[SOLVED] 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.'

Robert Green · 10-29-2009, 08:25 AM

After experiencing this problem with my newer PC, my only option for getting online technical support was to dig out my ten year old computer and connect that up.

I have experienced this problem before about six years ago. It was caused by some sort of virus, and I fixed it by going into safe mode and doing... something. I don't remember what, but I thought it was resolved. I got a much better computer about four or five years ago and didn't use it for a while. That computer eventually got struck by lightning, forcing me to get the old one out again and it worked fine at the time until I was able to purchase a third computer, which is the one that experienced the random system failure, or at least what I think is a random system failure.

Anyways, the error says 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe. This program is needed to open files of type 'application'' And then it asks me to identify the location of Shell32.exe. Well, I don't know where it is. According to a computer search there are no files by that name on my PC. This error comes up when I attempt to load any program, with the odd exception of a 'shortcut to Internet Explorer' in the top section of my start menu but does occur when I attempt to load Internet Explorer from the taskbar. I can't even change the date and time on this computer without getting that error.

This seems like a simple fix, unlike the other one. Get a working Shell32.exe for Windows 98, put it in the right place, and it works fine right? Trouble is all my searches bring up stuff for Windows XP, even though I specify Windows 98 in the search lines and they're also for Shell.exe and not Shell32.exe.

I'm not even sure why this was happening as it was working fine the last time I used it, so I'm not sure why that old problem would be resurfacing, or if it even is the old problem as opposed to the file somehow getting deleted by non malware means. But I suspect simply replacing the file would fix everything, so I put it in the Win98 board and not the malware board.

Jlp1928 · 10-29-2009, 02:14 PM

Hi Robert,

I just checked a 98SE that is running fine. There is no Shell32.Exe on this one either. Don't know what else to tell you. The nearest thing is Shell32.DLL and it has a whole bunch of ICONs you can use. I don't know what else but will dig it out if you think it will help.

Good Luck, Jim

Robert Green · 10-29-2009, 02:40 PM

I don't know. I just know that any time I attempt to open an .exe file of any kind, I get a message that looks exactly like this.

Program not found.

Windows cannot find SHELL32.exe.

This program is needed for opening files of type 'Application'.

Location of SHELL32.exe:

[C:\............................................]

[OK] [Cancel] [Locate...]

I'd screenshot it, but paint is an exe program so no copy pasting screenshots.

I do already have a Shell32.dll in C:\Windows\System. It is 1,388,816 bytes and was last modified 12/06/01 at 11:25 PM.

Looking around revealed a lot of stuff about the DLL, but nothing about an EXE. I downloaded one that is exactly 100,000 bytes and was last modified 01/10/1980 at 12:00 AM but the time, file size, and the fact I already had one were all very suspicious, so I chose not to overwrite the one I had with this one I got from some DLL download site.

Jlp1928 · 10-30-2009, 07:32 AM

Hi again Robert,

I also checked an XP system. It also does not have a Shell32.exe. I then searched the internet for Shell32.Exe. There is lots of info at the top of the list. It appears to be a Virus or etc. You should find plenty of info about it and how to deal with it.

Good Luck, Jim

Robert Green · 10-30-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jlp1928

Hi again Robert,

I also checked an XP system. It also does not have a Shell32.exe. I then searched the internet for Shell32.Exe. There is lots of info at the top of the list. It appears to be a Virus or etc. You should find plenty of info about it and how to deal with it.

Good Luck, Jim

So I've heard. But still not sure what I can do about it, as anti virus programs tend to either be .exes, or not supported by this computer.

Any idea of something I can use that won't just give me the Shell32 error?

Robert Green · 10-30-2009, 12:54 PM

Sorry for the double post, but I don't think this forum has an edit option, or if it does I'm just not seeing it displayed.

Where exactly are you searching? Every search I attempted on it yielded one of the following:

Something about Shell.exe (no 32) which is specified as a Windows XP (not 98) component.

Something about Shell32.dll that has no apparent relevance as it is an entirely different error.

A thread talking about Shell32.exe... this one. And it seems this is the only discussion about it.

**OldGrayGary** · 10-30-2009, 01:16 PM

Good morning all

Robert -
Since the Shell32.exe file is a known malware - you truly do not want to find another such file & restore it. As your research showed, that file is usually a malware attack of the 'trojan' or 'backdoor' variety (it opens ports and allows further malware exploits).

There is a legitimate file is called Shell32.dll. That file is not involved in your current trouble.

You'll want to clean the troubled PC of malware, and then repair its file association for executables. Depending on how severe the malware infection is, you might need to try an in-place reinstall of Windows after the malware is removed.

If you don't need any of the current data on the old system, and you have access to a Recovery CD for that system, one option is to use that disk to restore the system to it's factory-original state (some Recovery Disks also allow "partial" recoveries - which save some of your current data). The factory-original restore erases the entire hard drive (which removes infections) and then restores the factory-original hard drive image. Recovery Disks generally are bootable, so it doesn't matter how badly infected the hard drive is.

If you need to save the current data, you can try cleaning the malware using a bootable CD containing antimalware tools (such as the UBCD4Win -- which works for most PCs, but requires a Windows XP CD to create --- http://www.ubcd4win.com ). Another option is to remove the hard drive, attach it to another well-protected PC, and scan it using the clean PCs antimalware programs. You can attach the drive internally - using cables, or externally - using USB adapters or enclosures.

Once clean, you can try starting Windows normally. If the ".exe" or "application" file-association is still broken, you can try restoring it manually. There's a Windows 98 section in the following instructions --- http://filext.com/faq/broken_exe_association.php

An in-place (or "over-the-top") reinstall of Windows 98 will also fix this problem, but of course there is a fair amount of updating afterwards. If you need instructions for that, search this forum for "over-the-top" & my username (OldGrayGary) & you'll see several threads with the in-depth instructions.
_______________

Whatever repair you decide on, make sure to have antimalware protection installed & running before you reconnect the freshly cleaned PC to the Internet. Otherwise you'll be faced with an endless cycle of cleaning & reinfection.

I find that securing Windows 98 on the Internet is getting to be a headache. You might consider an older, lighter version of Linux to visit the Internet with on the old PC. If there's enough room, you could dual-boot - using Win98 for old games & such (disabling the network adapter so that no Internet access occurs), and then booting into Linux when wishing to visit the Internet. Xbuntu runs fairly well on older PCs.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

_______________
and ... Hi There, Jim

Jlp1928 · 10-30-2009, 01:36 PM

Hi again Robert and Gary,

Seems like the immediate problem is only that something is calling for the Shell32.Exe and it is not there. Check Startup in the Menu, Search Registry for references to it and remove any reference found. Check Win.ini Run= and Load= and remove any refererence found. That is, after you try Gary's suggestions and only if it's still there.

Good Luck, Jim

Robert Green · 10-30-2009, 03:06 PM

I am still not sure how I would clean the computer of malware without a restored association for executables, since they all seem to be exe files or simply do not support my computer (for the online scanners).

I do know this computer came with a set of disks, but as this was a decade ago the chances that I will successfully find them are low. Likewise if I had a Windows XP CD I could most likely fix my better computer, at which point I really don't care about this one. Also, my older computer does not have a CD-RW drive, and my newer one doesn't have a floppy drive so there isn't any way I know of to exchange data between them.

I did look into manually restoring the association. .Exe is not listed. As this is what it is supposed to be, I don't know what to do here, so I didn't do anything. Though I did see an EX_ listed. It says it is Content type: (MIME) and that it opens with PROGRAM. I don't know if this is good, bad, or not relevant so I made no change. It also had an icon like that of a Wordpad document if that means anything.

I also looked in the start up menu. The only thing listed there was some old copy of AOL 8.0. I would have also searched the registry without making any change, but I forgot how to do that.

**OldGrayGary** · 10-31-2009, 01:17 AM

Hi again

A bootable CD with up-to-date antimalware tools can clean nearly any infected computer, because the hard drive is not involved in starting the system = it boots and runs completely from the read-only CD [& a read-only CD can't be infected, since it can no longer be written to]. Sadly, since your older PC doesn't have a CD drive, this method of cleaning isn't available to you.

A long-shot quick-fix that you could try would be to boot your PC with a bootable Win98 floppy, and from the command prompt type scanreg /restore If you don't have a bootable Win98 floppy, there are several free versions available at bootdisk.com. This repair would only work if you have a workable saved Registry among the five that Win98 saves by default. This is rather unlikely in your case - but is a distant possibility: worth trying (since it only takes a minute or two).

