Error Message: The Comdlg32.dll File Cannot Start

When you try to start a program in Windows, you may receive one of the following error messages:

• Error starting program. The Comctl32.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.
• Error starting program. The Comdlg32.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.
• Error starting program. The Shell32.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.
• Error starting program. The Lz32.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.
• Error starting program. The Version.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.
• Error starting program. The Winmm.dll file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem.

Some programs replace Windows files with their own files. The Windows Commctrl.dll, Commdlg.dll, Shell.dll, Lzexpand.dll, Ver.dll, or Mmsystem.dll files may have been replaced by files from another program.

Extract the corresponding file in place of the one listed in the error message you received. In the instructions that follow, replace <name> with the name of the appropriate file. This file will be one of the following files:

• Commctrl.dll for Comctl32.dll
• Commdlg.dll for Comdlg32.dll
• Shell.dll for shell32.dll
• Lzexpand.dll for Lz32.dll
• Ver.dll for Version.dll
• Mmsystem.dll for Winmm.dll

NOTE: If you are using Windows 98, and Windows 98 starts, use the System File Checker tool to replace the damaged file with a new copy of the original file. For information about how to use System File Checker, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "system file checker" (without quotation marks), click Display, and then double-click Using System File Checker.

Otherwise, restart your computer to a command prompt, and then copy the <name> file from the Windows\Sysbckup folder to the Windows\System folder. This replaces the existing file with the Windows version of the file.



NOTE: The program that replaced the <name> file with another version of the file may have set some of the <name> file's attributes. If you are having trouble copying the file from the Windows\Sysbckup folder to the Windows\System folder, use Windows Explorer to check the <name> file's properties. If the file's Read-Only, Hidden, or System properties are selected, click those check boxes to clear them.

If the <name> file in the Windows\Sysbckup folder is damaged or is not the correct version of the file, extract a new version of the file from your original Windows disks or CD-ROM to the Windows\System folder. To extract a new copy of the <name> file, you need to perform one of the following steps, depending on the file:

• Extract the Kommctrl.dll file from the Precopy1.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Kommctrl.dll file to Commctrl.dll.
• Extract the Commdlg.new file from the Win95_11.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Commdlg.new file to Commdlg.dll.
• Extract the Shell.new file from the Win95_11.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Shell.new file to Shell.dll.
• Extract the Lzexpand.dll file from the Precopy1.cab file to the Windows\System folder.
• Extract the Ver.new file from the Win95_17.cab file to the Windows\System folder, and then rename the Ver.new file to Ver.dll.
• Extract the Mmsystem.dll file from the Win95_13.cab file to the Windows\System folder.

NOTE: The specific cabinet file numbers may vary from version to version. Use the /A switch to search the entire cabinet set of the appropriate type (Precopy or Win95).

For information about using the EXTRACT command to extract a file, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: