What are DLL files in windows?

Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files are an essential part of the Windows operating system. Although they are ubiquitous, most PC users neither know nor care what these files do. A little understanding of DLL files can make the computer a little less of a mystery box. Only programmers and computer technicians need to know any of the gory details of the structure and function of a DLL, but these files are so important that all of us should know a few simple facts about them.

What Do DLL Files Do?

A DLL file is indicated by the extension DLL in its name. 

• "A Dynamic Link Library (DLL) is a file of code containing functions that can be called from other executable code (either an application or another DLL). Programmers use DLLs to provide code that they can reuse and to parcel out distinct jobs. Unlike an executable (EXE) file, a DLL cannot be directly run. DLLs must be called from other code that is already executing."

Another way of putting it is that DLL files are like modules that can be plugged into different programs whenever a program needs the particular features that come with the DLL. The original concept behind DLL files was to simplify things. It was recognized that there were many functions common to a lot of software. For example, most programs need to create the graphical interface that appears on the screen. Instead of having to contain the code to create the interface themselves, programs call on a DLL for that function. The idea is to have a central library where everyone can obtain the commonly used functions, as they are needed. This cuts down on code, speeds things up, is more efficient, etc. They are called dynamic links because they are put to use only when a program calls on them and they run in the program’s own memory space. More than one program can use the functions of a particular DLL at the same time.

• Parenthetically, I have to say that the software developers (not least of all, Microsoft) have strayed from the path of keeping things simple. A computer today may contain a thousand or more different DLL files. Microsoft maintains a database with information about various DLLs to help with version conflicts.

• There are several very important DLLs that contain a large number of the basic Windows functions.

Repair Boot.ini in Windows XP

The boot.ini file is a hidden file that is used to identify in what folder on which partition and on which hard drive Windows XP is located. Boot.ini can become damaged, corrupted or deleted for a number of reasons and is usually brought to your attention by an error message.

Hal.Dll missing in Windows XP

What is hal.dll ?

Short for Hardware Abstraction Layer, HAL is an operating system programming layer that enables the operating system to operate with a hardware device. hal.dll is the dynamic link library file that implements the functionality of HAL.

When “hal.dll missing or corrupt” message appears, it can be because of damaged or missing hal.dll file. It can also be because of some wrong entries in boot.ini file in case you are using two operating systems on your computer. Also it can be because of improper BIOS entries of the disk drives etc.

Lets have a look on how this can be fixed.

Symptoms:

1. When you start your computer, you receive an error message similar to one of the following:

2. Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\System32\hal.dll

3. Please re-install a copy of the above file.

4. windows_root\System32\hal.dll missing or corrupt:

5. Please re-install a copy of the above file.

6. Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.

7. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.

hiberfil.sys in Windows XP

What is hiberfil.sys and how to delete it to gain some space on HDD?

As from our last post, why your hard drive is always shrinking even though you did not do anything, we talked about using the freeware TreeSize to view where you have the largest chunk of data on your hard drive. If you look deep enough you will found out that there are two files called pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys that occupy over few GB of hard drive space. If you are the kind person that does not use Hibernate then this article is for you.

When you turn off your computer using hibernate, the operating system needs to store all your current running program states onto hard disk so that programs can resume where they left off when you power up your PC again. To achieve this, the OS need to save all the information into a file called hiberfil.sys. Windows OS (7, vista, XP) usually stores this as a hidden file under your C directory or your main OS partition.

Update Drivers in Windows XP

Why should we update hardware driver`s in windows`s Xp?

Each hardware device installed on your Windows XP computer has drivers that run it. These drivers can be updated by the manufacturer of the device in order to help the device run better or to fix issues with software or other devices. Go to the manufacturer`s website to download the newest version of these drivers. Sometimes drivers are downloaded as self-executing files that install automatically when you click them. Other times, you may need to use the Windows Device Manager to update the driver files.

Restore missing mouse pointer cursor files

How to restore the missing mouse pointer cursor files?

Issue: 

How to restore the missing mouse pointer cursor files?

Symptoms: 

When you try to change mouse pointers scheme, you may receive a string of error messages indicating that the mouse pointer cursor files are missing or corrupted. This happens if

some or all of the *.CUR or *.ANI files are missing in the Windows\Cursors folder.

Totally 184 (*.cur and *.ani) cursor files ship with Windows XP by default, and are available
in compressed format in the Windows XP CD-ROM.

Monitor Screen upside down or rotated

Issue: Monitor screen is upside down or rotated.

Cause: Accidental pressing of keys.

Add favorites to the start menu Win XP

One of the great features of Internet Explorer is the ability to bookmark websites in the Favorites folder. This allows quick and easy access to the most visited websites without having to remember the website address. In addition, to being able to access the Favorites from within Internet Explorer did you know that you could access your Favorites from the Start Menu and Taskbar allowing access without opening Internet Explorer?

Troubleshoot Rundll32.exe Missing

If you receive a message "Windows cannot find C:\Windows\Rundll32.exe, make sure you typed the name correctly and try again." it is possible that:

• you have a virus,
• your Rundll32.exe is broken or
• Rundll32.exe don't exist.

