I downloaded Sidekick in order to uninstall it, then install it again. I backed up all my data, then went with the uninstall. I installed it again, but couldn't install the patch. I kept getting error messages that stated it was missing files and to re-install. Once I opened up the software (without installing the patch) I was running into another problem trying to restore my data. I kept getting an error message about not having enough memory. Do these issues sound familiar? I never had a problem loading the software from the disk. Unfortunately the location of that disk is a mystery to me right now.
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Trouble Re-Installing Sidekick
- Thread starter pjo1966
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #2
Update:
Got Sidekick installed, as well as the patch. I'm still unable to restore my data. I had a backup file which isn't completely up do date, but at least it had 99% of what I needed. I would still like to be able to restore the backup I did before uninstalling Sidekick.
Got Sidekick installed, as well as the patch. I'm still unable to restore my data. I had a backup file which isn't completely up do date, but at least it had 99% of what I needed. I would still like to be able to restore the backup I did before uninstalling Sidekick.
- Thread starter
- #4
I'm having a similar problem; I have used SK98 under Win98SE and WinXP Pro. I backed up a number of times with Norton's Ghost, and also transferred files intact from my old machine to a new one, also under WinXP Pro--but I'm getting error messages about missing files or improper closure of Sidekick, so I haven't been able to open Sidekick on the new machine. Neither restoring from Ghost nor trying to re-install is working--I downloaded fresh copies of the CABs just in case, but setup.exe won't even run. I've tried running it and sidekick.exe in different configuration modes, without any success.
I'd welcome any ideas about what's changed and how to get access to my data again.
I'd welcome any ideas about what's changed and how to get access to my data again.
Dear pjo1966 and donkirk,
pjo1966:
Please state what the error messages says when you try to restore the backup.
donkirk:
Please state what the error messages says when you try to install.
See Also here at tek-tips
click on Faq links)
1.Freezing at Splash/welcome screen (all versions) faq807-5203
2.Cannot find cityinfo.dat faq807-2337
3.Error Message "The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS programs" faq807-5718
4.This installation had detected that a previous etc etc faq807-2246
Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort!
pjo1966:
Please state what the error messages says when you try to restore the backup.
donkirk:
Please state what the error messages says when you try to install.
See Also here at tek-tips
click on Faq links)1.Freezing at Splash/welcome screen (all versions) faq807-5203
2.Cannot find cityinfo.dat faq807-2337
3.Error Message "The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS programs" faq807-5718
4.This installation had detected that a previous etc etc faq807-2246
Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort!
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks for the response, Jim
I never actually get anything from within Sidekick98; the install/setup .exe stalls out with a distorted error message that I can neither capture nor read properly. It *may* be the "cityinfo" message, now that you mention it, but I can't be sure. I'll search my system for wininit.dll and rename it if I find it, and then I'll get back to you.
FWIW, this is a new system; my old system, slower but also running WinXP Pro SP2, handled Sidekick98 just fine.
I never actually get anything from within Sidekick98; the install/setup .exe stalls out with a distorted error message that I can neither capture nor read properly. It *may* be the "cityinfo" message, now that you mention it, but I can't be sure. I'll search my system for wininit.dll and rename it if I find it, and then I'll get back to you.
FWIW, this is a new system; my old system, slower but also running WinXP Pro SP2, handled Sidekick98 just fine.
Since I wrote the previous post, I've
- confirmed that I have no wininit.dll file
- removed all registry items for Starfish and Sidekick
- zipped up all Sidekick files I had carried over from my old system my system except for a fresh download of the Sidekick 98 distribution files, and moved them to a different drive
- deleted all previous Sidekick files except the above
- made sure I have admin privileges
- opened Cab 1 and tried to run setup.exe. The first time, I got the hourglass icon but it died in about a minute or so with no further response. On subsequent tries it never gave me the hourglass.
I'll keep probing around but I can't think of much else to try. I've been without SK for two or three weeks now and I really need to get it installed or find a substitute so I can get back my contact and appointment information.
Any further suggestions?
- confirmed that I have no wininit.dll file
- removed all registry items for Starfish and Sidekick
- zipped up all Sidekick files I had carried over from my old system my system except for a fresh download of the Sidekick 98 distribution files, and moved them to a different drive
- deleted all previous Sidekick files except the above
- made sure I have admin privileges
- opened Cab 1 and tried to run setup.exe. The first time, I got the hourglass icon but it died in about a minute or so with no further response. On subsequent tries it never gave me the hourglass.
I'll keep probing around but I can't think of much else to try. I've been without SK for two or three weeks now and I really need to get it installed or find a substitute so I can get back my contact and appointment information.
Any further suggestions?
