[mkana]

Using the address (find.pcworld.com/59716) from the March '08 PC World issue, I downloaded Spyware Blaster to my home Dell computer with Windows XP. When attempting to boot up got the following message: "This application failed to start because OLEAUT32.dll was not found. Reinstallng the application may fix the problem." Would appreciate any help in how to get my computer booting up correctly again. Thanks.

[mphenterprises]

mkana said:

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"...Reinstallng the application may fix the problem."

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Hi MKana and welcome to the PCWorld Communities. :D




Just to confirm, does your computer boot up at all?

- If no, is this error message printed on a black screen with white writing?

- If yes, have you attempted to uninstall and then reinstall this application?

[SpiritWind]

Hi :


Best to ask questions about SpywareBlaster on THEIR Support Forums located at

www.wilderssecurity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=23 ; I did a "Search" on those Forum(s) for "oleaut"

and nothing came up . Therefore, I recommend you start a "New" Discussion there or possibly uninstall

your current program .

Did you install the program based on the "Tutorial" at [http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial49.html] ?
I assume you did NOT have any of the previous Spywareblaster Versions on your computer !?

[mkana]

The message is printed on a black screen inside a small box that appears in the center of the screen.

When attempting to boot up, I first see the Dell logo, then the windows logo screen, then to a black screen with the error message box. I have not attempted to uninstall the application cause I can't get to it - but if I ever get into my computer to boot up again - its one of the 1st things I plan on doing.

A warning box appears, the first states" Services.exe - unable to locate component " above the error message. When OK is selected, the second box appears with "Isass.exe - unable to locate component" above the same OLEAUT32.dll error message. Selecting OK then results in a 'log onto windows' message which requests a user name (pre-entered) and a password (which I don't know), and a 'shut-down' button.

I F8'd it and tried 'Last Known Good Configuration' and safe mode, but neither helped. Also tried a boot floppy which did not help. I kept ending up at the OLEAUT32.dll error message.

I did come across a problem similar to mine via Google which suggested a Window's Repair using the reinstallation CD wihch I'm reading up on and may try next. Thanks .

[mphenterprises]

Hi MKana. If you need any further information about Windows Repair, here is a WikiDocument you can read. Click on the hyperlink to go directly to the Wikidocument.

[Flashorn]

Hey mkana!!

If you can reach Safe Mode , do a System Restore.

Restore to , Before you installed Spyware Blaster.

This should restore your PC to before you installed Spyware Blaster

and it will not have been downloaded yet.



FLASHORN.

[mkana]

Hi
I can reach Safe Mode, but don't know how to do a System Restore. once there.

When in Safe Mode, I selected OS Win XP, enter, and screen goes to the OLEAUT32.dll message, select OK and get a 2nd error message , select OK again goes to 'Log Onto Windows' box with my user name preentered and a blank Password line. There are no Admin. or User passwords selected per the Security screen in BIOS. At the Log Onto Windows box I selected OK and got the OLEAUT32.dll message, click OK and the screen goes to black with Safe Mode printed in each corner. Ctrl Alt Delete gets me back to the OLEAUT.32dll msg , then to Task Manager and to shut down.

Mphenterprises provided info on doing a Window's Repair. I used the OS Reinstall CD with the BIOS boot priority set to CD, but after the Win logo screen appeared, the OLEAUT32,dll message appeared and I ended up in the all to familiar endless loop (see above).
Can you help me get to System Restore from Safe Mode? Thanks.

[mphenterprises]

Hi MKana. You cannot do a System Restore from within Safe Mode. If the message comes up within Safe Mode, your best option would be to do a System Restore while using your computer as normal. Here are the basic steps to performing a System Restore:

- Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tool -> System Restore

- Click on Next to start the process once the System Restore window opens

- Select a highlighted date prior to when you first noticed this issue (basically the earliest bold date prior to when you install this application).

- Click Next to go to the confirmation page and then click Next again to start the System Restore




The computer will go through its paces and restart automatically. Once complete, the computer will tell you if you the System Restore was successful or not. If it was successful, check to make sure that the application that caused all this issue is not listed within the Add/Remove Programs utility. By this time, I am sure you would have seen the pop-up if the problem still existed.

[mkana]

Hi Spiritwind:
I installed the Spyware Blaster after reading a March '08 article in PC World , via " find.pcworld.com/59716" and did not have any previous Spyware Blaster versions in my computer. I would love to uninstall Spyware Blaster or restore to a point prior to the download. The problem is I can't get the computer to boot up. No matter what I try it ends up at the message: "This application failed to start because OLEAUT.32dll was not found. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem" . I'm using another computer to read and post to this site.

[mphenterprises]

If you cannot get the computer to start up at all....than a repair or reinstall is in your future. When you reviewed the WikiDocument, were you able to attempt a repair of Windows?

[mkana]

I read the WikiDocument but was not able to attempt a repair. I changed the BIOS to boot priority CD and restarted with the OS Reinstall CD for Win XP in the CD-ROM drive. The CD did not open but instead went to the error message. Also tried the BIOS boot priority set to the DVD drive, with the OS CD in that drive, but still got the error message. This is not looking good, is it?

