Antzattsf

Hi
I'm running Vista (x86) with sp2 (recently installed during this saga).

When I try and run any of the built in Windows games, I get the following error:
Hearts.exe - Bad Image (when trying hearts for e.g.)
C:\Windows\System32\gameux.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.

Also if I select the games explorer for the start menu, it just opens and immediately closes (no error given).

This is a recent error as the games worked before, but I can't say when they stopped working. Also I haven't installed any other games, there are just the windows games on the computer.

Initially I tried to solve it by going to control panel, programs and features, and selecting "turn windows features on or off". I then deselected games.
It seemed to take a very long time to sort itself out, but eventually rebooted without the games. I then reselected them as above and the icons were restored (as before) but the same error occurred.

I next tried a system restore. It didn't seem to have a long list of restore points, but I selected a 5 day old one and restored to that. It made no difference, so I undid the restore. I wasn't surprised this didn't work as there didn't seem to be anything listed that might be related to the problem.

I then looked at the installed windows updates and noticed one KB972036 which seemed to be to do with non compatible applications for vista. The KB article seemed to imply that there has been two releases of this v1 quickly followed by v2 because the initial release had errors (in true MS style). I uninstalled this update and found that it made no difference, so reinstalled it. This made no difference either. I assume that because the update was listed twice as successful in the update list, that v2 had already been installed anyway.

About this time SP2 appeared ready to be installed, so I installed that, hoping that would sort it out. But that made no difference either.

I have searched for gameux.dll and there are several places it can be downloaded from, saying where it should live. However, the file doesn't seem to be the same size as mine and in any case I am not confident about this. I also don't seem to have permission to do anything in the system 32 directory anyway (can't delete or rename or write into). I'm don't know enough about file permissions to just replace this file.

So I'm stumped now. I don't seem to have this error on any other program or program group that I have found yet.

Any help out there?

upallnight200

i would firstly copy the gameux.dll you have then copy it to a new folder and then try downloading another copy of the file and try it

scarypunk

with vista you would need to disable to UAC protection in order to replace system files aslo, please keep this in mind.

jcgriff2

Did Vista come pre-installed on your system or did you install a full retail version?

Antzattsf

Originally it came preinstalled, but shortly after I started from scratch with the recovery disk provided. It seemed quicker than tracking down and removing all the "not quite free stuff" that came on it. That was about 2 years ago, not had many problems since then.

Are you wondering if the disk has a repair facility on it? I don't know to be honest. If I boot from it, I guess I'll find out?

Antzattsf

Maybe I do have to disable UAC in order to replace the gameux.dll in the sytem32 directory. If I try anythig it says you need permission, it then allows me give myself admin permission and then denies me permission to carry out the action anyway, usually in a loop until I cancel.

Antzattsf

ok,

I booted from the vista install disk I have and it gave me the system recovery options screen. I have run the start up repair option, but it found no start up problems (wasn't really experiencing any).

I then ran a system file check. Actually I ran is twice. Once in Verifyonly, to familiarise myself with it and then in scannow.

I have attached the CBS.log output. The instructions on Vistax64 tutorial showed me how to pipe only the relevant entries to a file. As it is cumulative, the times show I ran is twice. It shows there are some errors, one of which is gameux.dll. What I'm not sure about is what the output is telling me.

I've noted 5 files it thinks are corrupt:
AcRes.dll
WgxInstalledgame.mof
desktop.ini
gameux.dll
1394bus.sys

Is that all of them, did I miss any?
Does the entry at the end imply it has repaired them?
If not, what now?
How do these things become corrupt in the first place?
The log has entries like"Could not reproject corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\Windows\apppatch"\[l:18{9}]"AcRes.dll"; source file in store is also corrupted.
Does this mean there is a back up of these files I also need to repair?

Any help appreciated...

