acctres.dll (Microsoft
Internet Account Manager Resources) - Needed to open Outlook Express. If you do not want users to be able to use Outlook Express, it is an easy way to delete this file.
aclui.dll (Security
Descriptor Editor) - Needed to enable Registry Editor.
ACTIVEDS.DLL (ADs Router Layer DLL) - Needed to open the Event viewer and
Services Viewer
actxprxy.dll (ActiveX
Interface Marshaling Library) - Essential to Internet Explorer. This DLL keeps track on Active X modules
ADVAPI32.DLL (Advanced
Windows 32 Base API) - Needed to boot to Windows. Provides
access to the fundamental resources available to a Windows system.
Included are things like file systems, devices, processes and threads, access
to the Windows registry, and error handling.
ADVPACK.DLL (Advpack Library) - Needed by Microsoft Update. This DLL
builds up the Windows Update menu and accesses the updates list in the
registry.
apphelp.dll (Application
Compatibility Client Library)- This DLL came with
service pack 3 and it enables the Microsoft management console to work.
ASYCFILT.DLL - Allows
applications to communicate between each other using Object Linking and
Embedding (OLE).
ATL.DLL (ATL Module for Windows XP (Unicode) - Needed by Microsoft
Update. Also needed to open Event and Services Viewers.
And needed by Outlook Express. Without this file
Outlook Express will not open. You will receive this message when you click on
the Outlook Express shortcut: Outlook Express could not be started because MSOE.DLL could not be
found. Outlook Express may not be installed correctly.
ATTRIB.EXE (Attribute
Utility) - Displays or changes file attributes (read-only, archive, hidden, or
system).
AUDIOSRV.DLL (Windows Audio
Service) - Needed to hear sound on your computer. Main Service file for Windows Audio.
AUTHZ.DLL (Authorization
Framework) - Needed to boot to Windows.
AUTOCHK.EXE (Auto Check
Disk) - Needed to boot to Windows. Launches automatically during Windows XP bootup if a volume is marked with bad clusters, error
blocks, or otherwise damaged).
avifil32.dll (Microsoft AVI File support library).
BASESRV.DLL (Windows NT
BASE API Server DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
BATMETER.DLL (Battery Meter
Helper DLL) - Power Options in Control Panel.
bootvid.dll (VGA Boot
Driver) - Needed to boot to Windows.
BROWSELC.DLL (Shell Browser
UI Library) - IE Toolbar will look messed up without it, and you cannot
right-click access "Customize" without it.
BROWSEUI.DLL (Shell Browser
UI Library) - Needed to boot to Windows.
CABINET.DLL (Microsoft®
Cabinet File API) - Microsoft Update. Also needed to access
Properties of Devices in Device Manager.
cabview.dll (Cabinet File
Viewer Shell Extension) - Needed to view inside .cab files.
CDM.DLL (Windows
Update CDM Stub)
certcli.dll (Microsoft®
Certificate Services Client) - Display Properties of devices in Device Manager.
CFGMGR32.DLL (Configuration
Manager Forwarder DLL) - Part of CHKDSK.
CHKDSK.EXE (Check Disk) -
Part of CHKDSK. A disk inspection tool that can
search for and repair disk errors.
clb.dll (Column List
Box) - Needed to open Registry Editor.
CLUSAPI.DLL (Cluster API
Library) - Needed to access Disk Management in Computer Management. Also needed by Microsoft Update to install February 20, 2006 update
for Windows Media Player 10. An application programming interface (API)
is the interface that a computer system, library or application provides in
order to allow requests for service to be made of it by other computer
programs, and/or to allow data to be exchanged between them.
CMD.EXE (Command
Prompt) - Enables execute of a batch file. An executable that
provides the command prompt (MS-DOS shell interpreter) for Windows NT.
COMCTL32.DLL (Common
Controls Library) - Needed to boot to Windows. Provides the functionality to
create and manage screen windows and most basic controls, such as buttons and
scrollbars, receive mouse and keyboard input, and other functionality
associated with the GUI part of Windows. Gives applications access to some
advanced controls provided by the operating system. These include things like
status bars, progress bars, toolbars and tabs.
COMDLG32.DLL (Common
Dialogs DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows. Provides
applications the standard dialog boxes for opening and saving files, choosing
color and font, etc.
corpol.dll (Microsoft COM
Runtime Execution Engine) - Microsoft Update.
CRYPT32.DLL (Crypto API32)
- Needed to boot to Windows.
CRYPTDLL.DLL (Cryptography
Manager) - Needed to boot to Windows.
cryptsvc.dll (Cryptographic
Services) - Cryptographic Services, which is needed by Microsoft Update. Also needed to access Properties of Disk
Drives.
CRYPTUI.DLL (Microsoft
Trust UI Provider) - Needed to boot to Windows.
CSRSRV.DLL (Client Server
Runtime Process) - Needed to boot to Windows.
CSRSS.EXE (Client-Server
Runtime Server Subsystem) - Needed to boot to Windows. Used
to maintain the Win32 system environment console and other essential functions.
d3d8thk.dll (Microsoft
Direct3D OS Thunk Layer) - Needed by ConvertXtoDVD.
d3d9.dll (Microsoft
Direct3D) - If you update to NVIDIA display drivers version 93.71, the d3d9.dll
is used by NVIDIA so that you can manually adjust Brightness, Contrast, Gamma
and Image sharpening in Display Properties -> Settings -> Advanced ->
NVIDIA Unknown (or your designated graphics card, depending upon whether or not
you've chosen to delete the nvapi.dll) -> select Color Correction ->
under "Apply color changes to:" click on the drop arrow to the right
of the box and select "Overlay".
DBGHELP.dll (Windows Image
Helper) - Windows Media Player 11. Without it, when you click on something to
play, a message tells you to re-install Windows Media Player. Also needed to install WMP11.
DCIMAN32.DLL (DCI Manager)
- Websites with streaming media.
ddraw.dll (Microsoft
DirectDraw) - DVD Playback with Windows Media Player and NVDVD
Player.
ddrawex.dll (Direct Draw
Ex)
desk.cpl (Desktop Control Panel) - Display
Properties Control Panel applet.
devenum.dll (Device
enumeration) - Needed by Windows Media Player and NVDVD
Player.
devmgmt.msc (Computer
Management Console) - Needed to access Device Manager.
devmgr.dll (Device
Manager MMC Snapin) - Needed to access Device
Manager.
DHCPCSVC.DLL (DHCP Client Service) - Needed for Internet connectivity.
Main Service file for DHCP
Client.
dinput.dll (Microsoft
DirectInput) - Needed by ffdshow.
dmocx.dll (TreeView OCX) - Needed to access Device Manager.
DNSAPI.DLL (DNS Client
API DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
DolbyHph.dll (Dolby
Headphone Engine) - Installed and needed by NVDVD
Player.
dpcdll.dll (Dpcdll Module) - Needed to boot to Windows. Product Code activation.
dsound.dll (DirectSound)
- Needed by Windows Media Player and NVDVD Player.
dssenh.dll (Microsoft
Enhanced DSS and Diffie-Hellman
Cryptographic Provider) - Needed by Internet Explorer. Also
needed by Microsoft Update.
duser.dll (Windows DirectUser Engine) - Needed by Add/Remove Module. Also, if you delete this file Windows will display the classic
logoff and logon prompts. However, you can boot to Windows without it.
dxtmsft.dll (DirectX Media
-- Image DirectX Transforms)
dxtrans.dll (DirectX Media
-- DirectX Transform Core)
ELS.DLL (Event Viewer Snapin) - Needed by Event Viewer.
ESENT.DLL (Server
Database Storage Engine) - Microsoft Update. Also needed to
access Properties of Disk Drives.
EVENTLOG.DLL (Event Logging
Service) - Needed by Event Viewer. Without this file present it will take a
very long time for your system to boot to Windows.
EVENTVWR.EXE (Event Viewer
Microsoft Management Console) - Needed by Event Viewer. Main Service file for Event Log.
eventvwr.msc (Event Viewer Microsoft
Management Console) - Needed by Event Viewer.
filemgmt.dll (Services and
Shared Folders) - Needed by Services Viewer.
fmifs.dll (FM IFS
Utility DLL) - Part of CHKDSK.
FNTCACHE.DAT (Font Cache) -
If deleted, Windows will rebuild a new FNTCACHE.DAT the next time you reboot
your system. If you use SVS or SWV,
and you copied fonts from a layer to the base, delete this file. Next boot it
will be rebuilded and that solves a lot of the fonts problems. (Added to DinamiQs
software to keep fonts in the layers without the need to rebuild everytime)
fontext.dll .(Windows Font Folder) - Needed to maintain selected view of Font
Folder, and also needed to display the default icon for .TTF
Fonts
framebuf.dll (Framebuffer
Display Driver) - Needed so graphics in Safemode
don't look all screwed up.
GDI32.DLL (GDI Client DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows. Provides the functionality for outputting graphical content to
monitors, printers and other output devices.
GRPCONV.EXE (Group
Convert) - Needed for some programs to install. Converts Microsoft Windows 3.x
and Microsoft Windows for Workgroups Program Manager groups
into Start Menu items.
hal.dll (Hardware
Abstraction Layer) - Needed to boot to Windows.
hccoin.dll (USB Coinstaller) - Needed by Intel Chipset INF Update Utility.
hid.dll (Hid User
Library) - Needed by Sound and Video Card driver installations. HID stands for Human Interface Device, a type of computer
device that interacts directly with and takes input from humans.
html.iec (Microsoft
HTML Converter) - Needed to be able to copy text from a Webpage and paste it to
Wordpad.
icmp.dll (ICMP DLL) - Needed in order to install the PCPitStop Utility for computer checkup and diagnostics on
the PC Pitstop Website. Also needed
by TCPOptimizer. ICMP
(Internet Control Message Protocol) is used when networking. It ensures the
integrity of information being sent across a network.
ieframe.dll (Internet
Explorer) - Essential to Internet Explorer 7. (Installed by Internet Explorer 7.)
ieframe.dll.mui (Internet
Explorer) - Needed by Internet Explorer 7 Toolbar. (Installed
by Internet Explorer 7.)
iepeers.dll (Internet
Explorer Peer Objects) - Needed to watch Yahoo Movie Trailers.
iertutil.dll (Run time
utility for Internet Explorer) - Needed to start explorer.exe with Internet
Explorer 7 installed on your system. The explorer.exe (located in the
C:\WINDOWS folder), manages the Windows Graphical Shell including the Start
Menu, Taskbar, Desktop, and File Manager. Without it running, the graphical
interface for Windows will disappear. (The iertutil.dll is installed by
Internet Explorer 7.)
ieui.dll (Internet
Explorer UI Engine) - Essential to Internet Explorer 7. (Installed by Internet Explorer 7.)
ifsutil.dll (IFS Utility
DLL) - Part of CHKDSK.
IMAGEHLP.DLL (Windows NT
Image Helper) - Needed to boot to Windows.
imgutil.dll (IE plugin
image decoder support DLL). Belongs to Internet Explorer - Needed so you don't
see red x's in place of some images
imm32.dll (Windows XP
IMM32 API Client DLL) - You cannot enter System Properties without the
imm32.dll or the usp10.dll present.
inetcomm.dll (Microsoft
Internet Messaging API) - Without this file Outlook Express will not open. You
will receive this message when you click on the Outlook Express shortcut: Outlook Express could not be
started because MSOE.DLL could not be found. Outlook Express may not be
installed correctly. Additionally, the inetcomm.dll is needed in order
to save a Webpage as an offline Webpage with an .mht extension. Also needed to save an offline Webpage with an .mht extension are the inetres.dll and the MSOERT2.DLL (Outlook
Express files), and the MSHTML.TLB (Internet Explorer file).
inetcpl.cpl .(Internet Control Panel) - Internet Options Control Panel applet.
inetcplc.dll (Internet
Control Panel) - Needed to access Internet Options.
inetres.dll (Microsoft
Internet Messaging API Resources) - Without this file Outlook Express will not
open. You will receive this message when you click on the Outlook Express
shortcut: Outlook
Express could not be started because MSOERES.DLL could not be found. Outlook
Express may not be installed correctly. Additionally, the inetres.dll
is needed in order to save a Webpage as an offline Webpage with an .mht extension. Also needed to
save an offline Webpage with an .mht
extension are the inetcomm.dlland the MSOERT2.DLL (Outlook Express files), and the MSHTML.TLB (Internet
Explorer file).
IPHLPAPI.DLL (IP Helper
API) - Needed to boot to Windows.
iuengine.dll (Windows
Update Control Engine) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
JSCRIPT.DLL (Microsoft ®
JScript) - Needed by Microsoft Update. Also needed by
Services Viewer.
kbdus.dll (United States
Keyboard Layout) - Needed to boot to Windows. You may need a different KBD*.DLL
depending on your system.
kdcom.dll (Kernel
Debugger HW Extension DLL) - Needed to boot to
Windows.
kernel32.dll (Windows NT
BASE API Client DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows. Provides
access to the fundamental resources available to a Windows system.
Included are things like file systems, devices, processes and threads, access
to the Windows registry, and error handling.
ksproxy.ax - Installed by
Sound Card driver installations from either the XP installation CD, or a cab
file in C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386. The installation will ask for the
"ksuser.dll." Once located, the "ksproxy.ax" will be
installed along with the "ksuser.dll to C:\WINDOWS\system32.
ksuser.dll (User CSA
Library) - Needed by Windows Media Player and NVDVD
Player. Installed by Sound Card
driver installations from either the XP installation CD,
or a cab file in C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386. The installation will ask for
the "ksuser.dll." Once located, the "ksuser.dll" will be
installed along with the "ksproxy.ax" to C:\WINDOWS\system32.
l3codeca.acm (MPEG Layer-3
Audio Codec for MSACM) - Needed by Windows Media
Player to play .mp3 music files, and also needed to be able to rip music CDs to
the .mp3 format.
l3codecp.acm (MPEG Audio
Layer-3 Codec for MSACM) - Needed by Windows Media
Player to be able to rip music CDs to the .mp3 format.
LegitCheckControl.dll (Windows
Genuine Advantage Validation) - Needed by Microsoft Update. This file is
replaced once or twice a year to check for piracy key's
licdll.dll (Licdll Module) - Needed by Windows Update.
LOGONUI.EXE (Windows Logon
User Interface). The user interface
that appears when Windows XP first starts - If you delete this file, Windows
will display the classic logoff and logon prompts. However, you can boot up to
Windows without it. With resourcehacker this
executable can be customised to create custom
ctrl-alt-del menu's
LSASRV.DLL (LSA Server DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
LSASS.EXE (LSA Security Service) - Needed to boot to Windows. The Local Security Authority server process.
