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Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window


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Posted

I’m having two problems with Windows that I have tried everything to resolve

short of rebuilding the system. I have been told that these problems may be

related.

 

So far I have tried the following without success:

• Searching the Microsoft web sites

• Running several repair utilities

• Copying the “.exe” files from another XP machine with the same build

• Asking colleagues at work who are responsible for maintaining the PCs

 

The problems are:

A. My Desktop PC is experiencing several “Rundll” exception errors.

The three functions where this has occurred so far are (that

I have noticed):

1. Clicking the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon on the Taskbar

The error message for the above point is: An exception occurred while trying

to run “shell.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll”

 

2. Selecting the “Open With…” option on the pop up menu in Windows

Explorer

 

3. Clicking a packed downloaded file that does not have a

recognised extension, i.e. the Rundll error message is displayed instead of

“Open With…” window

The error message for the above two points is always:

An exception occurred while trying to run

C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL <then the path to the file on

my PC>

 

B. Windows Explorer displays an error message stating that an error has

occurred and it has to close.

This problem always occurs after a system restart. I am able to open Windows

Explorer and start expanding the Folders (3 to 4 clicks is usually the

maximum) before the message is displayed.

This problem will rarely occur again before the next restart.

Guest Detlev Dreyer
Posted

Re: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

"Ken" <Ken@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> The problems are:

> A. My Desktop PC is experiencing several ?Rundll? exception errors.

 

"Rundll.exe" is not part of Windows XP in contrast to "Rundll32.exe". If

the error message refers to "Rundll" rather than "Rundll32", you system

might be infested by malware.

 

--

d-d

Guest Rzpogi
Posted

RE: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

You may have Rundll.exe in your pc. Rundll.exe is a worm.

check http://us.trendmicro.com/us/search/?q=rundll.exe

"Ken" wrote:

> I’m having two problems with Windows that I have tried everything to resolve

> short of rebuilding the system. I have been told that these problems may be

> related.

>

> So far I have tried the following without success:

> • Searching the Microsoft web sites

> • Running several repair utilities

> • Copying the “.exe” files from another XP machine with the same build

> • Asking colleagues at work who are responsible for maintaining the PCs

>

> The problems are:

> A. My Desktop PC is experiencing several “Rundll” exception errors.

> The three functions where this has occurred so far are (that

> I have noticed):

> 1. Clicking the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon on the Taskbar

> The error message for the above point is: An exception occurred while trying

> to run “shell.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll”

>

> 2. Selecting the “Open With…” option on the pop up menu in Windows

> Explorer

>

> 3. Clicking a packed downloaded file that does not have a

> recognised extension, i.e. the Rundll error message is displayed instead of

> “Open With…” window

> The error message for the above two points is always:

> An exception occurred while trying to run

> C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL <then the path to the file on

> my PC>

>

> B. Windows Explorer displays an error message stating that an error has

> occurred and it has to close.

> This problem always occurs after a system restart. I am able to open Windows

> Explorer and start expanding the Folders (3 to 4 clicks is usually the

> maximum) before the message is displayed.

> This problem will rarely occur again before the next restart.

>

Posted

Re: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond Detlev.

When I mentioned "rundll errors", I was only mentionting part of the error

messages I listed in my original question. I didn't want to confuse the issue

by adding the "32" (in case there was a difference) because none of the error

messages mention it in that form.

 

I've searched my hard drive and regarding Rundll, I only have the

"Rundll32.exe". there is no other form of this file on the drive.

 

I run NOD32, Online Armour, SpyBot and Ad-Aware. There is a comprehensive

Firewall in tthe Router. I run full scans regularly and nothing has been

found.

 

Thanks again for your suggestion as this type of problem is always a

possibility.

 

 

"Detlev Dreyer" wrote:

> "Ken" <Ken@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> > The problems are:

> > A. My Desktop PC is experiencing several ?Rundll? exception errors.

>

> "Rundll.exe" is not part of Windows XP in contrast to "Rundll32.exe". If

> the error message refers to "Rundll" rather than "Rundll32", you system

> might be infested by malware.

>

> --

> d-d

>

Posted

RE: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond Rzpogi.

The error messages I listed in my original question don't mention ".exe" or

"32" and I didn't want t o make assumptions about the file in case it was

misleading for anybody who was try to assist me.

 

I've searched my hard drive and I only have the "Rundll32.exe". there is no

other form of this file on the drive.

 

I run NOD32, Online Armour, SpyBot and Ad-Aware. There is a comprehensive

Firewall in tthe Router. I run full scans regularly and nothing has been

found.