Attached Files

sfcdetails2.txt (64.4 KB, 1 views)

Antzattsf

Things are now showing signs of getting worse.
I found this morning that my web cam doesn't work. It's a Microsoft VX3000. Now I remember, that there has been an update for this recently, in windows update. I also note that despite it having carried out this update, it was still trying to update it and returning an error code that when I looked it up seemed to confirm that it was trying to update a driver that was already updated. I also note that I have been seeing a window at start up that flashes up and goes that I think says vx3000.exe at the top. This morning I though I caught a glimpse of it saying the error: too big for memory, but it was too quick to be sure if this was what it said. That's why I tried to see if the web cam was working.
I found it had been disabled by windows (it never told me - and was definitely working fine before this update). So I enabled the device and it came up with a driver installation window that when run, came up with the error:
Newdev.exe bad image (in the header)
and stating that Lccoin30.dll is again not designed to run with windows...

Lccoin30 was listed under the drivers doe this device, however now the device is listed under unknown device.

I went back to view update history and now find that my computer thinks I have never made any updates! However the installed updates page still lists the update that have been installed. But not the one for the web cam (guess it is not a windows update but a MS software update).

Is this starting to look like every time something is updated by auto update, it's going to be declared not compatible.

Please help before I loose something fundamental to the system.

Antzattsf

I'm not sure if it's bad form to keep posting in your own thread, but I'm very frustrated as to what is happening. I've spent over two days in front of this computer now trying to understand what is going on.

Update:
I meant to say that I hide the updates for VX 3000 once I found out what the error code was to stop it trying to update. Not that I have an update history now...

I also found out how to replace the gameux.dll (finally understood how to take control of the file) and did so with one from the Internet. This has made no difference. And if I try turning on any games in the "turn windows features on of off" it think about it for a long time and eventually returns saying that there was an error and not all of the features were changed.

On the Web cam front, If I go through the found new hardware, (which it will do no every time I reboot), it finds drivers on the web, but comes up with this LCCoin30.dll error but continues to try and install. Then returns with:
Windows Found new driver software for your device, but encountered and error while trying to install it. Microsoft lifecam VX3000. Driver not intended for this platform.

What seriously worries me is that if I am looking at a complete system reinstall, I'll be sitting there for days while it updates and I have to load all my software back on and then I'll be back in the same position, or worse. What should I do?

Many thanks to anyone who will read through all this and suggest anything.

jcgriff2

A reinstall of Vista won't take days, rather a few hours. You can prepare for installed programs by finding and saving links. You will spend much less time and aggravation on a re-install than on current efforts.

Antzattsf

I'm sure the Vista bit won't take too long, but I'm assuming that I'll lose all the other software and have to install all that to. I find that a bit daunting.
thankfully, apart from email, all the user files are on another partition.

I'm still clinging to the hope that this won't be required.

Does anyone understand the bit of the CBS logs I posted from system file check? I'm not familiar with this really and need help.

There seems to be references to kb article numbers (updates) that seem to be directly related to the files and issues I'm seeing in the log. How is this?

For example:

2009-09-10 21:08:03, Info CSI 00000013 [SR] Beginning Verify and Repair transaction
2009-09-10 21:08:04, Info CSI 00000015 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:22{11}]"1394bus.sys" of 1394.inf, Version = 6.0.6002.18005, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type = [l:24{12}]"driverUpdate", TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2009-09-10 21:08:04, Info CSI 00000017 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:22{11}]"1394bus.sys" of 1394.inf, Version = 6.0.6002.18005, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type = [l:24{12}]"driverUpdate", TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2009-09-10 21:08:04, Info CSI 00000018 [SR] This component was referenced by [l:158{79}]"Package_25_for_ KB948465~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.18005.948465-76_neutral_GDR"
2009-09-10 21:08:04, Info CSI 0000001a [SR] Verify complete

As you can see it mentions Kb948465, which I believe to be SP2 is it not?

In the same way Kb972036 seems to be referred to in the errors for Gameux.dll, Wgxinstalledgame.mof and desktop.ini of Microsoft-Windows-GameExplorer
And AcRes.dll of Microsoft-Windows-Application-Experience-Mitigations
Which I think is something to do with compatibility with Vista?

Should I uninstall these updates? Will this return a previous version of these files?

