corrupt sfpdll.dll in Win ME

[mapsonx]

My brothers Win ME just came up with "The C:\Windows\System\sfpdll.dll file appears to be corrupt. Reinstall the file, and then try again" at startup.

sfpdll.dll appears to be a PCHealth file.

At the very same time this also came up:

"SCRIPTSENTRY caused an invalid fault in module MSVBVM60,DLL at 016F:660fe43"

Are they related or separated instances?

I know how to replace the file using Win98se, but how do I do it in Win ME?

He only has a emachine restore disk.

Thx

- J -

[Markoman01027]

Put the emachines restore disk into the cd-rom, and see if your able to restore the files and keep the OS. Not sure if the restore disk gives you that option, worth a shot though.

[GaryRouth]

Just wondering if everything came out OK . . .

If you still have questions, we still have ears.
. . . Gary

[. . . if you've tried a few strategies & are still having trouble, you may want to look at common causes of data corruption: was any memory added recently?. . . anything shock or jar the system? Power surge? etc. . . ]

[mapsonx]

Originally posted by Markoman01027 Put the emachines restore disk into the cd-rom, and see if your able to restore the files and keep the OS. Not sure if the restore disk gives you that option, worth a shot though.

Nope. Only two options from bootup are restore or go to Dos prompt.

Inside of windows you can restore Modem, display & sound drivers, but that's about it.

Just wondering if everything came out OK . . .

Thanks for asking.

Reinstalled the OS couple of days ago. Thought it might be some reaction to recently added script sentry since the errors came up at the same time.

Hasn't happened since.

I'm aware of how quirky win ME is anyway, & the system is underpowered with with 64mb ram so I going to add another 128.

I just figured it would be a good idea to know how to repair a corrupted dll in Win ME with only a restore disk available and no SFC like Win98.

I decide to hunt thru the CABS and I did happen to find sfpdll.dll in C:\windows\OPTIONS\CABS\WIN_10.CAB.

No problem extracting it if necessary.

If the error comes up again, is it just a matter of replacing the corrupted .dll, that is if the system will allow me to do so?

Or maybe thru DOS, if thats possible in Win ME?

Thx

- J -

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

It looks like Microsoft put the Extract portion of the Win9x SFC tool into the System Configuration Tool in WinMe. It does have a wrinkle in it: for protected files, you need to create a floppy boot disk and run extract from there [as you surmised already = you'd be in DOS].

You were also right that you'd point System File Checker or your DOS Extract command to the C:\Windows\Options\Cabs folder. Most manufacturers who don't provide an extractable copy of the installation files on their Recovery Disk sets are thoughtful enough to put the cabs there.

Here's the article from Microsoft about using Extract in WinMe:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winme

Your brother also has the option to try WinMe's "System Restore" feature (the one built-in to the OS) [that is, the next time he has any system file trouble]. It has a pretty good Help file, so even if he's a beginner he might have some luck with it.

Glad you got it fixed
. . . Gary

[p.s. ...I saw a lot of positive reviews and recommendations for that Script Sentry program, but I didn't find any reference to an error that matched this one (the support pages weren't all that extensive). Then again, I might have missed it. Seems like if that particular error pops up again, an extract of that file might do it: and Script Sentry might work as well]

[mapsonx]

Hey Gary

It looks like Microsoft put the Extract portion of the Win9x SFC tool into the System Configuration Tool in WinMe. It does have a wrinkle in it: for protected files, you need to create a floppy boot disk and run extract from there [as you surmised already = you'd be in DOS]. You were also right that you'd point System File Checker or your DOS Extract command to the C:\Windows\Options\Cabs folder. Most manufacturers who don't provide an extractable copy of the installation files on their Recovery Disk sets are thoughtful enough to put the cabs there. Here's the article from Microsoft about using Extract in WinMe: http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winme]

Thanks for all the xlnt info. Exactly what I was looking for.

Glad you got it fixed]

Not really. It just hasn't occurred since that one time. You know how it goes, one reboot & everything's back to normal. I won't mess with it further unless it becomes a problem.

[p.s. ...I saw a lot of positive reviews and recommendations for that Script Sentry program, but I didn't find any reference to an error that matched this one (the support pages weren't all that extensive). Then again, I might have missed it. Seems like if that particular error pops up again, an extract of that file might do it: and Script Sentry might work as well] [/B]

I have been using Script Sentry for quite a while on my 98se with virtually no problem, & I definitely reccommend it as extra security insurance, but a few times just lately I received a similar error Script Sentry there to the one I got with Win ME.

From my investigation, The error seems to be display adapter related, so maybe that's the common thread for the 2 machines, although it still dosen't explain whiy it didn't start occuring until just recently.

I was hoping someone else might have had a similar experience so I couild narrow down the problem & determine whether it was a Win ME thing or perhaps I should try a Script Sentry alternative. or something else altogether, since the script sentry error has come up twice while the dll error was only once.

- J -

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

If you see the dll error again, might as well give that Extract tool a try. It'd be interesting to see what happens.

For the Script Sentry program - since it's a Visual Basic error, those are usually fixed by upgrading to a more recent version. On his site, the author has a version 2.7.1 from July 2002 available, and he has links to the versions of the VB runtimes and Windows Scripting Host that it works well with. You could give those a try. The author has a few tips about uninstalling older versions of WatchDog & ScriptSentry before installing the newer - and other alike tips.

I'm not really expert at antivirus & script filter/blocker technology, but I think most recent versions of the top five or six antivirus packages all have some sort of script control available. If your bother's machine has a recent antivirus program, you could hunt around in it's tech files to see if it has a script-filter/blocker option. It might be a potential conflict maker there - two script blockers active at the same time.

This all might be academic, though, if the errors don't pop up again! [the Gremlins seem to hide once you start hunting for them ]
. . . Gary

[. . . what made you suspect the video drivers/cards? file version conflicts? ]

[mapsonx]

If you see the dll error again, might as well give that Extract tool a try. It'd be interesting to see what happens.

I'll definitely let you know

For the Script Sentry program - since it's a Visual Basic error, those are usually fixed by upgrading to a more recent version. On his site, the author has a version 2.7.1 from July 2002 available, and he has links to the versions of the VB runtimes and Windows Scripting Host that it works well with. You could give those a try. The author has a few tips about uninstalling older versions of WatchDog & ScriptSentry before installing the newer - and other alike tips.

Not an issue. Already got all the latest stuff

I'm not really expert at antivirus & script filter/blocker technology, but I think most recent versions of the top five or six antivirus packages all have some sort of script control available. If your bother's machine has a recent antivirus program, you could hunt around in it's tech files to see if it has a script-filter/blocker option. It might be a potential conflict maker there - two script blockers active at the same time.

No anti-virus onboard as yet

[. . . what made you suspect the video drivers/cards? file version conflicts? ]

I investigated the Win 98se Script Sentry error messages a while back & several sources including MS articles made that correlation

- J -

[GaryRouth]

Thanks for the update. I never stop wondering about the puzzles that remain unsolved. . . .
. . . Gary