[RESOLVED] Installation Problem

[wes4dbt]

I've created an installation package for my VB6 app, using the Package and Deployment wizard. I've done this many times in the past and always had successful installations. My development computer OS is Vista. I'm trying to install the updated app on XP machines. These machines are currently running the old version of this app.

I'm getting an error during the install, see attachment.

I select OK so it will update the files, I then restart the computer.
I still get the same error when I try to install.

Is there a problem with creating an app in Vista and installing it on XP?

I would appricate and information, I'm stuck

[dilettante]

You are almost certainly trying to deploy libraries that are OS-dependent and part of the base OS. Knowing what you are including will help identify the culprits.

[wes4dbt]

dilettante,

Thanks for the reply, I going to try and move all my app files to my old XP machine and create the Installation Package there, hopefully that will solve the problem.

My XP laptop has just crashed and won't boot, so I'll have to solve this disaster first!

Why couldn't I have been a bus driver?

[RobDog888]

Thread moved

[dilettante]

Building the package on XP without changing anything else will probably result in a new package that breaks on non-XP systems. The breakage can even occur when different OS Service Pack or hotfix levels are involved.

The ultimate solution might be an updated VB6DEP.INI for the PDW, with a longer list in its [Do Not Redistribute] section. Sadly no single file would work because the issues are different on different OSs, especially downlevel to Win2K or Win9x. So in the meantime we have to rely on experience and numerous MS KB articles telling what is or isn't safe to reditribute where.

This is exactly why Visual Studio Installer (VSI, a packager like PDW) and Windows Installer (replaces Setup.exe and Setup1.exe) were introduced (in 1998). By the time NT 4.0 and Win98 were out, with Win2K on the horizon, there was already quite a stew of different OSs to deal with. VSI can create "smarter" OS-sensitive installers than PDW does and Microsoft's dependency merge modules contain a lot of such smarts so you don't have to specify the details.


In the meantime the PDW is still very useful, but you have to be cautious about what you package and deploy.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831491

[wes4dbt]

dilettante,

Thanks again for the very relavent and helpful information. I will give VSI a try, I just downloaded it.

I don't want to be a pest but could you take a look at this post, maybe you could point me in the right direction, no one else has responed.

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=554397

Thanks, Your help is greatly appriciated.