"Null" Error 1

[ssVBAdev]

I have Windows 2000 installed (OEM) and have tried to install numerous programs (ie Microsoft Office 2000, AutoCAD, Adobe Acrobat Reader etc... etc...). The installations (for the most part) go smoothly; no errors. But, when I open any of the programs (Like excel, word, AutoCAD...) I get the error message:

"Cannot find the file '(Null)' (or one of it's components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available."

Now, my initial thought is that it has something to do with the Registry but I'm not sure.

I did have problems installing AutoCAD 2004 which uses the MSI (msiexec.exe). Windows could not 'find' it's own MSI program. The Install CD would not work and The 'run' line would not work. I had to circumvent it by installing AutoCAD from the command prompt.

Any Thoughts on why this 'null' error occurs??

 

[rosieBsDad]

Hiya, RosieBsDad again.

If you have other machines with the same symptoms, this smacks of the build being from an image which has the inherent problem...so a re-install [from dealer's source CD if provided] will only put the problem straight back on!

I'd be going back to the dealer now if I were you - as to just living with it, what a nightmare proposition.

Good luck, and keep posting.


RosieBsDad

 

[ssVBAdev]

Yea, that's what I figured about the dealers "backup" disks. I wasn't even considering touching them! I believe I should go back to the dealer but what options would I have if they want the boxes back to look them over?? And then, whenever I do get them back (who knows when) I'll probably have to reload all my software etc... etc... That's too much down time.
I guess I was hoping that there would be a fix to this that I'd try to find first. But, it appears I'm running out of options.
I sincerily appreciate all the time that you and mapleleaf have put in to this though! I guess at this point I'm also hoping that we find a solution so that we may all benefit as well (although I'm sure this must be a rare problem).

 

[rosieBsDad]

Put it down to [bad] experience!

Maybe you should do a clean ssVBAdev install on one machine to make sure it's not a stupid system problem, then take your machine and one other back to the dealer and ask "What's the difference?"

(Ans: Mine works, your's doesn't <VBG>)

Oh well, guess we'll have to put this one to bed. Talk again next time you come up with an obscure problem,

Rgds


RosieBsDad

 

[ssVBAdev]

Interesting! I do have other machines in this office which we just upgraded to Win2000 from Win98 (to kee the same O/S through out the office). They also have Office Suite 2000 installed and are somewhat similar, but with no problems.

I'm not quite putting this to bed yet though. I'd like to see if mapleleaf has anything else to try out. But, be sure, if I do go to the vendor, I'll be sure to find out what the problem is, how they fixed it, and I'll post the results.

 

[mapleleaf]

ssVBAdev,

Knowing that you have more machines with the same problem brings up a question.

How soon after they were delivered did this problem start or that you or your fellow workers noticed it. From the back posts, it would seem to be arounf the install of Office 2000.

Last evening, I could almost reproduce your problem on my laptop. By highjacking CR\exefile, and running regedit, I got the same message except that it refers to regedit not Null.

Ian

 

[ssVBAdev]

Yes! That is correct. When I run Regedit I get the exact error below:

&quot;Cannot find the file 'regedit' (or one of it's components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.&quot;

But, when I open my programs I get:

&quot;Cannot find the file '(null)' (or one of it's components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.&quot;

And, yes the problem did begin after the install of Office 2000 but that was only noticed then becasue when we got the computers they, essentially, had nothing but the O/S on them. Then we loaded all the software we use on to them at one time (with all proper re-boots of course), Office Suite, AutoCAD, Lotus Notes, Norton Antivirus etc... etc... Once everything was loaded, then we started to use the programs and - voila - &quot;null&quot; errors.

 

[mapleleaf]

Very interesting. Do me a favor and check this thread thread616-566882 had installed O2K SP1 and it shouldn't backlevel, but it did.

Are you in the TO area. ??

Ian

 

[ssVBAdev]

Well, I have the OLEAUT32.DLL file and it is the 2.40.4518.0 version but the date is 7/24/2002 rather than 7/22/2002. File size is as you said 613KB. The other .dll's are there also with the same date (7/22/2002).

I downloaded SP3 about a month ago and installed it (overtop of my existing SP3) and it did not fix anything.

