Rundll32 errors can be a big headache for many PC users. However, they need not be. There are direct and simple solutions for your DLL error problems.

A DLL is part of a complicated file accessing system that allows programs to find the appropriate file it needs to run the proper processes. It is, essentially, a library of commands.

However, if a DLL file becomes corrupted, then it can cause a lot of problems (hang ups, freezes, etc.) for the average PC user.

I’m going to walk you through the three major causes of Rundll32 errors and demonstrate how you can fix them without calling an expensive computer technician.

Improperly Installed or Uninstalled Programs

If a program is interrupted or interfered with during its installation or uninstallation, then that might cause a rundll error. It is because a process is trying to access a missing or corrupt file from your DLL.

The best solution is to uninstall any recently installed programs. If you have recently uninstalled a program, then you should attempt to reinstall that program and then uninstall it again.

After these steps, reboot your computer and see if that fixes your rundll problems.

Viruses, Malware, Adware, and Spyware (Oh My!)

A virus is likely to pose as a DLL file because they like to be difficult and pretend to be important system files.

Check your “Processes” tab in your “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” window. If you see any rundll processes that are eating up a lot of system resources, then you have likely found your culprit.

Click “End Process” to temporarily stop the virus. Then, run an antivirus program to find and delete the nefarious program.

I actually suggest running the antispyware a few times. I have noticed that viruses like to shift and change (even if you delete them with your antivirus program). Sometimes the little buggers like to hide in different ways.

If you are in doubt if you have successfully deleted the virus, reboot your computer and run it again. If you are still having virus problems, then I suggest upgrading your antivirus software.

Clean Your Registry

Your registry can easily become corrupted by bits and fragments of old and unused programs.

A registry is a collection of information and settings for the hardware, software, users, and preferences. The PC continually references this data during its operation.

If your registry becomes “dirty”, then your PC will have problems correctly accessing the needed information from it. This is a common cause of rundll errors. Sort out corrupted and unused fragments such as rundll32 errors from your PC and needed files.

Re-Tweet This Post

Do you want to speed up programs on your computer because your computer slows way down when you run more than two or three programs at a time?  There are several ways to speed up your PC or laptop without breaking the bank.

Use the free tools that Windows provides for system upkeep.

You can make sure all of your software runs faster by using the tools that Microsoft puts on your system.  All versions of Windows come with a disk defragmenter, available in “System Tools” under the Accessories menu.  It’s a good idea to use this tool at least once or twice every month.

It’s also a good idea to check for Windows updates on a regular basis.  This doesn’t just help your computer run faster–it also keeps it safer (though not immune) from viruses and spyware programs.

Check for viruses and spyware on a regular basis

It could be that certain unwelcome software on your computer is causing your programs to run slowly.  In this case, you may be able to speed up programs dramatically by performing a couple of scans with free software.

There are several free anti-virus and anti-spyware programs available online that will do a good job of keeping your computer safe if you use them regularly.  While the upgraded versions often have features that are worth the price you pay, the free versions will work fine just as long as you remember to use them on a regular basis!

It’s best to have at least one anti-virus and one anti-spyware program on your computer.  These days, many programs combine both functions.  Any computer will be safe with three of these programs installed on the hard drive.

Having more than three of these programs in operation on your computer will likely slow down system functioning, without offering a significant increase in protection.  The most important thing isn’t quantity or even quality; the most important thing about these programs is whether or not you remember to use them every week!

Keep your registry clean so that your Windows system doesn’t get bogged down.

One of the prime culprits of slow computer function is a cluttered or damaged registry.  Unfortunately, this is also the least known!

The Windows registry can accumulate damaged, out of date, or erroneous files over time.  This happens for a variety of reasons that usually have nothing to do with the individual computer owner.  Speed up programs on your PC or laptop by running a free registry scan.

Re-Tweet This Post

When you head out into the big world of the internet you encounter many different types of web pages.  Many use ActiveX Object portions to allow them to present more information faster and more easily.  The problem is that ActiveX in itself can be used as a transmitter of viruses, spyware and other scary things.

Originally rooted in Microsoft’s Object Model, COM and OLE the Object Linking and Embedding technology, this easily managed technique can present videos, animations and acquire data in ways not seen before.  With an increasing number of sites providing a multi-media experience, ActiveX has become a critical component of web page design.

How to fix simple errors
Sometimes the reason ActiveX fails is because it is trying to run in programs that have been deleted from your computer.  Under these circumstances you need only reload the software for ActiveX to run properly.  Another option is to find the missing files online and download them to your computer.  All you need to do is enter the error code into the search bar of your internet browser and follow the provided directions.

