Can't find "DPJV.EXE"... windows 98 not booting !

[fred45]

suddenly, my pc can't boot windows 98!
it reaches to the point of showing the wallpaper, then a message come on saying "can't find dpjv.exe" and then nothing happens.

when i boot windows into safe mode, i get the desktop, but cannot execute any programs. no control panel apps, nothing! i get the same error!

what gives? do i have a virus?

 

[mainegeek]

Try booting in safe mode again. click start, run and
type msconfig. If it launchs, look in the start up for anything that refers to this an uncheck it. If you are not
sure what each line is you can write them down and post them here. Maybe some here can help.

 

[fred45]

in safe mode, msconfig does not run initially,
but if i rename it to "msconfig.bat" i get it to execute.

there's nothing that refers to "dpjv.exe" in any startup item. even if i uncheck everything and re-start, i get the same error eveytime.

the actual error states :

This program is needed for opening files of type APPLICATION
can't find dpjv".exe:

(that's exactly the way it's spelt--->dpjv".exe:

i don't know if norton antivirus auto-protect has anything to do with it? (but i dis-abled it in msconfig anyway)

is there a way that a virus could get windows to execute a file everytime before an application is run? where would i find something like that in the registry?

 

[WMH]

I have no idea what that is unless it has something to do with some software you have installed that has become corrupt. There is nothing about it on antivirus sites either. Try to reinstall Windows over the top and see what happens.

Sorry I can't be of more help,

WMH

 

[jtb]

This points out the extreme value of backups!!!

If you were backed up, you could just reformat and reinstall...

Alternately, I'd recommend buying another hard disk and separating the operating system from the data...

I know that may sound like overkill on a home PC; but even good drives fail sometimes...

Good luck!!!

JTB
Solutions Architect
MCSE-NT4, MCP+I, MCP-W2K, CCNA, CCDA,
CTE, MCIWD, i-Net+, Network+
(MCSA, MCSE-W2K, MCIWA, SCSA, SCNA in progress)

 

[mainegeek]

Look in the load= or the run= lines in the win.ini
file. It might be there.

 

[fred45]

i got it! (i think?)

i renamed regedit to regedit.bat and searched the registry. i found these 4 hits:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command
default="c:\recycled\dpjv" %1 %

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Doc Find Spec MRU
c=dpjv.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\exefile\shell\open\command
default="c:\recycled\dpjv" %1 %

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Doc Find Spec MRU
c=dpjv.exe

i propmtly deleted the first entry,re-booted and everything's working again!!
now all i have to figure out is what caused it all.

btw, i do have seperate drives with OS and DATA seperated. i also have norton antivirus running (maybe it's time for an update)
it's just that before having to re-format, i wanted to get it fixed.


thanks for all the replies everyone

 

[mainegeek]

I would definitely update virus definitions. That sounds like a virus as it was running from the recycle bin. It might return after several re-boots.

 

[Guest_imported]

i lost my win 98 instullaion key and i cant reinstall the win form the windows CD !!?????

 

[mainegeek]

Run regedit and navigate to
Hkey_Local_machine\software\microsoft\windows\current version look for product key

 

[Kento]

Fred, get Moosoft's Cleaner which is free to try and run it. I bet you have a trojan, subseven maybe.

http://www.moosoft.com

If it doesn't find anything run this online scan:

http://housecall.antivirus.com/