Troubleshooting: Error Messages in Mmsystem.dll or Rundll32
You may receive general protection fault (GPF) error messages in Mmsystem.dll or Rundll32 similar to one of the following error messages:
Rundll32 - This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down Rundll - This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down
When you click the Details button it reveals a message similar to one of these:
RUNDLL32 caused a General Protection Fault in module MMSYSTEM.DLL RUNDLL caused a General Protection Fault in module MMSYSTEM.DLL at 000a:00000032
This problem can occur if the drivers=mmsystem.dll line is missing from the [boot] section of the System.ini file.
To correct this problem:
- Use a text editor (such as Notepad) to edit the System.ini file (this file is found in \Windows)
-
Add the following line to the [boot] section of the file:
drivers=mmsystem.dll
- Save, and then close the System.ini file
- Restart your computer
You may also receive one of these error messages, if you try to play a Windows video clip (.avi):
MMSYSTEM266 The device could not be loaded. Verify the driver is installed correctly. MMSYSTEM276 The device could not be loaded. Verify the driver is installed correctly. RUNDLL32 caused an exception 03 in module MSVFW32.DLL at <address>. DCIMAN32.DLL cannot start
This error can occur if any of the following files are damaged or missing from the \Windows\System folder:
- Msvideo.dll
- Mciavi.drv
- Dciman.dll
To replace missing or damaged Windows files, you can run Windows Setup from within Windows. When you are prompted to choose between running a complete Setup or copying all files again, choose to copy all the files again.
In this case, reinstalling the Multimedia component using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel does not replace these files.