CAUSE
This error can occur for any of the following reasons:
File_name.dll is missing from the %SystemRoot%\system32 directory.
Your computer is loading the Sermouse.sys file.
If File_Name.dll exists, the software hive may be corrupted and, therefore, cannot load.
RESOLUTION
The method for checking whether File_name.dll exists varies, depending on the file system in use.
For NTFS file systems, install a parallel copy of Windows NT into an unused directory, and then verify that File_name.dll exists in the %SystemRoot%\System32 directory.
If the file exists, it is possible that the registry software hive has been corrupted. Check the integrity of the software hive by using the following procedure:
For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" online Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.
NOTE: In every case tested in which the software hive could not be loaded, the File_name was Winsrv.dll.
From a parallel installation of Windows NT, click Start, and then click Run.
In the dialog box, type Regedt32.
On the toolbar for Registry Editor, click Window, and then click the window with the following name:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ON LOCAL MACHI
Select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key in the left pane of the window.
On the menu bar, click Registry, and then click Load Hive.
Browse to %SystemRoot%\System32\config, where %SystemRoot% is the correct installation of Windows NT that you want to check.
Click the file named Software. In Windows NT 4.0, this will be the file named Software that does not have an extension, and has a generic Windows icon next to it, not the file with the Notepad icon.
The hive is corrupted if you receive the following error message:
