"A DLL Initialization Routine Failed" Setting Up MS Plus!

 Last reviewed: March 20, 1998
Article ID: Q135966
95 WINDOWS kbsetup kberrmsg

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you are running Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 Setup, you may receive the following error message after you choose the installation folder: 

   Custom Action Error
   A Dynamic Link Library (DLL) initialization routine failed.

CAUSE

Setup could not load either the Dskapi16.dll or Dskapi32.dll file. This can occur if the files are mismatched, or if one of them is zero bytes in size.

RESOLUTION

Method 1

Delete or rename both of these files in the Windows\System folder and then run Microsoft Plus! Setup again. If you cannot rename or delete the files, restart Windows 95 and then try again.

Method 2

Delete or rename both of these files in the Windows\System folder and then extract a new copy of the Dskapi16.dll and Dskapi32.dll files. To do so, type the following command at a command prompt 

  extract /a <sdrive>:\plus_1.cab dskapi*.dll /l <hdrive>:\<windir>\system
where <sdrive> is the drive containing the Microsoft Plus! CD-ROM or floppy disk, <hdrive> is the drive containing Windows 95, and <windir> is the Windows folder.

For additional information about using the Extract tool, type "extract" (without quotation marks) at a command prompt, or see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

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

KBCategory: kbsetup kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: plusfest win95 winplus
Additional reference words: 95
Keywords : plusfest win95 winplus kberrmsg kbsetup
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: March 20, 1998
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