It's likely that you are seeing similiar errors on both your newer and older PCs because they are all infected by the same malware. If you've been visiting the Internet without up-to-date antivirus and firewall programs running - you've been extremely vulnerable. Also, if Windows 98 or XP were not up-to-date in their Windows Security Updates, you were wide-open to well-known exploits ... These can infect an unprotected, non-updated Internet-connected PC within a matter of minutes

If you have a friend with a Windows XP installation CD, ask them if they will create a UBCD4Win for you. Make sure they use the "Plugins" & "Press Config to Update" options for AntiVir and A-squared - so that the virus definitions updates are included on the CD when it's built. Then use that disk to clean the newer PC. Then try rebooting normally. If the exe file-association is still broken, you can try using Doug Knox's handy Registry file fixes to restore the default Windows-XP values (which should fix the problem). From the following webpage, scroll down to EXE File Association Fix -- it's the ninth in the list --- http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

Lacking a Win98 disk for the older system, I think it's best solution for a working PC is to give Xbuntu Linux a try. Erase the hard drive first, and run a few diagnostics on that old hardware. But only if the project sounds like fun .. otherwise, might as well donate it or recycle it.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

Robert Green · 10-31-2009, 06:49 AM

My older PC does have a CD drive. It just isn't capable of burning CDs, so the CD would have to be made on another system.

I am not seeing the same errors on my older and my newer PC. My older PC is capable of booting, it just gives a Shell32.exe error any time I attempt to open an executable. However there seems to be ways around it - clicking the shortcut to Internet Explorer allows me to access the Internet and continue this discussion, but clicking the icon on my taskbar gives the error. Likewise attempting to open paint directly gives the error, but I am able to open paint by attempting to open a normal bitmap image or the like. It is hit and miss though - attempting to click the shortcut to an old game gives the error, so it's not as simple as making a shortcut to whatever program I want to load and then loading it.

My newer computer has simply stopped booting entirely. I cannot access it, and although I haven't tried since two days ago I doubt nothing has changed without my doing anything to it. I am not having any sort of Shell related error, though I have received one or more messages about the possibility of data loss before it just started telling me it could not read the (hard drive) disk.

I am quite certain these are not the same problems and thereby warrant different solutions.

I will see if I have an old floppy laying around to attempt to make a Win98 boot disk to fix the older computer.

Jlp1928 · 10-31-2009, 08:37 AM

Hi Robert,

There is no association necessary for Exe, Com, Bat etc. They are all executables and will be handled automatically.

Jim

Robert Green · 10-31-2009, 11:46 AM

One more thing. Supposedly you restart in safe mode on Win98 by holding down the ctrl button when the computer is booting. I did that and nothing happened, it just booted normally. Am I doing something wrong, or is this another problem?

**OldGrayGary** · 10-31-2009, 02:01 PM

Hi again

Robert - On your older PC - try tapping the F8 key continuously as the computer is powering on until you see the Safe Mode menu.

Your newer PC sounds like it needs a new hard drive. If only the hard drive has failed, you can see if the rest of the PC is working by downloading and creating a Knoppix or Ubuntu Live CD -- which would allow you to start and run completely from the CD. The Linux-based UBCD includes diagnostics - you could make one of those & test both old & new PCs with it (hard drive & memory diagnostics are included on the UBCD ... and it's a free open-source project) --- http://www.ultimatebootcd.com

Oh, and even though you don't have Recovery Disks for the newer PC, replacement Recovery Disks are often still available if the PC is from a major brand. The price is often reasonable (from $19 on up to around $50) -- they usually include the full software bundle.

Jim - I don't have my Win98 materials with me right now, so I'm not sure about Win98's handling of executables and its Registry entries. For Windows XP, however, the default Registry values are often changed for executables by malware -- that is what the Doug Knox registry file fixes. I've had to use it many times for Windows XP computers who have had trouble following the cleanup of severe malware infections.

Enjoy your Halloween -
. . . Gary

P.S. ... Robert: you will have to borrow a friend's computer, or use a public library computer, to create the Live CDs - since you don't have a working CD burner on a working PC at home.

Robert Green · 10-31-2009, 04:52 PM

Small update: I finally got a break in my rather chaotic schedule to attempt to load this older computer in safe mode. It was able to do so, but it did not make any difference as I was still getting the Shell32.exe error in safe mode. Granted, it only came up once instead of five times, but it probably also had less exe programs to attempt to load on boot when in safe mode. I also already had what is supposed to be a boot disk. I've figured out how to make it perform utilities like Scandisk, but not to actually boot, and the programs I used did not find anything when I could get them to check drive C (they kept wanting to check A... not helpful).

Robert Green · 11-01-2009, 10:30 AM

Ok. The consensus seems to be that this whole Shell32.exe error causing me to be unable to load executables is caused by some registry stuff and/or a badsector trojan.

I've found a lot of people writing the fixes really didn't think it through at all, as the fixes in question are executable files and therefore useless. I've also found some hilariously bad tech support somewhere else in which I carefully explained my problem, stressing that automated tools that are .Exe files including the one they were offering were not useful to me as I could not load .Exe files only to be replied to by a canned sounding response directing me to... download their automated .Exe tool. That I'm probably better off not being able to use, due to obvious malware risks. For the hell of it, I attempted to respond to that email, only to get an immediate response informing me their email was not monitored by an actual human, despite them claiming their whole stick was real, quick support from humans.

So anyways, was there a manual or at least a non .Exe based fix for this? I couldn't find one. It will be at least a day before I am able to even attempt to get a boot CD, longer if my local library does not offer the service. I don't see why they wouldn't, but who knows.

I have figured out how to open win.ini, which I'm not sure if that is the same as my registry. I have not made any changes to it yet though.

Jim suggested that I 'Search Registry for references to [Shell32.exe] and remove any reference found. Check Win.ini Run= and Load= and remove any refererence found.'

Well, my Win.ini lists this:

load=C:\\webutil.exe
run=

Webutil.exe is a file that does not exist on my computer either, not even as a hidden or system file according to the search feature. Googling it is inconclusive as some reports pin it as an AOL file, some pin it as malware, and some do not say much of anything.

In addition I found a second win.ini when I was searching. Though this one is a bit different.

File size: 9,563 vs 8,492 bytes.
Last modified: 8/2/2005 @ 12:49:58 PM vs 6/29/2000 @ 7:10:18 PM.
The older file has blank load= and run= entries.

It otherwise seems similar at a cursory glance, but it is obviously smaller. I forget how to compare the two side by side though. I don't know which, if either is correct, and if anyone can direct me to a spoiler tag feature to avoid scrolling the thread I will edit to fix this long wall of text.

Win.ini located in C:\Windows:

Code:

[windows]
load=C:\\webutil.exe
run=
NullPort=None
device=EPSON Stylus COLOR 440 (Copy 2),EPIJNL20,LPT1:
DosPrint=no

[Desktop]
Wallpaper=C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP\CHOPPERS.BMP
TileWallpaper=0
WallpaperStyle=2
Pattern=(none)
WallpaperOriginX=0
WallpaperOriginY=0

[intl]
iCountry=1
ICurrDigits=2
iCurrency=0
iDate=0
iDigits=2
iLZero=1
iMeasure=1
iNegCurr=0
iTime=0
iTLZero=0
s1159=AM
s2359=PM
sCountry=United States
sCurrency=$
sDate=/
sDecimal=.
sLanguage=enu
sList=,
sLongDate=dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy
sShortDate=M/d/yy
sThousand=,
sTime=:
sCurrcyMap=ke

[Fonts]

[Compatibility]
_3DPC=0x00400000
_BNOTES=0x224000
_LNOTES=0x00100000
ACAD=0x8000
ACT!=0x400004
ACROBAT=0x04000000
AD=0x10000000
ADW30=0x10000000
ALARMMGR=0x0040000
ALDSETUP=0x00400000
AMIPRINT=0x04000000
AMIPRO=0x04000010
APORIA=0x0100
APPROACH=0x0004
BALER=0x08000000
BMAPP=0x0004
CASMONEY=0x00200000
CAVOIDE=0x00200000
CCMAIL=0x00200000
CCMCWFY=0x80
CHARISMA=0x2000
CONFIG=0x00400000
CORELDRW=0x48000
CORELPNT=0x08000000
COSTAR=0x0004
CP=0x0040
CROSSTIE=0x00000400
DARCH=0x80
DESIGNER=0x00002000
DIRECTOR=0x00800000
DPLANNER=0x00200000
DRAW=0x2000
DS40=0x8000
DTWIN20=0x00000400
EAP=0x0004
ED=0x00010000
EXCEL=0x1000
EXPASTRO=0x04000000
EXTYPWND=0x00200000
FAXVIEW=0x04000000
FAXWORKS=0x00000400
FH4=0x00E08000
FLW2=0x8000
FMPRO=0x00200000
FREEHAND=0x8000
FULLTEXT=0x20000000
GIFTMAKE=0x20000000
GUIDE=0x1000
HDW=0x04800000
HGW=0x8000
HGW2EXE=0x8000
HGW3EXE=0x8000
HJDRAW=0x00400000
IDAPICFG=0x00400000
IDRAW=0x04008000
ILLUSTRATOR=0x8000
IMPROV2=0x00000000
INFOCENT=0x04000000
INSIGHT=0x00000400
INSTAL1=0x00400000
INSTALL=0x00400000
INTERMIS=0x10000000
IS20INST=0x00000000
IVIHEALT=0x00400000
JEOPARDY=0x00200000
JW=0x00000000
KALOAD2=0x00400000
KEYCAD=0x8000
LE_ADMIN=0x00400000
LUI=0x20000000
MAILSPL=0x10000000
MAKER=0x00200000
MAPS1=0x04008022
MATH=0x00000001
MAVIS=0x00200000
MCOURIER=0x0800
MFWIN20=0x02000000
MILESV3=0x1000
MILESV40=0x4
MOZART=0x40000000
MSARTIST=0x00100000
MSBHUMAN=0x4
MSREMIND=0x10000000
MVIEWER2=0x40200000
MYINV=0x00200000
MYST=0x08000000
NAFTA1=0x4008022
NBAMW4V4=0x04000000
NETSET2=0x0100
NOTES=0x200000
NOTSHELL=0x0001
OPERATOR=0x02000000
OUTPOST=0x00000000
OWLAPP=0x00400000
PACKRAT=0x0800
PAINTER=0x00000000
PAWC8DC3=0x00400000
PAWIN=0x4
PEACHW=0x04800004
PIXIE=0x0040
PLANIT=0x0004
PLANNER=0x2000
PLUS=0x1000
PM4=0xA000
PM5APP=0x8000
PP4=0x00000000
PR2=0x2000
PRINTHLP=0x0004
QAPLUSW=0x0004
QLIIFAX=0x00400000
QUAKE=0x80
QW=0x08000000
RELAY=0x20000000
REM=0x8022
RR2CD=0x00200000
RX=0x00000400
RXL=0x00000400
SETUP=0x00000000
SIDEKICK=0x0004
SLEEPER=0x10000000
SOL=0x00400000
SPCB=0x04008000
SPORTJEP=0x00200000
SPWIN20=0x00400000
ST2=0x4008022
STRAUSS=0x40000000
STRAV=0x40000000
SCHUBERT=0x40000000
SSBWIN=0x00200000
SWCWIN=0x00800004
TCVWIN=0x00200000
TCW=0x00400000
TCWIN=0x0004
TERRAIN=0x00400000
TISETUP=0x00200000
TL6=0x08000000
TME=0x0100
TMSWIN=0x20000000
TMTWIN=0x00200000
TMTWINCD=0x00200000
TOUCHUP=0x00400000
TURBOTAX=0x00080000
VB=0x0200
VEWINFIL=0x00400000
VISIO=0x00000004
VISIOHM=0x00000004
VISION=0x0040
W4GL=0x4000
W4GLR=0x4000
WGW=0x00440000
WIN2WRS=0x1210
WINCIM=0x4
WINLINK=0x20000000
WINPHONE=0x0004
WINSIM=0x2000
WINTACH=0x00200000
WORDSCAN=0x02200000
WPWINFIL=0x00000006
WPWIN60=0x00000400
WPWIN61=0x02000400
WSETUP=0x00200000
XPRESS=0x00000008
ZETA01=0x00400000
ZIFFBOOK=0x00200000
NOTIFIER=0x400000

[Compatibility32]
CLWORKS=0x00A00000
MCAD=0x00600000
PHOTOSHP=0x00208000
PODW=0x00200000
SPSSWIN=0x00200000
TYPSTRY2=0x00200000
V32VM20=0x02000000
VISIO=0x00000000
VISIOHM=0x00000000
WINPHONE=0x00000004
WRDART32=0x00400000
SHELL=0x80000000
USTATION=0x80000000

[Compatibility95]
CHAOS OV=0x80000000
CONF=0x00000002
MSDEV=0x00000002
IMAGE32=0x80000000
INST32=0x80000000

[ModuleCompatibility]
ACEROOBE=0x0004
AIRNFM=0x0002
ALDNCD=0x0002
AMRES=0x0002
ATM=0x0002
ARCHANGEL=0x0002
CSNOV=0x0002
DEFDEMO=0x0002
DIBWND=0x0002
DIB=0x0002
DS=0x0001
EMLIB=0x0002
EMSAVE=0x0002
FH4=0x0002
GEDIT=0x0002
GEORGE=0x0002
GVBSETUP=0x0002
HRWCD=0x0002
ISLFAXPR=0x0002
KIDDESK=0x0002
KIDSTYPE=0x0000
KNPS=0x0002
LIONKING=0x0002
MAUI_DRV=0x0002
MGXWMF=0x0002
MEMMAP=0x0002
MSARTIST=0x0002
MSCRWRTR=0x0002
MSCUISTF=0x0001
MVIEWER2=0x0002
MWAVSCAN=0x0002
MYINV=0x0002
OLESVR=0x0002
PDOXWIN=0x0002
PLANIT=0x0002
PP3=0x0002
PP4=0x0002
PPPP=0x0002
PXDSRV2=0x0002
REVIEWRT=0x0002
ROULETTE=0x0002
RRIRJ=0x0002
RR1=0x0002
RR2CD=0x0002
STL_DLG=0x0002
TECO=0x0001
TER=0x0002
TLW0LOC=0x0002
TMSWIN=0x0002
USA=0x0002
VOICE=0x0002
WFXVIEW=0x0004
WINFORM=0x0002
WPWIN61=0x0002

[TrueType]
FontSmoothing=1

[mci extensions]
mid=Sequencer
rmi=Sequencer
wav=waveaudio
avi=AVIVideo
cda=CDAudio
m3u=MPEGVideo
midi=Sequencer
mp3=MPEGVideo
mpv2=MPEGVideo
asf=MPEGVideo2
asx=MPEGVideo2
ivf=MPEGVideo2
lsf=MPEGVideo2
lsx=MPEGVideo2
mp2v=MPEGVideo
wax=MPEGVideo2
wvx=MPEGVideo2
wm=MPEGVideo2
wma=MPEGVideo2
wmv=MPEGVideo2
mov=MPEGVideo
qt=MPEGVideo
dat=MPEGVideo
mpg=MPEGVideo
mpa=MPEGVideo
mpv=MPEGVideo
enc=MPEGVideo
m1v=MPEGVideo
mp2=MPEGVideo
mpe=MPEGVideo
mpeg=MPEGVideo
mpm=MPEGVideo
au=MPEGVideo
snd=MPEGVideo
aif=MPEGVideo
aiff=MPEGVideo
aifc=MPEGVideo

[MCICompatibility]
QTWVideo=0x0001
MCIXSND=0x0001
GDAnim=0x0001

[mciavi]

[Desktop_Shell]
Current=Win

[Pscript.Drv]
ATMWorkaround=1

[Ports]
LPT1:=
LPT2:=
LPT3:=
COM1:=9600,n,8,1,x
COM2:=9600,n,8,1,x
COM3:=9600,n,8,1,x
COM4:=9600,n,8,1,x
FILE:=

[embedding]
Package=Package,Package,packager.exe,picture
midfile=MIDI Sequence,MIDI Sequence,c:\windows\mplayer.exe /mid,picture
SoundRec=Wave Sound,Wave Sound,c:\windows\sndrec32.exe,picture
mplayer=Media Clip,Media Clip,c:\windows\mplayer.exe,picture
PBrush=Paintbrush Picture,Paintbrush Picture,C:\PROGRA~1\ACCESS~1\MSPAINT.EXE,picture
Paint.Picture=Bitmap Image,Bitmap Image,C:\PROGRA~1\ACCESS~1\MSPAINT.EXE,picture
Wordpad.Document.1=WordPad Document,WordPad Document,C:\PROGRA~1\ACCESS~1\WORDPAD.EXE,picture
ComicChat.Room.2=Microsoft Chat Room,Microsoft Chat Room,C:\PROGRA~1\CHAT\CCHAT.EXE,picture
Imaging.Document=Image Document,Image Document,c:\windows\KodakImg.Exe,picture
WangImage.Document=Image Document,Image Document,c:\windows\KodakImg.Exe,picture
avifile=Video Clip,Video Clip,c:\windows\mplayer.exe /avi,picture

[Extensions]
SBD=C:\WINDOWS\asym\runtime\TB30RUN.EXE ^.SBD

[Devices]
HP LaserJet 4L=HPPCL5MS,LPT1:
Capture fax BVRP=Bvrpwfu,FAX BVRP:
EPSON Stylus COLOR 440=EPIJNL20,LPT1:
EPSON Stylus COLOR 440 (Copy 2)=EPIJNL20,LPT1:
MS Publisher Imagesetter=pscript,FILE:
MS Publisher Color Printer=pscript,FILE:

