Date: 01/12/06 (Computer Help)    Keywords: microsoft

HELP!!

i'm running windows 98 SE. (Using the library's comp.) I stupidly (after re-installing IE 6.0) used microsoft windows update to find "crtical updates" for my computer, so I downloaded and installed them, and when I restarted, I got this at my desktop:

"a required .DLL file, C:WINDOWS/SYSTEM/SHLWAPI.DLL, was not found."

then I clicked out of that, and got:

"error loading explorer.exe. You must reinstall windows."

it's impossible to get into windows now.

what the hell did windows update do???!?

I tried to get into safe mode, I couldn't, and and I had to use my win98 boot disk to get it to a command prompt, where I tried to restore the registry from DOS. I restored it from the earilest backup, but the problem still remained when I got to the desktop, so it didn't work.

Then I used the windows 98 CD and the win98 boot disk to get to the command prompt to restore the missing file from the CD to the windows/system directory. I no longer got the "you must reinstall windows" or "shlwapi.dll is missing" error, but now when I try to load my desktop, my custom background loads, but no taskbar or icons will load. It stops and gives me a new error:

" This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

Explorer caused an invalid page fault in module explorer.exe at 0167:00401f31."

(stackdump, random numbers, etc)

after clicking out of that dialog box, the desktop stays blank and refuses to load. There is no taskbar, icons, or anything else, just my background. Nothing works, I have to restart using ctrl+alt+del.

* Reformatting is NOT an option since I now have no way to backup my files.

If anyone can tell me what to do to make the desktop load properly so I can back my files up, i'd greatly appreciate it. If anyone needs additional info from me to fix the issue, please ask me.

Thanks!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computer_help/565826.html