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spanky - 16 Jun 2007 19:24 GMT

When booting I get a message saying "Stmgr has found a problem in
WINTRUST.DLL, ...reboot" I reboot but it doesn't fix it and now my Restore
is not working. Help?

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Mike M - 16 Jun 2007 20:38 GMT

> When booting I get a message saying "Stmgr has found a problem in
> WINTRUST.DLL, ...reboot" I reboot but it doesn't fix it and now my
> Restore is not working. Help?

OK. how confident are you at working with the various system files? This
problem ("stmgr has caused in error in WINTRUST.DLL") is due to a damaged
Win Me catalogue index used by the state manager when running with its
system file protection hat on. <g> Two solutions follow, one quick and
dirty which therefore has a downside and one longer that should hopefully
have no downside. For both you need to enable Windows Explorer to see all
files and folders and also to be able to see file extensions. Do this as
follows: Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View and check the
button "Show hidden files and folders" and also "Hide extensions for known
file types" and UNcheck the box "Hide protected operating system files"

Quick and dirty.

A fix that works is to rename the folder C:\Windows\System\Catroot to
C:\Windows\System\CatrootOLD and then reboot your PC. This should
hopefully fix the problem. I would then recommend that you reset system
restore and make the following quick test. Note however that Win Me's
system file protection will for the main part now be ineffective as it as
it will no longer have available the reference information it requires
from the Catalogue.

1) Create a shortcut on your desktop to a file.
2) Create a manual checkpoint
Could you create a checkpoint?
3) Delete the shortcut
4) Restore your PC to the checkpoint you created.
Was the shortcut restored? Did you see any error messages?
5) Reboot your PC
Was the checkpoint retained?

Better but longer.

A fix that works a bit better as it tries to retain the catalogue entries
is as follows however note that some system file protection functionality
is still lost:
a) Rename the folder C:\Windows\System\Catroot to
C:\Windows\System\CatRootOLD and then reboot your PC.
b) Open the folder
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRootOLD\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE} and
copy all of the files with a CAT extension (that is all files except the
four CATMAST and HASHMAST files) to the folder
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE which will
have been automatically recreated when you rebooted the PC at a) above.
c) Reboot your PC
d) Check that the files CATMAST.cbd and CATMAST.cbk have been recreated.
e) Reset system restore as follows:
System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and check "Disable
System Restore", Apply and IMMEDIATELY reboot. This will flush you
restore folder and erase all checkpoints.
Then System | Performance | File System | Troubleshooting and uncheck
"Disable System Restore", Apply and again IMMEDIATELY reboot. This should
now automatically create a new checkpoint immediately following the
restart.
Finally adjust the space allocated to the restore folder, System |
Performance | File System | Hard Disk and adjust the restore slider to
your preferred setting. A figure of 300MB is normally more than adequate
for day to day use allowing perhaps a week of checkpoints to be available
although increasing this to perhaps 400-500MB for a few days during
periods of large installs such Microsoft Office is advisable.

If all appears to now be OK delete the folder
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRootOLD.

Finally I would suggest that you carry out the system restore test I
outlined at the end of the quick and dirty fix.

Please post back with details of how you get on and telling us which
method you used,

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

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spanky - 16 Jun 2007 21:32 GMT

I still have the "STMGR" file in my recycle bin. But it doesn't show up in
the window for me to restore it. How can I get it back? (I was instructed
by a DEll tech to delete it)

Will the renaming the Catroot & rebooting have a chance of crashing my
computer?

> > When booting I get a message saying "Stmgr has found a problem in
> > WINTRUST.DLL, ...reboot" I reboot but it doesn't fix it and now my
[quoted text clipped - 68 lines]
> Please post back with details of how you get on and telling us which
> method you used,

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 16 Jun 2007 22:33 GMT

> I still have the "STMGR" file in my recycle bin. But it doesn't show
> up in the window for me to restore it. How can I get it back?

In the same way you restore any other file from the recycle bin one of
which is to drag it back to where it came from and another to select the
file, right click and then click Restore.

> (I was instructed by a DEll tech to delete it)

Which goes to show two things, 1) How little the Dell tech knows and b)
Never ask for help in two places unless you are prepared to wait for
replies to both before proceeding. My reply was only made just over one
hour after your initial post and unlike the Dell tech much of that time
was spent in checking the solution I posted. In this case I could suggest
you get back to Dell and ask them how to proceed but then you'd be simply
wasting your time.

> Will the renaming the Catroot & rebooting have a chance of crashing
> my computer?

What do you think? Do you honestly think I would post at such length just
for the fun of it? If I wanted to do that there are much easier ways of
telling you how to trash your PC.

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

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spanky - 16 Jun 2007 22:48 GMT

Mike,

You are so right, soory.

I can't see the file to drag it. It doesn't show up in the Recycle window.
I know its there beacuse the "Empty Recycle Bin" is highlighted, i just can't
see it. Is there anyway I can get it.

Thanks for you patience.

> > I still have the "STMGR" file in my recycle bin. But it doesn't show
> > up in the window for me to restore it. How can I get it back?
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> for the fun of it? If I wanted to do that there are much easier ways of
> telling you how to trash your PC.

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Mike M - 16 Jun 2007 23:03 GMT

Let's try another approach.

Using Windows Explorer look for the file BASE2.CAB. Normally it is
located in either C:\Windows\Options\Cabs or C:\Windows\Options\Install.
Which it is depends on the media used to first install Win Me although
some OEMs have been known to place BASE2.CAB and the other Win Me setup
files in another location, sometimes even in a different partition. Once
located, open the folder containing BASE2.CAB in Windows Explorer. Now
locate and highlight the file WIN_17.CAB, double click to open the CAB
file, now select the file stmgr.exe and drag it to your desktop. Now open
the folder C:\Windows\System\Restore and drag stmgr.exe into that folder.

This will hopefully get you back to the position you were in before
contacting Dell.

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Mike,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Thanks for you patience.

Reply to this Message

spanky - 16 Jun 2007 23:24 GMT

Mike ,

I recovered that file!! Now i 'll try the rest of your suggestion to get
Restore up & running.

Thanks!!

> Let's try another approach.
>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> >
> > Thanks for you patience.

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spanky - 17 Jun 2007 15:20 GMT

Mike,
After I rebooted with Catrootold (the Restore still didn't work): I get
these two files 127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE &
F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE. Your response said both would be the
same. Should I copy files from F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE to
127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE ?

Thanks

> Mike ,
>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> > >
> > > Thanks for you patience.

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 17 Jun 2007 15:45 GMT

> After I rebooted with Catrootold (the Restore still didn't work):

Of course system restore doesn't work, you haven't fixed the wintrust
problem yet. Try crawling then walking before you and sprint to the
finish.

> I get these two files 127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE &
> F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE.

Not files but FOLDERS. I am assuming that you do know the difference?

> Your response said both would be the same.

I did not. Read my initial message again. You will find I made no
reference whatsoever to
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRoot\{127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE}. For
some reason I don't fully understand this folder isn't always recreated

> Should I copy files from
> F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE to
> 127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE ?

No. You copy the files other than for HASHMAST and CATMAST to the new ER
WITH THE SAME NAME.
That is the contents less HASHMAST and CATMAST of
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRootOLD\{127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE} to
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRoot\{127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE}
and the contents less HASMAST and CATMAST of
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRootOLD\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE} to
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Mike,
> After I rebooted with Catrootold (the Restore still didn't work): I
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE to
> 127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE ?

Reply to this Message

spanky - 17 Jun 2007 16:11 GMT

Mike,

I can't see a "Catroot," only a "Catrootold"

> > After I rebooted with Catrootold (the Restore still didn't work):
>
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
> > F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE to
> > 127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE ?

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 17 Jun 2007 16:45 GMT

Please try and engage brain before posting. :-)

The parent folder is C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRoot and according to your
previous post you renamed it C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CatRootOLD as I has
suggested as the first step in the repair.

Please go back to my original post and read it through a few times.
Everything I wrote their was for a purpose and not simply to amuse myself
on a Saturday evening when I could have been enjoying myself. <vbg>

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Mike,
>
> I can't see a "Catroot," only a "Catrootold"

Reply to this Message

spanky - 17 Jun 2007 17:33 GMT

Mike.

Thanks again for your patience.

I guess it did not generate a new "Catroot" folder in Windows\System when I
changed the original to "Catrootold." Where do I go from here?

> Please try and engage brain before posting. :-)
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> >
> > I can't see a "Catroot," only a "Catrootold"

Reply to this Message

spanky - 17 Jun 2007 23:41 GMT

What do i do now if "CATROOT" isn't recreated?

> Please try and engage brain before posting. :-)
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> >
> > I can't see a "Catroot," only a "Catrootold"

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 18 Jun 2007 17:30 GMT

Please post details of EXACTLY what you have done so far including details
of each reboot. You did reboot as this is when the new empty
C:\Windows\System\CatRoot folder is created?

Please Note I am finding your postings quite difficult to understand and
they contain conflicting information. For example one moment you are
saying that C:\Windows\System\CatRoot was not recreated and then in
another post talking about copying F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE to
127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE which was something I had made
absolutely no mention of in my original post. Please either follow my
instructions or do your own thing but don't ask me to try and help if you
go off down side roads of your own choosing unless you also provide very
precise details of what you have done.

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> What do i do now if "CATROOT" isn't recreated?

Reply to this Message

spanky - 18 Jun 2007 19:22 GMT

Mike,

Sorry for the confusion.
Here is what I did.
1. Deleted folder Stmgr folder (on advice from Dell)
2. I checked the button "Show hidden files and folders" and also "Hide
extensions for known file types" and UNcheck the box "Hide protected
operating system files" (rebooted)
3. Changed "Windows\System\Catroot" to "\Windows\System\CatrootOLD" (rebooted)
4.Did not find a recreated "Windows\System\Catroot" folder
5. Recovered "Stmgr" (rebooted)
6. Started messaging you about what to do next since a new
"Windows\System\Catroot folde"r was not created.

Thanks for your help.

> Please post details of EXACTLY what you have done so far including details
> of each reboot. You did reboot as this is when the new empty
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> > What do i do now if "CATROOT" isn't recreated?

