IPHLPAPI.DLL File

When I boot up, I keep getting an error message as
follows: "The IPHLPAPI.DLL file cannot start. Check this
file to determine the problem." I have contacted Gateway
about this and they have guided me through several things,
but nothing has worked. Gateway suggested that I re-
install my Windows program. This would be a big
undertaking to back up everything in order to do this.
Has anyone else had this problem? And if so, what solution
did you try?

Mike
Mon Oct 27 18:16:23 CST 2003

For most users this problem is caused by installing AOL9 since AOL 9 uses a
different version of iphlpapi.dll than is included with Win Me and fails to
install it correctly. It appears that after over three years AOL's
programmers have yet to understand and appreciate the benefits of system file
protection whether it be in Win Me or perhaps even XP. You can check this for
yourself where you will find that AOL have put a version of iphlpapi.dll in
the Program Files/Common Files/AOL/ACS/winme folder which differs from that in
the windows\system folder.

Since the copy of iphlpapi.dll in the windows\system folder is protected from
alteration or deletion by Win Me's System File Protection (SFP) it cannot
simply be replaced by the copy in the AOL folder. Whilst there are ways of
defeating SFP so that AOL's file can be added to the system folder I
personally feel this is a problem that needs to be remedied by AOL. All they
need to do is to supply the necessary certificate and the version in the
system folder can be replaced.

You may want to consider using System Restore to solve this problem by
rolling back your system to before the problem started and dumping AOL 9 until
AOL can get things working correctly (just don't hold your breath) provided
that that was not more than a few days ago.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP
mcmaltby@hotmail.com


Rita Warren <ritalufkin@aol.com> wrote:

> When I boot up, I keep getting an error message as
> follows: "The IPHLPAPI.DLL file cannot start. Check this
> file to determine the problem." I have contacted Gateway
> about this and they have guided me through several things,
> but nothing has worked. Gateway suggested that I re-
> install my Windows program. This would be a big
> undertaking to back up everything in order to do this.
> Has anyone else had this problem? And if so, what solution
> did you try?