Previously I wrote:
-----------------------
Since I wrote the previous post, I've
- confirmed that I have no wininit.dll file
- removed all registry items for Starfish and Sidekick
- zipped up all Sidekick files I had carried over from my old system my system except for a fresh download of the Sidekick 98 distribution files, and moved them to a different drive
- deleted all previous Sidekick files except the above
- made sure I have admin privileges
- opened Cab 1 and tried to run setup.exe. The first time, I got the hourglass icon but it died in about a minute or so with no further response. On subsequent tries it never gave me the hourglass.
I'll keep probing around but I can't think of much else to try. I've been without SK for two or three weeks now and I really need to get it installed or find a substitute so I can get back my contact and appointment information.
----------------------------------------------
Since then, I've found that trying to reinstall Hexedit, with an info file almost identical to SK98's, refuses to install with the same symptoms. Rather than beating my head on the wall trying to install SK98 I restored an earlier working SK98 instact from Ghost. (I have current data files hidden away in case I can ever get SK98 running properly).
Trying to start sidekick.exe brought up the error messages I had seen earlier. One is "x* \cityinfo.dat"; I can't reproduce the black circle following the x, and I can't tell how many spaces. I do have a drive X, but it's my CDRW drive, which doesn't make sense to me. Anyway, I renamed that to cityinfo.old, with no success.
The other error message is "Runtime error! abnormal program termination."
Maybe a reboot will make it come out all right in the morning, though I have my doubts. I'll also go through the registry looking for "cityinfo.*".
Since I can't reinstall Hexedit either I'm trying to figure out how I can get my data out of my backup files to load into some alternate PIM (I downloaded four, but dismissed two immediately and am fairly impressed with on, C-Organizer).
I'll report back as time allows.
With these
-----------------------
Since I wrote the previous post, I've
- confirmed that I have no wininit.dll file
- removed all registry items for Starfish and Sidekick
- zipped up all Sidekick files I had carried over from my old system my system except for a fresh download of the Sidekick 98 distribution files, and moved them to a different drive
- deleted all previous Sidekick files except the above
- made sure I have admin privileges
- opened Cab 1 and tried to run setup.exe. The first time, I got the hourglass icon but it died in about a minute or so with no further response. On subsequent tries it never gave me the hourglass.
I'll keep probing around but I can't think of much else to try. I've been without SK for two or three weeks now and I really need to get it installed or find a substitute so I can get back my contact and appointment information.
----------------------------------------------
Since then, I've found that trying to reinstall Hexedit, with an info file almost identical to SK98's, refuses to install with the same symptoms. Rather than beating my head on the wall trying to install SK98 I restored an earlier working SK98 instact from Ghost. (I have current data files hidden away in case I can ever get SK98 running properly).
Trying to start sidekick.exe brought up the error messages I had seen earlier. One is "x* \cityinfo.dat"; I can't reproduce the black circle following the x, and I can't tell how many spaces. I do have a drive X, but it's my CDRW drive, which doesn't make sense to me. Anyway, I renamed that to cityinfo.old, with no success.
The other error message is "Runtime error! abnormal program termination."
Maybe a reboot will make it come out all right in the morning, though I have my doubts. I'll also go through the registry looking for "cityinfo.*".
Since I can't reinstall Hexedit either I'm trying to figure out how I can get my data out of my backup files to load into some alternate PIM (I downloaded four, but dismissed two immediately and am fairly impressed with on, C-Organizer).
I'll report back as time allows.
With these
Redid the registry cleanup of Sidekick related files, tried another restore of the Ghosted Sidekick folder, and still no luck.
I restored HexEdit from Ghost, and it runs fine, but the setup.exe won't run--same symptoms as Sidekick setup.exe.
Opened previously saved Sidekick data files, but they look useless for most purposes. I may be able to restore my contacts, but the calendar lists appointments and events but no matching dates.
Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
Can anybody please suggest what I'm overlooking, or how I can retrieve the data from my saved files? I'm about to get really desperate here.
I restored HexEdit from Ghost, and it runs fine, but the setup.exe won't run--same symptoms as Sidekick setup.exe.
Opened previously saved Sidekick data files, but they look useless for most purposes. I may be able to restore my contacts, but the calendar lists appointments and events but no matching dates.
Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
Can anybody please suggest what I'm overlooking, or how I can retrieve the data from my saved files? I'm about to get really desperate here.
Dear donkirk,
Forget for the moment cleaning out the registry, don't do it again for the moment.
You wrote the following:
Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
Why exactly; what error message comes up?
Was it:
Cannot find cityinfo.dat?
If so check out FAQ807-2337
It tells you how to get rid of that problem.
or was it:
This installation had detected that a previous etc etc
Check out: FAQ807-2246?
