Windows ME problems

[Capmaster]

My wife has ME installed on her laptop. It's an HP Pavilion 5490 I think.

She won't let me replace it with XP ...she loves the OS.

Lately she gets an error on Windows start and trying to open any of the Control Panel applets. The error says "RUNDLL32.exe has encountered a problem referencing missing KERNEL32.DLL file", but the file is there in the System and in the Windows folders. So is RUNDLL32.exe.

I've tried updating using the Windows Update, hoping one of them would correct the corrupted files.

The OS disc that came with the PC is an HP System Recovery disc and doesn't offer the option of just reinstalling the OS ...which is what I'd try first. You have to boot from it, and it reformats and reinstalls the whole OEM OS. My wife doesn't want to lose all her shortcuts, etc.

So I left it alone. One day it'll stop working and she'll have to allow the reinstallation. But until then, is there anything else anyone can think of? I've tried copying those two files from my machine (XP SP2) to her system folder, but it didn't help.

[simonko]

There are somethings you can try.

First I would try running Defrag and Scandisk, then reboot.

If that doesnt work-

I would run SFC from the run prompt, see if any files are damaged or missing. Let the program replace them if they are.

If that didnt work-

I believe ME had a "Restore" point similar to XP. I would try that.

If that didnt work-

I would tell her "sorry baby but it needs XP " backup her important files first. You may need to upgrade the memory in the laptop to at least 512MB, or else it might run too slow.

[Capmaster]

There are somethings you can try.

First I would try running Defrag and Scandisk, then reboot.

If that doesnt work-

I would run SFC from the run prompt, see if any files are damaged or missing. Let the program replace them if they are.

If that didnt work-

I believe ME had a "Restore" point similar to XP. I would try that.

If that didnt work-

I would tell her "sorry baby but it needs XP " backup her important files first. You may need to upgrade the memory in the laptop to at least 512MB, or else it might run too slow.

SFC?

She alreadt religiously runs Norton Speed Disk and Disk Doctor every day.

I couldn't find any restore points or system recovery utilities like XP :P

I tend to think the last option will be the likely one ...when it goes tits-up, I'll put XP on there ...unless she insists I reinstall ME, that is

[waheed]

When you boot from the ME disc, is there a repair option, I know for Win XP there are three options, Reinstall, repair and clean install. not sure about win ME.

also, can you not save the settings from transfer over to Win XP, there should be an option for this. Ive not used Win ME for a looong while so really cant say much.

Im sure it would take long to backup any data and shortcups to a cd/dvd.

If you do decide to install Win XP fresh, do ensure that after installing all the necessary drivers, software etc.. you backup using a ghost image, so in future, if you run into problems again, just load up the image.

[Capmaster]

When you boot from the ME disc, is there a repair option, I know for Win XP there are three options, Reinstall, repair and clean install. not sure about win ME.

also, can you not save the settings from transfer over to Win XP, there should be an option for this. Ive not used Win ME for a looong while so really cant say much.

Im sure it would take long to backup any data and shortcups to a cd/dvd.

If you do decide to install Win XP fresh, do ensure that after installing all the necessary drivers, software etc.. you backup using a ghost image, so in future, if you run into problems again, just load up the image.

It's not a Windows CD. It's an HP recovery CD and there is no option to repair the installation.

Yeah, I'm sure that if we upgrade the OS I can save her bookmarks, desktop shortcuts, etc. But my wife is not what you'd call "computer savvy" and she hates having to learn new stuff on it. I think that's why she wants to stay with ME ...because she feels comfortable with it.

Oh well ...I think I almost have her talked into reinstalling ME - full recovery with HD reformat now that I've assured her she won't lose any cookies or bookmarks

[Scottie]

put 98SE or XP on it

[SLICK RICK]

put 98SE or XP on it

My wife has ME installed on her laptop. It's an HP Pavilion 5490 I think.

She won't let me replace it with XP ...she loves the OS.

[bazooka]

I feel your pain cap.

I wish you could enlighten her about M.E.

[Capmaster]

I feel your pain cap.

I wish you could enlighten her about M.E.

Thanks bazooka. I try, but I've been married long enough to know better than to press the issue

She's the one who uses the machine, after all

[waheed]

Ok, why dont you try this idea.

Partition the hard disk, install a clean M.E. on the second partiton, now you have two partitions with two M.E., transfer your settings/shortcuts etc to the new partition and delete your existing corrupt M.E. and first partition to make the hard drive a single partition again with the fresh M.E with all settings.

since all other options have been exhausted, it seems like a good idea to try it.

[Garibaldi]

So I left it alone. One day it'll stop working and she'll have to allow the reinstallation. But until then, is there anything else anyone can think of? I've tried copying those two files from my machine (XP SP2) to her system folder, but it didn't help.

Cap, you said that you copied the files (kernel32.dll) from your XP disk, right? That version may not be exactly what ME wants. You could try going to www.driversguide.com and searching there for the files. You can log in as follows:
username: drivers
password: all
Obviously make a backup of your original kernel32 first but then try replacing it with one for ME. You could also search around, I believ Kernel32 is in several locations.

[ViRaL1]

I say just let ME die off. It's going to become more and more of a support headache as time goes on. I figure you've probably already turned her on to Firefox, but if not, IE updates are done for ME. XP isn't all that different and you can always stick with the classic interface if she's against major changes.

[simonko]

SFC= "system file checker" its a program build into windows to check if any of the system files are corrupt or changed from when you originally installed.


"System Restore" thats the restore point thingy in ME. under START-PROGRAM-ACCESSORIES-SYSTEM TOOLS

[Capmaster]

So I left it alone. One day it'll stop working and she'll have to allow the reinstallation. But until then, is there anything else anyone can think of? I've tried copying those two files from my machine (XP SP2) to her system folder, but it didn't help.

Cap, you said that you copied the files (kernel32.dll) from your XP disk, right? That version may not be exactly what ME wants. You could try going to www.driversguide.com and searching there for the files. You can log in as follows:
username: drivers
password: all
Obviously make a backup of your original kernel32 first but then try replacing it with one for ME. You could also search around, I believ Kernel32 is in several locations.

Thanks. I might do that

Partition the hard disk, install a clean M.E. on the second partiton, now you have two partitions with two M.E., transfer your settings/shortcuts etc to the new partition and delete your existing corrupt M.E. and first partition to make the hard drive a single partition again with the fresh M.E with all settings.

Hmmm ...that would fool the recovery disc into thinking it's got the whole disk to work with Not a bad idea.

I'll tell you though - I would rather it just crap out on her and then she would be forced to let me install a fresh XP install on it. She's got so much crap (cookies ..constant spyware invasions) from her online gaming, and her registry is so bloated, it might be the best solution and less work for me too

The downside is that it'll pick the most inconvenient time to crap out :P [/quote]