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Don't know if these are related problems, but:

I have a Dell Dimension 4550. I connect to the Internet via AOL using Verizon DSL on my Windows XP operating system.

I have been getting an aol.exe bad image message for quite some time. The message said there was a problem with an installation diskette, so I reinstalled. The problem came back with the new version, so reinstallation did not work. As before, if I keep pounding on the message, it eventually goes away and I can connect.

Last night, I could not get on at all, and got a message to contact Verizon. They tried everything -- kept trying to get on through explorer -- and they finally gave up and said there was something wrong with my computer.

After they hung up, I went back to AOL and got right back on. No problem. This morning I tried to get on again and zippo. I called up Verizon again and nothing. However, the tech from last night set up a Verizon Online icon on my desktop, and when I clicked that first, I was able to get on. The tech on the phone seemed to think it was because I reset -- but I doubt it because I had reset before I called them and it did not work. When I clicked the Verizon Online icon it says I'm connected and THEN I got on via AOL.

Coincidence? Is it related to my aol.exe bad image problem?

Any help would be most appreciated.

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Dani AI

Generated

As noted, the connectivity problem was separate. The remaining issue is an application loader error (the "Bad Image" reported for the AOL executable). That error means Windows tried to load a module that was damaged, incompatible, or missing. The most direct way to diagnose it is to capture the exact module name and follow a short, ordered troubleshooting workflow.

Recommended troubleshooting workflow:

  1. Check Event Viewer for the exact error string and the module path (Start > Run: eventvwr.msc, look under Application).

  2. Run System File Checker and disk check to correct core-file or disk errors:

    sfc /scannow
chkdsk C: /f

    (On XP, sfc may request the install CD. Run from an administrator account.)

  3. Boot with nonessential items disabled (clean boot) to rule out conflicts (Start > Run: msconfig, hide Microsoft services, disable the rest; disable startup items; reboot). Then test the AOL client.

  4. If the Event Viewer names a redistributable/runtime DLL (for example an MSVC runtime), repair or install the matching Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package. If a specific COM/ActiveX DLL is listed, re-register with:

    regsvr32 /u filename.dll
regsvr32 filename.dll

  5. For advanced dependency issues, use a dependency checker (Dependency Walker) on the executable to see missing or mismatched DLLs.

Additional notes and cautions: run up-to-date antivirus/malware scans before replacing files; avoid downloading individual DLLs from random sites — prefer official installers or vendor support. If repair fails, a clean reinstall of the AOL client while in a clean-boot state, or restoring to a known-good system restore point, is the safer next step. Capturing the exact Event Viewer error (module name and path) enables a targeted fix.

Member Avatar for FarOutside

UPDATE:

The connection to the Internt via Verizon is back to normal. Turns out the first Verizon technician screwed up.

So it is unrelated to the Bad Image error. If anyone knows what to do about that one, it will be appreciated.

Thank you.

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