautiful netbook I've ever seen, and now I own it, lucky me. But I forgot all the other things about the computer I read in the help and support section. I'm also forgetting my passwords all the time. I have to remember to write them down somewhere. I never use the same password twice on my internet accounts. That's a big no-no.


It's nice talking to you and I hope you guys and I all get along great here on the forums because I love this place.


Regards
Eva.

Alexys said:

If I recall correctly, Google deliberately designed Chrome not to have the concept of a homepage, thus no "Home" button and no way of getting one unless there's an extension out there somewhere—don't waste time fiddling with it. Firefox is a solid enough browser, but if it doesn't suit, you could have a look at the Windows version of Safari, or even Opera (although it's a bit . . . odd).

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Wow. Thanks, Alexys, for the information. I didn't know that. I guess I was mistaken with Chrome since I first used it with Windows Vista in 2006, man! Wow! Yes, Firefox seems to be a much-better option. It has all these cool add-ons and yes, I think I will download it right now. I have tried Safari and Opera, but Safari and Firefox are the ones I love the most. I don't need three internet browsers, so I am going to go and download Firefox now. I haven't upgraded to IE9 because I don't know if it's compatible with Windows XP. I see it mentioned with Windows 7 all the time.