LZ32.DLL (LZ Expand/Compress API DLL) - Needed to properly display
the default icon for .ttf extension fonts.
mcicda.dll (MCI driver
for cdaudio devices) - Needed by Windows Media Player
burning and ripping processes.
MFC42.DLL (MFCDLL Shared Library - Retail Version).
mfc42u.dll (MFCDLL Shared Library - Retail Version) - Needed to open
Event and Services Viewers. Needed to access Device Manager.
And also needed by Wordpad.
MFPLAT.dll (Media
Foundation Platform) - To even open Windows Media Player 11.
MLANG.DLL (Multi
Language Support DLL) - Essential to Internet Explorer.
MMC.EXE (Microsoft
Management Console) - Needed to open Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
mmcbase.dll (MMC Base DLL)
- Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
mmcndmgr.dll (MMC Node
Manager DLL) - Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed
to access Device Manager.
mpg4dmod.dll (Corona
Windows Media MPEG-4 S Video Decoder) - Needed to be able to adjust the
brightness in Windows Media Player for certain videos.
MPR.DLL (Multiple
Provider Router DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
MPRAPI.DLL (Windows NT MP
Router Administration DLL).
After installing Internet Explorer 7, this file is one of five system32 files
needed to open Internet Options: MPRAPI.DLL, msrating.dll, rasapi32.dll, rasdlg.dll and rasman.dll. Additionally needed to open Network Connections in Control Panel.
MSACM32.dll (Microsoft ACM
Audio Filter) - Needed to open Audio tab in Sound and Audio Device properties.
You cannot view or change multimedia properties without this file. Also needed to hear sound in Windows Pinball Game.
MSACM32.DRV (Microsoft
Sound Mapper) - Needed to hear sound in Windows Pinball Game.
MSASN1.DLL (ASN.1 Runtime
APIs) - Needed to boot to Windows.
msconfig.exe (System
Configuration Utility). Designed
to help you troubleshoot problems with your computer. MSCONFIG can also be used to ensure that your computer
boots faster and crashes less - In PART 5 I moved msconfig.exe to the system32
folder from C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\binaries before I deleted the pchealth folder and its contents.
MSCTFIME.IME (Microsoft
Text Frame Work Service IME). Installed with Internet Explorer 7 - If this file
is not present your system could lockup while working at your Desktop.
msdmo.dll (DMO Runtime) - Without the msdmo.dll present, Windows Media
Player will not play...anything. Also, the msdmo.dll is very much needed by
Websites with streaming media.
msdxm.ocx (Windows Media
Player 2 ActiveX Control) - Needed by too many Websites with streaming media to
not keep this file installed on my system. The msdxm.ocx (DirectX file) and the wmpdxm.dll
(Windows Media Player file) work together. The msdxm.ocx is also needed to
start Media Player 6.4 (mplayer2.exe).
msftedit.dll (Rich Text
Edit Control, v4.1) - Needed by Wordpad. Contains
functions for the Rich Text Edit control version 4.1.
MSGINA.DLL (Windows NT
Logon GINA DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows. Loads Logon User Interface.
mshtml.dll (Microsoft ®
HTML Viewer) - Needed by Internet Explorer.
MSHTML.TLB (Microsoft
® MSHTML Typelib) - Needed
in order to save a Webpage as an offline Webpage with an
.mht extension. Also needed to save an offline
Webpage with an .mht extension are the inetcomm.dll, the inetres.dll and the MSOERT2.DLL(Outlook
Express files).
MSHTMLED.DLL (Microsoft ®
HTML Editing Component) - Gives you the ability to edit HTML. An example of
this would be when you edit one of your posts on some forums. You wouldn't be
able to do that without this file.
mshtmler.dll (Microsoft ®
HTML Editing Component's Resource DLL) - Needed to insert a picture in E-mail
using Outlook Express.
MSI.DLL (Windows
Installer) - Needed by Windows Installer. Also needed by PerfectDisk 6. (PerfectDisk
8 does not need the MSI.DLL.)
msident.dll (Microsoft
Identity Manager) - Needed by Outlook Express.
msidle.dll (User Idle
Monitor) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
msidntld.dll (Microsoft
Identity Manager) - Needed by Outlook Express.
MSIEXEC.EXE (Windows
Installer) - Main Service File for Windows Installer. Windows Installer uses the information within .MSI files that are provided with some applications, and
installs, repairs, or removes software using this information. Note: You can
view these .MSI (Windows Installer File) files within
the C:\WINDOWS\Installer folder.
msihnd.dll - Needed by
Windows Installer.
MSIMG32.DLL (GDIEXT Client DLL) - Without this file present, upon
booting to Windows, you will need to click OK on a Logon Message in order to
enter Windows.
msisip.dll (MSI Signature SIP Provider) - Windows Installer file. SIP
stands for Session Initiation Protocol.
msls31.dll (Microsoft
Line Services library file) - Essential to Internet Explorer.
MSOEACCT.DLL (Microsoft
Internet Account Manager) - Needed by Outlook Express.
