windows.exe

[mosupv]

Ever since I ran windows update on two different laptops (Hitachi & Toshiba) I've gotten the following error message when I run certain utilities and .bat files.
"A required .DLL file, C:\WINDOWS.EXE, was not found."
I know, there is no such file.
I've been told by numerous people that this is cause by a Trojan Horse but I have run three different virus scanners with up to date sigs with no results. I've also visted www.hackfix.com (http://www.hackfix.com) and checked out the registery keys they suggested but again, no virus.
I have tried every trouble shooting technique I know to find what is calling this windows.exe file with no luck, I've tried searching the registry and systeme for the string with no luck.
I could just reinstall windows but this is really bugging me and I want to get to the bottem of it. I have posted similar messages at every tech site I can find for answers but so far no luck.
Has anyone here ever heard of a similar problem, or do you have any suggestions of how I can find this little bugger. I would apprecaite any suggetions at all, and I'll give them a try.
Thanks for your time...

mike.oneill@state.mn.us

MikeO

[cyberhh]

Check symantec.com and search for that error on their virus encyclopedia. Also please give more details - what programs, what batch files.

If it always happens on one batch file try stepping through the batch file to find what is causing the problem.

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Death is lighter than a feather - duty heavier than a mountian.

[cyberhh]

Check symantec.com and search for that error on their virus encyclopedia. Also please give more details - what programs, what batch files.

If it always happens on one batch file try stepping through the batch file to find what is causing the problem.

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Death is lighter than a feather - duty heavier than a mountian.

[AcId_BuRn]

Um yeah check your copy of windows maybe a cab is not going in or maybe it has a scratch and make sure your installing under typical installation and not custom as to not f*** it up ya know...

[Sowulo]

I've seen this. It's a virus but I don't remember which one. Check with Symantec.

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Ya never know, ya know?

[SavagePenguin]

Sounds like a virus to me.

I recently removed a virus from a machine that had a similiar error. It claimed that a file, something like "winlog32.dll" was missing. Nothing could run without that file.

First I searched the office Windows machines for the file. It didn't exist so I searched for the filename on Google.

Google found me a site that said soemthing like "Want to download winlog32.dll? We have what you want, but it's not what you think. You have a virus. Here's how to get rid of it..."

I recommend doing a search on Goole for the exact wording of the error message.

[chip35]

It 'was' a virus. However it's gone. Unfortunately it was jammed into the registry and now intercepts any call to those programs you mentioned.That way the virus got to run BEFORE the referenced program. It's tricky to fix.Here it is but if you don't feel comfortable editing the registry you should not attempt it.:
If you can run regedit, do a find on all occurrences of windows.exe. Write down the full key for them. Go to a working machine. track down the same keys on the working machine and write down what the key should be. Go back to the problem machine and manually correct the key(s). usually looks like this:
some\section\some\part\windows.exe %1
executes windows.exe then %1 (the program)
In your case it was probably supposed to be:
.....\command.com %1
I had this problem after a virus scanner completed removing a virus NOTHING would run except the gui. Had to export the relevant keys from a working machine, remove the excess, import from dos on the target machine.

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What's the differance between 'twisted' and 'torqued' anyways?