Shell32.dll

[tw33k]

I changed this file in both sys32 and syswow64 folders but had to restore an image and now can't change them back. I have taken ownership of both folders. Even in safe mode windows tells me I can't change the file because it is in use by another program. It can't be because nothing is running in safe mode that would use this file. It worked before but won't now.
Any suggestions?

 

[sergiogarcia9]

Hmm if you got another OS installed on your PC, you could go into that, and change the files from there. Thats what i did when i messed up my Shell32.dll (i actually installed an OS on a another partition to be able to restore the files in Win7)

 

[tw33k]

i'll boot to ubuntu and it should work. Thanks, I should have thought of that

UPDATE: changed the files in ubuntu, rebooted into windows and got an error that explorer.exe had failed to start. went into safe mode...same thing. Tried to start task manager but it failed as well.
Retored to an earlier image, made some changes, created a new image and am about to try changing the files in ubuntu again as i can't in windows no matter what i try. I just want to change those bitmaps and make a new image. shouldn't be this hard!

 

[tw33k]

OK..this is ridiculous. I can't replace the file in windows no matter what I try. I continually get told it's in use, even in safe mode. I change the files in ubuntu and explorer.exe won't start and I can't get into windows. I have restored to an image 3 times already trying this.
Any ideas as to what's going on? This worked like a charm only a week ago!

Update: I opened the file in restorater, changed the bitmaps in both sys32 and syswow, clicked save as, was told the file already exists do i want to rplace, clicked yes, rebooted, nothing changed! I opened the file in restorator, checked the bitmaps and they are changed! But when i right click the desktop and click personalize, the crappy light-blue background is still there even though both shell32.dll files have been changed.
What's going on?

 

[sergiogarcia9]

If you are using custom Shell32.dll's be aware that an update lately has changed something in the dll's, which makes the old dll's do this (fail to start)

 

[Kukag]

Ehh I hope I'm not stating the obvious but as of know through all this trial and error It really is best to just format and start over, if you can access your drive form ubuntu, just backup what you need and format cause as of now you have probably lost track of what you have done and the updated dll's sound like their not going to cooperate, anyway sorry that this is happening and I hope everything ends up working out!

Thanks,
Kukag

 

[tw33k]

Ehh I hope I'm not stating the obvious but as of know through all this trial and error It really is best to just format and start over, if you can access your drive form ubuntu, just backup what you need and format cause as of now you have probably lost track of what you have done and the updated dll's sound like their not going to cooperate, anyway sorry that this is happening and I hope everything ends up working out!

Thanks,
Kukag

Why would I need to reformat??? I have a perfectly fine image to restore to if things go pear shaped.

@serg I'll check out this windows updates issue

 

[woolswell]

OK..this is ridiculous. I can't replace the file in windows no matter what I try. I continually get told it's in use, even in safe mode. I change the files in ubuntu and explorer.exe won't start and I can't get into windows. I have restored to an image 3 times already trying this.
Any ideas as to what's going on? This worked like a charm only a week ago!

Perhpaps the Windows Themes Installer v.1.1 will meet your requirement.

Every time before the replacement or restoration of the system files (explorer.exe、ExplorerFrame.dll、OobeFldr.dll、or shell32.dll) with the Windows Theme Installer, please turn Windows 7 to the 'Windows Classic' and reboot firstly.

To my experiece, it works.

 

[tw33k]

OK..this is ridiculous. I can't replace the file in windows no matter what I try. I continually get told it's in use, even in safe mode. I change the files in ubuntu and explorer.exe won't start and I can't get into windows. I have restored to an image 3 times already trying this.
Any ideas as to what's going on? This worked like a charm only a week ago!

Perhpaps the Windows Themes Installer v.1.1 will meet your requirement.

Every time before the replacement or restoration of the system files (explorer.exe、ExplorerFrame.dll、OobeFldr.dll、or shell32.dll) with the Windows Theme Installer, please turn Windows 7 to the 'Windows Classic' and reboot firstly.

To my experiece, it works.

Good Man!! Worked perfectly! Thank you very, very much! That was driving me f#$%ing crazy!

 

[woolswell]

Good Man!! Worked perfectly! Thank you very, very much! That was driving me f#$%ing crazy!

You are welcome.

In fact I've learned much more from your posts since my registration here!!!

 

[tw33k]

You are welcome.

In fact I've learned much more from your posts since my registration here!!!

I'm glad we have helped each other. That's what this place is all about

 

[smeghead]

I think you first went wrong when you used "Save As" with Restorator. You're using the 64-bit version of 7 and you should use "Save" instead, as when you click "Save As" it saves the file as a 32-bit one. I found that out the hard way too. Had to do a repair install. Also, don't mess with shell32.dll in SysWOW64 !!! You only really need to edit the one in system32 !!! I found that out the hard way too!!

 

[tw33k]

I think you first went wrong when you used "Save As" with Restorator. You're using the 64-bit version of 7 and you should use "Save" instead, as when you click "Save As" it saves the file as a 32-bit one. I found that out the hard way too. Had to do a repair install. Also, don't mess with shell32.dll in SysWOW64 !!! You only really need to edit the one in system32 !!! I found that out the hard way too!!

I tried it first by just clicking "save" and it failed. I tried every way possible

 

[smeghead]

I think you first went wrong when you used "Save As" with Restorator. You're using the 64-bit version of 7 and you should use "Save" instead, as when you click "Save As" it saves the file as a 32-bit one. I found that out the hard way too. Had to do a repair install. Also, don't mess with shell32.dll in SysWOW64 !!! You only really need to edit the one in system32 !!! I found that out the hard way too!!

I tried it first by just clicking "save" and it failed. I tried every way possible

Oh well, at least you've sorted it now. When I changed shell32.dll in SysWOW64 that's when I had explorer.exe fail on me. So now I don't touch that file.

 

[tw33k]

The problem is the latest Windows Updates (you were right serg). I haven't gone through them one by one yet but one of them is changing the custom Shell32.dll back to default and changing it back to custom will prevent explorer starting! This, to me, is outrageous! Restoring the system to a state prior to installing the update fixes the problem so for now I've hidden these 3 updates. I hope a fix or workaround becomes available or we'll be screwed when SP1 arrives!

 

[smeghead]

which updates were they, tw33k?

 

[tw33k]

KB976422, KB975496 & KB980408. Like I said, I haven't narrowed it down yet but these 3 were released together and once installed they revert back to default shell32.dll. After installing these if you try to replace shell32.dll you're in for a nightmare. I had to restore an image to get up and running and it took me like 2 days to figure out it was these updates causing all my grief. I searched for similar instances of this but couldn't find the same problem posted elsewhere.