[PrinterPorts]
HP LaserJet 4L=HPPCL5MS,LPT1:,15,45
Capture fax BVRP=Bvrpwfu,FAX BVRP:,15,45
EPSON Stylus COLOR 440=EPIJNL20,LPT1:,15,45
EPSON Stylus COLOR 440 (Copy 2)=EPIJNL20,LPT1:,15,45
MS Publisher Imagesetter=pscript,FILE:,15,45
MS Publisher Color Printer=pscript,FILE:,15,45

[MCI Extensions.BAK]
aif=MPEGVideo
aifc=MPEGVideo
aiff=MPEGVideo
au=MPEGVideo
m1v=MPEGVideo
m3u=MPEGVideo
midi=MPEGVideo
mov=MPEGVideo
mp2=MPEGVideo
mp3=MPEGVideo
mpa=MPEGVideo
mpe=MPEGVideo
mpeg=MPEGVideo
mpg=MPEGVideo
mpv2=MPEGVideo
qt=MPEGVideo
snd=MPEGVideo
asf=MPEGVideo2
asx=MPEGVideo2
ivf=MPEGVideo2
lsf=MPEGVideo2
lsx=MPEGVideo2
mp2v=MPEGVideo
wax=MPEGVideo2
wvx=MPEGVideo2
wm=MPEGVideo2
wma=MPEGVideo2
wmv=MPEGVideo2

[DrawDib]
pnpdrvr.drv 800x600x16(565 0)=37,5,5,5

[CS2000]
AppPath=C:\CompuServe 2000
InstallDrive=C

[WCS2000]
SharedPath=C:\WINDOWS\CSSHARE

[RomTech]
Games=c:
Arcade Action LEGAL NOTICE=TRUE

[applications]
HAMCOSoftware.CometBusters=C:\Comet

[Sounds]
SystemDefault=,

[Barney]
regnum=0
regname=

[Indigo Rose]
C:\WINDOWS\iun3401.exe=1
C:\WINDOWS\iun3404.exe=1

[MSCharMap]
Font=Pokémon

[AT&T WNS]

[Pscript TrueType Substitutions]
Arial=Helvetica
Arial Narrow=Helvetica-Narrow
Book Antiqua=Palatino
Bookman Old Style=Bookman
Century Gothic=AvantGarde
Century Schoolbook=NewCenturySchlbk
Courier New=Courier
Monotype Corsiva=ZapfChancery
Monotype Sorts=ZapfDingbats
Symbol=Symbol
Times New Roman=Times

[PostScript,FILE]
ATM=placeholder

[Rock Slide]
HighScore=540

[America Onfire Platinum]
Times Loaded=7
Answer=I'm tryimg to take over the world right now, but if you leave your name, and number, I'll try to kill you as soon as I can.



[FontSubstitutes]
Helv=MS Sans Serif
Tms Rmn=MS Serif
Times=Times New Roman
Helvetica=Arial
MS Shell Dlg=MS Sans Serif
MS Shell Dlg 2=MS Sans Serif
Monotype.com=Andale Mono

[Mail]
MAPI=1
MAPIX=1

[colors]
Scrollbar=192 192 192
Background=166 202 240
ActiveTitle=255 255 0
InactiveTitle=255 0 255
Menu=192 192 192
Window=255 255 255
WindowFrame=0 0 0
MenuText=0 0 128
WindowText=0 0 255
TitleText=0 0 128
ActiveBorder=192 192 192
InactiveBorder=166 202 240
AppWorkspace=166 202 240
Hilight=0 0 128
HilightText=255 255 255
ButtonFace=192 192 192
ButtonShadow=128 128 128
GrayText=128 128 128
ButtonText=0 0 255
InactiveTitleText=0 0 128
ButtonHilight=255 255 255
ButtonDkShadow=0 0 0
ButtonLight=192 192 192
InfoText=0 0 128
InfoWindow=166 202 240
ButtonAlternateFace=180 180 180
HotTrackingColor=0 0 255
GradientActiveTitle=255 0 255
GradientInactiveTitle=255 255 0

[WAOL]
AppPath=C:\PROGRAM FILES\AMERICA ONLINE 8.0
SharedPath=C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOLSHARE

win.ini located in C:\FSProf\Backup:

Code:

[windows]
load=
run=
NullPort=None
device=EPSON Stylus COLOR 440,EPIJNL20,LPT1:
DosPrint=no

[Desktop]
Wallpaper=C:\UNZIPPED\STONEW~1\STONEW~1.BMP
TileWallpaper=1
WallpaperStyle=0
Pattern=(none)
WallpaperOriginX=0
WallpaperOriginY=0

[intl]
iCountry=1
ICurrDigits=2
iCurrency=0
iDate=0
iDigits=2
iLZero=1
iMeasure=1
iNegCurr=0
iTime=0
iTLZero=0
s1159=AM
s2359=PM
sCountry=United States
sCurrency=$
sDate=/
sDecimal=.
sLanguage=enu
sList=,
sLongDate=dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy
sShortDate=M/d/yy
sThousand=,
sTime=:
sCurrcyMap=ke

[Fonts]

[FontSubstitutes]
Helv=MS Sans Serif
Tms Rmn=MS Serif
Times=Times New Roman
Helvetica=Arial
MS Shell Dlg=MS Sans Serif

[Compatibility]
_3DPC=0x00400000
_BNOTES=0x224000
_LNOTES=0x00100000
ACAD=0x8000
ACT!=0x400004
ACROBAT=0x04000000
AD=0x10000000
ADW30=0x10000000
ALARMMGR=0x0040000
ALDSETUP=0x00400000
AMIPRINT=0x04000000
AMIPRO=0x04000010
APORIA=0x0100
APPROACH=0x0004
BALER=0x08000000
BMAPP=0x0004
CASMONEY=0x00200000
CAVOIDE=0x00200000
CCMAIL=0x00200000
CCMCWFY=0x80
CHARISMA=0x2000
CONFIG=0x00400000
CORELDRW=0x48000
CORELPNT=0x08000000
COSTAR=0x0004
CP=0x0040
CROSSTIE=0x00000400
DARCH=0x80
DESIGNER=0x00002000
DIRECTOR=0x00800000
DPLANNER=0x00200000
DRAW=0x2000
DS40=0x8000
DTWIN20=0x00000400
EAP=0x0004
ED=0x00010000
EXCEL=0x1000
EXPASTRO=0x04000000
EXTYPWND=0x00200000
FAXVIEW=0x04000000
FAXWORKS=0x00000400
FH4=0x00E08000
FLW2=0x8000
FMPRO=0x00200000
FREEHAND=0x8000
FULLTEXT=0x20000000
GIFTMAKE=0x20000000
GUIDE=0x1000
HDW=0x04800000
HGW=0x8000
HGW2EXE=0x8000
HGW3EXE=0x8000
HJDRAW=0x00400000
IDAPICFG=0x00400000
IDRAW=0x04008000
ILLUSTRATOR=0x8000
IMPROV2=0x00000000
INFOCENT=0x04000000
INSIGHT=0x00000400
INSTAL1=0x00400000
INSTALL=0x00400000
INTERMIS=0x10000000
IS20INST=0x00000000
IVIHEALT=0x00400000
JEOPARDY=0x00200000
JW=0x00000000
KALOAD2=0x00400000
KEYCAD=0x8000
LE_ADMIN=0x00400000
LUI=0x20000000
MAILSPL=0x10000000
MAKER=0x00200000
MAPS1=0x04008022
MATH=0x00000001
MAVIS=0x00200000
MCOURIER=0x0800
MFWIN20=0x02000000
MILESV3=0x1000
MILESV40=0x4
MOZART=0x40000000
MSARTIST=0x00100000
MSBHUMAN=0x4
MSREMIND=0x10000000
MVIEWER2=0x40200000
MYINV=0x00200000
MYST=0x08000000
NAFTA1=0x4008022
NBAMW4V4=0x04000000
NETSET2=0x0100
NOTES=0x200000
NOTSHELL=0x0001
OPERATOR=0x02000000
OUTPOST=0x00000000
OWLAPP=0x00400000
PACKRAT=0x0800
PAINTER=0x00000000
PAWC8DC3=0x00400000
PAWIN=0x4
PEACHW=0x04800004
PIXIE=0x0040
PLANIT=0x0004
PLANNER=0x2000
PLUS=0x1000
PM4=0xA000
PM5APP=0x8000
PP4=0x00000000
PR2=0x2000
PRINTHLP=0x0004
QAPLUSW=0x0004
QLIIFAX=0x00400000
QUAKE=0x80
QW=0x08000000
RELAY=0x20000000
REM=0x8022
RR2CD=0x00200000
RX=0x00000400
RXL=0x00000400
SETUP=0x00000000
SIDEKICK=0x0004
SLEEPER=0x10000000
SOL=0x00400000
SPCB=0x04008000
SPORTJEP=0x00200000
SPWIN20=0x00400000
ST2=0x4008022
STRAUSS=0x40000000
STRAV=0x40000000
SCHUBERT=0x40000000
SSBWIN=0x00200000
SWCWIN=0x00800004
TCVWIN=0x00200000
TCW=0x00400000
TCWIN=0x0004
TERRAIN=0x00400000
TISETUP=0x00200000
TL6=0x08000000
TME=0x0100
TMSWIN=0x20000000
TMTWIN=0x00200000
TMTWINCD=0x00200000
TOUCHUP=0x00400000
TURBOTAX=0x00080000
VB=0x0200
VEWINFIL=0x00400000
VISIO=0x00000004
VISIOHM=0x00000004
VISION=0x0040
W4GL=0x4000
W4GLR=0x4000
WGW=0x00440000
WIN2WRS=0x1210
WINCIM=0x4
WINLINK=0x20000000
WINPHONE=0x0004
WINSIM=0x2000
WINTACH=0x00200000
WORDSCAN=0x02200000
WPWINFIL=0x00000006
WPWIN60=0x00000400
WPWIN61=0x02000400
WSETUP=0x00200000
XPRESS=0x00000008
ZETA01=0x00400000
ZIFFBOOK=0x00200000

