Gets error message : "The program or feature "\??\C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe" cannot start or run due to incompatibility with 64-bit versions of windows."

Question

Original Title : Basic Windows functions saying 16 bit unsupported for my 64 bit system.

Recently my computer has been telling me the program I am trying to run is 16 bit and is unsupported by my 64 bit operating system.  problem is, these are basic windows functions such as playback device, display settings, add remove programs,... any ideas?  I've scanned for malware until im blue in the face, all looks clean. Actual error is:

"The program or feature "??\C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe" cannot start or run due to incompatibility with 64-bit versions of windows.  Please contact the software vendor to ask if a 64-bit Windows compatible version is available."

Any ideas?

Answer 1

That's just it.  I'm not running a program (in that sense).  For example: I'm right clicking my desktop and choosing display setting,.. I get that error message.  For example:  I left click on my sound icon in the taskbar and choose "playback device",.. I get that error message.  All sorts of basic "windows" core programs and doing this to me.  Make sense?

Answer 2

What program are you trying to run?