MSOERT2.DLL (Microsoft
Outlook Express RT Lib) - Needed by Outlook Express. Additionally, the
MSOERT2.DLL is needed in order to save a Webpage as an offline Webpage with an .mht extension. Also needed to
save an offline Webpage with an .mht
extension are the inetcomm.dll and
the inetres.dll (Outlook
Express files), and the MSHTML.TLB (Internet Explorer file).
MSPAINT.EXE (Microsoft
Paint) - A basic graphics creation and viewing tool.
MSPATCHA.DLL (Microsoft®
Patch Engine) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
MSPRIVS.DLL (Microsoft
Privilege Translations) - Needed to boot to Windows.
msrating.dll (Internet
Ratings and Local User Management DLL). After installing Internet Explorer 7, this file is one of five
system32 files needed to open Internet Options: MPRAPI.DLL, msrating.dll, rasapi32.dll, rasdlg.dll and rasman.dll.
MSV1_0.DLL (Microsoft
Authentication Package v1.0) - Needed to boot to Windows.
MSVBVM60.DLL (Visual Basic
Virtual Machine) - Contains program code used to run programs that are written
in the Visual Basic programming language. As one example, CCleaner,
a very popular program needs this file.
MSVCP60.DLL (Microsoft ®
C++ Runtime Library) - Needed to boot to Windows.
msvcp71.dll (Microsoft®
C++ Runtime Library) - Installed by Acronis True Image 10.
msvcr71.dll (Microsoft® C
Runtime Library) - Installed by Acronis True Image 10.
MSVCRT.DLL (Windows NT
CRT DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
msvfw32.dll (Microsoft
Video for Windows DLL) - Needed to open Windows Media Player.
MSWSOCK.DLL (Microsoft
Windows Sockets 2.0 Service Provider) - Essential to Internet Explorer.
MSXML3.DLL (MSXML 3.0 SP 5) - Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
MSXML3R.DLL (XML
Resources) - Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also
needed to access Device Manager.
muweb.dll (Microsoft
Update Web Control) - Installed by Microsoft Update Software.
mydocs.dll (My Documents
Folder UI) - Needed to properly display the My Documents Icon.
NCOBJAPI.DLL - Needed to
boot to Windows.
NDDEAPI.DLL (Network DDE
Share Management APIs) - Needed to boot to Windows.
NETAPI32.DLL (Net Win32 API
DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
newdev.dll (Add Hardware
Device Library) - Needed by Sound and Video Card driver installations. I'm sure other hardware device driver installations need it
too.
normaliz.dll (Unicode
Normalization DLL) - Needed to start explorer.exe with Internet Explorer 7
installed on your system. The explorer.exe (located in the C:\WINDOWS folder),
manages the Windows Graphical Shell including the Start Menu, Taskbar, Desktop,
and File Manager. Without it running, the graphical interface for Windows will
disappear. (The normaliz.dll is installed by Internet Explorer 7.)
NOTEPAD.EXE (Notepad) -
Notepad text-editing utility.
NTDLL.DLL (NT Layer DLL)
- Needed to boot to Windows.
NTDSAPI.DLL (NT5DS
Library) Needed to boot to Windows
NTOSKRNL.EXE (NT Kernel
& System). Windows XP
operating system Kernel - Needed to boot to Windows
nv4_disp.dll (NVIDIA
Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver) - Essential for Display Adapter. And needed to boot to Windows.
nvcod.dll - NVIDIA
Driver CoInstaller
nvcpl.dll - NVIDIA
Display Properties Extension
nvdisp.nvu -
nvshell.dll - NVIDIA
Desktop Explorer
nvudisp.exe (NVIDIA
Uninstaller Utility) - Needed by NVIDIA to uninstall older drivers before
installing new drivers during the updating process.
occache.dll (Object
Control Viewer) - Needed to view icon for ActiveX objects in Downloaded Program
Files. Otherwise the ActiveX objects show up as .ini
files.
ODBC32.DLL (Microsoft
Data Access - ODBC Driver Manager) - Needed to boot to Windows.
ODBCINT.DLL (Microsoft
Data Access - ODBC Resources) - Needed to boot to Windows.
OLE32.DLL (Microsoft OLE
for Windows) - Needed to boot to Windows.
oleacc.dll - Active
Accessibility Core Component
oleaccrc.dll - Active
Accessibility Resource DLL
OLEAUT32.DLL - Needed to
boot to Windows.
oledlg.dll (Microsoft
Windows™ OLE 2.0 User Interface Support) - Needed to open NVDVD
Player. Also needed by Wordpad.
olepro32.dll - Needed to
open NVDVD Player.
OLETHK32.DLL (Microsoft OLE
for Windows) - Needed by Nero.
PDBoot.exe (PerfectDisk Boot Time Defragmentation) - Needed by PerfectDisk.
pidgen.dll (Pid3.0
generation) - Needed by Microsoft Update. During Windows setup the pidgen.dll
produces a PID (Product Identification) from the
serial number entered.
pngfilt.dll (IE PNG plugin
image decoder). Belongs
to Internet Explorer - Needed so you don't see red x's in place of some images.