 

Thanks again for your suggestion and the site reference (I've Bookmarked it)

as this type of problem is always a possibility.

 

 

"Rzpogi" wrote:

> You may have Rundll.exe in your pc. Rundll.exe is a worm.

> check http://us.trendmicro.com/us/search/?q=rundll.exe

> "Ken" wrote:

>

> > I’m having two problems with Windows that I have tried everything to resolve

> > short of rebuilding the system. I have been told that these problems may be

> > related.

> >

> > So far I have tried the following without success:

> > • Searching the Microsoft web sites

> > • Running several repair utilities

> > • Copying the “.exe” files from another XP machine with the same build

> > • Asking colleagues at work who are responsible for maintaining the PCs

> >

> > The problems are:

> > A. My Desktop PC is experiencing several “Rundll” exception errors.

> > The three functions where this has occurred so far are (that

> > I have noticed):

> > 1. Clicking the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon on the Taskbar

> > The error message for the above point is: An exception occurred while trying

> > to run “shell.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll”

> >

> > 2. Selecting the “Open With…” option on the pop up menu in Windows

> > Explorer

> >

> > 3. Clicking a packed downloaded file that does not have a

> > recognised extension, i.e. the Rundll error message is displayed instead of

> > “Open With…” window

> > The error message for the above two points is always:

> > An exception occurred while trying to run

> > C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL <then the path to the file on

> > my PC>

> >

> > B. Windows Explorer displays an error message stating that an error has

> > occurred and it has to close.

> > This problem always occurs after a system restart. I am able to open Windows

> > Explorer and start expanding the Folders (3 to 4 clicks is usually the

> > maximum) before the message is displayed.

> > This problem will rarely occur again before the next restart.

> >

Guest Detlev Dreyer
Posted

Re: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

"Ken" <Ken@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Thank you for taking the time to respond Detlev.

> When I mentioned "rundll errors", I was only mentionting part of the error

> messages I listed in my original question. I didn't want to confuse the issue

> by adding the "32" (in case there was a difference) because none of the error

> messages mention it in that form.

 

Well, there are more things making not too much sense to me. Excerpt:

 

| 1. Clicking the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon on the Taskbar

| The error message for the above point is: An exception occurred while

| trying to run "shell.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll"

 

The correct command would be

....shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

^^

In case that there were no typos, your system is pretty much damaged.

Use the System Restore tool and select a date prior to the first

encounter of these problems. If there is no such restore point, perform

a repair install instead.

 

--

d-d

Posted

Re: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

Thanks again Detlev.

I checked the error message again and it is, "shell32.dll". There is no

"shell.dll" in my system. Apologies again for the error in my original

submission.

 

As these problems aren't really "show stoppers", I have been trying to fix

them on and off for about 8 weeks now and a system restore would probably

create more issues for me than it would be worth due to the changes that have

occurred during that time. Also the last time I tried a repair install on

this PC, when the problem was a "show stopper", it crashed half way through

and the damage it left meant I had to start again with a hard drive format.

 

If the repair install option turns out to be the only means of fixing the

problems, I think I'd rather live with them until a system rebuild is

absolutely necessary. I find it difficult to believe that relatively minor

Windows issues such as what I have, just can't be fixed without resorting to

starting again.

 

I appreciate your suggestions and from past experience with using these

options, I have no doubt that either or both would fix the problems. I'm just

not willing to get that drastic.

 

I'm fundamentally against paying Microsoft to fix a problem that is their

problem in the first place.

 

 

"Detlev Dreyer" wrote:

> "Ken" <Ken@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> > Thank you for taking the time to respond Detlev.

> > When I mentioned "rundll errors", I was only mentionting part of the error

> > messages I listed in my original question. I didn't want to confuse the issue

> > by adding the "32" (in case there was a difference) because none of the error

> > messages mention it in that form.

>

> Well, there are more things making not too much sense to me. Excerpt:

>

> | 1. Clicking the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon on the Taskbar

> | The error message for the above point is: An exception occurred while

> | trying to run "shell.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll"

>

> The correct command would be

> ....shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

> ^^

> In case that there were no typos, your system is pretty much damaged.

> Use the System Restore tool and select a date prior to the first

> encounter of these problems. If there is no such restore point, perform

> a repair install instead.

>

> --

> d-d

>

Guest Detlev Dreyer
Posted

Re: Rundll errors - Cannot display the "Open With..." window

 

"Ken" <Ken@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Thanks again Detlev.

 

You're welcome, Ken.

 

--

d-d

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