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LangWdbk.dll not a valid windows image

C

choro

Flightless Bird
Windows XP/SP3 fully updated

Desktop search comes up with...
"LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this against your
installation diskette."

What diskette?

Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this message
now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search comes up with a
blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects itself second time round.

Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very file from another XP/SP3
machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.

Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
--
choro
*****
 
P

Peter Foldes

Flightless Bird
choro

I cannot find any reference for that LangWdbk.dll file. You have some malware and
you need to re-install your OS completely on account of using Registry Patrol which
is a snake oil remedy and you probably lost many other entries in your registry on
account of it.
Never but never use any Registry Tools. They cause issues as you have now.
You are able to solve your issue and probably many others by reformatting and
re-installing your OS

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"choro" <choro@tvco.net> wrote in message news:fDgco.133842$6C1.5728@hurricane...
> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>
> Desktop search comes up with...
> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this against your
> installation diskette."
>
> What diskette?
>
> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this message now
> whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search comes up with a blank pop
> up windows initially, though it corrects itself second time round.
>
> Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very file from another XP/SP3 machine, I
> couldn't find it on the other machine.
>
> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
> --
> choro
> *****
>
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
Is it LANGWDBK.DLL or LANGWRKB.DLL?

Is Windows (Desktop) Search 4.0 installed?


choro wrote:
> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>
> Desktop search comes up with...
> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this against your
> installation diskette."
>
> What diskette?
>
> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
> message
> now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search comes up with
> a
> blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects itself second time
> round.
>
> Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very file from another XP/SP3
> machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>
> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
 
C

choro

Flightless Bird
PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:

> Is it LANGWDBK.DLL or LANGWRKB.DLL?
>

LangWdbk.dll (LANGWDBK.DLL)

>
> Is Windows (Desktop) Search 4.0 installed?


Yes, but not sure about version. Tried to get version but no info was
available. Though I could possibly get the version in Control Panel/Install
& Uninstall Programs. Why? Would this make much difference?

At the moment I am trying to do a System Restore on that particular desktop.
Will let you know if it succeeds and if problems disappear.

Tried to uninstall and reinstall Desktop Search but it came up with all the
subsequently loaded programs with a warning that uninstalling Desktop Search
could affect the working of those programs. So I had second thoughts about
it. But I doubt that such an uninstall/install would replace the
langwrbk.dll since it does not exist on my laptop which has also got Desktop
Search. So it was put there by either another program or by one of the MS
Updates.

One matter I should have mentioned earlier. A few days ago when the problem
started I did a Malwarebytes sweep and it discovered and deleted a malware
file -- Docs&Settings/UserNameFolder/results.txt

Things seemed to get better after this but then I updated my Internet
Security and it then seemed to get worse though I doubt that my Internet
Security program is the culprit.

>
>
> choro wrote:
>> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>>
>> Desktop search comes up with...
>> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this
>> against your installation diskette."
>>
>> What diskette?
>>
>> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
>> message
>> now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search comes
>> up with a
>> blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects itself second time
>> round.
>>
>> Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very file from another XP/SP3
>> machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>>
>> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
 
C

choro

Flightless Bird
Peter Foldes wrote:
> choro
>
> I cannot find any reference for that LangWdbk.dll file. You have
> some malware and you need to re-install your OS completely on account
> of using Registry Patrol which is a snake oil remedy and you probably
> lost many other entries in your registry on account of it.
> Never but never use any Registry Tools. They cause issues as you have
> now. You are able to solve your issue and probably many others by
> reformatting and re-installing your OS


Thanks for your advice Peter. But see also my response to PA Bear. I dread
having to reinstall everything. If |I have to do all that work, and I have
many programs installed, I might just as well update to Win7 on a new PC and
scrap the old one which is a home built one around 9 years old and still
going strong until this happened. I have kept it as up to date as poss but I
might as well move onto SATA and a quatro CPU, though keeping the old one
going could come in handy one day. One never knows. The new PC might catch
syphilis too. ;-)

>
>
> "choro" <choro@tvco.net> wrote in message
> news:fDgco.133842$6C1.5728@hurricane...
>> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>>
>> Desktop search comes up with...
>> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this
>> against your installation diskette."
>>
>> What diskette?
>>
>> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
>> message now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search
>> comes up with a blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects
>> itself second time round. Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very
>> file from another
>> XP/SP3 machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>>
>> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
>> --
>> choro
>> *****


