FileOpenPatcher comdlg32.dll file reverts to original

[philrock]

I use FileOpenPatcher by Elmusoft to make the file open/close dialog box more user friendly - it changes the default view from Thumbnails to Details. It does this by replacing the comdlg32.dll file with a modified version. I'm running Win XP Pro SP3.

On installation, FileOpenPatcher says various kinds of MicroSoft Updates and Windows System File Checker will cause the new comdlg32.dll file to be replaced by the original, and you'll be back to thumbnail view as default.

I have used FileOpenPatcher for years without a hitch, but now I'm finding it's reverting back to the original comdlg32.dll file frequently. I have Windows Updates turned off and I do not use Windows System File Checker.

What's different now from when FileOpenPatcher worked well is that I have installed the following:

McAfee Antivirus
Super Anti-Spyware
WinPatrol

Seems like one of the above must be the culprit, but I have no idea what to do about it.

I could write batch files as a work-around, but I'm not sure what a batch file should do to fix this problem.

Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

 

[DrB0b]

Im assuming you have already tried this but, why not uninstall one of the possible troubling programs and see if it fixes the issue? Once figuring out which one, you can then find the work around.

Another possibility to see what is changing System files would be to install the newest version of Spybot Search and Destroy. It flags changes and prompts you to allow or deny and will tell you who is attempting to make the change.

Spybot S&D:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

"Silence is golden, duct tape is silver...

 

[BadBigBen]

Windows XP has an area that contains back up copies of system files, these get used to replace the ones in system32 folder, when the OS detects that those have changed...!

so what can be done, simple:

boot into safe-mode, copy the modified version to that location, copy the modified version to the system32 folder... reboot...

location: C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache

read more about it:

Description of the Windows File Protection feature

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/222193

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[philrock]

DrBob, BigBadBen,

Thanks for your ideas. I'm hesitant to disable or uninstall any of my security programs, because I'd have to leave the program disabled for a couple of days to be sure it was causing the problem, and I've been victim to malware, etc. too many times.

I made a backup copy of the original comdlg32.dll and stashed it in an out-of-the-way place. Then I replaced all instances of the file I could find with the modified version. To my surprise, the system allowed me to do this without being in safe mode. There were a total of 4 copies of the file on the computer. The installer replaced 2 of them and I replaced the other 2 by hand.