.dll - files appeared on C: drive

Computer Help and Discussions Software
1

Hi!

I have, again, problems with my computer. After installation of America's Army, few .dll files appeared on C:\ root directory. There is the list:

atl71.dll (ATL Module for Windows (Unicode))

mfc71.dll (MFCDLL Shared Library - Retail Version)

mfc71u.dll (MFCDLL Shared Library - Retail Version)

msvcp71.dll (Microsoft ? C++ Runtime Library)

msvcr71.dll (Microsoft ? C Runtime Library)

Atleast they give some direction what files are supposed to be used for. The problem is that these files are surely in completely wrong place. And why these files chanced directory/appeared mystically after installation of America's Army game in the first place? And last, where these files belong?

Any of your help is much appreciated. (again :D )

Edit: Uninstallation wiped these files of. Though I'm really interested how these files got to the root directory anyways...

2

When one puts a DLL in the root of the drive instead of in its appropriate location (such as System32, or what have you) it will be loaded instead of a file located at the "appropriate" location (this is a "feature"). Basically, this means that these exact versions of these DLLs will be loaded instead of the ones you have elsewhere on your system.

Let's say America's Army required a weird 'X' version of a DLL, and everything else on your system uses the typical 'Y' version of the same DLL. If AA puts X version in C:\, then *all* programs are affected. This is not that great of an idea. AA should instead put them in its own folder (and NOT replace the ones in System32, or whatever) so that the only program affected is AA.

3

Thanks for the info, now I know that installer wasn't broken :)

4

Sorry for double post, but I asked for advice at AA's own forum. These files should't really be here... Could it be like that Spybot's Immunize function locks down the files, and when installer notices this, it installs it's own files at root directory? Or something :D

But at this point, I see that something in my system is messed up, though I haven't noticed any other problems like this.

Edit: Seems like the "snowball" effect caught my computer - for some reason the errors just keep getting bigger from time to time. Going to format and reinstall later, thanks for that .dll info though :)