"Unable to Load File W95UPG.DLL" Error Message During Windows 2000 Setup (318716)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q318716

SYMPTOMS

If you try to perform an upgrade to, or clean install of, Microsoft Windows 2000 on a Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)-based computer, you may receive the following error message:
The option to upgrade will not be available at this time because Setup was unable to load the file c:\windows\upgdlls\w95upg.dll\WIN9XUPG\W95UPG.DLL.

The system cannot find the file specified.
NOTE: The c:\windows folder referenced in the preceding error message may vary, depending on where Windows Me is currently installed.

After you click OK in response to this error message, the Windows 2000 installation process may continue, but the option to upgrade will be unavailable (dimmed).

CAUSE

This behavior may occur if the Windows 2000 installation process was interrupted or improperly stopped during the initial attempt to upgrade.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
  1. Open Windows Explorer, and then locate %windir%\setup, where %windir% represents the drive and folder on which Windows Me is installed.
  2. Locate and then delete the following files:
    • Cfgmgr32.dll
    • Imagehlp.dll
    • Setupapi.dll
    • W95upg.dll
    NOTE: These files will be added back by Windows 2000 Setup.

  3. Restart the Windows 2000 installation process.

MORE INFORMATION

An upgrade from Windows Me to Windows 2000 is not supported.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

272627 Windows Me to Windows 2000 Upgrade Is Not Supported

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/5/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB318716
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