I lived in TO for a time but now I'm working in Detroit (part of the &quot;Brain Drain&quot; I guess ). S#cks being in &quot;Hockey Town&quot; (obviously named by someone who has never been to &quot;TO&quot and havin' to put up with all the RW fans... but I digress...

 

[mapleleaf]

If you were in TO, I'd drop by. A picture is worth a thousand words !!.

The office angle was worth checking, but I'm still convinced it's in the registry.

Try renamimg regedit.exe to regedit.com. Then try it through the Run box.

If you don't get an error, we have narrowed it down further

Ian

 

[ssVBAdev]

Well, I renamed regedit.exe to regedit.com and tried to run it through the Start Menu (What is the proper term for that &quot;Run&quot; line anyway?). Regedit came up and so did the error. But heres a kicker, I went back to the C:\WINNT folder and the regedit.exe had been recreated when I ran the &quot;Run&quot; command. I tried erasing that new copy and ran anther program (one that I knew would not give me an error and that had nothing to do with regedit) and another new regedit.exe was created again. Odd. I too suspect that is has something to do with the registry. It seems as though each program, when loading a new document when the program launches, tries to search the registry for certain values. When it can't find what it's looking for (hence &quot;Null&quot it returns the error.

 

[ssVBAdev]

Oh yea... If I click regedit.exe directly... No Error.

 

[mapleleaf]

OK. First delete regedit.com.

So if I read this right, finding a program in Explorer and running it does NOT cause an error and typing the same name in the &quot;Run&quot; box does.

Try it with notepad.

Ian

 

[ssVBAdev]

Clicking in Explorer: No Error
Running from DOS Command Prompt: No Error
Running from Start Menu Run Line:
&quot;Cannot find the file 'notepad' (or one of it's components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.&quot;

... methinks you might be on to something ...

 

[mapleleaf]

Yes, I think so. Give me a half hour to play !!

Ian

 

[ssVBAdev]

I'll be gone by 4PM again... I don't stick around, especially on Friday. If I don't hear from you before then, have a good weekend and I'll look forawrd to whatever you have for me on Monday.

 

[mapleleaf]

Well, I'm back. I too, want to sit in the sun since it's about 22c right now.

In a nutshell, running things from the CL, bypasses most of the CR code, while dipping into CU and LM\Software\MS.

Using RUN (i.e. the GUI) verifies all manner-of-things in CR
then follows the CU and LM\Software\MS path

That says that your problem is 75% within CR, just where is the question.

Assuming you have WinZip. Let's dump CR CU and LM\Software\Microsoft to some files. Make them 9X files and zip them and fire them off to ian_fildes@sympatico.ca.

CR should be about 600k zipped and the others much less.

Ian

 

[mapleleaf]

Doesn't this sound like your problem ??

thread616-569663

We may have a &quot;new&quot; Virus problem or a MS Hotfix error

Ian

 

[ssVBAdev]

Sure does sound like it! We'll have to bring nate in and bring him up to speed on what we have talked about and what he is experiencing.

I'll have to get back to you on Monday though. No offense to you - especially since you have been such a help - but I'm wondering if we can do this without me having to send my registry files over the internet. Call me crazy but I'm hesitant about sending all that info. Is there something I can do on my end? Something to look for? I'm gone for now... have some fun in the sun up there in TO and I'll get back with you Monday.

 

[mapleleaf]

I sent him the thread link. I can see your point about security.

CR doesn't contain anything that would identify you and I'm convinced your problem lies there.

CU and LM\Software\MS do have interesting keys, so we can do without them.

As I said before, a picture is worth a thousand words and I'm sure that after an hour in front of your machine, we would have a fix.

Ian

 

[mapleleaf]

ssVBAdev,

Just had a better idea and thats before any beer !!

Hope you had a good weekend !!

Fire up your browser and go to

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/regmon.shtml

Download the W2K version and expand into a directory.

Fire it up and click the second icon (Capture) to turn it off. Then the fourth (Clear).

Open explorer, size it and find notepad. Click on Capture and then run notepad and then on capture again.

Goto File, SaveAs and save the file as Explorer.log

Clear the regmon screen and repeat using the CL and save as Cmd.log

What we have now is two logs of all of the registry keys that were opened along with some idea of what was found.

One should contain an error, one will be clean.

Ian