Antzattsf

ok. In summary I'm experiencing the following problems:

The games explorer is empty and if I try to get anything into it with "turn windows features on or off" then if fails with "An error occurred, not all features were successfully changed"

I've also noted that if I try and remove tablet PC facilities (was installed, don't need) in windows features, it even fails to do this with the same error.

If I try and uninstall a program (for programs and features), such as those for the web cam, it comes up with a UAC warning that an unidentified program is trying to access my computer. Yet this is windows installer I'm running?

On trying to reinstall my web cam software (from setup.exe), installations are failing due to "not designed to run on windows / error" on dll's like LCcoin30.dll.

Just in case I loose any connection and can't get back to here, I'm going to try and reinstall windows installer as outlined in KB953691 which has something to do with installation of MS lifecam (and Intellipoint and Intelitype pro) reporting not enough space (which is something that may have been continually failing at every start up in a vVx3000.exe window. vVx3000.exe was removed from start up with windows defender and the file deleted before reinstall attempts).

I'm beginning to get suspicious that the problem might be more sinister than corrupt files as replacing gameux.dll made no difference. If I am infected with something, will a complete reinstall of vista remove this (I have other partitions)? AVG hasn't detected anything, so what should I try next?

jcgriff2

The Microsoft games are part of Vista security. I would suggest that you make sure your Vista installation is validated (and Office, if applicable) -

www.microsoft.com/genuine

jcgriff2

.

Antzattsf

Both Vista and office are genuine and validated.
I've followed all the steps in KB953691 which is to do with the MS lifecam, and this to big for memory error that it is showing on my attempts to reinstall. But ultimately, it's the issue with Vista reporting that a significant dll is not compatible. I couldn't reinstall windows installer as I have the latest version and I can't find anyway to uninstall it to reinstall it.

I've done an online scan with EST online and it found nothing. I have run dds and could run gmer, but they don't mean much to me, would it help anyone to help me? I don't think I'm chasing a script or root kit or virus?

I'm recalling that there were several updates lately that windows undertook in auto update. One was to do with preventing programs running that were not compatible (with something about soft and hard blocks) and now you come to mention the above I recall there was one about microsoft genuine advantage. There was also one recently to do with the web cam.

I'm thinking that it's not Mal ware I'm dealing with but MS ware!

As I've not had many suggestions as to how to tackle this I'm going to start uninstalling the vista updates one by one in the reverse date order. As my view update history window is now empty (it went in one of my clean ups). I just have the installed updates to go on (which actually give less information on what they are!).

I think my lesson here is to turn off auto install and not bother with anything other than the service packs as I seem to be more under threat from the updates than the things they are supposed to protect against.

jcgriff2

The Reliability Monitor may help ID the Windows Updates - not sure if it feeds off the same source as the wiped out updates in W/U Ctrl Panel do -
START | perfmon /rel

jcgriff2

.

Antzattsf

Well performance monitor does show that there was a disruptive shutdown at the end of service pack 2 install on the 8/9 and a boot failure for SP2 install on the 9/9. I'm assuming this is the same event as after I left it installing SP2 it didn't come cleanly back to life and I have to do a cold boot to bring it back (as already mentioned). I was already having the problems before I tried to install SP2 (in the hope it would help). It also shows multiple failure to install vX3000 driver, but then that's this incompatibility thing.

Anyway the installed updates are listed in "installed updates". Windows update history, while there is no history, will list those not installed, which is only one update.

I decided to uninstall SP2 and try first installing it again, and then doing a repair installation with a slipstream sp1 install disk (hadn't made it yet) if reinstalling SP2 didn't work. But the uninstall of SP2 did not go well and left the computer unable to boot. Had to boot from my install DVD and use system recovery to return to before the uninstall. Which seems to have worked (so I'm back to where I started).

I'm seeing lots of cases of similar situations now, but similar may of may not mean they have the same root cause....

I think the only option now is to do a clean install. Is there anything I need to watch out for? I'm not ready to do it yet, I've got to collect everything I need software wise. Also will have to deal with my email accounts under windows live email. They are not "live" ones. If there a quick way of preserving these, rather than setting them all up again? The message store is not on C drive, so I'm assuming I can reconnect to it somehow when I reinstall windows live.

