problem restoring a system file 2

[goproweb]

I am running XP Pro in a dual boot setup with Mandrake 9.0
I have a corrupted dll, bridge.dll. I cannot boot from my cd to get in the restore mode because the C drive boots off LILO and the WINXP CD seems to flip out when it sees that, it just goes to a blue screen and sits there.

I extracted it from the command prompt and the error went from file not found to bridge.dll is not a valid Windows image file.

Is there any other way to get into the restore mode to properly replace this file? Or better yet a file extractor like Win98's msconfig.

All help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Bill

 

[linney]

file extractor like Win98's msconfig", have a look at XP's MsConfig, there is an "Expand" button on the main window.

If you are in Windows, WinZip can handle the extraction from the XP CD too.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

 

[goproweb]

I tried all the suggestions and it is still saying "RUNDLL Error, c:\windows\system32\bridge.dll is an invalid Windows image check it against your installation disk."

I extracted it from WinZip, ran SFC and supposedly checked all system files, no errors, now it never gave report, it just went thru the entire checking process and stopped, I waited several minutes to see if a report window or something would pop up, but nothing happened, I ASSUME that was done correctly,

I also expanded it from msconfig, I have extracted many files in Win98 using msconfig, I wish they could just stick to one term that one was staring me in the face

Any one have any other ideas? Formatting and re-installing is not an option, not at least one I would want to do.

 

[linney]

Bridge.dll may be spyware or adware.

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/...493758+1081194680374+28353475&threadId=517128

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=bridge.dll

http://groups.google.com/groups?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=bridge.dll

Removing adware & spyware
Before Posting a Hijack log file - Best Practices
faq608-4650




Any files replaced by the SFC /Scannow command will be recorded in the Event Viewer (System) the source to look for is Windows File Protection.

 

[goproweb]

I bet you are right, I run Ad Aware and Spybot regularly, and it started as a RUNDLL "module not found" on the bridge.dll and then when I extracted it, it says it's invalid, I bet one of the 2 left a registry entry referring to this ex-spy file, does that make sense?

I appreciate your help!

 

[linney]

A quote from the first link in last post, "The source of the error message is probably because bridge.dll has been removed from your system, but the registry entry that runs it at startup still exists. The registry tells it to run, but the file can't be found. Hence the error."

Are you saying (I find this a bit confusing, but that's not unusual), that you are able to Expand (Extract) Bridge.dll from the XP CD? I don't have any Bridge.dll on any system and therefore assumed (incorrectly?) that it is not a Windows file.

See if you can pick up which Run Key in the Registry is loading the file. Use RegEdit to search for Bridge.dll. There may be a couple of entries to remove (backup just in case too).

 

[goproweb]

That is EXACTLY why I was so confused, when I first saw the file missing, I did the copy e:\i386 bridge.dll from the command prompt and it did indeed extract a bridge.dll, and it did in Expand too, now I see why the error changed from file missing to invalid image, that wasn't the correct bridge.dll that the reg entry was looking for.

And you were right, it was a registry entry left in there from spy ware, I found it manually and deleted it RUNDLL C:\windows\system32\bridge.dll Load

I haven't updated Spy Bot it's locking up when it tries to update. I have noticed on mine, and one other running XP Home, I will have to take the time to download and manually install them from now on.

Thanks a lot!

 

[linney]

I think the latest (non-beta) version of SpyBot S+D is version 1.2, the last detection update I have is for 4th March 2004. Although they may have been a couple of minor maintenance updates since. When you update try using the server from (EON) Australia and see if it still locks up.


The only file on the XP CD that comes close to Bridge.Dl_ is a file called Bridge.Sy_ which would Expand into Bridge.Sys but not Dll. The mystery deepens!

 

[goproweb]

Yes I saw one that with WinZip, I couldn't see it from Expand only in WinZip, I looked it up on the knowledge base and it said it was the system driver for the bridge.dll no kidding, do a seach in the KB on bridge.sys

Try the extract (old school term) from the command prompt run the copy CDROM:\i386 bridge.dll (gotta have a space there) and where ever you typing from there will be bridge.dll extracted there. And it will output "1 files copied" when it's done scanning the cabs.

And the Expand exracted it as well, I had to look in several different places in the i386 folder to not get the "file not found" error, but I finally foundd it and it worked, the copy command is better since it searches EVERYWHERE in the i385 folder for the file and in the EXPAND you have to select the cabs it's in or you get a "file not found error"

If I hadn't done it 20 times I would agree with you, pleased try the copy from command prompt in some out of the way folder and see if you don't see a bridge.dll extracted, it's got to be something not installed by befault is the only explaination. And also out of the 3 ways to extract a file from a cab, I like the command prompt style better, guess it's the linux in me

Now with this wife of mine and this house full of kids I MIGHT be losing my mind Please let me know what happens when you run copy from the command prompt. Or maybe I have some unknown virus , but I promise you there is a bridge.dll on my XPP CD.

BTW thank for the great tips, I didn't even know there was SFC in XP, Like I said I prefer penquins ;-) And I will try that on the spybot, take care and please humour me on this.

 

[linney]

I'll get back to you a bit later on your request.

 

[linney]

Spent some time playing with it.


F = CD Drive. (With XP CD in it.)
There was no evidence of a bridge.dll or bridge .dl_



copy f:\i386 bridge.dll On my machine this instruction will copy the i386 folder to a file called bridge.dll with a size of 6.5MB, this is maybe how you are getting your bridge.dll to appear.

The output in the command windows would be a long list of file names such as this (just the last few lines shown as there are thousands of entries).

f:\i386\ZEEVERM.DL_
f:\i386\ZIPFLDR.DL_
f:\i386\ZNETM.DL_
f:\i386\ZONECLIM.DL_
f:\i386\ZONELIBM.DL_
f:\i386\ZONEOC.DL_
f:\i386\_DEFAULT.PI_
1 file(s) copied.







Example of using Expand from a command prompt.



Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\linney>expand f:/i386/bridge.dl_ c:
Microsoft (R) File Expansion Utility Version 5.1.2600.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1990-1999. All rights reserved.

Can't open input file: f:/i386/bridge.dl_.


C:\Documents and Settings\linney>expand f:/i386/bridge.dll c:
Microsoft (R) File Expansion Utility Version 5.1.2600.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1990-1999. All rights reserved.

Can't open input file: f:/i386/bridge.dll.


C:\Documents and Settings\linney>expand f:/i386/bridge.sy_ c:
Microsoft (R) File Expansion Utility Version 5.1.2600.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1990-1999. All rights reserved.

Expanding f:/i386/bridge.sy_ to c:bridge.sy_.
f:/i386/bridge.sy_: 33579 bytes expanded to 68864 bytes, 105% increase.


C:\Documents and Settings\linney>

Only it ended up as a .Sy_ extension, but in my Documents and Settings folder. It was expanded (unzipped).








Example of using Copy from command prompt.



F:\>cd i386

F:\I386>copy bridge.sy_ d:
1 file(s) copied.

F:\I386>copy bridge.dll d:
The system cannot find the file specified.

F:\I386>copy bridge.dl_ d:
The system cannot find the file specified.

F:\I386>copy bridge.sy_ d:
Overwrite d:BRIDGE.SY_? (Yes/No/All): y
1 file(s) copied.

F:\I386>

 

[goproweb]

Yep that's pretty much how it happened, I did the command prompt copy deal that went thru all the cabs on the CD, And it was 6.5MB in size,

But the spyware was the cause all along, I still haven't had time to try that SpyBot tip on the locking up during updates, but I will.

Thanks a million for the help, hope I can return the favor someday.

Bill

 

[linney]

Your welcome. Glad to help.

 

[toonei]

The Bridge.dll file is a spyware file. Go to HKLM-Software-Microsoft-Windows-CurrentVersion-Run. Click on run, I bet you will see the bridge.dll file. I just went through this myself, it's a spyware file that has nothing to do with your system. Backup the key before you delete it if you want to feel absolutely safe. Delete the file and reboot.

 

[goproweb]

yeah it had me going for a while, but next time that pops up it will be a piece of cake,
Thanks for posting