RUNDLL Error - Help, Please

I am the guy who got hijacked, and ended up, with your help, removing over
20 viruses and 4 malware programs from my computer. It took six days and
nights, but I dodged the bullet...almost.

Now, when I start the computer, I get the following message, which includes
a dialog box with a big red X:

" RUNDLL Error

Error loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\pipcyic.dll

The specified module could not be found. "

Doing a System Restore changed nothing. I then searched my Registry backups
looking for the file.....no luck. Virus, malware and spyware scans all come
up ok.

My next stop was Google. There is no "System32\pipcyic.dll" on Google, but
there are plenty of DLL and System32 sites, articles and programs. I spent
hours pouring over them, and found nothing new or useful. It is mostly
people either trying to sell miracle software or those who have various
ideas, but none of which agree with each other. Yikes!

I was told by an excellent tech that this is probably a file from a program
(?). Which program (good vs. evil), is unknown.

So far, things are working ok, although I've limited exploring to Word, the
internet, email and newsgroups.....all seemingly ok.

If anyone has any constructive ideas as to what this may refer to, what I
can do about it, or how to approach it, I would most certainly appreciate
your advice.

One additional question, please: If my PC is running basically ok, except
for this error message at startup, should I continue using the machine (the
idea being when I finally use the program that was messed up by the RUNDLL
error, I'll know that the problem has been found)?

I mean, isn't there a slight chance that I might not even be using the
program that was affected by the error?

During this process, the software programs have done tons of scans. By now,
I pretty much know which programs are running clean. The problems always
pop up in the C:\WINDOWS folders.

Should I be transferring files, programs, music, video, documents, etc.,
over to an external hard drive, so that if the worst occurs, I might,
hopefully, be able to transfer them to a new computer or my present computer
stripped and re-installed with a new edition of XP?

My computer is a 2003 Dell Dimension 8300, with XP Home....plain vanilla, no
bells or whistles.

I have no tech to turn to, as I live on a ranch in deep south Texas. The
pros in this group are my lifeline.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. I appreciate it.

Jim

Find the file with Windows Explorer and right click on its name to see its
properties. If the file properties do not show the legitimate name of a
software developer, etc., assume that it is bogus. If it is not present in
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ (even as a hidden file), you can assume that it is not
there. But there is still a registry entry for C:\WINDOWS\System32\pipcyic.dll
..

Download and run hijackthis, which should reveal the registry entry. Remove it
with hijackthis. See what happens then. if it reappears, your computer is
still infected with something.

Yes, viruses, spyware, malware and other badware turn up in the WINDOWS and
WINDOWS\System32 folders more often than anywhere else.

As a precaution, you may want to back up all your important personal data to
external media, either an external hard drive or CDs or DVDs... Ben Myers

On Wed, 2 May 2007 17:36:28 -0500, "Dowell" <> wrote:

>I am the guy who got hijacked, and ended up, with your help, removing over
>20 viruses and 4 malware programs from my computer. It took six days and
>nights, but I dodged the bullet...almost.
>
>Now, when I start the computer, I get the following message, which includes
>a dialog box with a big red X:
>
>" RUNDLL Error
>
>Error loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\pipcyic.dll
>
>The specified module could not be found. "
>
>Doing a System Restore changed nothing. I then searched my Registry backups
>looking for the file.....no luck. Virus, malware and spyware scans all come
>up ok.
>
>My next stop was Google. There is no "System32\pipcyic.dll" on Google, but
>there are plenty of DLL and System32 sites, articles and programs. I spent
>hours pouring over them, and found nothing new or useful. It is mostly
>people either trying to sell miracle software or those who have various
>ideas, but none of which agree with each other. Yikes!
>
>I was told by an excellent tech that this is probably a file from a program
>(?). Which program (good vs. evil), is unknown.
>
>So far, things are working ok, although I've limited exploring to Word, the
>internet, email and newsgroups.....all seemingly ok.
>
>If anyone has any constructive ideas as to what this may refer to, what I
>can do about it, or how to approach it, I would most certainly appreciate
>your advice.
>
>One additional question, please: If my PC is running basically ok, except
>for this error message at startup, should I continue using the machine (the
>idea being when I finally use the program that was messed up by the RUNDLL
>error, I'll know that the problem has been found)?
>
>I mean, isn't there a slight chance that I might not even be using the
>program that was affected by the error?
>
>During this process, the software programs have done tons of scans. By now,
>I pretty much know which programs are running clean. The problems always
>pop up in the C:\WINDOWS folders.
>
>Should I be transferring files, programs, music, video, documents, etc.,
>over to an external hard drive, so that if the worst occurs, I might,
>hopefully, be able to transfer them to a new computer or my present computer
>stripped and re-installed with a new edition of XP?
>
>My computer is a 2003 Dell Dimension 8300, with XP Home....plain vanilla, no
>bells or whistles.
>
>I have no tech to turn to, as I live on a ranch in deep south Texas. The
>pros in this group are my lifeline.
>
>Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. I appreciate it.
>
> Jim
>
>

