Crapped my Vista: need to replace shell32.dll

Hey guys, I was trying to load a Vista style theme and somewhere in the process of renaming shell32.dll and copying the edited one something went berserk.

I renamed shell32.dll to shell32.dll.original, and when I tried copying the modified shell32.dll it would not allow me, regardless of the privileges I gave myself...so I decided to forget about it and rename the original file back to the way it was...and I couldn't.

So, I cannot boot, I just tried booting up with my SlaxLive and I don't know how to get priveleges to do ANYTHING to ANY file in my Windows>System 32 Folder...

any ideas?

P.S. Yes I'm a yewt, and I have System Restore turned off =\

 

You need to get to a command prompt either in safe mode or using the system restore disc. run 'sfc /scannow' command. This should scan and replace corrupt files like shell32.dll.

Hopefully it lets you boot into Vista, but I am sure you will be missing the Aero themes and start having random problems with the task bar disappearing.

Go to the link below and download the tipstir for SP 1 program. It is just a script that replaces all of your theme files with original no messed up files. Run this twice then reboot.

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic106379.html

I did this yesterday to my system and it fixed everything after major headaches. I do not recommend anyone running 64bit Vista to ever use VistaGlazz because if you go to the forums will find almost every post is a question on how to fix what it broke and there is very little help there from the developer at all.

 

You might try this..

Boot into safe mode with command prompt. When you see the command prompt, type ren shell32.dll.original shell32.dll, press enter. Force a restart then.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but don't you need to run cd c:\windows\system32\ to ensure you are working in the same directory with the files you are trying to rename? That is unless you give the full path to the ren command.

 

Tx mate...I'm up and running!

@Night, I actually thought of that after I started the sfc scan. Indeed it woud have worked also

 

The command prompt will be opened in the directory C:\windows\system32\ when you boot into safe mode with command prompt

Last time I had the similar problem and I solved it by renaming the files

 

no sweat, I had to repatch my uxtheme and whatnot, but pretty harmless mishap in the end.

Thanks again

 

i have just had exactly the same problem, having renamed both shell32.dll and browseui.dll. having rebooted, the laptop would load past the log on screen then an error message saying windows explorer could not load. so, i booted to safe mode with cmd, deleted and renamed browseui to original, but i cant del the new shell32 file as it says access denied. i have took ownership of it in the cmd, by using takeown /f shell32.dll, which was successful, but still cant delete, so im now running sfc \scannow hoping this will fix it.

 

I remember I had this issue before, and it would mess up when I tried to replace these system32 files with UAC turned on. Once I turned it off, copying files didn't crap out once I renamed shell32.dll.