PhotoViewer.dll The specified module could not be found

Question

This afternoon I modified the Windows 8.1 default installation path in regedit, and then when i tried to open any type of image, it gave this error message:

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RunDLL
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There was a problem starting D:\Program Files\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll

The specified module could not be found.
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OK   
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Answer 1

This is because you changed the default value of windows program files installation directory in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion" with regedit tool.

 

If you did so, you will encounter more strange problems, like:

 

• Your IE is missing or not work
• You can choose any installation directory when install a software, but finally you will find that they always go to the same dir - C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files (x86)
• It prompts that AX control can't show errors when browsing BBS, etc
• ....

Just change back any values you have modified, and check others, make sure they are default, as follow (%ProgramFiles% ==C:\Program Files):

• CommonFilesDir - C:\Program Files\Common Files
• CommonFilesDir (x86) - C:\Program Files\Common Files
• CommonW6432Dir - C:\Program Files\Common Files
• ProgramFilesDir - C:\Program Files
• ProgramFilesDir (x86) - C:\Program Files
• ProgramFilesPath - C:\ProgramFiles
• ProgramW6432Dir - C:\Program Files

Why we can not change this regedti value to DIY, please see the Microsoft's explanation:

Microsoft does not support changing the location of the Program Files folder by modifying the ProgramFilesDir registry value