Just a guess: Perhaps because PSE or some other app on your system is programmed to load a copy of rundll32 that is stored in a specific location. Apps sometimes do this to ensure that the version of a commonly used system file is the one they were engineered to work with.
Andy,
You could see many more than just two copies of rundll32.
Rundll32 is a Microsoft system level command that is present in Windows. It is used to execute a program that is stored in a dynamic link library (or as it’s better known, a DLL). Windows uses this to start various program processes and you will see a rundll32 entry for each such process that is executing.
Some of these may execute as part of your startup programs and some may come and go as you execute other programs. It’s normal and generally safe. However, malicious programs could potentially make use of this as well. If you keep your virus checker updated and run it frequently and check for spyware routinely, you generally shouldn’t have to worry about it.
Bob
Photoshop loves memory.
If your system is running slow and requires reboots often. Lack of memory is the first thing I’d check into.
Nowadays I’d recommend a minimum of 512MB for photoshop. I personally have 1GB of memory.
Being a win98 machine if you still have 128MB of memory (as was typical ‘back then’), there’s your problem.
JP
Thanks for your help everyone … I did upgrade to 256 MB, and yes i have noticed it is a large program.
I somewhat understand what you are saying Robert. The thing is I dont see Rundll before i run Elements, and i see it twice once i have started the program. Then i exit the program and both keep on running afterwards. So I have to reset the pc to get my memory available and the pc goes back to working it’s usual speed.
How very odd!
I am running WindowsXP not 98 but I looked at the running processes both before and after starting Elements and the only new thing that appeared was the Elements program itself — no rundll processes at all. I’m using Elements 2.0, is that what you’re using?
Rundll is a command line program with the program to be run as the command line parameter. It’s been a long time since I ran Win98 so I don’t remember whether the Win98 task manager will show the command parameter. Try this: Start the task manager, switch to processes, maximise the window, move the cursor up to the column headers to the line between "Image Name" and "user Name" (the curser shape should change to a bar with left and right arrows) and drag the column right to expand it. Any names show up on the rundll lines? If it does, that’s what’s executing.
If someone else is running Elements on a Win98 system, maybe they could take a look at the task manager and see if they see the rundll entries show up after starting Elements.
On WinXP, it appears Elements doesn’t use rundll.exe for anything. It doesn’t make sense to me why it would on Win98. Especially since Elements would be able to directly invoke the processes it needed without the added overhead of rundll. I suspect something else is going on somehow but I don’t know what.
Bob
A couple of observations from my PE2 / Win98SE perspective…
When I run PE2, I get NO instances of rundll32 showing up.
The Task Manager must be significantly different between 98 and XP, as there is nothing about Processes in it. All it seems to be is a "fancy" task-switching tool. When pressing CTL-ALT-DEL, the Close Program dialog comes up, which is where running applications are listed on 98. IIRC, the same key-combo in XP brings up that version’s Task Manager.
Thanks Byron,
It’s been a VERY long time since I last used Win98 and I couldn’t remember just what the Win98 task manager could (or in this case, couldn’t) do.
You have confirmed that Andy shouldn’t be seeing RUNDLL from executing Elements PE 2. Now the question is "Is he running PE 1and does it operate differently?"
Andy, when is the last time you did a virus check and are your virus signature files up to date?
Bob
Andy, when is the last time you did a virus check and are your virus signature files up to date?
Or spyware?
AFAIK, in Win9x rundll is only a "trigger", does not stay resident as running process, or at least shouldn’t, unless something is calling for it constantly.
MSCONFIG is pretty much the same between 9x and XP.
For example, in it, I have two calls that use rundll32.exe on startup: LoadPowerProfile and Tweak UI.
Neither of which is seen as a "running program" in Close Program dialogue.
Mac
Mac,
I just checked the Microsoft site regarding rundll and it remains active until the dll function it invokes terminates.
Here’s what Microsoft says:
How Rundll Works
Rundll performs the following steps:
1.. It parses the command line.
2.. It loads the specified DLL via LoadLibrary().
3.. It obtains the address of the <entrypoint> function via GetProcAddress().
4.. It calls the <entrypoint> function, passing the command line tail which is the <optional arguments>.
5.. When the <entrypoint> function returns, Rundll.exe unloads the DLL and exits.
Thanks Robert…
My two entries in MSCONFIG…
As I understand it, LoadPowerProfile just stays in memory and TweakUI executes once (to check for any startup options you might have set) and goes away.
So I’m still not sure if rundll is actually ever supposed to stay active. As exe files call a .dll to do something specific, then it’s done, and waits until another .dll is called for?
M
I seem to recall reading that 512 Mb is the maximum amount recomended for Win98.
In spite of the commercial interests telling us the latest operating system is the best thing since sliced bread, the comments I hear is that many users stick with Win98 because most of the snags have now been ironed out and on the whole it is more reliable than subsequent offerings. Just my opinion based on no substantial evidence whatsoever.
Roger
All 9x was designed to handle 1GB.
And yes, a vcache statement in system.ini is necessary to keep the OS from wasting
anything above 512.
Even though I only have 512MB on Win98SE, I use:
[vcache]
MaxFileCache=131072
I find that programs may reopen a little slower during same boot session, but they also RUN faster, especially Photoshop and Elements.
Mac
Thanks to Byron for the link confirming the issue.
And thanks to Mac for the very helpful tip on adding a vcache statement to prevent problems.
Roger
