Err Msg: The Following System Files Have Been Replaced with...

ID: Q183479

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

After you install a program, you may receive the following error message:

   The following system files have been replaced with older versions by a
   program you recently ran. These files are currently in use and cannot
   be automatically repaired. Windows may not run correctly until you exit
   and restart Windows so that these files can be automatically repaired.

   C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDEML.DLL

Note that the file name listed in this error message may be different on your computer. After you restart your computer, you may receive the error message again. Also, you may be unable to resolve this issue even if you rename the listed file and then extract a new copy of the file from the original installation media.

CAUSE

This issue can occur if the program you install replaces a system file on your computer but does not properly update the system file information stored on your computer or in your registry.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, update the system file information on your computer. To do so, try the following methods in the following order:

Method 1

1. Rename the Ddeml.dll file (or whichever file is listed in the error

   message) in the Windows\System folder to a .old file extension. To do
   this, follow these steps:

   a. In Windows 95, restart your computer, press the F8 key when you see 
      the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode Command 
      Prompt Only from the Startup menu.

      In Windows 98, press and hold down the CTRL key after your computer 
      completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose Command 
      Prompt Only from the Startup menu. For more information about Windows
      98 startup, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge 
      Base:

         ARTICLE-ID: Q178548
         TITLE     : No "Starting Windows 98" Message at Startup

   b. Rename the Ddeml.dll file in the Windows\System folder to
      Ddeml.old by typing the following line and then pressing ENTER

         ren <drive>:\<windows>\system\Ddeml.dll Ddeml.old

      where <drive> is the drive letter on which the Windows folder is
      located, and <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is
      installed. For example:

         ren c:\windows\system\ Ddeml.dll Ddeml.old

      NOTE: This procedure assumes you do not have a file named Ddeml.old.
      If you do have a file by this name, use a file name extension that
      is not currently in use.

2. Copy the Ddeml.dll file from the Windows\Sysbckup folder to the

   Windows\System folder. To do so, type the following lines, pressing
   ENTER after each line:

      cd\ 
      copy c:\windows\sysbckup\ddeml.dll c:\windows\system\ddeml.dll

3. Restart your computer, and then test to determine if the issue has been

   resolved. If the issue has been resolved, do not continue with the
   remaining steps in this article. If the issue is not resolved, continue
   to the next section of this article.

Method 2

1. Rename the Ddeml.dll file (or whichever file is listed in the error

   message) in the Windows\System folder and the Windows\Sysbckup folder
   to a .xxx file extension. For information about how to rename a file,
   click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "renaming" (without
   quotation marks), and then double-click the "Renaming files" topic.

2. Extract a new copy of the Ddeml.dll file (or whichever file is listed

   in the error message) from your original Windows 95 or Windows 98 disks 
   or CD-ROM to the Windows\System folder. In Windows 95, the Ddeml.dll 
   file is in the following locations:

    - The Win95_03.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 CD-ROM.
    - The Win95_04.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 OEM Service Release
      2 (OSR2) CD-ROM.
    - The Win95_04.cab cabinet file on disk 4 of the original Windows 95
      DMF floppy disks.
    - The Win95_05.cab cabinet file on disk 5 of the original Windows 95
      non-DMF floppy disks.

   In Windows 98, use the System File Checker tool to extract the Ddeml.dll 
   file.

   For information about how to extract a file, please see the following
   article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      ARTICLE-ID: Q129605
      TITLE     : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

3. Copy the file you extracted into the Windows\Sysbckup folder, and then

   restart your computer.

MORE INFORMATION

The file information for the Ddeml.dll file varies based on the operating system you are using:

Windows 95 (Retail release): 32,240 bytes 07/11/95 09:50a
Windows 95 OSR2 : 32,240 bytes 08/24/96 11:11a
Windows 98 : 32,240 bytes 05/11/98 08:01p

Additional query words: 95

Keywords          : kbenv kberrmsg win95 win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: March 11, 1999