[knatieknate]

In trying to download various software (including Google Chrome) I receive this message:

The system DLL user32.dll was relocated in memory. The application will not run properly. The relocation occured because the DLL
C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll occupied an address range reserved for Windows system DLLs. The vendor supplying the DLL should be contacted for a new DLL.

...

I run Win XP Home SP3, using Firefox browser on an HP a1020n Pavilion desktop, 2GB memory.

I searched for answers to this problem but when told to do Microsoft Update to fix, that will not download either. Other fixes are so complex I do not understand what to do.

PLEASE, how can I download the software I need without getting blocked with these messages?

How do I fix this?

[hulkinator]

Do you use any "desktop enhancement" programs- things that tweak your icons or the design of the desktop or something like that (like BricPack)? I read that a lot of people using those sorts of programs had this issue. However, many of them also said that SP3 fixed the issue... and you have SP3...

If you do have such software try uninstalling it.

[knatieknate]

Thank you very much for the suggestion, hulkinator. Unfortunately that didn't work. :-(

[hulkinator]

Try reinstalling SP3 if you can. Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, and then select Windows XP Service Pack 3 (or something similar) and uninstall it. You may have to download the service pack again, and the way your machine is behaving, possibly with another computer. If you don't have another machine, you may be able to boot into Safe Mode with Networking to connect to the Internet without these errors (to boot into Safe Mode, press F8 before you get any Windows screens when your machine is starting. You may have to try it a few times to press F8 at the right time.)

Also, if you can, post a HijackThis log. I doubt that this is malware-related, but it will help us tell what software you have running that could be a part of this problem (the above-mentioned BricoPacks, AVG, and some others are known to be involved with this error). To download HijackThis, go to http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/. Install it, restart, and then run the program. Select the option that allows you to create a log, and then post it here.

[knatieknate]

Hulkinator,

I did a complete reinstall of the O/S and re-loaded the software I use, including all Microsoft updates and SP3..

Now everything seems to be working fine.

Thank you so much for your help.

[hulkinator]

That's usually a simpler solution... I just avoid suggesting that since with Windows it can be quite a pain to get everything back in working order... all of the service packs and updates and software and personal data... yikes.

Glad it's working!

[knatieknate]

Hulkinator...

I had all the important stuff backed up - all my important folders but only the basic, important stuff, not the unnecessary - so it wasn't that big a deal doing the reinstall. Just a few short hours of "fun." :-)

Thanks again for your help.