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 18 Jun 2007 20:24 GMT

> Sorry for the confusion.
> Here is what I did.
> 1. Deleted folder Stmgr folder

Please! Not a FOLDER but a FILE. I'm sorry but you really must learn to
distinguish between the two. This is the second or third time in this
thread where you have mixed the two.

> (on advice from Dell)

And look where following Dell's "advice" has got you. The Dell tech
hadn't a clue. The wintrust problem you are/were seeing is highly unusual
with perhaps 25 recorded instances in the newsgroups in the seven years
since Win Me was released. Even Microsoft never managed to get a handle
on the problem and it wasn't until around 2005 that I first narrowed the
problem down to involving the CatRoot folder.

> 2. I checked the button "Show hidden files and folders" and also "Hide
> extensions for known file types" and UNcheck the box "Hide protected
> operating system files" (rebooted)
> 3. Changed "Windows\System\Catroot" to "\Windows\System\CatrootOLD"
> (rebooted)
> 4.Did not find a recreated "Windows\System\Catroot" folder

Probably because you didn't have the file stmgr.exe installed and running
at the time. At least if you have no CatRoot folder you can no longer be
seeing the wintrust error message.

> 5. Recovered "Stmgr" (rebooted)

Why on earth didn't you do this before starting resolving the wintrust
problem?????

> 6. Started messaging you about what to do next since a new
> "Windows\System\Catroot folder" was not created.

And at this point I'm sorry to say I'm close approaching the point where I
am going to quit and suggest you either pay for professional help or
alternatively bite the bullet and clean reinstall Win Me (no reinstall
over itself as this WILL NOT and DOES NOT fix the problem.

However for now try resetting system restore (instructions on how to do so
posted earlier) and then run the quick check I also posted earlier and
post back details of what you see.

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

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Mike M - 18 Jun 2007 21:11 GMT

PS Just a quick note to say that I may not be around again until tomorrow
as I have to take this box off-line for a while.

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

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spanky - 18 Jun 2007 21:22 GMT

Mike,

I recovered Stmgr because i was trying to put the computer back into the
setup before Dell had me change it. I thought that was what i was supposed
to do so we could try your solutions. Nevertheless, I can't see a new CATROOT
folder that was created so I guess I'm screwed. And the Restore window
would not let me create a restore point.

Anyway,

Thanks for all your patience and help.

> > Sorry for the confusion.
> > Here is what I did.
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> posted earlier) and then run the quick check I also posted earlier and
> post back details of what you see.

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 18 Jun 2007 23:07 GMT

> Thanks for all your patience and help.

I'm not sure though for how much longer as I'm beginning to somewhat
despair of helping you.

First, of course I know you recovered stmgr.exe since it was I who told
you how to do that. What I hadn't appreciated was that you didn't do this
until after you had jumped into trying to resolve the wintrust error
problem and renamed the catroot folder.

> And the Restore window would not let me create a restore point.

How helpful. <g> Since I can't see your screen from here how about
posting details of the actual error message?

I'm guessing though that this and the missing catroot folder problem is
simply that you no longer have the state manager running when you boot
your system. Other than deleting stmgr.exe what exactly did you do? For
example did you remove or uncheck the *StateMgr entry in MSConfig |
Startup? Did you perhaps also delete the file statemgr.exe?

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Mike,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Thanks for all your patience and help.

Reply to this Message

spanky - 20 Jun 2007 13:36 GMT

Mike,

I got it working!! I changed all files & folders back as they were
originally when the problem started. Rebboted, and got the error msg. Then
went back and changed Catroot to Catrootold and rebooted again. Then it
created the new Catroot as you said it should. Then I checked "do not load
Restore" box..rebooted. Then I unchecked it and rebooted and it created a set
point and now works.

Thanks again!

> > Thanks for all your patience and help.
>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> >
> > Thanks for all your patience and help.

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 20 Jun 2007 15:27 GMT

Great and thanks for the feedback and well done for sticking at it.

I think the initial problems you had when following my "script" were due
to the state manager not being installed/running at the time.

Again, well done.

Signature

Mike Maltby
MS-MVP Windows
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Mike,
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Thanks again!

Reply to this Message

spanky - 17 Jun 2007 16:15 GMT

Mike,

I found a Catroot in windows C:\Windows\Catroot, but the only file in it is
"845.Cat."

> > After I rebooted with Catrootold (the Restore still didn't work):
>
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
> > F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE to
> > 127D0A1D-4EF2-11D1-8608-00C04FC295EE ?

Reply to this Message

spanky - 16 Jun 2007 20:41 GMT

I deleted the Stmgr file. Is it somewhere I can reload from?

> When booting I get a message saying "Stmgr has found a problem in
> WINTRUST.DLL, ...reboot" I reboot but it doesn't fix it and now my Restore
> is not working. Help?

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 16 Jun 2007 21:14 GMT

> I deleted the Stmgr file. Is it somewhere I can reload from?

It would now appear I wasted my time replying to your post.

NEVER delete files unless you know exactly what you are doing. At the
very least make a copy of them first or alternatively rename them.

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

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