POWRPROF.DLL (Power Profile
Helper DLL) - Along with the powercfg.cpl, needed to
enter Power Options where you can adjust how you want your computer to power
down. Without this file present,
you will receive an error when opening Properties for your Keyboard. However,
the Properties for Keyboard will eventually open.
PROFMAP.DLL (Userenv) - Needed to boot to Windows.
PSAPI.DLL (Process
Status Helper) - Needed to boot to Windows.
qasf.dll (DirectShow ASF Support) - Needed to play WMA music files and WMV video files with Media Player Classic, a third-party
media player. GASF stands for
Advanced Systems Format (formerly Advanced Streaming Format), Microsoft's
proprietary digital audio/digital video container format, especially meant for
streaming media. The most common file types contained within an ASF file are Windows Media Audio (WMA) and Windows Media
Video (WMV).
qdvd.dll (DirectShow
DVD Playback Runtime) - Needed For DVD Playback with
Windows Media Player and NVDVD Player.
qmgr.dll (Background
Intelligent Transfer Service) - Needed by Microsoft Update. Main Service file for Background Intelligent Transfer.
rasdlg.dll (Remote Access
Common Dialog API).
rasman.dll (Remote Access
Connection Manager)
REGAPI.DLL (Registry
Configuration API) - Needed to boot to Windows.
REGSVR32.EXE (Microsoft©
Register Server) - You can use the Regsvr32 tool (Regsvr32.exe) to Register and
UnRegister object linking and embedding (OLE)
controls such as dynamic-link library (DLL) or ActiveX Controls (OCX) files
that are self-registerable.
riched20.dll (Rich Text
Edit Control, v3.0) - Needed by Event Viewer. Contains functions for the Rich
Text Edit control versions 2.0 and 3.0.
riched32.dll (Wrapper Dll for Richedit 1.0) - Needed by
Event Viewer. Contains functions for the Rich Text Edit control version 1.0.
RPCRT4.DLL (Remote
Procedure Call Runtime) - Needed to boot to Windows.
RPCSS.DLL (Distributed
COM Services) - Needed to boot to Windows. Main Service file
for Remote Procedure Call (RPC).
RSAENH.DLL (Microsoft
Enhanced Cryptographic Provider) - Needed to boot to Windows. The RSAENH.DLL is
needed to accurately check license for Windows.
rshx32.dll (Security
Shell Extension) - The Rshx32.dll controls the Security tab in Properties of
files and folders. (To be able to see the Security tab in XP Home Edition you
must be in Safemode.)
RTUTILS.DLL (Routing
Utilities) - Needed by Websites with streaming media.
RUNDLL32.EXE (Run DLL) -
Used to run DLL files from a command line.
RUNONCE.EXE (Run Once) -
Used to perform tasks as defined in the RunOnce
Registry key.
SAMLIB.DLL (SAM Library
DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
SAMSRV.DLL (SAM Server
DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
SC.EXE (A tool to aid
in developing services for Windows NT). Communicates with the Service Controller and installed
services. The SC.exe retrieves and sets control information about Services.
SCESRV.DLL (Windows
Security Configuration Editor Engine) - Needed to boot to Windows.
SCHANNEL.DLL (TLS / SSL
Security Provider) - Needed by Internet Explorer. Also needed
by Microsoft Update.
SECUR32.DLL (Security
Support Provider Interface) - Needed to boot to Windows.
sendmail.dll (Send Mail). The sendmail.dll is a library file used for sending mail via
Websites.
services.exe (Services and
Controller app) - Needed to boot to Windows. Main Service file
for Plug and Play.
services.msc (Services Viewer) - Needed by
Services Viewer.
SETUPAPI.DLL (Windows Setup
API) - Needed to boot to Windows.
SFC.DLL (Windows File
Protection) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
SFC_OS.DLL (Windows File
Protection) - You can boot to Windows without this file, but not without first
having to click OK on an error that appears telling you the SFC_OS.DLL cannot
be found.
sfcfiles.dll (Windows 2000
System File Checker) - Needed to display Properties button in Control Panel
> Keyboard > Hardware without receiving an error.
SHDOCLC.DLL (Shell Doc
Object and Control Library) - Needed to be able to access right-click options
while right-clicking on a Webpage.
SHDOCVW.DLL (Shell Doc
Object and Control Library) - Needed to boot to Windows.
SHELL32.DLL (Windows Shell
Common Dll) - Needed to boot to Windows.
shellstyle.dll (Windows
Shell Style Resource Dll) - If you choose to use the
Windows Classic theme, and delete the Themes folder and its contents, you will
still need the shellstyle.dll that is in the system32 folder in order to gain
access to the Add or Remove Programs panel.