--
choro
 
C

choro

Flightless Bird
choro wrote:
> Peter Foldes wrote:
>> choro
>>
>> I cannot find any reference for that LangWdbk.dll file. You have
>> some malware and you need to re-install your OS completely on account
>> of using Registry Patrol which is a snake oil remedy and you probably
>> lost many other entries in your registry on account of it.
>> Never but never use any Registry Tools. They cause issues as you have
>> now. You are able to solve your issue and probably many others by
>> reformatting and re-installing your OS

>
> Thanks for your advice Peter. But see also my response to PA Bear. I
> dread having to reinstall everything. If |I have to do all that work,
> and I have many programs installed, I might just as well update to
> Win7 on a new PC and scrap the old one which is a home built one
> around 9 years old and still going strong until this happened. I have
> kept it as up to date as poss but I might as well move onto SATA and
> a quatro CPU, though keeping the old one going could come in handy
> one day. One never knows. The new PC might catch syphilis too. ;-)


The Restore seems OK with the exception of Outlook Express which
"encountered a problem and needs to shut down" every time I start it. Also
Windows Defender cannot start presumably because it was disabled when I
installed my Internet Security quote a while ago -- which unfortunately was
uninstalled a couple of days ago when I upgraded it to the latest version.
Now with Restore to around a couple months ago, the older version can of
course not be restored. I'll just have to re-install the newer version the
exe file for which I have already got on my Downloads folder. So no problem
there. It will only take a few mins.

Only problem seems to be OE6+Quotefix which wants to shut down every time I
start it. Any suggestions here?

I guess I could try uninstalling Quotefix to see if that will cure the
problem and then reinstall Quotefix which I find very useful. Otherwise I am
at a loss as to what to do.

All other programs seem to work OK. To be honest I have no appetite
re-install Windows XP from scratch plus a score other programs.

I have already built an all whistles super Windows 7 Pro PC with a very fast
AM3 quatro CPU but haven't got round to installing any other software on it.
I just haven't got the stomach for that at my age. But in any case, I'd like
to keep my old PC going just in case. It's like my "First Love" I can't
abandon.. In any case I've got all my user files xcopied onto an external
hard disk, so no problems there.

And if you think I am mad about computers so be it. I love them in my
dottage. I learned to use computers and tinker with them after my
retirement. It was love at first sight, as one might say!

Sorry I am verbose but I used to tinker with typewriters in my younger days
writing the equivalent of a paper back every 3 weeks or so. Used to get paid
by wordage, as you can imagine. Bloody news. The actors change, well at
least some of them, but the main plots remain more or less the same. Did
that job for years! Had enough of news to last me several lifetimes.

So, what do I do about this problem with OE6 wanting to shut down every
time?
--
choro
*****

>
>>
>>
>> "choro" <choro@tvco.net> wrote in message
>> news:fDgco.133842$6C1.5728@hurricane...
>>> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>>>
>>> Desktop search comes up with...
>>> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this
>>> against your installation diskette."
>>>
>>> What diskette?
>>>
>>> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
>>> message now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search
>>> comes up with a blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects
>>> itself second time round. Yet when I tried to copy and paste this
>>> very file from another
>>> XP/SP3 machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>>>
>>> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
>>> --
>>> choro
>>> *****
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
>> Is it LANGWDBK.DLL or LANGWRKB.DLL?
>>

> LangWdbk.dll (LANGWDBK.DLL)


> ...I doubt that such an uninstall/install would replace the
> langwrbk.dll...


1. You appear to be contradicting yourself ("LangWdbk.dll" vs.
"langwrbk.dll").

2. I never said or implied that the DLL in question had anything to do with
Windows (Desktop) Search (4.0), I only asked if it was installed.

> One matter I should have mentioned earlier. A few days ago when the
> problem
> started I did a Malwarebytes sweep and it discovered and deleted a malware
> file...


If it's really LANGWDBK.DLL, you've still got a hijackware infection on your
hands.

> ...but then I updated my Internet
> Security and it then seemed to get worse though I doubt that my Internet
> Security program is the culprit.


What is "Internet Security?"

What anti-virus application or security suite was installed *when the
computer got infected* and was your subscription current? What anti-spyware
applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(nother) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer?

Did a Norton or McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when you
bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

choro wrote:
>> Is it LANGWDBK.DLL or LANGWRKB.DLL?
>>

> LangWdbk.dll (LANGWDBK.DLL)
>>
>> Is Windows (Desktop) Search 4.0 installed?

