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How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista

dwm.exe file problem

(13 posts)
  • Started 4 months ago by larryslade
  • Latest reply from Lighthouse
  • Topic Viewed 629 times

larryslade
Posts: 5

Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.2
OS Version: Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium, Service Pack 2, 64 bit
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) 8400 Triple-Core Processor, AMD64 Family 16 Model 2 Stepping 2
Processor Count: 3
RAM: 3837 Mb
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9200, 256 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 141943 MB, Free - 35250 MB; D: Total - 305242 MB, Free - 22982 MB; E: Total - 144353 MB, Free - 139531 MB;
Motherboard: Acer, WMCP78M
Antivirus: Norton AntiVirus, Updated and Enabled

When I boot up my pc I get this message. Could not load or run C:\users\admin\appdata\local\temp\dwm.exe' specified in the registry. Make sure the file exists on your computer or remove the reference to it in the registry. I just x out the box and the pc boots up. Somehow the Desktop Windows Manager is no longer on my pc. The file dwm.exe is not on my pc. I guess there's a reference to the file in the registry. How do I remove that reference. Thanks

Posted 4 months ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto.....t-running/

Posted 4 months ago #
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larryslade
Posts: 5

I have disabled the service but the error message still comes up every time.

Posted 4 months ago #
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raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

I never ran Vista but jumped from XP to Win7.

In Win 7, I normally delete anything in the C:\users\admin\appdata\local\temp file.

From an Administrator Command Prompt run:

sfc /scannow

This should tell you if the system is missing files or is corrupted.

Posted 4 months ago #
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whs
whs
Posts: 17584

Best is to run a repair/install with your installation or repair disc.

Posted 4 months ago #
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G41M
Posts: 902

Try Autoruns for Windows and look for any registry reference to the file and disable or delete it. This should take care of the error message.

Posted 4 months ago #
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larryslade
Posts: 5

From top to bottom. 1.Where is the Administrator Command Prompt run:? If it's on the desktop it says can't find sfc/scannow. 2. I don't have an installation or repair disc. 3. I ran Autoruns for Windows and I didn't see the dwm.exe file. It's a strange situation. I have no idea what happened to the Desktop Windows Manager. The system wants me to get rid of a file that doesn't exist.

Posted 4 months ago #
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G41M
Posts: 902

1. Never used Vista but I think --> click Start and in the search box type cmd, right click cmd and choose "Run as administrator" and at the command prompt that oens, type sfc /scannow.

3. Open registry editor -> click Start, in search box, type regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit, can you see the path reference to dwm exe?

Posted 4 months ago #
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larryslade
Posts: 5

I went to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\WINLOGON---there wasn't a USERINIT---right below WINLOGON was AUTOLOGONCHECKED, then a bunch of GPEXTENSIONS.

Posted 4 months ago #
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digitalagent
Posts: 15

First off, you shouldnt have any programs running out of "C:\users\admin\appdata\local\temp" upon startup. Majority of the time that ends up being a virus. A lot of the fake "anti-virus" viruses run from that location. And dwm.exe is a virus that was on your machine. I just removed it from family members computer that wouldnt allow anything to be done on the pc until the user gave money through that application, an obvious scam. You can always open "msconfig" and deselect/delete that value for it upon startup. Also highly recommend you scan your pc for any viruses that may still be on your machine or left behind.

Posted 4 months ago #
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larryslade
Posts: 5

You make a great point. No programs would run from C:\users\admin\appdata\local\temp. I did a full system scan with my Norton Anti-virus and everything was clean. Is the dwm.exe file hidden in the registry? Is there some other registry cleaning program I can run? Thanks

Posted 4 months ago #
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G41M
Posts: 902

you can manually search the whole registry for entries with dwm.exe to find that specific entry. In regedit, click on Computer (to make sure you start from the top) > Ctrl+F.

Posted 4 months ago #
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Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 13598

Do not use registry cleaners. Use this to help you search,
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/regscanner.html

Posted 4 months ago #
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