The old rundll32 problem

Hello,

Just registered here, and thought I would post my problem, which I'm sure is not the first time, but I can't seem to find any info in this forum on it. So, here goes, Something infected my OS and now I can't get into control panel icons, or to do a system restore. I have done everything possible I could find for this fix on the web and nothing works. when I try to open up say...."add remove programs" in "control panel" a window comes up saying "cannot find C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe" blah blah blah.
I know this is probably the 1,000,000th time this has been posted but I need help please.

Thanks

 

Fixed it​

 

Mind sharing how?​

 

Great! Post how ya did it so it gets added to the collective knowledge here.

 

Well, I will try to explain. I have Windows xp home edition so it might be a different procedure for other OS.

I had gotten a virus that disabled me from getting into any of the the icons in control panel and I could not do a restore. What I had discovered was that rundll32.exe had been removed from my computer.

Please read note at the bottom before starting this

First, I clicked start then run then type in appwiz.cpl
and hit ok

It came up saying Choose a program you want use to open this file

Then I went to http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

and downloaded the CPL Association Fix (Restore the default associations for CPL files)

then reboot, when desktop is back I went to start then run then type in appwiz.cpl and hit ok

It still came up with a window saying Choose a program you want to open this file

Then went to start
then run then typed in cmd and hit ok

This brought up the command window (Black background)

In the prompt in the command window I typed regsvr32 appwix.cpl
(notice the space after regsvr32)

Then I pressed the enter key to run the command to register appwiz.cpl

Then went back to clicking start then run then type in appwiz.cpl then ok

Still got the same window saying "Choose a program you want to open this file"

Next I did this


Searching the rundll32.exe file

Click start the search then All file and folders

In the box All or part of file name I typed rundll32.exe

In the box A word or phrase in the file I typed rundll32.exe

Then under More advanced options I made sure that Search system folders, Search hidden files and folders, and Search subfolders was checked

Then I clicked the search button to scan my system for rundll32.exe

Several files came up on the right side of window

I looked for files that specifically said rundll32.exe

I found a file at the end that said
rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\LastGood\system 33kb Application

I right clicked on it then hit copy

Then went to C:\WINDOWS looked for the system32 file and pasted it in

And viola it worked

Now I'm not sure I had to go through all that, possibly if I had done the rundll32.exe Search first and patched in the file that may have solved it.