I am not totally certain, but I am reasonably sure, that you MUST have a wininit.dll file...
You are going to have to give a little more information as we are working in the dark if you do not describe the symptoms accurately and completely.
Please do not be offended, I am trying to regularise the conversation so we can best answer the questions.
Likewise:
Opened previously saved Sidekick data files, but they look useless? for most purposes. I may be able to restore my contacts, but the calendar lists appointments and events but no matching dates.
Let us begin again from the beginning.
First I will state:
You do not need to install or run the Sidekick 97 98 98 programs on the 250Free website in compatibility mode.
I have WinXP Pro and it (Sidekick 97 98 99) works perfectly.
Check out the FAQs here at tek-tips or the link to the 2 pages on my site and see if there is anything there that describes your problem or offers a solution.
Get the SK98Patch from the website.
Follow the instructions Exactly
When you have it installed let us know.
Regards
Jim
Forget for the moment cleaning out the registry, don't do it again for the moment.
You wrote the following:
Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
Why exactly; what error message comes up?
Was it:
Cannot find cityinfo.dat?
If so check out FAQ807-2337
It tells you how to get rid of that problem.
or was it:
This installation had detected that a previous etc etc
Check out: FAQ807-2246?
I am not totally certain, but I am reasonably sure, that you MUST have a wininit.dll file...
You are going to have to give a little more information as we are working in the dark if you do not describe the symptoms accurately and completely.
Please do not be offended, I am trying to regularise the conversation so we can best answer the questions.
Likewise:
Opened previously saved Sidekick data files, but they look useless? for most purposes. I may be able to restore my contacts, but the calendar lists appointments and events but no matching dates.
Let us begin again from the beginning.
First I will state:
You do not need to install or run the Sidekick 97 98 98 programs on the 250Free website in compatibility mode.
I have WinXP Pro and it (Sidekick 97 98 99) works perfectly.
Check out the FAQs here at tek-tips or the link to the 2 pages on my site and see if there is anything there that describes your problem or offers a solution.
Get the SK98Patch from the website.
Follow the instructions Exactly
When you have it installed let us know.
Regards
Jim
What a wealth James33 is, thanks for all that you do here!
P.S. for Donkirk, once the program "is" running, simply copying over your datafiles (contacts databases, calendar file etc) into your "now working" program's Userdata directory should make your old data visible.
You will have to OPEN those files etc, but once the program is up and running it is a piece of cake to restore your info simply by bringing over your "last good" version of those data components, the contacts files etc.
I backup those datafiles by "manually" making copies of them, personally I don't use a programs built in backup program, I'd rather manually have confidence I have those files backed up to another directory, another hard drive etc.
If you've got a mirrored / ghosted hard drive, I'd fish out the data files and copy them to the current working Sidekick userdata directory (once you get the basic program running well) and then opening the data files to make them the active / visible data files, you should be good to go.
Good Luck, and thanks again James33 for being the caretaker of all that is Sidekick!
Frank H.
P.S. for Donkirk, once the program "is" running, simply copying over your datafiles (contacts databases, calendar file etc) into your "now working" program's Userdata directory should make your old data visible.
You will have to OPEN those files etc, but once the program is up and running it is a piece of cake to restore your info simply by bringing over your "last good" version of those data components, the contacts files etc.
I backup those datafiles by "manually" making copies of them, personally I don't use a programs built in backup program, I'd rather manually have confidence I have those files backed up to another directory, another hard drive etc.
If you've got a mirrored / ghosted hard drive, I'd fish out the data files and copy them to the current working Sidekick userdata directory (once you get the basic program running well) and then opening the data files to make them the active / visible data files, you should be good to go.
Good Luck, and thanks again James33 for being the caretaker of all that is Sidekick!
Frank H.
Thanks again to Jim, who wrote in part:
-----------------------------------
You wrote the following:
Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
Why exactly; what error message comes up?
DK: No error message, nothing at all, I simply can't get the setup.exe to run on my system--even tried it in a command window and from Start | Run.
Was it:
Cannot find cityinfo.dat?
If so check out FAQ807-2337
It tells you how to get rid of that problem.
or was it:
This installation had detected that a previous etc etc
Check out: FAQ807-2246?
DK: Neither, at this stage I'm unable to run any setup.exe for any version of Sidekick. Other program installs are all working normally.
I am not totally certain, but I am reasonably sure, that you MUST have a wininit.dll file...
You are going to have to give a little more information as we are working in the dark if you do not describe the symptoms accurately and completely.
Please do not be offended, I am trying to regularise the conversation so we can best answer the questions.
DK: No offense; I simply haven't been able to proceed to the stage where I see meaningful error messages.
