How I blew my users up (By Gov Arnie)

**David RH** · Dec 7th, 2003, 06:08 PM

Hello

Tale of woe to follow:

I used ********** to create a INNOSetup script based on my setup.lst file created by the PDW. I compiled this script into a setup program for my app using INNOSetup.

I distributed the app to my users for testing and now all of the Win98 users can't boot their machines.

The culprit turned out to be the file msvcrt.dll that came from the system dir on my workstation (WinXP) that overwrote the same file older version on the target Win98 machine.

So I go to the INNOSetup sight and low and behold what do I find but a new version that won't let you do the very thing that I just did.

Long story short I need to do more research in to the INNOSetup and I need to do more thorough testing before I deploy new versions.

Well Anywho I'm off to find the fabled redistributable copies of my files and the fountain of youth.

Thanks

David

**Narfy** · Dec 7th, 2003, 10:57 PM

ummm yay

**David RH** · Dec 8th, 2003, 12:00 AM

Originally posted by Narfy
ummm yay

????

ummmm Duh

Well I've been all over the net looking for "redistributable" versions of the dll's that my program seems to need to install (at least they were listed in the setup.lst). And so far nothing.

Does anyone have some clues that might point me in the right direction?

Or am I going about it all wrong?

I've done more that 3 hours of searching on the msdn sight and I have found Lots of articles about DLLs and how dangerous they are but not much else.

Thanks

David

**David RH** · Dec 8th, 2003, 02:03 PM

Well

I think I'm going back to PDW while I find another installer to use.

INNOSetup has proved to be way to dangerous and time consuming for me.

PDW may not install on some users machines but it sure won't render their machines unbootable like INNOSetup did.

I stopped the distribution faily quickly and ONLY had 28 machines to repair But... Now there is this funny air of distrust out there among my users. Some don't even want to give me another crack at their machines with my program. I can't afford any more free components like this.

I've tried installshield and found it also to be a full time job to learn and operate. I've heard some bad things about VSI.

Does anyone have an installer that is as relatively simple and easy to use like PDW but reliable and stable? I'm looking for something that I don't have to spend a week learning to get it running and researching compatabilities and all the ways it can melt down my users.

Regards

David

**hellswraith** · Dec 8th, 2003, 10:59 PM

Here is a big tip, move from VB6 to VB.Net as soon as possible! Get rid of those dll problems.

**nkad** · Dec 9th, 2003, 06:26 PM

LOL

**CornedBee** · Dec 20th, 2003, 10:07 AM

msvcrt.dll is the Microsoft C Runtime Library redistributable. Strange that it should be different for XP and 98...

**David RH** · Dec 21st, 2003, 05:02 AM

Yeah they're pointed at different executables. So the XP version is looking for the Winnt exe and when it can't find it, Kaboom!

**W01fgang** · Dec 24th, 2003, 06:30 AM

Yeah, that's the problem another prorammer had a while ago in our office.

After that we just used Wise, then later InstallShield DevStudio 9. The latter is a great piece of software which include a list of Windows essential libraries that your program should not include, plus tons of merge modules to choose from. It also has windows installer based packaging tool next to existing script based.

The best FREE package & deployment software is Visual Studio Installer. It has always worked fairly reliable, for me that is.

**Protocol** · Dec 26th, 2003, 11:54 AM

I don't know about y'all but I'm sticking with my PDW....

Fast and easy to use...

**CornedBee** · Dec 26th, 2003, 02:36 PM

I think PDW only works for VB though.

**Protocol** · Dec 26th, 2003, 02:42 PM

My point exactly......

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