[SOLVED] MSVCRT.DLL errors

dadof2 · 02-16-2008, 11:03 AM

I really need some help. I am working on someone's Dell Desktop PC (w/ Windows Millenium) and they were getting an error once the desktop displayed after boot. It said "AOLwasher caused an error with MSVCRT.DLL".
I uninstalled the AOL Washer and the error did not return, but when I try to install something, for instance Spyware Doctor, it immediately pops up the same error but this time referring to the Spyware Doctor setup file (sdsetup caused an error with MSVCRT.DLL). If I boot in safe mode, then I am able to successfully install Spyware Doctor.
Steps I have taken so far are:
Installed and executed Spyware Doctor and RegCure. Both found issues and resolved/removed.
I tried to replace the MSVCRT.DLL file by extracting it from the Win Me CD (normal mode and safe mode), but it says that the file is protected.
I located an MSVCRT.DLL file for Millenium on the internet and replaced the existing file with this file. No change, still same error.
I have found that many people have had this problem and their apparent solutions were the steps that I described above, but they are not working for me.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Geekgirl · 02-16-2008, 01:53 PM

Hello and Welcome to TSF

I strongly suggest you remove the registry cleaner software you are causing more trouble than you know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geekgirl

After a long discussion, Chevy and I have come to the same conclusion - Registry Cleaners, while sometimes useful, can and will ultimately cause more problems than they solve.

Leo Notenboom (Ask Leo!) Wrote

Quote:

My fundamental belief is that the best registry cleaner is no registry cleaner at all. Most people simply don't need it, and don't need to run one.
Many people reach for a registry cleaner when an application is having problems, or when Windows is misbehaving. The problem is that these types of situations rarely respond to registry "cleaning" - it often requires application or Windows-specific resolution.

Please refrain from advising that members use these utilities.

Thank you
TSF Management

http://www.techsupportforum.com/micr...ners-span.html

read over this
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q221946/

dadof2 · 02-17-2008, 08:03 AM

Thanks, I will uninstall the Registry Cleaner application ASAP.
After reviewing the provided links and suggestions it appears that I need to apply/install the Microsoft Libraries Update, but I cannot find where to download them (even via the link labeled "Where to get Microsoft Libraries Update").
Can anyone help me locate these needed updates?
Reminder: The PC in question is running Windows Millenium.
Thanks again in advance.
Dadof2

Geekgirl · 02-17-2008, 09:26 AM

Wow they are really making it hard to find.
I cant find it either.....will need to workaround this then.

Try renaming the file to .old and then replacing the file with one off the cd.

dadof2 · 02-18-2008, 06:43 AM

I have already renamed the existing file and replaced with another msvcrt.dll file and also executed the "ext" (extract) command and extracted the needed file from the Me CD, but after each procedure I continue to get the same error.
Another thought I had was possibly doing a Windows Me Repair/Reinstall. I recall in the past that one could boot to a Windows 95/98 CD and perform a reinstall and it would only reinstall the Windows system files replacing any damaged or missing files, but I have not done this with Millenium because I'm afraid that it does not reinstall Windows without losing existing apps or possibly data files. Do you (or someone) know whether or not this type of "reinstallation" can be done with Windows Millenium? And if so, what are the proper steps that need to be taken?
Thanks again for your assistance. I'm glad that I found this site. Hopefully my first experience will be a successfull one in the end.
- dadof2

**grumpygit** · 02-18-2008, 01:31 PM

Hi,
You can do an over-the-top install on ME without affecting your data.

Quote:

Windows 98/Me "Over-the-top" Reinstall

Sometimes an over-the-top reinstallation of Windows can be a timesaver. On most recent computers the whole procedure can take as little as 30 or 40 minutes. A nice feature of this procedure is that your programs do not have to be reinstalled, and your data is not lost. You likely will need to visit Windows Update when finished, though, to download and reinstall some of the Security Updates. [Windows Update still works for Windows 98/Me, even though its period of active support by Microsoft expired in mid-2006 (all the updates up to that point can still be found there)].

Beforehand:

You may need to temporarily disable the Bios virus protection that is found on some motherboards (if your motherboard does not have this feature, you can skip this step). Enter Bios Setup by pressing the key displayed during startup, and somewhere on the first or second menu should be an item to Enable or Disable Bios Virus Protection (might be called BiosShield, or VirusGuard, or whatnot) ---> then, when you're finished with your reinstallation of Windows, re-Enable the Bios protection feature.

On some systems, and over-the-top will require your CD-key (Windows 98/Me product license key). [This is often on a sticker either on the case, or on the original CD]. If you've lost your CD-key: before you start the reinstall look for it by starting regedit from the Start/Run box, then navigate to the key (you navigate in regedit like you do in Windows Explorer) HKEY_Local_Machine/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion . . . if you click on "Current Version", you should see a list of keys and values in the box displaying on your right. One of these will read "ProductKey" and will consist of 5 sets of 5 alphanumeric characters = your CD key. Be careful when in regedit just to look at things and not make accidental changes.

During the reinstall, it is also a good idea to be entirely disconnected from any networks, wired or wireless (unplug ethernet cables, disable wireless), and to be disconnected from printers, scanners, cameras, multifunction devices, fax machines, PDAs, memory card readers, USB flash drives, external USB/Firewire/SATA drives, etc.
____________________________
Over The Top ReInstall:

Place your Windows98/Me CD in the CD/DVD drive (or be ready to point Windows to the place on your hard drive where your Windows 98/Me installation files are stored).

