Kernel32.dll error message

[Staci Simon]

I am getting the following error message that will not go
away.

"Wtoolsa has caused an error in KERNEL32.DLL Wtoolsa will
now close.

If you continue to experience problems, try restarting
your computer."

Rebooting has not solved it. Got any ideas????

[Joan Archer]

Courtesy of MikeM.
Joan

There have been multiple posts where users are experiencing this problem
in
the last couple of days and wtoolsa.exe appears to be new malware of some
sort
and could be a new form of the HuntBar parasite
(http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/HuntBar.html). It certainly doesn't form
a
part of the Win Me operating system.

Boot to Safe Mode, open MSConfig (Start, Run, enter MSConfig in the box
and
click OK), open the Startup tab and uncheck the entry being used to launch
wstoolsa.exe, possibly labelled something like WinTools.

Empty your Temporary Internet Files - Control Panels | Internet Options |
General | Delete Files and ensure that you check the box "Delete all
offline
content", then click OK and Apply.

Now check Add/Remove Programs an uninstall any entry for WinTools.

You should also delete the entire Wintools folder which is probably
located as a sub-folder in C:\Program Files\Common Files or alternatively
in
C:\Windows\System.

Now reboot back into Normal Mode and check your system for commercial
parasites.

This might be a good time to download yourself a copy
of the free Ad-Aware 6.0 from Lavasoft
(http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) and also SpyBot
(http://www.safer-networking.org/) and scan your system for and remove all
unwanted parasites, adware and spyware that might be hiding on your PC.

I would suggest you download and run merijn's CWShredder which targets
the
CoolWebSearch parasite. CWShredder can be downloaded from
(http://www.zerosrealm.com/downloads/CWShredder.zip or
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip). Details of the
many
forms of the CoolWebSearch hijacker can be found at
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html and also
http://www.pestpatrol.com/pestinfo/c/cws.asp.

If all else fails, and others have managed to fix the problem using the
above
suggestions, download a copy of
HijackThis from (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html).
Create a
folder called hijackthis on C: and copy the file you downloaded to that
folder. Close as many applications as you can including all instances of
Internet Explorer and then run hijackthis.exe and post back the log,
provided
that it isn't too long, to this thread, otherwise to the HijackThis Forum
at
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/ and hopefully this will enable someone
to
identify the cause of your problem.
--?
Mike Maltby MS-MVP




Staci Simon wrote:
> I am getting the following error message that will not go
> away.
>
> "Wtoolsa has caused an error in KERNEL32.DLL Wtoolsa will
> now close.
>
> If you continue to experience problems, try restarting
> your computer."
>
> Rebooting has not solved it. Got any ideas????