[Compatibility32]
CLWORKS=0x00A00000
MCAD=0x00600000
PHOTOSHP=0x00208000
PODW=0x00200000
SPSSWIN=0x00200000
TYPSTRY2=0x00200000
V32VM20=0x02000000
VISIO=0x00000000
VISIOHM=0x00000000
WINPHONE=0x00000004
WRDART32=0x00400000
SHELL=0x80000000
USTATION=0x80000000

[Compatibility95]
CHAOS OV=0x80000000
CONF=0x00000002
MSDEV=0x00000002
IMAGE32=0x80000000
INST32=0x80000000

[ModuleCompatibility]
ACEROOBE=0x0004
AIRNFM=0x0002
ALDNCD=0x0002
AMRES=0x0002
ATM=0x0002
ARCHANGEL=0x0002
CSNOV=0x0002
DEFDEMO=0x0002
DIBWND=0x0002
DIB=0x0002
DS=0x0001
EMLIB=0x0002
EMSAVE=0x0002
FH4=0x0002
GEDIT=0x0002
GEORGE=0x0002
GVBSETUP=0x0002
HRWCD=0x0002
ISLFAXPR=0x0002
KIDDESK=0x0002
KIDSTYPE=0x0000
KNPS=0x0002
LIONKING=0x0002
MAUI_DRV=0x0002
MGXWMF=0x0002
MEMMAP=0x0002
MSARTIST=0x0002
MSCRWRTR=0x0002
MSCUISTF=0x0001
MVIEWER2=0x0002
MWAVSCAN=0x0002
MYINV=0x0002
OLESVR=0x0002
PDOXWIN=0x0002
PLANIT=0x0002
PP3=0x0002
PP4=0x0002
PPPP=0x0002
PXDSRV2=0x0002
REVIEWRT=0x0002
ROULETTE=0x0002
RRIRJ=0x0002
RR1=0x0002
RR2CD=0x0002
STL_DLG=0x0002
TECO=0x0001
TER=0x0002
TLW0LOC=0x0002
TMSWIN=0x0002
USA=0x0002
VOICE=0x0002
WFXVIEW=0x0004
WINFORM=0x0002
WPWIN61=0x0002

[TrueType]
FontSmoothing=0

[mci extensions]
mid=Sequencer
rmi=Sequencer
wav=waveaudio
avi=AVIVideo
cda=CDAudio
aif=MPEGVideo
aifc=MPEGVideo
aiff=MPEGVideo
au=MPEGVideo
m1v=MPEGVideo
m3u=MPEGVideo
midi=MPEGVideo
mov=MPEGVideo
mp2=MPEGVideo
mp3=MPEGVideo
mpa=MPEGVideo
mpe=MPEGVideo
mpeg=MPEGVideo
mpg=MPEGVideo
mpv2=MPEGVideo
qt=MPEGVideo
snd=MPEGVideo

[MCICompatibility]
QTWVideo=0x0001
MCIXSND=0x0001
GDAnim=0x0001

[mciavi]

[Desktop_Shell]
Current=Win

[Pscript.Drv]
ATMWorkaround=1

[Ports]
LPT1:=
LPT2:=
LPT3:=
COM1:=9600,n,8,1,x
COM2:=9600,n,8,1,x
COM3:=9600,n,8,1,x
COM4:=9600,n,8,1,x
FILE:=

[embedding]
Package=Package,Package,packager.exe,picture
midfile=MIDI Sequence,MIDI Sequence,c:\windows\mplayer.exe /mid,picture
SoundRec=Wave Sound,Wave Sound,c:\windows\sndrec32.exe,picture
mplayer=Media Clip,Media Clip,c:\windows\mplayer.exe,picture
PBrush=Paintbrush Picture,Paintbrush Picture,C:\PROGRA~1\ACCESS~1\MSPAINT.EXE,picture
Paint.Picture=Bitmap Image,Bitmap Image,C:\PROGRA~1\ACCESS~1\MSPAINT.EXE,picture
Wordpad.Document.1=WordPad Document,WordPad Document,C:\PROGRA~1\ACCESS~1\WORDPAD.EXE,picture
ComicChat.Room.2=Microsoft Chat Room,Microsoft Chat Room,C:\PROGRA~1\Chat\CChat.exe,picture
Imaging.Document=Image Document,Image Document,c:\windows\KodakImg.Exe,picture
WangImage.Document=Image Document,Image Document,c:\windows\KodakImg.Exe,picture
avifile=Video Clip,Video Clip,c:\windows\mplayer.exe /avi,picture

[Extensions]
ZIP=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.ZIP
LZH=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.LZH
ARJ=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.ARJ
ARC=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.ARC
TAR=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.TAR
TAZ=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.TAZ
TGZ=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.TGZ
TZ=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.TZ
GZ=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.GZ
Z=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.Z
CAB=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.CAB
UU=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.UU
UUE=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.UUE
XXE=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.XXE
B64=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.B64
HQX=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.HQX
BHX=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.BHX
MIM=C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe ^.MIM
SBD=C:\WINDOWS\asym\runtime\TB30RUN.EXE ^.SBD

[Mail]
MAPI=1
MAPIX=1

[Devices]
HP LaserJet 4L=HPPCL5MS,LPT1:
Capture fax BVRP=Bvrpwfu,FAX BVRP:
EPSON Stylus COLOR 440=EPIJNL20,LPT1:

[PrinterPorts]
HP LaserJet 4L=HPPCL5MS,LPT1:,15,45
Capture fax BVRP=Bvrpwfu,FAX BVRP:,15,45
EPSON Stylus COLOR 440=EPIJNL20,LPT1:,15,45

[MCI Extensions.BAK]
aif=MPEGVideo
aifc=MPEGVideo
aiff=MPEGVideo
au=MPEGVideo
m1v=MPEGVideo
m3u=MPEGVideo
midi=MPEGVideo
mov=MPEGVideo
mp2=MPEGVideo
mp3=MPEGVideo
mpa=MPEGVideo
mpe=MPEGVideo
mpeg=MPEGVideo
mpg=MPEGVideo
mpv2=MPEGVideo
qt=MPEGVideo
snd=MPEGVideo

[WAOL]
AppPath=C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP\AMERICA ONLINE 5.0
InstallDrive=C
SharedPath=C:\WINDOWS\AOLSHARE

[DrawDib]
pnpdrvr.drv 800x600x16(565 0)=37,5,5,5

[CS2000]
AppPath=C:\CompuServe 2000
InstallDrive=C

[WCS2000]
SharedPath=C:\WINDOWS\CSSHARE

[WinZip]
Note-1=This section is required only to install the optional WinZip Internet Browser Support build 0231.
Note-2=Removing this section of the win.ini will have no effect except preventing installation of WinZip Internet Browser Support build 0231.
win32_version=6.3-7.0

[RomTech]
Games=D:
Arcade Action LEGAL NOTICE=TRUE

[applications]
HAMCOSoftware.CometBusters=C:\Comet

[Sounds]
SystemDefault=,

[Barney]
regnum=0
regname=

[Indigo Rose]
C:\WINDOWS\iun3401.exe=1

ýýýý

I have not made any changes as yet, just looked around and posted the full contents of the files. If some of the stuff in there seems old, it's because it is and got there either when I was much younger, or when some kid used this PC back when it was new. Should I attempt replacing the first Win.ini file with the second one? What, if any modifactions should I make to these file(s)?

