Error Message When You Start Windows: C:\Windows\System\Msvcrt.dll Is Corrupt (302756)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98
This article was previously published under Q302756
If this article does not describe the error message that you are receiving, view the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article to view more articles that describe error messages:

315854 Windows 98 and Windows Me Error Message Resource Center

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start Microsoft Windows, you may receive an error message similar to the following:
C:\Windows\System\Msvcrt.dll is corrupt.
-or-
Explorer

This program has performed an illegal operation
and will be shut down.

If the problem persists, contact the program
vendor.
If you click the Details button, the following information is displayed:
EXPLORER caused an invalid page fault in module EXPLORER.EXE at 0167:address
You may then be unable to start Windows.

CAUSE

This issue can occur in the following situation:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 is installed on the computer.

    -and-
  • The Msvcrt.dll file is damaged.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, extract a new copy of Msvcrt.dll from your original Windows CD to the Windows\System folder. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Insert a Windows 98 Startup disk, and then restart your computer to a command prompt. Select Start computer with CD-ROM support.
  2. Record the drive letter assigned to the CD-ROM drive. For example, E:.
  3. Insert the Windows 98 CD into the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
  4. At the command prompt, type C:, and then press ENTER.
  5. Type CD\Windows\System, and then press ENTER.
  6. Type Rename msvcrt.dll msvcrt.old, and then press ENTER.
  7. Type A:, and then press ENTER.
  8. Type Ext, and then press ENTER.
  9. At the Please enter the path to the Windows CAB files (a:) prompt, type drive:\win98 (where drive is the drive letter that you recorded in step 18), and then press ENTER. For example:

    E:\win98 <ENTER>

    NOTE: If you have an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) installation of Windows, the CAB files may also be located in the following folder:

    C:\WINDOWS\Options\Cabs

  10. At the Please enter the name(s) of the files(s) you want to extract prompt, type Msvcrt.dll, and then press ENTER.
  11. At the Please enter the path to extract to ("Enter" for current directory) prompt, type C:\Windows\System, and then press ENTER.
  12. At the Is this okay? (y/n) prompt, type Y, and then press ENTER. The file is extracted.
  13. Remove the Windows 98 Startup disk, and then restart the computer.

MORE INFORMATION

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

129605 How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

186049 How to Troubleshoot Invalid Page Faults in Internet Explorer

188438 Windows 98 and Windows Me Error Message Resource Center

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Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/20/2004
Keywords:kberrmsg kbInvalidPageFault kbprb KB302756
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