setups - "Error: MSVCRT.DLL not compatible with WIN32s"

[smithcferg]

Hi. I have a peculiar problem that started recently on my computer.

I am running win2kpro with sp4.

Problem: When I try to install a new program I get this error - "Error: MSVCRT.DLL not compatible with WIN32s". Some times it is followed with another dialog "This program will not run on win32s" - it seems this box comes up if the setup is designed to run on win2kpro/winxp. However, one older win95/98 program (Infocentral 7 from Corel) DID install successfully after receiving the first error during install, and it runs fine. Same failure in safe mode, I believe.

In addition, certain progs don't work right - word perfect fails (It is possible that this is a problem caused by infocentral install) and photoshop won't open.

What was happening before the problem started: Recently I tried installing a win9x prog named DV200 on my system, using appcompt.exe (because the regular install failed). Since I have been installing lots of progs on my computer lately, I am not positive if my problems started just after this, but its a good possibility.


Attempted fixes:
I have searched the internet for msvcrt.dll/win32s & win2k and found scant information. I have tried changing the msvcrt.dll file for other versions - known working versions for win2k. I reinstalled sp4 - which updated the file to its latest version. Finally I did a repair install (repair system files) from the win2kpro cd and then reinstalled sp4.

I still get the same error when attempting installs.


Anyone have any ideas on what might be causing these compatibility errors? Or good troubleshooting technique at this point? What are the files that interact with msvcrt.dll and form a win32s compatibility layer on win2kpro - that may have gotten overwritten with an old win9x file? Maybe the problem is caused because I used appcompt.exe?

I don't have a recent backup. (And I call myself a technical user! ) Complete reinstall is of course option of last resort, because of the time factor.

Thanks for your help.

Sincerely,
smithcferg

 

[bcastner]

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...699db0&seekm=OjzmgY25$GA.78@cppssbbsa04#link1

 

[smithcferg]

Just answered my own question. I went back to the apcompat.exe tool changed the setting from windows 2000 to winnt4 SV Pak 5 for one of the win2k setup programs that had failed earlier. Now it worked! I switched it back to windows2000 and clicked "make settings permanent".

Here is my take on what happened, in case it helps anyone else. While originally installing the w9x program with apcompat.exe I clicked win95 and "make settings permanent". Since the name of the program was setup.exe all of my other setup programs were told that they were loading into a win95 environment, causing them to fail (even without using the apcompat tool) - except the one which was actually an older win9x program, infocentral 7. And I got this error in all cases: "Error: MSVCRT.DLL not compatible with WIN32s". I did try going back into the apcompat.exe tool, which defaults to "windows 2000" compatibility, and I clicked "make settings permanent" but it didn't work. It was when I actually changed it again to winnt4 svk 5, successfully ran a setup program and then went back to win2kpro, clicked "make settings permanent" that everything started to work normally.

I hope that this helps someone else : )

Sincerely,
smithcferg

 

[dementg]

Interesting that the "make settings permanent" didn't work until you changed it away from the default first. That's a good issue to be aware of - thanks for mentioning it.