PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

Hey,
I'm completely new to this forum and just registered today. I'm not even sure where I should be posting this thread b/c I'm not sure what category my pc issue falls under, so if I have inadvertently placed this in the wrong forum, I sincerely apologize. I just hope someone reads this and can help me!

The problem I am having is this: all of a sudden, my pc started popping up this error message back on 1/10/07. This is what the error message says, "This application has failed to start because WINMM.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem." It pops this message up whenever I try to open any type of multimedia program or file. I have no clue why this started happening. I'm not sure if it's something I did, but I've never encountered this problem before. A friend of mine told me to go to www.dll-files.com and download and replace the .dll file in my windows/system32 files. I tried doing that and it didn't work at all. I also wasted my money buying a program called Registry Mechanic, which did absolutely nothing for my pc, nor did it fix the problem. I called Comp USA and they told me I may have to reformat my hard drive. I really don't want to do that if I don't have to.

If anyone out there can point me in the right direction and tell me what I can do to fix this problem, I'd be extremely grateful. It seems like the people on this site actually know what they are talking about, so I hope someone reads this and replies to this thread soon. I'm not sure if this is necessary but my System Properties are as follows:

AMD Athlon 64 Processor
2800+
1.80 GHz
192MB of RAM

Windows XP
Professional
Version 2002
Service Pack 2



Thanks for your time and advice!

-Whitney

 

Hi Whitney, I have moved your thread here where it should receive better attention.

Cheers

 

If you haven't already i think you may need to run a few on demand scans to see if any malware has infected your system.
I recommend,

Dr Web CureIT
http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/

A Squared Free
http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

SuperAntiSpyware free http://www.superantispyware.com/downloadfile.html?productid=SUPERANTISPYWAREFREE

 

Hello Whitney and welcome to the forum.
Did you try a search for the file on your system?
I see here a scan for this file related problems.
It might fix the problem.
Please keep us informed.

 

I looked for this on the internet. It very likely is a system file that is missing. Did you try to use system restore to restore to a point before you got the error?

 

Jooske,
What would Uniblue Registry Booster do that Registry Mechanic couldn't?
Michele

 

when a dynamic link library goes missing from corruption, attack, whatever the locations it generally needs to be replaced to are

%systemroot% = C:\
if youve installed to a different partition then replace C:\ with that drive

C:\Program Files\application thats busted
C:\Windows (XP) C:\WINNT (W2K just going to do XP from now on)
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\dllcache

might also want to toss copy in
C:\Windows\System
C:\Windows\System32\wbem
if its that kind of dll, whats most helpful is when the error you get points out the missing paths its expected in
(I needed gdiplus.dll recently for a few Samurize script configs I was doing) Generally speaking adding a few extra copies here and there will do no harm (for a missing dll, overwriting a dll that is already in place is another matter see first link)

I ran a search for WINMM.dll and it only appears in system32 and the dllcache on my box (W2K without Windows Media Player)
the dllcache is the default fallback location for the OS to search when an original gets busted

to register a dll
Start > Run > (type) regsvr32 C:\Windows\System32\replaced.dll
(or other paths to the file, also registers ocx)


Jooske
long time no see
(Chuck Trout TDS3 private forums )

 

Not sure, worth trying? It's free anyway.

Hi! that was long time but i was here all time (almost then) Have seen you kind of busy here too!

Would certainly look if the file is anywhere on the sytem, maybe corrupted, in that case replace and if necessary register the file like Ice_Czar instructed. If not possible because of being in use it could be done in safe mode.

Reinstalling / updating WMP is no option?

 

here is an example of the kind of helpful message you'd hope for

http://i12.tinypic.com/2u5eycw.png


which I just got trying to install a skinnable volume control ap (3RVX)
which likely means in my case I lack the .NET framework to use it on the box Im building
so I get to decide if I want to add .NET, hack in the dll and maybe get it to work or do without

only very recently
I noted you where a mod and checked on your latest activities to say HI
but you seemed to be on vacation starting about June, glad your back

on the gripping hand there is uninstalling WMP
(DRM & exploitable junk IMO)
if you are willing to consider dumping WMP there are likely superior opensource DRM free alternatives to meet most if not all your needs