PRB: Some System DLLs Are Only Seen in the System Directory

ID: Q193067

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

Windows 98 only looks in the \Window\System directory for some system DLLs. For example, if MSVCRT.dll or MFC40.dll are installed in an application's directory, but not in the system directory as expected, the application will not see the DLLs even though they exist in the same directory.

CAUSE

Windows 98 defines a registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ 
     control\SessionManager\KnownDLLs

If a .dll name is placed under this registry setting, Windows 98 only looks in the system directory for that file. This enhances performance. If you remove the registry key, Windows 98 will find the DLL in the application directory.

RESOLUTION

Remove the registry key for the DLL if this is a problem.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : kbDLL 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: September 25, 1998