Other errors make themselves known when you arrive at a webpage that needs a specific ActiveX component.  To fix those errors, click on the yellow bar that appeared directly below your navigation bar and choose “install ActiveX control.”  After the control has completed installation, renew the page.  It should work fine now that it has the proper ActiveX control.

Simpler fixes for your ActiveX software errors.

The simplest way to avoid problems with an ActiveX Object is to run a registry cleaner on a regular schedule.  It will pick up errors that virus scan don’t because they only search for viruses, not deficiencies in the system.  In a matter of minutes your computer will be running clean and fast.  What an easy repair!

Re-Tweet This Post

Have you ever tried using a public PC? Some of you might probably answer in the negative. Indeed, going to Internet cafés to surf the Web is starting to become unfashionable these days as portable computers continue to get cheaper.

But don’t expect net café’s to totally disappear soon. No matter how small PCs get, you won’t always find it convenient to carry it around with you. So there will definitely come a time when you’ll be forced to use a computer that’s not yours.

Using a public PC can be dangerous, so you’d better limit the things that you’ll do whenever you’re using one. Public computers are notorious for being a melting pot of viruses, just as public toilets are. Hundreds of people have already used it, so there’s a big chance that one of them might have introduced a worm in the system maliciously or inadvertently.

One of the things that you shouldn’t do when you’re using a computer that’s not yours is to engage in e-commerce. Whenever you buy things on the Internet, sensitive financial data will be asked of you, such as your credit card number. Many worms are embedded in public PCs that capture keystrokes, especially those that are keyed in on online stores. Unless you would want to give a virtual supplemental card to hackers, don’t conduct financial transactions on a PC that other people also use.

You should also think twice in accessing your e-mail or other accounts on a public computer. Again, malware that are designed to capture passwords are often injected into public PCs. Try to limit the things that you do in a public computer. Checking the latest NFL or NBA results is harmless. But checking your bank account balance on a net café can be suicidal.

Re-Tweet This Post

I’m sure you’ll agree with me that having the biggest or the latest doesn’t exactly mean having the best. There are things which just should not be altered or be reincarnated into something which purports to be a better version of the original.

Of course, I’m talking about software here, although I’m sure you could sew hundreds of threads on this subject without mentioning malware, antivirus, or God-forbid, Microsoft. Going back to my blabber, there are applications that seem to be already perfect as they are, even if they were made during the Reagan administration. Altering them would be unforgivable, while replacing them would be sacrilegious.

Necessary Evil

While I’m one with the nostalgic few in romanticizing 0.2 MB applications, I must admit that software must eventually put on some weight in order to be able to pack a punch that would actually hurt. While keeping it simple may be the way to go as far as keeping everything neat and practical is concerned, such is an ideal that only a handful of software makers are willing to embrace (probably due to lack of resources).

Dual Core, Do More

I’m sure you’re already familiar with Intel’s Core 2 Duo slogan. The chipmaker’s new processor could definitely do more than just run a single program. In fact, it could shuffle applications as big as the marshmallow man with such flamboyance that one might think that one processor would already be enough to power ten PC units.

It would be a shame then, if all those muscles would just go to waste. Naturally, software makers would be encouraged (or tempted) to pack their products with a few more pounds in order to exploit the steroid-enhanced chips that are fast becoming mainstream.

Man’s ideas are infinite. Programs and its functions are products of some geek’s wild but profitable imagination. Ergo, icons illustrating a program’s features or capabilities could clutter the whole user interface. And with the virtually unlimited might of processors today, you can be sure that software designers would not be holding their horses when adding components to their creations.

Security

Not every chowhound application is detestable, though. Many a times, there are valid reasons why programmers choke their creations with hundreds of megabytes.

Malware is one of the leading causes of software bloat. You can’t expect software authors to just let their applications be mangled by viruses. In order to insulate their masterpieces from cyber graffiti, they have to pump in vaccines in the form of additional algorithms or programming instructions in order to ensure that it won’t get easily messed up by any malicious application. While antivirus and anti-spyware programs are already becoming regular mainstays in every PC unit, software makers are still fencing their applications in order to forestall any attack that security suites might not be able to prevent.

Not So Evil After All

The next time Microsoft or Apple announces the arrival of a successor to a popular software of theirs, clip that eyebrow of yours for a sec and see if it deserves your cynicism. While having the biggest or the latest may not always be a good thing, the caveat is also definitely not the general rule.

Re-Tweet This Post

Have you read PC World’s take on the various external hard drives in the market? It featured ten of the best, ranking them based on speed, price, and reliability.