And what registry editing programs exist that work with Windows 98 and are not executable files or at least can be booted from (which seems to get around that problem)?

**OldGrayGary** · 11-01-2009, 04:35 PM

Hi again Robert

That "webutil.exe" can be safely deleted from the line in win.ini if you no longer use AOL dial-up to connect to the Internet. You can also try uninstalling AOL 8 from the Control Panel in Safe Mode, if you are able to get to the Control Panel there (you should be able to do so).

At this point, I think that you should consider the cheapest/quickest repairs for the older Win98 PC, as your efforts so far are taking up likely more time than they are worth.

Linux Quick-Fix
The fastest solution is to simply give up on Windows 98, erase the drive, run some diagnostics to make sure the hard drive & memory are still OK (so that you're not just wasting time) - and install a lighter version of Linux. Xbuntu would do, but there are others. This whole process should only take an hour or two. Linux distros come with versions of office/Internet/multimedia programs that are free & open-source, so you can do most anything in Linux that you can do in Windows (except run Windows-only programs). OpenOffice can read and write to Office documents.

It sounds like you really want to save that Windows 98 - in that case:
Win98 Quick-fix try #1
1) Delete winutil.exe from your win.ini file
2) Uninstall AOL 8 (if you cannot reach Control Panel in normal mode, try Safe Mode. If that doesn't work, use windows explorer (which appears to have worked for you recently) and visit the AOL folders, and try double-clicking on its uninstaller file directly --- as you've noticed, your exe troubles are not uniform, but are somewhat hit-and-miss. Some exe files that you click on directly work, some don't.
3) See if the Registry Editor will start if you type it into the Start/Run box. It might, it might not. (Also try this in Safe Mode, if unsuccessful in normal mode). Also try using the shortcuts on the Start Menu. If successful, select "My Computer" in the left-hand tree-view menu, and then select "Edit" then "Search" and search for "Shell32.exe" thoughout the entire Registry, and delete each and every instance. The F3 key is handy for this, it will search for the NEXT instance from the spot where you've just deleted an instance of Shell32.exe. This is the same advice Jim mentioned earlier.
4) See if the Configuration Utility will start if you type it into the Start/Run box ( type msconfig ). It might, it might not. (Also try this in Safe Mode, if unsuccessful in normal mode). If successful, remove all non-essential entries from the Startup tab (you can also edit Win.ini and System.ini from msconfig -- but if uncertain about entries, ask here for more info). As I mentioned earlier, you can later re-enable entries one at a time - then if an error occurs, you know which entry is causing the problem.
5) Try to create a new exe file association. Here is a ".reg" file that has all the necessary info already in it (this is from the FileXT.com site that I mentioned earlier) --- http://filext.com/Win98_EXE_Fix.reg ---. All you do is download the file to your Desktop, double-click it, and click Yes to Import (it's been a while since, I've done this, so the wording might be different). If this doesn't work in normal mode, try it in Safe Mode.
6) If at this point your antivirus is still working & updating, run it on as thorough settings as possible. If not, to clean further you'll need to make a bootable CD with antimalware tools on it as I've described earlier. Or try a fresh install of a decent antivirus - not that many are still available for win98.

Win98 Quick-fix try #2
1) Borrow a Win98 installation CD from a friend to repair your system (this is legal, but you need a CD that matches your version of Win98, and one that isn't a 'recovery' CD). You'll still be using your current product-key. Run an in-place reinstallation (as I instructed earlier) and see how it goes. On your first try, install to C:\Windows and not to C:\Windows.000. If the installation goes badly you can try a "parallel" install (in which case you install to C:\Windows.000). An in-place reinstall should have a decent chance of success - but could be compromised by malware still present on the hard drive.
_______________

Remember that it is only some executables that aren't working, and not all. You are correct that if you boot from a source other than your hard drive, most tools should work just fine.
_______________

It is fairly easy to start the Registry Editor from a DOS window on a machine running Windows 98. This opens up another window in which the Registry Editor runs. But running the Registry Editor in DOS (not just the DOS window) might limit you to command-line usage, which is complicated and requires more instruction than is possible here. If you can't start the Registry Editor using any of the methods I mentioned earlier in this post, you can try:
1) From the Start Menu, select Run, then type command
2) From the command prompt, type cd \Windows
3) From the command prompt, type copy regedit.exe regedit.com
4) From the command prompt, type run regedit.com
This procedure should give you access to the regular Registry Editor screens. This procedure usually works even when the exe associations are corrupted.
_______________

Best of luck
. . . Gary

Robert Green · 11-01-2009, 07:02 PM

From searching around more carefully I found a very old Norton Internet Security disk. It apparently was bootable but only had a likely very outdated antivirus on it. It was also very slow, taking nearly five hours to go over my hard drive. However it didn't find anything, and it didn't seem to be capable of booting windows, so when I loaded windows normally I still encountered the same error.

I haven't heard of Linux being very user friendly, and it certainly is not compatible with many programs so I would prefer to avoid it.

With that said:

I removed the reference to webutil.exe a while ago. There was no change, even after a restart. I did confirm it was really gone and it was, but I was still getting the error.

I cannot access add/remove programs without getting the error. I can get into the control panel, just not the add/remove programs section. Since I still get the error even on safe mode I doubt it will help but I will try it after trying everything on normal mode.

Typing regedit into start/run gives the same error. I've tried earlier, and I've tried just now. I think I also tried this one on safe mode already, but I will try again in a moment.

I am not sure what shortcuts on the start menu you are referring to that would load a registry editor. I didn't see any, so I did not do anything here.

Msconfig from start/run yields the same error.

I was able to successfully load the registry fix. I suspect it needs a restart to make any difference and I'd prefer to isolate the solution so I will stop here and reboot.

Robert Green · 11-01-2009, 07:43 PM

Ran the edit timer out again. The registry fix seems to have solved my problem. I get a normal start up now, no more shell32 error and am able to load executables fine, even the ones I just had problems with.

However in doing so I realized what I thought was just a side effect is actually its own problem. I get no sound. Music, video, game, the sound component doesn't work. Everything else does, but not the audio. Speakers are on, volume is up, mute is not enabled, yet I get nothing.

**OldGrayGary** · 11-02-2009, 10:58 AM

Hi again

Add/Remove in Control Panel might be working now. If so, look in there and remove any sound software dedicated to the your sound card. Then go to Device Manager (it's in the System applet in Control Panel), and remove the sound (audio) entries in the "Sound, video, and game controllers" category (you can leave any game controllers - but remove the sound devices).

If Windows can't find a good driver on reboot, check the support website for your PC model - they usually have a good audio driver available for download. Dell, IBM, Gateway -- most of the major brands keep drivers around for a long time, even for most of their older models.

If you don't have a good local antivirus installed, you'll probably want to find one & install it. All my favorite antivirus vendors no longer support Win98, so it might take some looking around. Some online scanners might still support win98 -- I imagine HouseCall (at trendmicro.com) might, since you could try the Java-based version.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

10-29-2009, 08:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	[SOLVED] 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' After experiencing this problem with my newer PC, my only option for getting online technical support was to dig out my ten year old computer and connect that up. I have experienced this problem before about six years ago. It was caused by some sort of virus, and I fixed it by going into safe mode and doing... something. I don't remember what, but I thought it was resolved. I got a much better computer about four or five years ago and didn't use it for a while. That computer eventually got struck by lightning, forcing me to get the old one out again and it worked fine at the time until I was able to purchase a third computer, which is the one that experienced the random system failure, or at least what I think is a random system failure. Anyways, the error says 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe. This program is needed to open files of type 'application'' And then it asks me to identify the location of Shell32.exe. Well, I don't know where it is. According to a computer search there are no files by that name on my PC. This error comes up when I attempt to load any program, with the odd exception of a 'shortcut to Internet Explorer' in the top section of my start menu but does occur when I attempt to load Internet Explorer from the taskbar. I can't even change the date and time on this computer without getting that error. This seems like a simple fix, unlike the other one. Get a working Shell32.exe for Windows 98, put it in the right place, and it works fine right? Trouble is all my searches bring up stuff for Windows XP, even though I specify Windows 98 in the search lines and they're also for Shell.exe and not Shell32.exe. I'm not even sure why this was happening as it was working fine the last time I used it, so I'm not sure why that old problem would be resurfacing, or if it even is the old problem as opposed to the file somehow getting deleted by non malware means. But I suspect simply replacing the file would fix everything, so I put it in the Win98 board and not the malware board.