SHFOLDER.DLL (Shell Folder
Service) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
shgina.dll (Windows Shell
User Logon) - Needed to restart your computer from your Desktop. Further, once
you delete or move this file from the system32 folder--even if you put it
back--you still won't be able to restart from your Desktop.
shimgvw.dll (Windows
Picture and Fax Viewer) - Needed to display saved image files.
SHLWAPI.DLL (Shell
Light-weight Utility Library) - Needed to boot to Windows. Allows applications
to access the functionality provided by the operating system shell, as well as
change and enhance it.
shsvcs.dll (Windows Shell
Services Dll) - Main Service file
for Shell Hardware Detection.
SHUTDOWN.EXE (Remote
Shutdown Tool). Allows shutdowns
and restarts on local or remote PCs.
SMSS.EXE (Windows NT
Session Manager) - Needed to boot to Windows. Used to
establish the Windows XP environment during bootup.
SNAPAPI.DLL (Acronis
Snapshot Dynamic Link Library) - Installed by Acronis True Image.
SNDVOL32.EXE (Volume
Control) - A GUI (Graphical User Interface) volume application.
stdole2.tlb (Microsoft OLE
3.50 for Windows NT™ and Windows 95™ Operating Systems) - After deleting the
stdole2.tlb and rebooting your system, you may be unable to launch the Search
Assistant.
stdole32.tlb (Microsoft OLE
2.1 for Windows NT™ Operating System). When you delete one or both the stdole32.tlb or the stdole2.tlb from the system32 folder, when
installing a program that uses InstallShield, you may
receive the following error message: The install Shield engine "ikernel.exe" could
not be launched -Error loading type library /dll.
storprop.dll (Property
Pages for Storage Devices) - Needed to view Advanced Settings tab in Primary
IDE Channel and Secondary IDE Channel under IDE ATA/ATAPI
controllers in Device Manager.
SVCHOST.EXE (Generic Host
Process for Win32 Services) - Needed to boot to Windows.
SXS.DLL (Fusion 2.5) -
Needed to boot to Windows.
sysdm.cpl (System
Applet for the Control Panel) - System Properties Control Panel applet.
syssetup.dll (Windows NT
System Setup) - Needed to display Properties button in Control Panel >
Keyboard > Hardware without receiving an error.
TAPI32.DLL (Microsoft®
Windows™ Telephony API Client DLL) - TAPI32.DLL is needed by streaming media on
many sites.
TASKMGR.EXE (Task Manager)
- The Task Manager application.
themeui.dll (Windows Theme
API) - Needed by Display Properties.
timedate.cpl (Time Date Control Panel Applet)
- Date and Time Properties Control Panel applet.
ULIB.DLL (File
Utilities Support DLL) - Part of CHKDSK.
umpnpmgr.dll (User-mode
Plug-and-Play Service) - Needed to boot to Windows.
untfs.dll (NTFS Utility
DLL) - Part of CHKDSK.
url.dll (Internet
Shortcut Shell Extension DLL) - Displays default "e" icon for
Internet Shortcuts and the one displayed in your Explorer Toolbar Address Bar.
urlmon.dll (OLE32
Extensions for Win32) - Essential to Internet Explorer.
usbui.dll (USB UI Dll) - Needed to display Advanced
tab in USB Universal Host Controller Properties, and Power tab in USB Root Hub
Properties in Device Manager.
user32.dll (Windows XP
USER API Client DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
userenv.dll (Userenv) - Needed to boot to Windows.
USERINIT.EXE (User
Initialization) - Needed to boot to Windows. Used to
establish the operating environment for a user after logon.
usp10.dll (Uniscribe Unicode script processor) - You cannot enter
System Properties without the usp10.dll or the imm32.dll present.
UXTHEME.DLL (Microsoft UxTheme Library) - Needed to boot to Windows. Main Service file for Themes.
vbscript.dll (Microsoft ®
VBScript) - Needed by some Websites with streaming media. Also
needed by Yahoo Chat.
vdmdbg.dll (VDMDBG.DLL) -
Needed to access Task Manager.
VERSION.DLL (Version
Checking and File Installation Libraries) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WATCHDOG.SYS (Watchdog
Driver) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WDMAUD.DRV (WDM Audio driver mapper) - Needed by Windows Media Player. Also needed to hear sound in Windows Pinball Game.
webcheck.dll (Web Site
Monitor) - Needed by Microsoft Update. You will need the webcheck.dll to
install the new Microsoft Update software.
WIN32K.SYS (Multi-User
Win32 Driver) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WINHTTP.DLL (Windows HTTP
Services) - Needed by Microsoft Update. In Vista this DLL is needed to open
Wireless configuration dialogbox
WININET.DLL (Internet
Extensions for Win32) - Needed to boot to Windows. Internet Explorer file.
WINLOGON.EXE (Windows NT
Logon Application) - Needed to boot to Windows. Windows logon manager. Handles the login and logout procedures. With resourcehacker this file can be altered to control logon
procedures and to alter the tasks that it follows.
WINMM.DLL (MCI API DLL). Needed by Windows Media Player.
WINSCARD.DLL (Microsoft
Smart Card API) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
WINSPOOL.DRV (Windows
Spooler Driver).
