error with win live Msgr: point_except_handler4_common

[fabiann]

I have this really weird (but apparently common) issue, but all the
fixes that seem to have worked for most do not apply in this scenario.
The system is Windows XP Media Center Edition SP3

When Windows Live Messenger opens I get an error window with whats in
the brackets the title of the message
[ CRTCMediaController : MSNMSGR.exe ]
And the content is
[ The procedure entry point_except_handler4_common could not be
located in the dynamic link library msvcrt.dll ]

Heres what I've tried to fix it:
- The first thing I did was use the recovery console and copy a new
version of that dll from a windows install disk. No change.

- Uninstalling Live Messenger will make the error box go away,
installing an older version of MSN messenger does not get the window
to appear, but the user of this system specifically wants the Live
Messenger

- checked for the dwmapi.dll file (a Vista dll that sometimes get
loaded by accident), it did not exist on the system
[Discussed here: http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_fo ... &forumId=1
]

- I have done a .NET framework clean-up and then re-installed .NET
framework to the current version

- Run SFC, which fixed another error message that popped up at boot,
but not this error

- installed the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package
(x86)
[ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en
]

- It's also been pointed as being an issue related to creative
drivers. It's got a Realtek audio and the file that breaks it is not
found on the system
[
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/ne ... us&m=1&p=1
]

- It's also been attributed to McAffee, but the system is running
Avast (I also ran the MCE removal tool just to be sure)

After some further research I got the idea to check the live messenger
exe with dependency walker.
That is telling me that IESHISM.dll and WER.dll are missing. That lead
me to believe it was an issue IE8
[ http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... 20ccbd3d2c
]
Either of those files are non-existant on the entire system. Adding
the %ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer path to the PATH Environment
Variable did not change anything.

- I then uninstalled IE8, and then IE7, the error message continued. I
reinstalled IE8, and still no change (though, when it was IE6,
IESHISM.dll and WER.dll were not listed as missing, but MSJAVA.dll
was, which sometimes happens with dependency walker and so I didn't
think much of it). I then started looking for either of those files on
other XP systems, and I couldn't find them, so maybe it's an error
that it's saying those files are needed.

Does ANYONE have even a clue of what direction I could go in?
I can't uninstall SP3. It's listed in the add-remove program list, but
the button to remove it will not show up (the backed-up SP2 files were
cleaned out?)

The owner of the system is really adamant about not wiping the system,
or else I would have done that already.

[pa bear [ms mvp]]

You will find support for Windows Live Messenger in this newsgroup:
microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger

On the web:
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/ne ... .messenger

In your newsreader:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger

The above notwithstanding, see
http://messengersays.spaces.live.com/bl ... 2557.entry

You will NOT be able to use ANY version of WLMessenger other than
v14.0.8089.726 or ANY version of MSN Messenger now.

> I can't uninstall SP3. It's listed in the add-remove program list, but
> the button to remove it will not show up (the backed-up SP2 files were
> cleaned out?)

Back-up any personal data (none of which should be considered 100%
trustworthy at this point) then do a format & clean install of Windows.
Please note that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT fix this!

cf. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/comput ... /xppc.mspx

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsof ... 8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsof ... 41add7dd2b

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx

Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx

Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com


FabianN wrote:
> I have this really weird (but apparently common) issue, but all the
> fixes that seem to have worked for most do not apply in this scenario.
> The system is Windows XP Media Center Edition SP3
>
> When Windows Live Messenger opens I get an error window with whats in
> the brackets the title of the message
> [ CRTCMediaController : MSNMSGR.exe ]
> And the content is
> [ The procedure entry point_except_handler4_common could not be
> located in the dynamic link library msvcrt.dll ]
>
> Heres what I've tried to fix it:
> - The first thing I did was use the recovery console and copy a new
> version of that dll from a windows install disk. No change.
>
> - Uninstalling Live Messenger will make the error box go away,
> installing an older version of MSN messenger does not get the window
> to appear, but the user of this system specifically wants the Live
> Messenger
>
> - checked for the dwmapi.dll file (a Vista dll that sometimes get
> loaded by accident), it did not exist on the system
> [Discussed here:
> http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_fo ... &forumId=1
> ]
>
> - I have done a .NET framework clean-up and then re-installed .NET
> framework to the current version
>
> - Run SFC, which fixed another error message that popped up at boot,
> but not this error
>
> - installed the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package
> (x86)
> [
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en
> ]
>
> - It's also been pointed as being an issue related to creative
> drivers. It's got a Realtek audio and the file that breaks it is not
> found on the system
> [
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities/ne ... us&m=1&p=1
> ]
>
> - It's also been attributed to McAffee, but the system is running
> Avast (I also ran the MCE removal tool just to be sure)
>
> After some further research I got the idea to check the live messenger
> exe with dependency walker.
> That is telling me that IESHISM.dll and WER.dll are missing. That lead
> me to believe it was an issue IE8
> [
> http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... 20ccbd3d2c
> ]
> Either of those files are non-existant on the entire system. Adding
> the %ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer path to the PATH Environment
> Variable did not change anything.
>
> - I then uninstalled IE8, and then IE7, the error message continued. I
> reinstalled IE8, and still no change (though, when it was IE6,
> IESHISM.dll and WER.dll were not listed as missing, but MSJAVA.dll
> was, which sometimes happens with dependency walker and so I didn't
> think much of it). I then started looking for either of those files on
> other XP systems, and I couldn't find them, so maybe it's an error
> that it's saying those files are needed.
>
> Does ANYONE have even a clue of what direction I could go in?
> I can't uninstall SP3. It's listed in the add-remove program list, but
> the button to remove it will not show up (the backed-up SP2 files were
> cleaned out?)
>
> The owner of the system is really adamant about not wiping the system,
> or else I would have done that already.