I keep getting rundll32 errors (since I installed Zone Alarm). I'm pretty sure I had received a warning from Zone Alarm and had said to allow it. I can't change my screen resolution.
Any suggestions?
rundll32
(12 posts) (2 voices)-
watcher13
MemberI can give you some background, Terri. As you might know, Windows is modular. Instead of writing the same code over and over into every program - say to copy something - you just write a library that contains copy code (and maybe paste, cut, etc., this is just a generic example) and then Windows loads that module into memory when you want to do those functions, no matter what program you're using. These modules have the extension dll - dynamic link libraries. Rundll32 (and it's parent rundll, for very old 16 bit computers) was built in by Microsoft as the mechanism developers can call on to load these modules into memory.
Run32 is totally internal, so it shouldn't be trying to interact with the Zone Alarm firewall as a way of contacting the internet. Maybe one of the other functions in the pro version, maybe the download analyzer or the popup blocker. Maybe popups are trying to call on rundll32, I don't know. Anyway, yYou might have clicked no and Zone Alarm might be restricting it's function. You might check Zone Alarm's list and see if it's blocked or allowed. But, it's worth a try. More likely, Zone Alarm is asking it to do things it doesn't understand. Maybe to load modules it can't find. Unfortunately, it could be a number of things. Have you installed anything else since Zone Alarm? That could be the culprit. Zone Alarm could be messed up. Rundll32 could be corrupted. As I said, Zone Alarm could be asking for modules that you don't have or that are corrupted. You could use restore points, and even set a restore point for now, so you can restore stuff that wasn't part of the problem, but that can fail and get messy. Hard to say about the screen resolution. If Rundll32 got messed up, it might be not be able to load the necessary module to change your resolution.
You could run some scans. That might be a good thing to do first. Run your built-in error checking and also run the System File Checker - SFC. If you need instructions, just ask.
One thing that occurs to me that I'm going to try in the future involves yesterday's giveaway - Returnil. In fact, you can always get Returnil free with practically the same features - although I'd disable the new Anti-Virus module if you install it. Or download an earlier version. You really don't need this minor AV module.
http://www.returnilvirtualsystem.com/
What Returnil does is create a virtual copy - a pseudo or ghost copy - of your entire hard disk every time you turn it on. When you restart your computer all the changes you made while it was running just vanish. Poof! If you leave Returnil on, you get a fresh, new virtual copy of your C: drive after reboot and you can start messing with it all over again. (If you turn it off, you go back to your pristine C: drive). It's great for testing software - I use it a lot - and useful for risky surfing. But it just occurs to me that it would be great for troubleshooting. That way you could uninstall this, reinstall that, try all kind of fixes with Returnil on, and if it makes it worse, then poof! You're back where you started. No more harm done. That way you could try all sorts of things until you find the right one, then apply the right answer to your real hard disk.
I've GOTTA try that. Hope some of this helps a little.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Terri218
MemberI have a system restore point set for last Sat. after I ran the Avira update and scanned my computer and it came up clean. I'm thinking I should restore to that point. The only thing I downloaded since then that I still want (I did download a one hour demo which I finished and which I think may have messed up the rundll32) and I've copied to a flash drive (the whole file) is 3 Cards to Midnight so I'm thinking that I should try to restore to that date. Of course I can still reinstall 3 Cards if I have to before the end of today. Oh there's Golden Palace from yesterday but I'm going to copy that to the flash drive right now. What do you think?
Posted 14 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberDid a search and did find one mention of Zone Alarm warning that rundll32.exe is trying to connect to the internet. But you're not getting that, are you? You're getting an error, like "rundll32 caused a GPF (or General Protection Fault) in 'so and so'" or something like that. Could be any of the 3 programs. There are also trojans that pretend to be rundll32. They'll try and contact the internet for sure. You could do a search. rundll32.exe should be in C:\windows\system32. They're may be one stored as a backup, but there shouldn't be in XP. There is in Vista, though. If you find more than one, or a bunch, post and give us what folder it's (they're) in. If it's in an odd spot, could be a trojan. If it's trying to phone home, ZA will definitely pick up on that and give you a warning.
I read Golden Palace Casino's adware can cause problems, - if that's the one you mean - and that the program can even reinstall itself. I'd start there. Also, newer and larger programs, like Zone Alarm, tend to be safer. Older and smaller programs can often cause the problems because the developers sometimes don't want to adapt to the latest Windows developments. They just keep patching the old code. Unfortunately, a lot of GOTDs are like that, too. Besides, I don't think I'd trust much in online gambling sites. They don't have the best reps. Saw a TV report on how easily the online poker sites are to scam by their own employees and former employees. Some have scammed millions in phony winnings. I just don't think of some of these as "trusted software sources". I mean, much online gambling skirts legality. I doubt ethics is high on their list.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Terri218
MemberNo I think it was the "rundll32.exe is trying to connect to the internet" message, not the others. Only one item came up in the search in C:\windows\system32.
The Golden Palace I was referring to was yesterday's GGOTD. Are you talking about that one? It's not a gambling game. I didn't have a chance to play it much, only one or two levels and it seemed to operate the same as Cairo fron last week. I think I'll uninstall it using Revo Uninstaller and see if that fixes the problem.
Thanks.
Posted 14 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberAh, yeah, I downloaded that yesterday. I like it. That's extremely unlikely to be your culprit. That's a standalone, meaning it runs completely out of it's own folder, which is designed to contain everything the program needs. If it needs a dll, it includes it's own in the folder. I LOVE standalones because they make NO changes to your system. Compatibility is not an issue in the sense that they either run on your machine or they don't, but they don't have any effect on it's internal operation. You could say they just float on top. It's one of the other two then. Standalones have no installer, or limited installer's like Robix on Saturday that just put in shortcuts for those that felt they had to have them.
Posted 14 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberSorry, I saw your 2nd short post, not the first longer one. I thought you were having Windows errors. I didn't think rundll32 could connect to the internet, but maybe it's doing it for another program. Also, I messed up in that post where I told you to search. Try searching for just rundll32. If you get anything else other than rundll32.exe, then it's a trojan. But I'd say something else, maybe 3 cards to midnight, is trying to connect to the internet. It's not Golden Prague, and, to clarify what I said above, you can't uninstall it cause it never installed itself. It just unpacked it's files into it's folder. Nobody else reported it was trying to phone home, so it's not likely that. You didn't forget and install the dreaded (just joking) Software Informer GOTD ride along, did you? That DEFINITELY tries to phone home. Like I'd said awhile ago, the whole thing with a firewall warning is asking yourself what's trying to connect to the internet, and does it really need to. You could forbid it permanently next time it comes up and see if the warnings stop. But if it's the real rundll32.exe, you might need to reenable it later. I'd uninstall 3 cards to midnight and see it that stops it. It might be some other one. Might even be Avira even though you were thinking you fixed that. But that's literally what the warning means. ET is trying to phone home.
Posted 14 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberWhen you see an extension the ends with _ it means it's a compressed file. Like a zip. When Windows installs things it will uncompress the file and put it where it belongs. Oftentimes, though, it doesn't delete the compressed files and you end up with a lot of them on your machine. More clutter! Still, there's a pretty good chance that belonged there and was part of the original install. Yeah, you may want to start over. Like I said before, a good firewall can be a hassle until you get everything set. You might want to go back to your XP firewall. Still, I think I'd try uninstalling 3 Cards first tonight if you've got the time.
Posted 14 years ago #
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