[mphenterprises]

Sorry, no it is not. If you cannot restart your computer to do a System Restore, if you cannot do a repair of Windows, and if you cannot restart your computer in Safe Mode, there really isn't another option left but to back up your important data and reinstall Windows.

[mkana]

If I can't boot up my computer, how do I back up important data that wasn't already backed up prior to getting blasted by Spyware Blaster? Also , can you suggest a souce for instructions on reinstalling Windows?

Thank you for your time and guidance MPH.

[mphenterprises]

Quote

{quote:title=mkana wrote:}{quote}

If I can't boot up my computer, how do I back up important data that wasn't already backed up prior to getting blasted by Spyware Blaster?

:0 My apologizes. I keep forgetting that your computer won't even reboot. Well, the most likely solution would be take out the hard drive of your computer and install it a slave drive in another computer. I gather this is not an option so at this point, you are pretty much stuck with whatever backup you have at this time.

mkana said:

Also , can you suggest a souce for instructions on reinstalling Windows?

>


Before we go down that route, I would like to confirm something you stated earlier:

" I changed the BIOS to boot priority CD and restarted with the OS Reinstall CD for Win XP in the CD-ROM drive. The CD did not open but instead went to the error message. Also tried the BIOS boot priority set to the DVD drive, with the OS CD in that drive, but still got the error message."

Is this correct?

When you change the Boot Sequence to CD, put the Windows CD in the drive, and restart the computer, you should see this message:



Once you see that, and push any key, your computer immediately goes into the Windows Setup process. Is this what you did and you still got that error message? Note, the Windows Setup is completely different than Safe Mode.

[mkana]

Yes, I am confirming what I said earlier. I tried it again just now to verify , as follows: start up the computer , press F2 , once in the BIOS menu set the boot sequence to CD, put the Win XP CD reinstall disk into the CD drive and shut down the computer - and then re-started it . The Windows XP logo comes up , the CD starts to spin , the screen goes dark - and then goes to the error message "This application has failed to start because OLEAUT.32.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem". The message you described [Press any key to boot from CD or DVD] did not appear.

[mphenterprises]

Hi MKana. I believe there is some miscommunication here....or a step that is not being seen. I have two questions for you:

- From where did you get the Windows XP CD?

- Are you pushing F10 to save your changes in the BIOS? (A step outlined in the WikiDocument mentioned earlier)

The fact that you follow all of the steps outlined and still get this error message tells me that either A) the CD you have is not a Windows XP CD or B) there is a step or two that you may be missing.

What concerns me is this:

"The Windows XP logo comes up , the CD starts to spin..."

I have a strange feeling that if you go back into the BIOS, the changes that you made will not be there....at least that is my theory.

[mkana]

You were right. I was not setting the BIOS correctly. When I went back in to BIOS the hard drive was 1st. I reset it again to select CD and am now at the Welcome to Startup screen. Its so nice to see something other than that OLEAUT32.dll message. I am following your "How to Repair Window XP using the Windows XP CD" instructions and am at the point where I pressed R to repair. Setup is copying files, its now initializing Win XP configuration, setup is restarting the computer, the following message came up: A problem has been deterected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage. If this is 1st time seeing this stop error screen, restart your computer, if this screen appears again, follow these steps (which I wrote down along with the Technical Information ).
When I restart the computer should I leave the Win XP reinstall disc in the CD drive ? or remove it and reset the BIOS to hard drive?

[mphenterprises]

mkana said:

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Quote

...the following message came up: A problem has been deterected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage. If this is 1st time seeing this stop > error screen, restart your computer, if this screen appears again, follow these steps (which I wrote down along with the Technical Information ).

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Can you provide the information listed within the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD)?

mkana said:

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When I restart the computer should I leave the Win XP reinstall disc in the CD drive ? or remove it and reset the BIOS to hard drive?

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Leave the CD in the computer and leave the computer set to boot from the CD until this problem is resolved. The information you provide from the Blue Screen will tell us what steps to take next.

[mkana]

The BSoD goes on to say after "If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to be sure you have adequate disk space. If a driver is identified in the Stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates. Try changing the video adapters.

Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*STOP: Ox0000007E (OxC0000005, OxF9995F4E, OxF9E49454, OxF9E49154)

* FLTMG.SYS - Address F9995F4E base at F997E000, DateStamp 44e97991 "

[mphenterprises]

Okay, according to Microsoft's Knowledge Base Article, the most obvious reason this error message occurs is "if this issue occurs after the first restart during Windows Setup, or after the Setup program is finished, the computer may not have sufficient hard disk space to run Windows."

So my next question to you is before all of this happened, how much hard drive space did you have?




The fltmgr.sys is the Microsoft Filesystem Filter Manager. If this file was listed on the BSoD, coupled with the STOP Error Message, I believe another attempt at the reinstall is in order...unless you have limited hard disk space. If you do have limited space, we can work that option.