>
> Yes, but not sure about version. Tried to get version but no info was
> available. Though I could possibly get the version in Control
> Panel/Install
> & Uninstall Programs. Why? Would this make much difference?
>
> At the moment I am trying to do a System Restore on that particular
> desktop.
> Will let you know if it succeeds and if problems disappear.
>
> Tried to uninstall and reinstall Desktop Search but it came up with all
> the
> subsequently loaded programs with a warning that uninstalling Desktop
> Search
> could affect the working of those programs. So I had second thoughts about
> it. But I doubt that such an uninstall/install would replace the
> langwrbk.dll since it does not exist on my laptop which has also got
> Desktop
> Search. So it was put there by either another program or by one of the MS
> Updates.
>
> One matter I should have mentioned earlier. A few days ago when the
> problem
> started I did a Malwarebytes sweep and it discovered and deleted a malware
> file -- Docs&Settings/UserNameFolder/results.txt
>
> Things seemed to get better after this but then I updated my Internet
> Security and it then seemed to get worse though I doubt that my Internet
> Security program is the culprit.
>
>>
>>
>> choro wrote:
>>> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>>>
>>> Desktop search comes up with...
>>> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this
>>> against your installation diskette."
>>>
>>> What diskette?
>>>
>>> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
>>> message
>>> now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search comes
>>> up with a
>>> blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects itself second time
>>> round.
>>>
>>> Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very file from another XP/SP3
>>> machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>>>
>>> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
 
C

choro

Flightless Bird
PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>>> Is it LANGWDBK.DLL or LANGWRKB.DLL?
>>>

>> LangWdbk.dll (LANGWDBK.DLL)

>
>> ...I doubt that such an uninstall/install would replace the
>> langwrbk.dll...

>
> 1. You appear to be contradicting yourself ("LangWdbk.dll" vs.
> "langwrbk.dll").


I realize that initially I mis-spelled it but I think I have already
confirmed that it IS LangWdbk.dll. (as opposed to LangWkbk.dll).

>
> 2. I never said or implied that the DLL in question had anything to
> do with Windows (Desktop) Search (4.0), I only asked if it was
> installed.


Windows Desktop Search is installed. Can't find anywhere which version it is
though. No idea where this info is hidden.

>
>> One matter I should have mentioned earlier. A few days ago when the
>> problem
>> started I did a Malwarebytes sweep and it discovered and deleted a
>> malware file...

>
> If it's really LANGWDBK.DLL, you've still got a hijackware infection
> on your hands.


Yes, indeed this was the culprit as I was to confirm to myself. Everything
returned to normal once I took steps to make it non-functional -- no I did
not delete it just in case just made changes to the name to make it
non-functional. I will of course delete it eventually after I am sure that
everything is back to normal. So far so good. I haven't encountered any
drawbacks to renaming this file to make in non-functional.

Naturally I have at least temporarily given up on the idea of re-installing
everything from scratch which was a big relief for me as I have got
literally quite a few programs installed and reinstalling all those would
have taken a long time. Mind you, it would have given me the opportunity for
a through spring clean as well but that is another story...

As I reported in an earlier posting, Malwarebytes had discovered and deleted
a tiny .txt file (results.txt) but that had not completely solved the
problem.

>
>> ...but then I updated my Internet
>> Security and it then seemed to get worse though I doubt that my
>> Internet Security program is the culprit.

>
> What is "Internet Security?"


Internet Security versions of AV software houses which provide more than
just AV. Norton or Kaspersky Internet Security, for example as opposed to
the cheaper Norton or Kaspersky Anti Virus versions.

>
> What anti-virus application or security suite was installed *when the
> computer got infected* and was your subscription current? What
> anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party
> firewall (if any)?



>
> Has a(nother) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
> computer?


Yes, I did have Norton installed at one time on this computer. A search for
files and folders has revealed this. So it must have been installed on this
computer AFTER my last complete reformat and reinstall of Windows XP.

>
> Did a Norton or McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer
> when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated
> it.)


Not applicable as this is a home built computer I built myself.

But thanks for the prompt and continued interest shown PA Bear. I do hope
that the renaming of the LangWdbk.dll file to render it non-operational has
finally solved the problem. If you don't hear from me again consider the
matter satisfactorily resolved. Hopefully others might benefit from this
conversation.

Thanks for your interest once again.

>
> choro wrote:
>>> Is it LANGWDBK.DLL or LANGWRKB.DLL?
>>>

>> LangWdbk.dll (LANGWDBK.DLL)
>>>
>>> Is Windows (Desktop) Search 4.0 installed?

