Performance Issues When Loading Winmm.dll (266327)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q266327 IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you
modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore
the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the
registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SYMPTOMS
When your Windows 2000-based computer loads the Winmm.dll file into memory, you may experience a delay. This delay may occur at different times, depending on how the Winmm.dll file is loaded.
Import Library
If a program loads the Winmm.dll file by using an import library, Winmm.dll is loaded when the program starts. In this case, you may experience a delay when you start the program.
NOTE: Performance can be significantly affected if the program is started many times by using a batch file.
LoadLibrary
If a program loads the Winmm.dll file by using LoadLibrary, Winmm.dll is loaded only when the program needs to used it. For example, if Explorer.exe plays a sound when you open a menu, the Winmm.dll file is loaded when the sound is played the first time. In this case, you may experience the delay when the the program loads the Winmm.dll file.
CAUSE
This problem occurs because the Winmm.dll file is trying to load the AUX library, which does not exist.
RESOLUTIONWARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may
require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve
problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own
risk.
To resolve this problem, obtain and install Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows 2000, and then use Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) to view the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32
Add the following registry value:
Value Name: aux
Value Type: REG_SZ
Data: mmdrv.dll
STATUSMicrosoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. MORE INFORMATION
The Winmm.dll file is a 32-bit library that supports multimedia services; it is used to initialize .wave, .midi, and .aux files. Note that .wave and .midi devices are mapped to the Wdmaud.drv file in the Drivers32 registry key, but AUX is not, causing Winmm.dll not to succeed when it tries to load the AUX library.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 11/20/2003 |
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| Keywords: | kbbug kbenv kbfix kbQFE kbsound w2000device KB266327 |
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