10-29-2009, 02:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jlp1928 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 440 OS: Win98, XP, 2000	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi Robert, I just checked a 98SE that is running fine. There is no Shell32.Exe on this one either. Don't know what else to tell you. The nearest thing is Shell32.DLL and it has a whole bunch of ICONs you can use. I don't know what else but will dig it out if you think it will help. Good Luck, Jim

10-29-2009, 02:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' I don't know. I just know that any time I attempt to open an .exe file of any kind, I get a message that looks exactly like this. Program not found. Windows cannot find SHELL32.exe. This program is needed for opening files of type 'Application'. Location of SHELL32.exe: [C:\............................................] [OK] [Cancel] [Locate...] I'd screenshot it, but paint is an exe program so no copy pasting screenshots. I do already have a Shell32.dll in C:\Windows\System. It is 1,388,816 bytes and was last modified 12/06/01 at 11:25 PM. Looking around revealed a lot of stuff about the DLL, but nothing about an EXE. I downloaded one that is exactly 100,000 bytes and was last modified 01/10/1980 at 12:00 AM but the time, file size, and the fact I already had one were all very suspicious, so I chose not to overwrite the one I had with this one I got from some DLL download site.

10-30-2009, 07:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
Jlp1928 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 440 OS: Win98, XP, 2000	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi again Robert, I also checked an XP system. It also does not have a Shell32.exe. I then searched the internet for Shell32.Exe. There is lots of info at the top of the list. It appears to be a Virus or etc. You should find plenty of info about it and how to deal with it. Good Luck, Jim

10-30-2009, 12:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Sorry for the double post, but I don't think this forum has an edit option, or if it does I'm just not seeing it displayed. Where exactly are you searching? Every search I attempted on it yielded one of the following: Something about Shell.exe (no 32) which is specified as a Windows XP (not 98) component. Something about Shell32.dll that has no apparent relevance as it is an entirely different error. A thread talking about Shell32.exe... this one. And it seems this is the only discussion about it.

10-30-2009, 01:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Good morning all Robert - Since the Shell32.exe file is a known malware - you truly do not want to find another such file & restore it. As your research showed, that file is usually a malware attack of the 'trojan' or 'backdoor' variety (it opens ports and allows further malware exploits). There is a legitimate file is called Shell32.dll. That file is not involved in your current trouble. You'll want to clean the troubled PC of malware, and then repair its file association for executables. Depending on how severe the malware infection is, you might need to try an in-place reinstall of Windows after the malware is removed. If you don't need any of the current data on the old system, and you have access to a Recovery CD for that system, one option is to use that disk to restore the system to it's factory-original state (some Recovery Disks also allow "partial" recoveries - which save some of your current data). The factory-original restore erases the entire hard drive (which removes infections) and then restores the factory-original hard drive image. Recovery Disks generally are bootable, so it doesn't matter how badly infected the hard drive is. If you need to save the current data, you can try cleaning the malware using a bootable CD containing antimalware tools (such as the UBCD4Win -- which works for most PCs, but requires a Windows XP CD to create --- http://www.ubcd4win.com ). Another option is to remove the hard drive, attach it to another well-protected PC, and scan it using the clean PCs antimalware programs. You can attach the drive internally - using cables, or externally - using USB adapters or enclosures. Once clean, you can try starting Windows normally. If the ".exe" or "application" file-association is still broken, you can try restoring it manually. There's a Windows 98 section in the following instructions --- http://filext.com/faq/broken_exe_association.php An in-place (or "over-the-top") reinstall of Windows 98 will also fix this problem, but of course there is a fair amount of updating afterwards. If you need instructions for that, search this forum for "over-the-top" & my username (OldGrayGary) & you'll see several threads with the in-depth instructions. _______________ Whatever repair you decide on, make sure to have antimalware protection installed & running before you reconnect the freshly cleaned PC to the Internet. Otherwise you'll be faced with an endless cycle of cleaning & reinfection. I find that securing Windows 98 on the Internet is getting to be a headache. You might consider an older, lighter version of Linux to visit the Internet with on the old PC. If there's enough room, you could dual-boot - using Win98 for old games & such (disabling the network adapter so that no Internet access occurs), and then booting into Linux when wishing to visit the Internet. Xbuntu runs fairly well on older PCs. Best of luck . . . Gary _______________ and ... Hi There, Jim __________________

10-30-2009, 01:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jlp1928 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 440 OS: Win98, XP, 2000	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi again Robert and Gary, Seems like the immediate problem is only that something is calling for the Shell32.Exe and it is not there. Check Startup in the Menu, Search Registry for references to it and remove any reference found. Check Win.ini Run= and Load= and remove any refererence found. That is, after you try Gary's suggestions and only if it's still there. Good Luck, Jim

10-30-2009, 03:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' I am still not sure how I would clean the computer of malware without a restored association for executables, since they all seem to be exe files or simply do not support my computer (for the online scanners). I do know this computer came with a set of disks, but as this was a decade ago the chances that I will successfully find them are low. Likewise if I had a Windows XP CD I could most likely fix my better computer, at which point I really don't care about this one. Also, my older computer does not have a CD-RW drive, and my newer one doesn't have a floppy drive so there isn't any way I know of to exchange data between them. I did look into manually restoring the association. .Exe is not listed. As this is what it is supposed to be, I don't know what to do here, so I didn't do anything. Though I did see an EX_ listed. It says it is Content type: (MIME) and that it opens with PROGRAM. I don't know if this is good, bad, or not relevant so I made no change. It also had an icon like that of a Wordpad document if that means anything. I also looked in the start up menu. The only thing listed there was some old copy of AOL 8.0. I would have also searched the registry without making any change, but I forgot how to do that.

10-31-2009, 01:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi again A bootable CD with up-to-date antimalware tools can clean nearly any infected computer, because the hard drive is not involved in starting the system = it boots and runs completely from the read-only CD [& a read-only CD can't be infected, since it can no longer be written to]. Sadly, since your older PC doesn't have a CD drive, this method of cleaning isn't available to you. A long-shot quick-fix that you could try would be to boot your PC with a bootable Win98 floppy, and from the command prompt type scanreg /restore If you don't have a bootable Win98 floppy, there are several free versions available at bootdisk.com. This repair would only work if you have a workable saved Registry among the five that Win98 saves by default. This is rather unlikely in your case - but is a distant possibility: worth trying (since it only takes a minute or two). It's likely that you are seeing similiar errors on both your newer and older PCs because they are all infected by the same malware. If you've been visiting the Internet without up-to-date antivirus and firewall programs running - you've been extremely vulnerable. Also, if Windows 98 or XP were not up-to-date in their Windows Security Updates, you were wide-open to well-known exploits ... These can infect an unprotected, non-updated Internet-connected PC within a matter of minutes If you have a friend with a Windows XP installation CD, ask them if they will create a UBCD4Win for you. Make sure they use the "Plugins" & "Press Config to Update" options for AntiVir and A-squared - so that the virus definitions updates are included on the CD when it's built. Then use that disk to clean the newer PC. Then try rebooting normally. If the exe file-association is still broken, you can try using Doug Knox's handy Registry file fixes to restore the default Windows-XP values (which should fix the problem). From the following webpage, scroll down to EXE File Association Fix -- it's the ninth in the list --- http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm Lacking a Win98 disk for the older system, I think it's best solution for a working PC is to give Xbuntu Linux a try. Erase the hard drive first, and run a few diagnostics on that old hardware. But only if the project sounds like fun .. otherwise, might as well donate it or recycle it. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________

10-31-2009, 06:49 AM	#11 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' My older PC does have a CD drive. It just isn't capable of burning CDs, so the CD would have to be made on another system. I am not seeing the same errors on my older and my newer PC. My older PC is capable of booting, it just gives a Shell32.exe error any time I attempt to open an executable. However there seems to be ways around it - clicking the shortcut to Internet Explorer allows me to access the Internet and continue this discussion, but clicking the icon on my taskbar gives the error. Likewise attempting to open paint directly gives the error, but I am able to open paint by attempting to open a normal bitmap image or the like. It is hit and miss though - attempting to click the shortcut to an old game gives the error, so it's not as simple as making a shortcut to whatever program I want to load and then loading it. My newer computer has simply stopped booting entirely. I cannot access it, and although I haven't tried since two days ago I doubt nothing has changed without my doing anything to it. I am not having any sort of Shell related error, though I have received one or more messages about the possibility of data loss before it just started telling me it could not read the (hard drive) disk. I am quite certain these are not the same problems and thereby warrant different solutions. I will see if I have an old floppy laying around to attempt to make a Win98 boot disk to fix the older computer. Last edited by Robert Green; 10-31-2009 at 06:50 AM.

10-31-2009, 08:37 AM	#12 (permalink)
Jlp1928 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 440 OS: Win98, XP, 2000	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi Robert, There is no association necessary for Exe, Com, Bat etc. They are all executables and will be handled automatically. Jim

10-31-2009, 11:46 AM	#13 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' One more thing. Supposedly you restart in safe mode on Win98 by holding down the ctrl button when the computer is booting. I did that and nothing happened, it just booted normally. Am I doing something wrong, or is this another problem?