> Now, when I start the computer, I get the following message, which includes
> a dialog box with a big red X:
> " RUNDLL Error
> Error loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\pipcyic.dll
> The specified module could not be found. "

With a name like that, i'd hazard a guess at it being a random
filename created by the malware.

Try running HijackThis again, and see if it's listed anywhere in the
results...

> Doing a System Restore changed nothing.

ARGHHH you run the risk of reintroducing the virus / malware if you
didn't disable and restart the system restore facility once the system
was clear.

> My next stop was Google. There is no "System32\pipcyic.dll" on Google

In that case, it's almost certainly malware that you don't want or
need.

> One additional question, please: If my PC is running basically ok, except
> for this error message at startup, should I continue using the machine (the
> idea being when I finally use the program that was messed up by the RUNDLL
> error, I'll know that the problem has been found)?

I'd carry on using it for now - if it's not stopping you doing
anything you want to do, it obviously served no purpose in the first
place (at least, a purpose you'd want it to fulfil)

> During this process, the software programs have done tons of scans. By now,
> I pretty much know which programs are running clean. The problems always
> pop up in the C:\WINDOWS folders.

Are you still getting new "problems" ? - if so, you still have at
least one component of what might be a multi-part malware system
(cancel one malware program, another restarts it)

> Should I be transferring files, programs, music, video, documents, etc.,
> over to an external hard drive, so that if the worst occurs, I might,
> hopefully, be able to transfer them to a new computer or my present computer
> stripped and re-installed with a new edition of XP?

That's always a good idea, as it isn't just malware and viruses that
go wrong - hardware can give up the ghost too.

"Colin Wilson" < o.uk> wrote
in message news: t...
>> Now, when I start the computer, I get the following message, which
>> includes
>> a dialog box with a big red X:
>> " RUNDLL Error
>> Error loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\pipcyic.dll
>> The specified module could not be found. "
>
> With a name like that, i'd hazard a guess at it being a random
> filename created by the malware.
>
> Try running HijackThis again, and see if it's listed anywhere in the
> results...
>
>> Doing a System Restore changed nothing.
>
> ARGHHH you run the risk of reintroducing the virus / malware if you
> didn't disable and restart the system restore facility once the system
> was clear.
>

<snip>

Hence why I suggested that the OP disable system restore before scanning. I
hope he listened.

Wow.......you guys are a brain trust.

Thank you very much!

I read your fixes, and started looking for a way to do it without
HijackThis, as it had not worked 100% for me.

I found a free program called Autoruns.zip from sysinternals.com.

It uses a very user-friendly "Window software" screen to divide all of your
reg files and start-up files in different, color-coded sections. All of
your files are already marked with a check mark. To delete or remove the
file from your specific section, just "un-check" it.

Well, my pipgcyic.dll file was sitting there, connected to nothing.

Was it a left-over file from my virus and malware woes? I think so.

So, I unchecked it and restored by System Restore, and things seem to be ok.

Could some other file from my past come back to haunt me? Probably so, but
I hope not. So far, so good. Whew!

Thank you all for your excellent help. This is a great group. Again, thank
you!

Jim

"Dowell" <> wrote in message
news:46392738$0$18395$.. .

<snip>

> Could some other file from my past come back to haunt me? Probably so,
> but
> I hope not. So far, so good. Whew!
>
<snip>

Did you or did you not disable Windows system restore before all of your
scanning, utilities and removal efforts? (And then re-enable once the system
was found clean.)

If you didn't, then yes something "from your past (can) come back to haunt
(you)".

If you did, then you're probably good.