[Resolved] Control Panel {rundll32.exe missing}

[antoniette]

Can someone help me with opening up stuff in my control panel. I tried to open up the add/remove programs icon and i cannot do anything. An error message comes up that says , Cannot find file C:windows rundll32.exe, or one of its componets.

Can u tell me how I can correct this problem, i cannot open up anything in the control panel, without getting this error message...thanks..Antoniette

 

[Linkmaster]

Hi antoniette, try this:
Rundll32.exe is an essential Windows file, used internally to activate a wide variety of system functions, from formatting floppy disks to handling Open with... on the right-click pop-up menu. If the file is missing or corrupted, you'll have big problems. To recover, put your original Windows CD in the CD-ROM drive, open an MS-DOS prompt, and navigate to the folder on the CD-ROM that contains the setup .cab files. These will be files with sequentially numbered names like Win98_ 21.cab, Win98_ 22.cab, and so forth. Within that directory, determine the first CAB file name in numerical sequence. Now enter the command extract/LC:\Windows /A win98_ 21.cab rundll32.exe, replacing Win98_ 21.cab with the actual lowest- numbered cab file name. This will extract a fresh copy of Rundll32 .exe and put this essential file directly into your Windows folder. Somebody may have a simpler answer for you.

 

[Mosaic1]

Also, do an up to date and thorough Virus Scan.
If you don't have it you can have a free online scan here:
http://housecall.antivirus.com/pc_housecall/


What happens when you go to start>run and type this command
and press enter?

control.exe appwiz.cpl

 

[antoniette]

I must have deleted this program. I went into the recyle bin and saw rundll.exe and i restored it...looks like the control panel is now working....serves me right for deleting something i shouldnt have....but thank goodness I did not empty out my recyling bin..should this do the trick?thanks.Antoniette

 

[HKEd]

Could be the SirCam worm. It renames rundll32.exe. There's a good fix here:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

Close all running programs before running FixSirc.com, including your antivirus program.

If it's not SirCam, running this tool will not have any adverse effects. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Mosaic1]

Yes. Restoring should do it. That file is extremely important. It is a loader. It loads other files. You would not have been able to open a Favorite in Internet Explorer without it either. It loads your Power Profile also.

 

[antoniette]

Thanks everyone.....everything is okay...glad I have somewhere to get information, with my computer questions..Antoniette