windows\system32\dllcache missing

...\dllcache does not exist on either my IBM T41 laptop or my Dell tower. I
have religiously upgraded WinXP through SP2 and all subsequent upgrades.
Every one has installed perfectly. However, in the latest batch of downloaded
upgrades/patches KB926436 failed to install because it could not find
...\dllcache (because it does not exist, as i said, on either of my machines.
There are certain hints that this dir is related to the XP firewall, which I
have turned off because I rely on a very much stronger firewall in my router.
Could this be the source of the missing dir. If not, does anyone have any
idea what could have happened to it and what XP components use it? Is there a
workaround?
--
Reid

"Reid" wrote in message
...
..\dllcache does not exist on either my IBM T41 laptop or my Dell tower. I
have religiously upgraded WinXP through SP2 and all subsequent upgrades.
Every one has installed perfectly. However, in the latest batch of
downloaded
upgrades/patches KB926436 failed to install because it could not find
..\dllcache (because it does not exist, as i said, on either of my
machines.
There are certain hints that this dir is related to the XP firewall, which
I
have turned off because I rely on a very much stronger firewall in my
router.
Could this be the source of the missing dir. If not, does anyone have any
idea what could have happened to it and what XP components use it? Is
there a
workaround?
--
Reid

The dllcache folder isn't related to the firewall, but to system file
protection.

It is set to system/hidden as it is a core system directory and they don't
want you mucking about with it.

The folder should certainly exist under \windows\system32. But because it
has System/Hidden attributes set, you won't be able to view it with DIR or
the default Explorer views but you can change to it with CD at a command
prompt.

If it does not exist, create it. If creation is rejected because it
already exists, clean out temporary files and restart the machine.

HTH
-pk

--


The dllcache folder isn't related to the firewall, but to system file
protection.

It is set to system/hidden as it is a core system directory and they don't
want you mucking about with it.

The folder should certainly exist under \windows\system32. But because it
has System/Hidden attributes set, you won't be able to view it with DIR or
the default Explorer views but you can change to it with CD at a command
prompt.

If it does not exist, create it. If creation is rejected because it
already exists, clean out temporary files and restart the machine.

HTH
-pk

Thanks for responding, Patrick. I understand it is normally hidden, but I
set the parms to unhide everything. It really doesn't exist and that is why
the update install chokes - it can't find it either. Neither does a Cd find
it from the command line.

I *have* been thinking of just creating and populating it, but I thought
that registry entries and/or path entries had to be created in order that
other programs such as an update or system restore could find it. I am fairly
reluctant to try to do either of those things by hand.

Then there is the mystery of what deleted it, or never created it, in the
first place, and I am afraid that it could disappear again. It is not
malware, I have all sorts of virus and other protection programs running and
I scan regularly and practice safe computing.

I guess I still don't know how I should proceed.

"Reid" wrote in message
...

--


The dllcache folder isn't related to the firewall, but to system file
protection.

It is set to system/hidden as it is a core system directory and they
don't
want you mucking about with it.

The folder should certainly exist under \windows\system32. But because
it
has System/Hidden attributes set, you won't be able to view it with DIR
or
the default Explorer views but you can change to it with CD at a command
prompt.

If it does not exist, create it. If creation is rejected because it
already exists, clean out temporary files and restart the machine.

HTH
-pk

Thanks for responding, Patrick. I understand it is normally hidden, but I
set the parms to unhide everything. It really doesn't exist and that is
why
the update install chokes - it can't find it either. Neither does a Cd
find
it from the command line.

I *have* been thinking of just creating and populating it, but I thought
that registry entries and/or path entries had to be created in order that
other programs such as an update or system restore could find it. I am
fairly
reluctant to try to do either of those things by hand.

Then there is the mystery of what deleted it, or never created it, in the
first place, and I am afraid that it could disappear again. It is not
malware, I have all sorts of virus and other protection programs running
and
I scan regularly and practice safe computing.

I guess I still don't know how I should proceed.

You could try just creating it and leaving it. Don't populate it, that
should be automatic. If you run the system file checker (start, run, SFC)
what happens?

If necessary, do a repair install of Windows, but be aware that this will
remove all updates and you'll have to re-apply them. As it is, if a core
folder is missing, the OS install is suspect anyway. Be sure you have
current backups.

HTH
-pk