Here's a very good post about DLL problems and Windows.  Thought I'd
share.

-- Steve

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bill Cameron <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: dll  problems and solutions

i realize just about every  windows users has come across this problem
somewhere, so i am forwarding this excellent article from p c world to assist
any user needing a fix or a better understanding of dll probblems.
i do want to say i have not used the shareware program mention and have no idea
if it is speech friendly.
chow 

[log in to unmask]

e to Windows Crashes 
by Steve Bass 
It was like an episode of Outrageous Police Chase Videos. Under my PC's hood,
deep in a Windows folder, dozens of DLL files were wildly pursuing one another,
careening out of control and smashing into my hard drive. After each collision,
my system would shudder and crash. And I'd end up staring at a lovely blue
screen with an ugly Windows error message. 
I'll bet you've had the same problem. Unexpected crashes are a sure sign
something's wrong under the hood--something far worse than a bad gasket on your
search engine. The culprit is almost always a faulty DLL. Don't sweat it. I
have a way to get you out of a DLL traffic jam. 
Trial By File 
First, a few basics. Dynamic link libraries (aka DLLs) are small programs used
by Windows applications. Some DLLs are needed by specific programs and rarely
cause problems. Others--the usual DLL troublemakers--are part of Windows itself
and are shared by many programs. For instance, commdlg.dll, a "common dialog"
DLL, enables other programs to create dialog boxes. 
The problem? Some programs dump their own versions of these DLLs--usually
outdated, crotchety ones--onto your system. When you launch the program, it
loads the old DLL. Even when you quit the app, that DLL hangs around in memory.
Later that day, you load another program that uses the same DLL--only a more
recent version of it--then wham! The new app gets rear-ended by the old DLL,
road rage ensues, and the bits hit the fan. 
Windows 98 is supposed to sort out these conflicts whenever you install a new
program, comparing DLLs and throwing out the older ones. Trouble is, this does
not always happen. 
Fortunately, you can get rid of old DLLs yourself. It's a relatively safe task,
but even so, back up your system first. 
The trick is to search for all the DLLs on your hard disk, find the duplicates,
and nuke the prior versions. You can do this by going to the Windows Desktop,
hitting F3 to bring up the Find: All Files box, and searching My Computer for
all files ending in .dll. (Be sure to search your entire drive, including
subfolders.) In the results window, select View, Details and click the Name
column heading to sort the 
files. If your PC is like mine, your drive is filled with duplicate DLLs.
Depressing, no? 
Now right-click each duplicate file, select Properties, and click the Version
tab. The file with the higher version number should be in the \Windows\System
folder. If the DLL with the lower version number is in the app's program
folder, change its file extension to .d_l. That way, the old version won't
load, which will force the program to look in the System folder for the right
DLL. (The one place you should see many duplicate DLLs is in your
\Windows\Sysbckup folder. Leave those alone.) 
Last step: Reboot your PC and load the program that used the older DLL. If it
runs, it's probably okay, and you can repeat the process with the next pair of
duplicates. If it doesn't run, then restore the original name of the old DLL. 
Never a DLL Moment 
If all that sounds too complicated, consider getting an application like
DLLChecker that'll do the job for you. The program, written by my user group
buddy David Jung, scans your PC for DLLs, VBXs, OCXs, and VXDs (say that three
times, fast). Then it lists their location and identifies them by size, date,
and version. That helps you see the duplicates, compare the versions, and
decide which ones to dump. The utility can also archive old DLLs. 
I played with an early beta of DLLChecker, and it worked fine. The $10 program
should be available at link www.VB2Java.com or on link FileWorld by the
time you
read this. 
Premiering next month on Bass-TV: World's Scariest Windows Error Messages. 

Product Information
DLLChecker 

$10 list 

link www.VB2Java.com

link Product information from manufacturer 
Contributing Editor link Steve Bass is a licensed marriage and family therapist
and president of the Pasadena IBM Users Group. 
link Rate this article. 

ADVERTISEMENT
link NeoPlanet - Your Browser - now integrates Lycos

link Printer-Friendly Version
Inside This Article
Say Good-Bye to Windows Crashes 
Related Stories
link The Fix Is In: Top Windows Utilities (8/99) 
link The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Windows (5/99) 
link Our Favorite Registry Tweaks (4/22/99) 

link Copyright © 1999 PC World Communications. All Rights Reserved. Use of this
service is subject to the PC World Online link Terms of Service Agreement. 
PC World Online link Privacy Policy. 
PC World Online complies with the link ASME Guidelines with IDG Extensions for
new media. 
External Link Policy
This page may contain links to Web sites that are not part of PC World Online.
PC World Online assumes no responsibility for the content or availability of
any external site. 

SHOP NOW ONLINE!
ADVERTISEMENT

link /r/wts/1,2061,wts-cumetrx-0728,00.html
link Only $599 for a Brand New Cumetrix Intel PII 400MHz/64MB SDRAM/4.3GB HD/
modem/speakers/4MBgraphics! 
link /r/wts/1,2061,wts-buycomp-0722,00.html
link The Internet Computer Superstore with the Lowest Prices on Earth! 
link /r/wts/1,2061,wts-comp4surebut,00.html
link Over 40,000 products. Real-time pricing & availability. Superior service.
Fast delivery! 
link /r/wts/1,2061,wts-pcmall-0701,00.html
link eCOST.com is now offering FREE SHIPPING on every product! So BUY AT COST
and get FREE SHIPPING for a limited time only! 
link http://www.pcworld.com/r/wts/1%2C2061%2Cwts-ubidend-0699%2C00.html
SPECIAL OFFERS
• link Trade in your old monitor for a new CTX VL700S and get cash back! 
• link Don't dream it, DO IT! Get LOW flat rate commissions with Ameritrade!
Start investing today! 
• link NeoPlanet(tm) Browser - Changing the face of the Internet. Download
Now! 
• link WooDogie! by CyberMax, full multimedia PC with complimentary 1 year
Internet access! Only $599! 
• link $14.95 a month for 2200 dialup numbers from Cruisenet. This is not a
misprint!! Click here for details. 
• link uBid Online Auction has all the computer products you need! 
• link NEXTCARD: HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? How does a 2.9 intro APR Visa sound? 
• link HotOffice allows you and your team to communicate and collaborate
anytime, anywhere. 30-Day Free Trial. 
• link Looking for a new monitor? Click here for award-winning monitors from
iiyama 
• link Visit us at Virtual World where free shipping applies to all! 
• link Get a second PC for $149 from Vega Technologies! Simply add a monitor,
keyboard, mouse and a Buddy to your existing PC! 

link Brand Name Bargains Start at $7
link
/event.ng/Type=click&ProfileID=246&RunID=4973&AdID=7635&GroupID=52&FamilyID=
1804&TagValues=152.266.401&Redirect=http:%2F%2Fpcworld.neoplanet.com



--
This mailing list is sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind, NFB.
For more information about the NfB, please call (410) 659-9314, point your
internet browser to http://www.nfb.org or Telnet to nfbnet.org.


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html