External hard drives are great devices for back ups. In fact, it seems that it had already pushed the tape drive on the brink of extinction. If manufacturers would further improve on the peripheral’s reliability and portability, it might send many external back up products or solutions to the museum!

It’s still not a good alternative to the internal hard drive as far as using it as a primary storage device is concerned, though. Some are even questioning its practicability as a back up option. Many users are using DVD disks as secondary repositories of their data. While DVDs pale in comparison to external hard drives in terms of size, the former is believed to be more reliable in maintaining the integrity of the files burned to it. It is also more practical since many of the data files that are saved on back up devices are not that big, even collectively. Applications need not be saved since they can be reinstalled using the set up disks.

Despite the doubts that are being cast upon it, external hard drives are still great storage or back up devices. While it would seem too impractical to use it to create a mirror image of your primary storage device, such a move would definitely be very rewarding when the internal hard disk crashes due to viruses or problems with the system registry. While others would be spending a day reformatting and reinstalling programs after a crash, those who took a snapshot of their primary hard drive using their external hard drive could continue on with their tasks as if nothing had happened.

Re-Tweet This Post

If you think that virus authors are quickly discouraged by knock out blows from antivirus programs, think again.

IBM’s Internet Security Systems has recently revealed that an old foe of anti-malware applications is slowly making its way back to center stage again. The worm, which debuted in January 2003, is known as Spammer. It damaged countless systems during that year, making it one of the most dreaded and unwanted programs in recent history.

Resurrected?

Many thought that the worm had already been completely wiped out of every PC unit after security suites focused on its eradication during the months and years after its discovery. In fact, many have already forgotten about it during the past two years. However, IBM’s revelation had brought back its ghost, along with the reluctant prediction that the worm may come back with a vengeance.

What’s the Worry?

Many are downplaying the possible dangers that Spammer could bring to present computer systems. For one thing, security suites have already dealt with it successfully in the past. Hence, they shouldn’t encounter any difficulty in doing a repeat of their bout with the worm a few years ago.

The problem though, is that security software are having a tough time keeping at pace with the release of new viruses or the modified versions of old unwanted programs. It’s not as if Symantec or McAfee will be able to automatically detect the release of every worm or virus that is born in cyberspace. That’s almost next to impossible. Most of the time, they only come to know about the unwanted program after it has already infected a number of systems. There are thousands of hackers and malware authors around the globe. The number is simply and obviously overwhelming.

Keeping the Program Manageable

It would be very easy for antivirus applications to just retain old virus definitions in order to stem future attacks from old worms. However, this is quite impractical. Without retiring old virus codes, the size of anti spyware or antivirus programs could easily swell to exponential proportions. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your antivirus to be as large as Windows Vista, would you?

This practice of trimming down antivirus programs to manageable levels by retiring old definitions creates gaps on the security of a PC unit. Hence, all that a defeated virus author has to do in order to make a comeback is to put his creation in hibernation for a few years, then resurrect it after a new version of the antivirus that eliminated the worm comes out. This is a very easy task for the malware maker, especially since he need not even have to make any modification anymore.

New Approach

Security suites and system utilities, such as registry cleaners, should come up with a new plan on how to prevent the resurrection of old worms and viruses without having to resurrect its old warriors. There must be some way by which an antivirus or anti malware software could efficiently protect a unit from all known forms of unwanted software without being bloated by definitions and other algorithms.

Re-Tweet This Post

I know it’s already quite late to be talking about Christmas presents, but I can’t help telling everybody that I got an Acer laptop from my mom

It’s not the latest model though, but it’s not a Celeron either. It’s a Pentium M Centrino. It doesn’t boast much in terms of graphics, but the screen resolution is something to brag about.

There are many things to like about the Acer Aspire 3620. For one thing, it’s pleasing to the eyes. It doesn’t look like a brick like some laptops do. You won’t feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders either when you put it in your backpack.

Don’t get carried away by my review. It’s not the perfect notebook. It has no dedicated video memory. To make matters worse, it only comes with 256MB of RAM. It could be upgraded to 1GB, but for those who don’t have the extra bucks, you’re virtually stuck with a unit that constantly has amnesia.

I got my laptop to run faster without having to burn my savings for memory. It turned out that my system registry has been cluttered and modified by certain applications. They are not exactly viruses or malwares. However, these programs usually complicate the registry which, in turn, makes the overall system performance slow.

The screen still freezes sometimes even if I got some errors fixed. However, it now performs much better than it did before I got my system registry checked and fixed.

Re-Tweet This Post