There are lots of options to repair your Windows (even XP) system.

All Windows XP versions comes with the following:
ntbackup
System Restore
Regedit

If you purchase a retail version of Windows XP, you have the repair option as well.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

You can make backups too.

Paragon Partition Manager 2005 - Free
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/downloads/2167398/paragon-partition-manager-2005

Paragon Drive Copy 8 Personal SE - Free
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/downloads/2166317/paragon-drive-copy-personal

One of the best registry backup programs is ERUNT which is also free.
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/erunt.html

I used NTFS4DOS to replace the dll's but the computer still doesn't get on the internet. The computer boots up and works fine, except that whenever I right click on the desktop (for example to make a new folder) then I get an Explorer problem and Explorer closes. When I try to connect to the internet I get an error message that windows can't repair the connection it was unable to assign a new ip address. Restore didn't work. I have nothing against Linux, I'm just not familiar with it. So apparently the missing dlls weren't the problem. Aha! was a program I installed around the time I got the problems with my system. I don't remember now which spyware cleaner or antivirus I was using at the time. I tried a restore with it at the time and it restored one dll, but not the other two. I can't understand the logic of Micro Soft that they would put their product into a new machine but limit its function by not allowing its purchaser to repair the system. The buyer is stuck with a useless wipe your drive and start over piece of crap disk. If I'd know that about emachines, I wouldn't have bought one. I saw Micro Soft on the computer and had confidence in the company. E machines told me the new Vista system does allow customer repair options. So when I've got a few extra hundred dollars laying around I can buy Vista. I am very much inclined now to try Linux or some variant of it.

Well Frem, BartPE does need a working Windows XP install, but it doesn't need an install disk (I made mine from a Gateway OEM install). Or I believe it will do the opposite as well. It can create a bootable BartPE from a MS install disc alone. Although it probably won't work from those OEM recovery restore disc which brings your system back to day one and wipes everything else out.

So that Trinity rescue disk is really a Linux boot disc? LOL

@BillW: PartPE needs a working XP install, and an XP install disk to get set up. Penroze does not have either of those.

@Penroze: Wait, lemme get this straight. Your *kernel32.dll* file is corrupted? And the computer even boots? Yes, all good anti-virus include a restore function. But since you uninstalled Aha, that option is probably gone.

I'm gonna have to join in with everyone else here and say that system restore really is your best bet.

If system restore fails (which it apparently has, but you haven't given us any info on that), You won't be able to replace those files while running windows. You *will* need to use one of those boot disks BuBBy keeps talking about. I'll second his recommendation for the Trinity rescue disk. (Forget what he said about "The Dark Side," I use Linux as my main operating system everyday; it's fine.) The Linux NTFS driver has worked for me in the past. It's really, really horribly slow when writing files, but it gets the job done.

I don't know about Avira NTFS4DOS Personal, but I use BartPE (freeware) which uses your Windows XP OS and makes a Windows XP Lite version that boots from a CD/DVD. Plus you can use it on any other computer that allows booting from the CD/DVD drive.

Here is a free product that will allow you to access a NTFS volume with full read/write access from a boot disk. (Not running XP etc)

http://www.free-av.com/antivirclassic/avira_ntfs4dos.html

Replacing "in use" DLLs would be a trivial exercise using this.

Quote\ I downloaded the new .dlls on another computer from the internet and tried to paste them into the windows/system32 file folder, but got an error box that said the files were in use I could not replace them. Can someone help? With corrupted kernel32.dll and wsock32.dll files I can’t get my router to assign an IP address and my computer will not access my wireless lynksys router. So, I can't get on the Internet. /End Quote

Penroze,

Can you replace these files working in safe mode? (Normally f8 during start-up)?
Can you attach the computer via a (cat 5) cable to the router, instead of using the wireless connection for a short while?

Future Suggestion
You might have saved the free programs in a folder, so you could reinstall if they were damaged and needed to be reinstalled? This is especially important now that Vista version are being released, some of the free software will continue be current and update, but the new version will no longer install in XP...

I always create a “Newstuff” folder on the slave drive, and when I download a free program I might use, I create a sub-folder with the program description, or name. I save the download program into that newly created folder, and install from there. Makes it easy to copy, reinstall or move to another computer. If I like the free software and find it useful some times if the download source is small enough to zip/rar I will e-mail the program or utility to a friend with par2 files for integrity redundancy.

You could take the hard drive out of the computer, switch the jumper to slave/cable select and place it into another computer as the second drive to the files. But if you have been running the system a lot, maybe backing up your e-mail addresses, and other documents/pictures and doing a reinstall from the E-machine restore disks would not hurt you in the long run... Remember a new install is the best way to clean your registry...

Assigning a IP. Normally doing a hard reboot should fix this situation: Shut down your computer, and modem for a 10 minutes. Also un-plug the router, and unplug your Gismo (VOIP box) if it is behind your highspeed modem. 10 minutes or later, connect your modem, then after modem is up repower your router a let it load see that all lights are normal, then your phone gismo if necessary. When all appears normal, then start your computer and it should assign the Lan IP. If you are not certain, have your ISP assist you verbally as you perform this hard reboot.

