MSVCIRT.DLL error at startup since updates

[patrick moloney]

I've been getting an error during bootup that a file is not found, msvcirt.dll.
The file is not there, and probably has not been. But the message started on
4/20/09 right after a series of automatic updates.

Was the file part of W2K, an option, or never part of it?
Could some update have assumed it was there, and now requires it?

Do I need it and how can I get it?