Still feeling in the dark about all this, but at least the lights haven't gone out just yet....

Antzattsf

C:\Windows\servicinq\Version\6.0.6002.18005\X86_installed

Can anyone tell me what this file does? It may be the route of my problem.
(There is only one entry under version, I've noted problems people are having with hanging SP2 installs due to two versions being listed in error)

I have been posting my problem in another thread, but the title may be putting people off.
http://www.techsupportforum.com/micr...n-windows.html

Any changes to windows features fails or any reinstall of drivers for devices that were disabled by windows e.g. my web cam (without any notice! around the time of SP2 install) will name a dll and comes up with the error:

xxxx.exe bad image
yyyy.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.

with xxxx and yyyy being relevant files.

This an excerpt from SFC report:

2009-09-09 20:28:45, Info CSI 00000165 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:26{13}]"x86_installed" of Microsoft-Windows-ServicingStack, Version = 6.0.6002.18005, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2009-09-09 20:29:01, Info CSI 00000167 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:26{13}]"x86_installed" of Microsoft-Windows-ServicingStack, Version = 6.0.6002.18005, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2009-09-09 20:29:01, Info CSI 00000168 [SR] This component was referenced by [l:154{77}]"Package_1_for_KB955430~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.18005.955430-1_neutral_GDR"
2009-09-09 20:29:01, Info CSI 0000016b [SR] Could not reproject corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:94{47}]"\??\C:\Windows\Servicing\Version\6.0.6002.18005"\[l:26{13}]"x86_installed"; source file in store is also corrupted

Does any install refer to this file for compatibility?

My original post was:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/micr...n-windows.html

I'm sure this is a simple solution, either that or I'm prone to banging my head against a brick wall.

jcgriff2

Hi -

I merged the 2 threads, keeping the new name on the thread title.
Take a look at this RE: GAMES - 1/2-way down page - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925582

The problem with taking an excerpt from the massive CBS log (> 200,000 lines + each file) is that those 3 entries may have been fixed and reported in a later entry. They may not even be fatal errors. If someone here, myself included, had the answer on the tip of our tongue - we would answer in some manner.


System Recovery . . . or System Restore? I don't recall in Vista if booting from a SP1 system with a SP0 DVD works or not. You were so close here to a Vista re-install.

Are the "non-Live" accounts kept in the user profile folders... which are not on c: ?

You answered your question yourself - a few posts back.

You now appear to be dissecting Windows Vista OS for some reason -- yet it is clear that some form of OS corruption exists. The security measures in Vista make it impossible to replace files such as you wish to replace without affecting other areas of the system.

Please take your own advice - re-install Vista.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.

Antzattsf

Having looked around the web I'm seeing fragments of this problem all over the place. Not many are solving it.

Thanks for the MS link. I am of the opinion now that this all started with the Microsoft genuine advantage update. Something must have gone wrong (as it was about that time I recon). It's actually not listed in the installed windows updates or program and features after installing (so I can't unistall it). But I remember it being an update even if I can't find it now. Everything is legit and I've even gone back to confirm this. I'm not seeing any of the other restrictions or any warnings.

My system currently has SP2 on and yes I can boot from the original DVD and then when it goes into system recovery, select system restore. This just rolls it back to the last system restore point. Got me back to where I was before I attempted to uninstall SP2.

Turns out you can export email accounts in windows live, just the same way as you would with win mail or outlook. I had assumed this information was in the cloud not on the hard drive. So don't know where it was stored, but I've saved the profile to another partition. should just be able to import it. I've also moved the message store to another partition in case the worst should happen before I'm ready.

I think I am correct in saying that if you do a repair install with a sp1 slipstream DVD, you can't then install SP2. So I am back to a Vista reinstall.

I shall use my time wisely, before I reinstall to make sure I have everything I need to make it smooth (you know software, kettle, mug, tea bags......)

Many thanks for merging the threads and gently nudging me towards the inevitable. I guess many people (like myself) find a reinstall intimidating and it's difficult not to just scream at us to just get on with it...

Many thanks for this service.
Anthony