Outlook Express, and Thunderbird are e-mail programs with text and some binary uses in newsgroups.

Forte "free agent", Mesnews, pan, WinVN and Xnews are free newsreaders software programs created expressly to access newsgroups.

However their are a few ISP, that no longer provide newsgroups to their customers. microsoft news is reachable via the windows website.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/reader.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support

JR

Oh, to use the newsgroup program, I think you need to do it this way.

news://news.microsoft.com

Then find and select:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

Well I would suggest calling the professionals at:

news://microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

This link requires a newsgroup (USENET) program like Outlook Express. If you don't want to go that route, Google has it too at:

http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/topics?hl=en

Although you need a gmail account to use that one. These people that hang out there can fix any Windows XP problem you may ever have.

Bubby and BillW50...I wish I could say I tried something and it worked, but I haven't. I really do not want to lose all the free programs on my hard drive. I'm using a different hard drive for now that still allows me access to the internet. In a week I can buy another hard drive as big as the one I messed up. At least that way if I try Linnux and it messes up my system, I won't lose all my stuff. I did try XP system restore. It didn't work. I have a restore disk that came with my e-machine, but I think it only restores to factory ship condition. The Manufacturer would not give me a Windows home edition install disk so that i can repair my system. I'll ghost the hard drive and try the options you all gave me.

Is there any way to protect dll files so that virus scanners, cleaners and hackers cannot corrupt or delete them? I knew about the scannow option, but you have to have an install disk. Could I make them all read only for instance?

Thank you again for the suggestions. By the way, I always call and write ;D...

Hi BuBBy... yes Bobby did suggest System Restore, but penroze seemed to misunderstood and thought it was only available on a Windows XP install disk. penroze didn't seem to know it is already available on all Windows XP installs. Although MS isn't good at titling things which is confusing anyway. Take Explorer for example. There is Explorer Shell, Explorer file manager and Internet Explorer and they are all different. :(

BillW, Bobby suggested System restore as the obvious choice. Apparently that was no good - so the recovery console, BartPE or TRK were suggested as non destructive means to replace single files without affecting anything else (while not actually running windows).

The problem with System restore is that it is not turned on for all systems - and you discover that fact only when you need to do a restore. If Microsoft can upload WPA or Defender updates regularly - at least a periodic reminder checking that users are aware of the active state of System Restore - wouldn't go astray.

penroze hasn't been back to update on this. (It's always the way... they never write... they never call).

penroze... Windows XP comes with what they call a System Restore. It is usually found under Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools. Everyone needs to learn about this first. How it works is that you can restore Windows back to an earlier time. Before the problem started. I suggest you try that first.

Since this happened about a week ago, you need to go back at least a week. The sad thing is that you will lose all programs you have installed since then. But it beats using that recovery disc back to factory install. ;)

If you are comfortable going down the linux path (the dark side) I'd recommend Trinity.

You can find TRK from HERE

You can try booting from a Linux Live CD like Knoppix, you should be able to replace manually the faulty dll. Can be a bit technical but should work. The only real problem is to get hold of such a CD. Try downloading an iso image from a working computer and burn it to a CD.

Thank you for your advice. I have an e-machine which came preinstalled with windows XP home edition. I have a recovery disk that will restore my computer to the original factory state, but as far as I know will not repair my system. I asked the manufacturer for an XP installation disk and they told me that was the only one available to me. There is something called Hiren's disk. I tried to use the DOS command line on it and again, my system couldn't find the dll file. although the filename showed up when I used a dir command. I couldn't rename the file, replace or move it.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my post!

If you have an XP Setup CD and don't mind working from the command line - Windows XP Recovery Console

Also a good reason to create a BartPE CD/DVD.
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

There is a lot already written about "BartPE". Just Google it for more details.

1. Have you tried one of the open-source file recovery programs like Recuva?
http://www.filehippo.com/download_recuva/

2. You can try rolling back your system to a previous date via System Restore.

3. You can try reinstalling only Service Pack 2, if you have the SP2 disk or a zipped download saved somewhere. Often, the SP2 will get your Windows functions restored.

4. You can also try system file check, which will compare your Windows operating files against the protected files in cache, replacing any that are corrupt or missing. You will likely need your Windows disk to perform this one. To use this function, go to:
Start > Run> and then type in: sfc /scannow (remember to put a space after sfc and before the slash)

If you do not have the Windows disk, you will have to try a workaround that involves a registry edit. I would try one of these four relatively-simple options before getting involved in regedits, however!

I’m running on stupid today. Yesterday my daughter ran a virus check that deleted an aha! program file and three system .dll’s. I was able to restore one, but the other two restored with errors. I downloaded the new .dlls on another computer from the internet and tried to paste them into the windows/system32 file folder, but got an error box that said the files were in use I could not replace them. Can someone help? With corrupted kernel32.dll and wsock32.dll files I can’t get my router to assign an IP address and my computer will not access my wireless lynksys router. So, I can't get on the internet. If anyone can help I sure would appreciate it. I deleted aha!, but would it have been possible to repair it?

I have an e-machine purchased in November of 2006. It runs XP SP2 home edition.