I have owned a Dell XPS T600R since 2000, initially Win '98 was installed, this was updated with Win ME some years ago, the machine is used as a base unit for my wireless router/broadband modem. The reason for the post is I've started receiving an "Error Starting Progam" message as follow: "The COMDLG32.DLL file is linked to missing export SHLWAPI.DLL:SHRRegGetValueW." I couldn't fix the problem, tried installing Win XP but received the following message "The File C:\Windows \WINNT32\WINNT32A.DLL could not be loaded or is corrupt" I've since tested the memory and this found no faults. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Why would you attempt to install XP rather than simply repairing ME? And why would you suspect bad RAM? The error message tells you exactly what the problem is. Google SHLWAPI.DLL errors.

More to the point if you were going to install XP, why didn't you just format the box with the ME startup disk and just install XP? But If you want and still have a working (but error'd) ME then try extracting and replacing SHLWAPI.DLL from your cab files through DOS and reboot. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q12... You want: Extract Files By Using Startup Disk

Thanks for the reply Viking, I'd put off formatting the box to install XP as it's not something I've done before but will do if I can't resolve the DLL problem. I'll have a look at the link you've provided.

this is where the bad ram idea came from http://www.dellcommunity.com/suppor... larry

If you have a full copy of XP (Home Ed preferably) then there's no reason why you wouldn't format the box and install XP on it provided you have a reasonable CPU / GPU and 256 - 512 MB RAM. And all your doing with the ME startup disk (make sure you have one) is getting to an A:\>prompt and typing ext and following your nose through the rest. The only thing you have to remember is a) the location of SHLWAPI.DLL and COMDLG32.DLL so you know where to extract both files to. And b) where to extract from. Which will be either... c:\windows\options\install or c:\windows\options\cabs