I can't find dll! Error!

[WillShakespeare]

Hi all,

When I boot a friends machine we get a pop up box with title: Error!
Message: I can't find dll!

But nothing in "run" folder, except "tfll" which runs:
C:\Docs & Settings\fred\Application Data\suel.exe

However, this exe does not appear to exist.

Any help would be much apprciated!

Will

 

[gpalmer711]

I would be highly suspicious of Malware in this instance, if so follow instructions in

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk/main.asp?content=malwarefaq

You can also try to simply disable that startup entry and see if it makes a difference.

Click on Start > Run > Type MSconfig > Click ok > Click on Startup Tab > Until box next to TFLL > Restart your Machine

See if you get the DLL message.

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[bcastner]

faq608-4650

 

[WillShakespeare]

Well,

We cleaned out the run folder, and ran adaware, and even some of Bill's suggestions on his FAQ, but it still comes up! The msconfig shows only those areas I was looking in anyway, though I wonder if something may be referenced in the SYSTEM.ini, and it isn't there any more due to some anti-virus cleaning and adaware? But if so, then it is XP coming up with the I Can't find dll! error (isn't it?) and so I would have thought it would show up in the event logs... but it doesn't!
This is annoying!
The friend said that if I can't find a solution, he'll just try his first rebuild, with my help. At least then he'll get some much needed experience in this. But if anyone at all has seen this before, please tell me what you did to fix.

Will

 

[bcastner]

Try AutoRuns:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

 

[bcastner]

Sorry, and be sure to give HijackThis! a chance to enumerate completely your startup applications and locations.

"When I boot a friends machine we get a pop up box with title: Error!
Message: I can't find dll!" <<==== This is not a an XP native error window.

 

[linney]

Do you get the message in Safe Mode? If you don't then by cleaning malware or performing other detective work you should be able to eliminate it.

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[WillShakespeare]

Hi frinds,

We tried hijack, and cleaning spyware, av, and a few other things first. but all excellent suggestions.
In the end we could not track down the source of this! Strange as that may seem!
Well, my friend decided he wanted the experience of rebuilding his box anyway, so I said go for it, and in fcat, as expected, the problem has gone away... for now!

Will