>>
>> Yes, but not sure about version. Tried to get version but no info was
>> available. Though I could possibly get the version in Control
>> Panel/Install
>> & Uninstall Programs. Why? Would this make much difference?
>>
>> At the moment I am trying to do a System Restore on that particular
>> desktop.
>> Will let you know if it succeeds and if problems disappear.
>>
>> Tried to uninstall and reinstall Desktop Search but it came up with
>> all the
>> subsequently loaded programs with a warning that uninstalling Desktop
>> Search
>> could affect the working of those programs. So I had second thoughts
>> about it. But I doubt that such an uninstall/install would replace
>> the langwrbk.dll since it does not exist on my laptop which has also
>> got Desktop
>> Search. So it was put there by either another program or by one of
>> the MS Updates.
>>
>> One matter I should have mentioned earlier. A few days ago when the
>> problem
>> started I did a Malwarebytes sweep and it discovered and deleted a
>> malware file -- Docs&Settings/UserNameFolder/results.txt
>>
>> Things seemed to get better after this but then I updated my Internet
>> Security and it then seemed to get worse though I doubt that my
>> Internet Security program is the culprit.
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> choro wrote:
>>>> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>>>>
>>>> Desktop search comes up with...
>>>> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this
>>>> against your installation diskette."
>>>>
>>>> What diskette?
>>>>
>>>> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
>>>> message
>>>> now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search comes
>>>> up with a
>>>> blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects itself second
>>>> time round.
>>>>
>>>> Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very file from another
>>>> XP/SP3 machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>>>>
>>>> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?


--
choro
*****
 
C

choro

Flightless Bird
Peter Foldes wrote:
> choro
>
> I cannot find any reference for that LangWdbk.dll file. You have
> some malware and you need to re-install your OS completely on account
> of using Registry Patrol which is a snake oil remedy and you probably
> lost many other entries in your registry on account of it.
> Never but never use any Registry Tools. They cause issues as you have
> now. You are able to solve your issue and probably many others by
> reformatting and re-installing your OS
>


Having to reinstall the OS and all the other software scared me sh*tless but
it seems to have paid off as it now seems I have solved the problem just by
renaming the offending LangWdbk.dll file to render it non-operational.
Phew....!!!! Got round to taking this course of action after several System
Restores failed to render my PC usable. A process of elimination, I guess.

But if you feel like it see also my response to PA Bear which I posted only
a few minutes ago.

Thanks for your interest and moral support anyway. Hopefully this Usenet
conversation might be of use to others whose computers might catch this
version of what I call "computer syphilis".
--
choro
*****

>
> "choro" <choro@tvco.net> wrote in message
> news:fDgco.133842$6C1.5728@hurricane...
>> Windows XP/SP3 fully updated
>>
>> Desktop search comes up with...
>> "LangWdbk.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this
>> against your installation diskette."
>>
>> What diskette?
>>
>> Noticed that lately the computer has got much slower and I get this
>> message now whenever I try to do a Desktop Search. Also Start/Search
>> comes up with a blank pop up windows initially, though it corrects
>> itself second time round. Yet when I tried to copy and paste this very
>> file from another
>> XP/SP3 machine, I couldn't find it on the other machine.
>>
>> Registry Patrol failed to repair it. So what can I do now?
>> --
>> choro
>> *****
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
What "Internet Security" application is currently installed and is your
subscription current?

If a Norton free-trial came preinstalled on the computer when you bought it,
the free-trial would have been reinstalled (but invalid) when you
reinstalled Windows. Did you (1) uninstall the free-trial AND THEN (2)
download/run the Norton Removal Tool BEFORE (3) you installed any updates
(including Service Packs) and/or any IE upgrades AND BEFORE (4) you
installed your current "Internet Security" application AND BEFORE (5) you
connected a flash drive, SDCard or any other external drive to the computer
AND BEFORE (6) you connected the computer to any local networks (i.e., other
computers)?


choro wrote:
<blithersnippage>
> As I reported in an earlier posting, Malwarebytes had discovered and
> deleted
> a tiny .txt file (results.txt) but that had not completely solved the
> problem.

<blithersnippage>
>> What is "Internet Security?"

>
> Internet Security versions of AV software houses which provide more than
> just AV. Norton or Kaspersky Internet Security, for example as opposed to
> the cheaper Norton or Kaspersky Anti Virus versions.

<blithersnippage>
> Yes, I did have Norton installed at one time on this computer. A search
> for
> files and folders has revealed this. So it must have been installed on
> this
> computer AFTER my last complete reformat and reinstall of Windows XP.
 
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