Cannot install Microsoft Security Essentials

This article contains solutions for issues you may encounter while installing Microsoft Security Essentials in Windows XP

Symptoms

Installation fails for an unknown reason, or you receive an error message with error code, such as 0x80070643, 0X8007064A, 0x8004FF2E, 0x8004FF01, 0x8004FF07, 0x80070002, 0x8007064C, 0x8004FF00, 0x80070001, 0x80070656, 0x8004FF40, 0xC0000156, 0x8004FF41 0x8004FF0B, 0x8004FF11, 0x80240022, 0x8004FF04, 0x80070660, 0x800106B5, 0x80070715, 0x80070005, 0x8004EE00, 0x8007003, 0x800B0100, 0x8007064E, or 0x8007007E.

If your computer is running Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), you will see one or more of the following error messages:

• Installation Wizard is missing a filter manager rollup package needed to complete the installation.


• Setup cannot update your Windows XP files because the language installed on your system is different from the update language.

Troubleshoot Windows startup problems

Sometimes Windows begins to load but then stops responding during the startup process. In most cases, the problem is a new piece of hardware, a new program, or a corrupted system file. Follow the instructions below to troubleshoot the problem. Try to start your computer after each step. Continue to the next step only if Windows continues to fail during startup.

To troubleshoot startup problems

• Restart your computer. Immediately after the screen goes blank for the first time, press the F8 key repeatedly. The Windows Advanced Options menu appears. If the menu does not appear, restart your computer and try again. Use the cursor keys on your keyboard (your mouse will not work) to select Last Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER. Windows XP attempts to start.

• If you recently installed new hardware, shut down your computer and disconnect the hardware. Then, restart Windows XP and troubleshoot your hardware

• Restart your computer and press F8 again. This time, choose Safe Mode and press ENTER. Windows XP attempts to start in Safe Mode, which does not automatically start programs and hardware, and displays very primitive graphics. If Windows XP starts successfully in Safe Mode, you can remove any programs or updates you have recently installed

• Additional troubleshooting is possible, but it can be complicated and may require reinstalling Windows XP. Contact technical support for further troubleshooting assistance. Alternatively, you can perform a repair installation of Windows XP

NTLDR is Missing or Corrupt

NTLDR is Missing or Corrupt in Windows XP

ISSUE:

NTLDR is Missing.

RELATED ERRORS:

Below are the full error messages that may be seen when the computer is booting.

NTLDR is Missing
Press any key to restart

Boot: Couldn`t find NTLDR
Please insert another disk

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart

Uninstall PowerDVD from Windows XP

Issue:
Cannot uninstall PowerDVD within the Windows ‘Add or Remove Programs’

Cause:
PowerDVD program is damaged or PowerDVD did not install correctly.

Solution:

• Reboot PC

• Download Microsoft cleanup tool from. To down load; proceed to the following link http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe

• To execute the Microsoft cleanup tool, follow these steps:

(1) Click “Start”--> click “All Programs”--> and then click “Windows Installer Clean Up”.

(2) In the Windows Installer Clean Up box--> select “PowerDVD”.

(3) Click Remove

Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP

Definition:

Safe Boot options load a minimal set of drivers, in which non-essential systems are shut down and only essential are active. You can use these options to start Windows so that you can modify the registry or load or remove drivers.

Move the Taskbar In Windows XP

Move the Taskbar to Different Locations In Windows

Most of you are probably used to the Taskbar always being at the bottom of the screen and have never thought about moving it. Here we show you how to move it to any of the four corners of the desktop in XP

Follow the steps below to Move the Taskbar:

•  Right-click an empty area on the Taskbar and uncheck Lock the taskbar.

• Now that it’s unlocked--> hold down the left mouse button and drag it to any of the four sides of your desktop.

Make Apps Always Open Maximized

Make Apps Always Open Maximized

It can be annoying when opening an application and having to re-size or maximize the screen. This can be especially annoying when you want to see all of the data in an app like Access or Excel.

To fix it all you need to do is right-click on the application shortcut and select Properties. Under the Shortcut tab change the drop down next to Run to Maximized.

That’s it! Now any time you open that application it will be full screen.

How to Assign a Static IP Address in XP

 When organizing your home network it’s easier to assign each computer it’s own IP address than using DHCP. Here we will take a look at doing it in XP

If you have a home network with several computes and devices, it’s a good idea to assign each of them a specific address. If you use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), each computer will request and be assigned an address every time it’s booted up. When you have to do troubleshooting on your network, it’s annoying going to each machine to figure out what IP they have.

32-bit or 64-bit operating system

How Would You Know if You are Running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows?

Friends Or family members could be asking you all the time whether they are running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows, Here’s the two-step process to find out for yourself.

Always Opens Search in Windows Explorer

Fix Double Click Always Opens Search in Windows Explorer

If you mess around in the registry, or install some different software packages that add things to the right-click menu, you can end up with a problem where the default action on a folder is always “Search…”, even though you set it to something else.

Tooltips Not Displaying in Windows XP

Fix System Tray Tooltips Not Displaying in Windows XP

There’s a bug in Windows XP where sometimes the system tray tooltips and popup notifications will show up behind the taskbar, or behind other windows. This is really annoying when you want to use a tooltip.