I uninstalled my Internet Explorer 6 And it said it would reinstall the previous version and then restart. Well it didn't, I got a error message shell32dll and after the windows password window and then it says to close and try shutdown. And I get the same error message at every startup even after the auto scandisk runs. I can't get into my desktop and when I push alt control delete it shows nothing. I would like to get into DOS safemode but how? What button do I push at the boot-up to bring up the DOS mode cursor or menu? I do not have a floppy drive installed on my PC, but i do have a CD player installed.

Doe John

Safe mode you access by either pressing and holding down the Ctrl key, or the Del key, or F8 key, on boot.

If you don't have a floppy drive and no ME start up disk, then you'll have to make an ME boot CD. Select "Win ME boot CD with internal CD-ROM support" and burn the ISO image to a CD using Nero or something.

Boot up with it and get to a prompt and type ext and enter. Follow the on-screen prompts and extract shell32.dll from either C:\Windows\Options\Install or C:\Windows\Options\Cabs

and extract the file to C:\Windows\System

I have the ME upgrade CD. The Del key just gets me into my CMOS mode, the F8 key just gives me a keyboard error message. I tryed booting up with the ME upgrade CD in it and it doesn't do anything. Will something inside my CMOS mode get me into safe mode or a DOS mode prompt? I am totally screwed.

Doe John

If holding down one of those keys doesn't get you into safe mode when the machine is booting up, you are either doing it wrong, or you are going to have to try different keys.

Try again and make sure you are holding down the key (whichever one) when the machine is POST'ing - timing is important. Try some of the other "F" keys, like F2.

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/...

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tut...

If you know the manufacturer of the computer then we could look up what key gets you into safe mode.

You also need to create a boot CD as instructed in the link I gave you in Response Number 1. It's the same as a bootable floppy disk only it's on a CD (as you don't have a floppy drive). It will get you access to a DOS environment in ME.

Your Windows ME upgrade CD won't do the job.

... its been a while for ME

... used this in the past :

http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2...

... This patch will modify "IO.SYS", "COMMAND.COM" and "REGENV32.EXE" in order to
unhide the Real DOS-Mode on Windows ME systems, resulting in a similar boot
process to the one available in Windows 9x. This will allow, for example, to
reach DOS directly by pressing "Shift-F8" at boot-up, to use "CONFIG.SYS" and
"AUTOEXEC.BAT" before Windows loads, and to set up a startup menu.

Grrrr
wat do I know?
... got brain freeze

Great. Except it's not relevant and it's certainly not relevant to fixing the original posters problem.

... ok ok

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221512

... scanreg /restore

... then reinstall ie6 ??

Grrrr
wat do I know?
... got brain freeze

Restoring the registry isn't going to do anything after he's uninstalled IE and he can't get into his desktop. All the clues are in the original post.

Shell32.dll is stopping him getting into the desktop, it's either corrupt or not there. You need to replace it to stand any chance of moving forward.

He has no floppy drive and no boot disk anyway.

What's to be done????

Well, howzabout creating a bootable ME CD that does the same job as an ME startup floppy disk.

Make one, boot with it, replace Shell32.dll using the DOS extraction tool and see if you can access the desktop. Response #1.

The OP just doesn't understand those instructions .....yet.

Actually, thinking about this, mavis007, for ME Shell32.dll a manual registry restore is worth a shot, and it's not going to hurt things any more than they are. It'd be easy enough to do it with that ME boot CD. We just have no idea what part of the library is affecting what, so it's no more of a gamble than replacing it.

Hello, thanks for the advice. I figured out that I need another seperate computer to make a ME Boot CD. So I took me ME upgrade CD to the local community college computer lab and asked them to make me a ME boot-up CD, and the tutor said I need a machine that has ME installed in order to make a ME boot-up CD. And he said all the computers at the lab use XP and not ME. Then he gave me a flier for the computer club's monthly PC clinic and he said they might be able to help me. Luckly I have plenty of empty CDRW discs. Can they make a bootable CD from my ME upgrade disc or isn't that enough? I stayed up all night reading the book DOS for dummies and Iv'e given up trying to get a DOS prompt or safe mode that way. My computer is made up of lots of different parts and I'm not the one who put it together and I don't know how to take it apart if that's what you're asking. My brother moved to OHIO. My processor is Intell celeron, and my mainboard is American megatrends, my video card is Voodoo I think.

Doe John

You've been told how to make a bootable ME CD using this link.

I suggest you click on the link and scroll down and find...

"Boot CD – Win ME boot CD with internal CD-ROM support (USA)"

..and download ATW_WinME_USA_Boot_CD.zip

Read the instructions in the zip file on what to do next. Or ask here for further instructions.

Thank you I understand now.

Doe John

If you have questions on what to do next, John Doe, just ask.

Ok, So I dwnloaded the zip folder and I have a CD disk here and a CD RE-Wriable drive and this NERO program. I tryed to burn the image to a CD but nero doesn't show an image file when I bring up the zip folder. Now what? How do I unzip the folder?

Doe John

Ok, so you see the yellow folder with a zip down the middle of it.

Right click on it and choose Extract from the menu and extract the file inside to somewhere like your desktop.

The file you want is an .ISO file, when you find it open the program Nero and pick CD and choose "Burn Image To Disc"

Now you might not see your .ISO file in the Nero dialogue box, if not, you have to click on the "Files Of Type" drop down bit and select "Image Files *.nrg *.iso *.cue"

...and your .ISO file should be there - select it and burn it to the CD.

That's your Windows ME boot CD created. Get back if you don't understand anything above.

Evidently the library district doesn't allow zip file uncompression because it's a security risk. Maybe the Fed EX computer terminal's do.

Doe John

I doubt Fed Ex terminals will either to be honest, but you can try.

Your best bet is a friend or neighbour with a tower or laptop. Or find a small, customer friendly, internet cafe and explain your situation. A small, customer friendly, tech repair shop might also do it for a small charge.

I got help from an IT guy at the Grand Valley State University I.T. dept. He downloaded and made me a boot up floppy disk. And now I have to go to the Grand Rapids Community College's Computer club's monthly Computer clinic and get my floppy drive installed. I think they charge ten bucks on saturday mornings.

Doe John

It's not a boot CD and the CD would have done the job without the need to install a floppy drive. But the floppy boot disk will do the job when you get the floppy drive installed (or you will at least be able to attempt to try some of the stuff here).