wine users - Jan 2012 - Can't get Wine to work passed the most basic

I have managed to get most games to load, but everyone locks up when I try to
play it.  It is always the same error:

Missing Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls (0.0.0)

Every libraries I can find connected to DirectX, Steam, .Net.  All of my
research indicates this is a error that is compiled into the code per Microsofts
instructions.

I am running an AMD Phenom 9950 Quad core, with an Nvidia GeoForce 8400.  The
driver is version 173 with post release updates applied.

I have used PlayOnLinux to use every version of Wine available, but the one I
have loaded before PlayOnLinux is 1.3.36.

Would compiling WINE correct this problem?  

I am at my wits end.  I have tried everything else I can think of, with no
results.

samaricsm wrote:
> 
> I have used PlayOnLinux to use every version of Wine available, but the one
I have loaded before PlayOnLinux is 1.3.36.
> 
> Would compiling WINE correct this problem? 
PlayOnLinux is not supported here; this forum is for plain Wine only. 

You didn't say what distro you're using, but if your distro provides
binary Wine packages I'd recommend trying them before compiling Wine
yourself.