10-31-2009, 02:01 PM	#14 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi again Robert - On your older PC - try tapping the F8 key continuously as the computer is powering on until you see the Safe Mode menu. Your newer PC sounds like it needs a new hard drive. If only the hard drive has failed, you can see if the rest of the PC is working by downloading and creating a Knoppix or Ubuntu Live CD -- which would allow you to start and run completely from the CD. The Linux-based UBCD includes diagnostics - you could make one of those & test both old & new PCs with it (hard drive & memory diagnostics are included on the UBCD ... and it's a free open-source project) --- http://www.ultimatebootcd.com Oh, and even though you don't have Recovery Disks for the newer PC, replacement Recovery Disks are often still available if the PC is from a major brand. The price is often reasonable (from $19 on up to around $50) -- they usually include the full software bundle. Jim - I don't have my Win98 materials with me right now, so I'm not sure about Win98's handling of executables and its Registry entries. For Windows XP, however, the default Registry values are often changed for executables by malware -- that is what the Doug Knox registry file fixes. I've had to use it many times for Windows XP computers who have had trouble following the cleanup of severe malware infections. Enjoy your Halloween - . . . Gary P.S. ... Robert: you will have to borrow a friend's computer, or use a public library computer, to create the Live CDs - since you don't have a working CD burner on a working PC at home. __________________ Last edited by OldGrayGary; 10-31-2009 at 02:05 PM.

10-31-2009, 04:52 PM	#15 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Small update: I finally got a break in my rather chaotic schedule to attempt to load this older computer in safe mode. It was able to do so, but it did not make any difference as I was still getting the Shell32.exe error in safe mode. Granted, it only came up once instead of five times, but it probably also had less exe programs to attempt to load on boot when in safe mode. I also already had what is supposed to be a boot disk. I've figured out how to make it perform utilities like Scandisk, but not to actually boot, and the programs I used did not find anything when I could get them to check drive C (they kept wanting to check A... not helpful).

11-01-2009, 04:35 PM	#17 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi again Robert That "webutil.exe" can be safely deleted from the line in win.ini if you no longer use AOL dial-up to connect to the Internet. You can also try uninstalling AOL 8 from the Control Panel in Safe Mode, if you are able to get to the Control Panel there (you should be able to do so). At this point, I think that you should consider the cheapest/quickest repairs for the older Win98 PC, as your efforts so far are taking up likely more time than they are worth. Linux Quick-Fix The fastest solution is to simply give up on Windows 98, erase the drive, run some diagnostics to make sure the hard drive & memory are still OK (so that you're not just wasting time) - and install a lighter version of Linux. Xbuntu would do, but there are others. This whole process should only take an hour or two. Linux distros come with versions of office/Internet/multimedia programs that are free & open-source, so you can do most anything in Linux that you can do in Windows (except run Windows-only programs). OpenOffice can read and write to Office documents. It sounds like you really want to save that Windows 98 - in that case: Win98 Quick-fix try #1 1) Delete winutil.exe from your win.ini file 2) Uninstall AOL 8 (if you cannot reach Control Panel in normal mode, try Safe Mode. If that doesn't work, use windows explorer (which appears to have worked for you recently) and visit the AOL folders, and try double-clicking on its uninstaller file directly --- as you've noticed, your exe troubles are not uniform, but are somewhat hit-and-miss. Some exe files that you click on directly work, some don't. 3) See if the Registry Editor will start if you type it into the Start/Run box. It might, it might not. (Also try this in Safe Mode, if unsuccessful in normal mode). Also try using the shortcuts on the Start Menu. If successful, select "My Computer" in the left-hand tree-view menu, and then select "Edit" then "Search" and search for "Shell32.exe" thoughout the entire Registry, and delete each and every instance. The F3 key is handy for this, it will search for the NEXT instance from the spot where you've just deleted an instance of Shell32.exe. This is the same advice Jim mentioned earlier. 4) See if the Configuration Utility will start if you type it into the Start/Run box ( type msconfig ). It might, it might not. (Also try this in Safe Mode, if unsuccessful in normal mode). If successful, remove all non-essential entries from the Startup tab (you can also edit Win.ini and System.ini from msconfig -- but if uncertain about entries, ask here for more info). As I mentioned earlier, you can later re-enable entries one at a time - then if an error occurs, you know which entry is causing the problem. 5) Try to create a new exe file association. Here is a ".reg" file that has all the necessary info already in it (this is from the FileXT.com site that I mentioned earlier) --- http://filext.com/Win98_EXE_Fix.reg ---. All you do is download the file to your Desktop, double-click it, and click Yes to Import (it's been a while since, I've done this, so the wording might be different). If this doesn't work in normal mode, try it in Safe Mode. 6) If at this point your antivirus is still working & updating, run it on as thorough settings as possible. If not, to clean further you'll need to make a bootable CD with antimalware tools on it as I've described earlier. Or try a fresh install of a decent antivirus - not that many are still available for win98. Win98 Quick-fix try #2 1) Borrow a Win98 installation CD from a friend to repair your system (this is legal, but you need a CD that matches your version of Win98, and one that isn't a 'recovery' CD). You'll still be using your current product-key. Run an in-place reinstallation (as I instructed earlier) and see how it goes. On your first try, install to C:\Windows and not to C:\Windows.000. If the installation goes badly you can try a "parallel" install (in which case you install to C:\Windows.000). An in-place reinstall should have a decent chance of success - but could be compromised by malware still present on the hard drive. _______________ Remember that it is only some executables that aren't working, and not all. You are correct that if you boot from a source other than your hard drive, most tools should work just fine. _______________ It is fairly easy to start the Registry Editor from a DOS window on a machine running Windows 98. This opens up another window in which the Registry Editor runs. But running the Registry Editor in DOS (not just the DOS window) might limit you to command-line usage, which is complicated and requires more instruction than is possible here. If you can't start the Registry Editor using any of the methods I mentioned earlier in this post, you can try: 1) From the Start Menu, select Run, then type command 2) From the command prompt, type cd \Windows 3) From the command prompt, type copy regedit.exe regedit.com 4) From the command prompt, type run regedit.com This procedure should give you access to the regular Registry Editor screens. This procedure usually works even when the exe associations are corrupted. _______________ Best of luck . . . Gary __________________

11-01-2009, 07:02 PM	#18 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' From searching around more carefully I found a very old Norton Internet Security disk. It apparently was bootable but only had a likely very outdated antivirus on it. It was also very slow, taking nearly five hours to go over my hard drive. However it didn't find anything, and it didn't seem to be capable of booting windows, so when I loaded windows normally I still encountered the same error. I haven't heard of Linux being very user friendly, and it certainly is not compatible with many programs so I would prefer to avoid it. With that said: I removed the reference to webutil.exe a while ago. There was no change, even after a restart. I did confirm it was really gone and it was, but I was still getting the error. I cannot access add/remove programs without getting the error. I can get into the control panel, just not the add/remove programs section. Since I still get the error even on safe mode I doubt it will help but I will try it after trying everything on normal mode. Typing regedit into start/run gives the same error. I've tried earlier, and I've tried just now. I think I also tried this one on safe mode already, but I will try again in a moment. I am not sure what shortcuts on the start menu you are referring to that would load a registry editor. I didn't see any, so I did not do anything here. Msconfig from start/run yields the same error. I was able to successfully load the registry fix. I suspect it needs a restart to make any difference and I'd prefer to isolate the solution so I will stop here and reboot.

11-01-2009, 07:43 PM	#19 (permalink)
Robert Green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 20 OS: Windows XP	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Ran the edit timer out again. The registry fix seems to have solved my problem. I get a normal start up now, no more shell32 error and am able to load executables fine, even the ones I just had problems with. However in doing so I realized what I thought was just a side effect is actually its own problem. I get no sound. Music, video, game, the sound component doesn't work. Everything else does, but not the audio. Speakers are on, volume is up, mute is not enabled, yet I get nothing.

11-02-2009, 10:58 AM	#20 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: 'Windows cannot find Shell32.exe.' Hi again Add/Remove in Control Panel might be working now. If so, look in there and remove any sound software dedicated to the your sound card. Then go to Device Manager (it's in the System applet in Control Panel), and remove the sound (audio) entries in the "Sound, video, and game controllers" category (you can leave any game controllers - but remove the sound devices). If Windows can't find a good driver on reboot, check the support website for your PC model - they usually have a good audio driver available for download. Dell, IBM, Gateway -- most of the major brands keep drivers around for a long time, even for most of their older models. If you don't have a good local antivirus installed, you'll probably want to find one & install it. All my favorite antivirus vendors no longer support Win98, so it might take some looking around. Some online scanners might still support win98 -- I imagine HouseCall (at trendmicro.com) might, since you could try the Java-based version. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________