Boot with a bootable floppy or CD - "with CD-rom support", and from DOS rename the win.com file to win.bak. Like this

C:
cd \Windows
rename win.com win.bak

If you have the Windows 98/Me CD in your CD/DVD drive, you can then switch to the drive letter of your CD drive [often drive D:], simply by typing the drive letter followed by a colon ( for example - D: ) at the command prompt.

If you have the Windows 98/Me installation files on your hard drive, switch to that location (which is often C:\Windows\Options\Cabs - by typing cd C:\Windows\Options\Cabs ), and start setup (by simply type the command: setup)

When Windows asks if you want to use the directory C:\Windows.000, instead choose "Other" and type in C:\Windows [without the .000 following].
_________________

Make sure that you have your antivirus, antispyware, and firewall running before you connect to networks afterward. Don't forget to visit Windows Update ASAP to get the Critical Patches the need reinstalling.

dadof2 · 02-20-2008, 08:24 AM

Gumpygrit, I did the "Over-the-top" Reinstall of Win Me as instructed and it corrected my problem. So Thank You Very Much and also a many-thanks to GeekGirl for helping me solve this with more than one attempt.
Wow, if I'd only knew for a fact that reinstalling Windows Me would not harm/delete any of the existing Apps and Data then I could have saved days worth of research and work. But, as we all know, it's not always as simple as it should be.
This is the first time I have used this site and I will definitely be back and hopefully I'll be able to help others as well.

**grumpygit** · 02-20-2008, 08:36 AM

Glad we could help.

02-16-2008, 11:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
dadof2 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SC Posts: 12 OS: XP Pro / Me	[SOLVED] MSVCRT.DLL errors I really need some help. I am working on someone's Dell Desktop PC (w/ Windows Millenium) and they were getting an error once the desktop displayed after boot. It said "AOLwasher caused an error with MSVCRT.DLL". I uninstalled the AOL Washer and the error did not return, but when I try to install something, for instance Spyware Doctor, it immediately pops up the same error but this time referring to the Spyware Doctor setup file (sdsetup caused an error with MSVCRT.DLL). If I boot in safe mode, then I am able to successfully install Spyware Doctor. Steps I have taken so far are: Installed and executed Spyware Doctor and RegCure. Both found issues and resolved/removed. I tried to replace the MSVCRT.DLL file by extracting it from the Win Me CD (normal mode and safe mode), but it says that the file is protected. I located an MSVCRT.DLL file for Millenium on the internet and replaced the existing file with this file. No change, still same error. I have found that many people have had this problem and their apparent solutions were the steps that I described above, but they are not working for me. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Last edited by dadof2 : 02-16-2008 at 11:04 AM. Reason: Did not specify clearly the OS

02-17-2008, 08:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
dadof2 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SC Posts: 12 OS: XP Pro / Me	Re: MSVCRT.DLL errors Thanks, I will uninstall the Registry Cleaner application ASAP. After reviewing the provided links and suggestions it appears that I need to apply/install the Microsoft Libraries Update, but I cannot find where to download them (even via the link labeled "Where to get Microsoft Libraries Update"). Can anyone help me locate these needed updates? Reminder: The PC in question is running Windows Millenium. Thanks again in advance. Dadof2

02-17-2008, 09:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
Geekgirl Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 12,260 OS: 98SE/WinXP Home/WinXP Pro Blog Entries: 1	Re: MSVCRT.DLL errors Wow they are really making it hard to find. I cant find it either.....will need to workaround this then. Try renaming the file to .old and then replacing the file with one off the cd. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM

02-18-2008, 06:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
dadof2 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SC Posts: 12 OS: XP Pro / Me	Re: MSVCRT.DLL errors I have already renamed the existing file and replaced with another msvcrt.dll file and also executed the "ext" (extract) command and extracted the needed file from the Me CD, but after each procedure I continue to get the same error. Another thought I had was possibly doing a Windows Me Repair/Reinstall. I recall in the past that one could boot to a Windows 95/98 CD and perform a reinstall and it would only reinstall the Windows system files replacing any damaged or missing files, but I have not done this with Millenium because I'm afraid that it does not reinstall Windows without losing existing apps or possibly data files. Do you (or someone) know whether or not this type of "reinstallation" can be done with Windows Millenium? And if so, what are the proper steps that need to be taken? Thanks again for your assistance. I'm glad that I found this site. Hopefully my first experience will be a successfull one in the end. - dadof2

02-20-2008, 08:24 AM	#7 (permalink)
dadof2 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SC Posts: 12 OS: XP Pro / Me	Re: MSVCRT.DLL errors Gumpygrit, I did the "Over-the-top" Reinstall of Win Me as instructed and it corrected my problem. So Thank You Very Much and also a many-thanks to GeekGirl for helping me solve this with more than one attempt. Wow, if I'd only knew for a fact that reinstalling Windows Me would not harm/delete any of the existing Apps and Data then I could have saved days worth of research and work. But, as we all know, it's not always as simple as it should be. This is the first time I have used this site and I will definitely be back and hopefully I'll be able to help others as well.

02-20-2008, 08:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
grumpygit T-Shirt Winner Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: hertford, england Posts: 4,666 OS: win xp pro sp3 My System Blog Entries: 2	Re: [SOLVED] MSVCRT.DLL errors Glad we could help. __________________