WINSRV.DLL (Windows
Server DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WINSTA.DLL (Winstation Library) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WINTRUST.DLL (Microsoft
Trust Verification APIs). Needed to boot to Windows.
WLDAP32.DLL (Win32 LDAP
API DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WLNOTIFY.DLL (Common DLL to
receive Winlogon notifications) - Needed by Microsoft
Update.
wmadmod.dll (Windows Media
Audio Decoder) - Needed by Windows Media Player to play .WMA music files.
wmadmoe.dll (Windows Media
Audio Encoder/Transcoder) - Needed by Windows Media Player ripping process.
WMASF.DLL (Windows Media
ASF DLL) - Needed by Windows Media Player.
WMI.DLL (WMI DC and DP functionality) - Needed to access Device
Manager.
wmnetmgr.dll (Windows Media
Network Plugin Manager DLL) - Needed to watch Yahoo Movie Trailers.
WMP.DLL (Windows Media
Player Core) - Needed to open Windows Media Player.
wmpdxm.dll (Windows Media
6.4 Player Shim) - Needed by too many Websites with streaming media to not keep
this file installed on my system.
wmpeffects.dll (Windows
Media Player Effects) - Needed for visual effects while playing music with
Windows Media Player 11.
WMPLOC.DLL (Windows Media
Player) - Needed to open Windows Media Player.
wmpps.dll (Windows Media
Player Proxy Stub Dll) - Needed to rip music CDs
using Windows Media Player 11 with file-name information intact, such as the
name of the artist, album, song title. Without the wmpps.dll file present, the
file-name information it will read and write as "01 Unknown Artist Track
1". Also needed to burn .WMA files to a CD using WMP11.
wmpshell.dll (Windows Media
Player Launcher) - Without the wmpshell.dll present WMP
cannot remember that it's supposed to open your media files. The Open With
dialog box will open instead, asking you to choose a program you want to use to
open the file.
WMVCORE.DLL (Windows Media
Playback/Authoring DLL) - Needed to watch Yahoo Movie Trailers.
WMVDECOD.dll (Windows Media
Video Decoder) - Needed to watch MSNBC videos online, and to watch Yahoo Movie
Trailers with Windows Media Player 11 installed on your system.
wpa.dbl Windows Product Activation (WPA)
- Needed to boot to Windows.
WS2_32.DLL (Windows
Socket 2.0 32-Bit DLL) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WS2HELP.DLL (Windows
Socket 2.0 Helper for Windows NT) - Needed to boot to Windows.
WSHTCPIP.DLL (Windows
Sockets Helper DLL) - Essential to Internet Explorer
WSOCK32.DLL (Windows
Socket 32-Bit DLL) - Needed for Internet Connectivity. Winsock (short for
Windows Sockets) is a specification that defines how Windows network software
should access network services, especially TCP/IP.
WTSAPI32.DLL (Windows
Terminal Server SDK APIs) - Needed both to view the Automatic Updates tab in
System Properties, and by Microsoft Update. Also needed to enter System
Properties by right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Properties without
receiving this error: This
application has failed to start because WTSAPI32.DLL was not found.
Re-installing the application may fix this. However, System Properties
will open after clicking OK on the error message even without this file
present.
wuaucpl.cpl (Automatic Updates Control
Panel). Automatic
Updates Control Panel applet - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wuapi.dll.mui (Windows
Update Client API) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
WUAUCLT.EXE (Windows
Update). An
auto-update client - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wuauclt1.exe (Windows
Update AutoUpdate Client) - Needed by Microsoft
Update.
wuaucpl.cpl (Automatic
Updates Control Panel applet) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wuaucpl.cpl.mui (Automatic
Updates Control Panel) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wuaueng.dll (Windows
Update AutoUpdate Engine) - Needed by Microsoft
Update.
wuaueng.dll.mui (Windows
Update Agent) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
WUAUENG1.DLL (Windows
Update AutoUpdate Engine) - Needed by Microsoft
Update.
wuauserv.dll (Windows
Update AutoUpdate Service) - Needed by Microsoft
Update. Main Service file for Automatic Updates.
WUCLTUI.DLL (Windows
Update Client UI Plugin) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wucltui.dll.mui (Windows
Update Client UI Plugin) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wupdmgr.exe (Windows Update
Manager for NT) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
WUPS.DLL (Windows
Update client proxy stub) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
wups2.dll (Windows
Update client proxy stub 2) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
WUWEB.DLL (Windows
Update Web Control) - Needed by Microsoft Update.
xmllite.dll (Microsoft XmlLite Library) - Needed by Internet Explorer 7 Toolbar. (Installed by Internet Explorer 7.)
xpsp1res.dll (Service Pack
1 Messages) - Needed to open Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel.
XPSP2RES.DLL (Service Pack
2 Messages) - Needed to boot to Windows.
zipfldr.dll (Compressed
(zipped) Folders) - Needed to package files in Compressed (zipped) form.
References
https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/cwindowssystem32-files-explained