Likewise:
Opened previously saved Sidekick data files, but they look useless? for most purposes. I may be able to restore my contacts, but the calendar lists appointments and events but no matching dates.
DK: I should have made clear that here I meant I opened the data files in HexEdit, with the assumption I might have to paste those data into a different PIM.
Let us begin again from the beginning.
First I will state:
You do not need to install or run the Sidekick 97 98 98 programs on the 250Free website in compatibility mode.
I have WinXP Pro and it (Sidekick 97 98 99) works perfectly.
Check out the FAQs here at tek-tips or the link to the 2 pages on my site and see if there is anything there that describes your problem or offers a solution.
DK: Understood - it worked perfectly for me for years under WinXPSP2 with the old machine I junked recently.
Get the SK98Patch from the website.
Follow the instructions Exactly
When you have it installed let us know.
DK: It's the *install* that I can't get to work. I did go through the SK98Patch routine on the old machine and it worked fine.
DK: As I wrote earlier, when I restored Sidekick98 from a Ghost archive the sidekick.exe ran but immediately gave me the two errors I mentioned, a *broken* cityinfo one, not the one you describe with meaningful contents, and the abnormal termination one. IOW, even a restore is throwing up errors that I haven't been able to resolve with the help of the FAQs and the preceding messages here (for which I thank everyone who's tried to help). Because even the restored SK98 won't work I thought a clean install might be preferable--if I could get one.
-----------------------------------
You wrote the following:
Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
Why exactly; what error message comes up?
DK: No error message, nothing at all, I simply can't get the setup.exe to run on my system--even tried it in a command window and from Start | Run.
Was it:
Cannot find cityinfo.dat?
If so check out FAQ807-2337
It tells you how to get rid of that problem.
or was it:
This installation had detected that a previous etc etc
Check out: FAQ807-2246?
DK: Neither, at this stage I'm unable to run any setup.exe for any version of Sidekick. Other program installs are all working normally.
I am not totally certain, but I am reasonably sure, that you MUST have a wininit.dll file...
You are going to have to give a little more information as we are working in the dark if you do not describe the symptoms accurately and completely.
Please do not be offended, I am trying to regularise the conversation so we can best answer the questions.
DK: No offense; I simply haven't been able to proceed to the stage where I see meaningful error messages.
Likewise:
Opened previously saved Sidekick data files, but they look useless? for most purposes. I may be able to restore my contacts, but the calendar lists appointments and events but no matching dates.
DK: I should have made clear that here I meant I opened the data files in HexEdit, with the assumption I might have to paste those data into a different PIM.
Let us begin again from the beginning.
First I will state:
You do not need to install or run the Sidekick 97 98 98 programs on the 250Free website in compatibility mode.
I have WinXP Pro and it (Sidekick 97 98 99) works perfectly.
Check out the FAQs here at tek-tips or the link to the 2 pages on my site and see if there is anything there that describes your problem or offers a solution.
DK: Understood - it worked perfectly for me for years under WinXPSP2 with the old machine I junked recently.
Get the SK98Patch from the website.
Follow the instructions Exactly
When you have it installed let us know.
DK: It's the *install* that I can't get to work. I did go through the SK98Patch routine on the old machine and it worked fine.
DK: As I wrote earlier, when I restored Sidekick98 from a Ghost archive the sidekick.exe ran but immediately gave me the two errors I mentioned, a *broken* cityinfo one, not the one you describe with meaningful contents, and the abnormal termination one. IOW, even a restore is throwing up errors that I haven't been able to resolve with the help of the FAQs and the preceding messages here (for which I thank everyone who's tried to help). Because even the restored SK98 won't work I thought a clean install might be preferable--if I could get one.
Previously I had written:
=======================================================
- Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
- DK: No error message, nothing at all, I simply can't get the setup.exe to run on my system--even tried it in a command window and from Start | Run.
- DK: It's the *install* that I can't get to work. I did go through the SK98Patch routine on the old machine and it worked fine.
- DK: As I wrote earlier, when I restored Sidekick98 from a Ghost archive the sidekick.exe ran but immediately gave me the two errors I mentioned, a *broken* cityinfo one, not the one you describe with meaningful contents, and the abnormal termination one. IOW, even a restore is throwing up errors that I haven't been able to resolve with the help of the FAQs and the preceding messages here (for which I thank everyone who's tried to help). Because even the restored SK98 won't work I thought a clean install might be preferable--if I could get one.
======================================================
I'm giving up, very reluctantly, on Sidekick98 for now; I've installed WinPIM and begun recovering data out of my Sidekick data files; I'll be able to restore most of the active data (filling in and verifying from various hard-copy stuff I have), but for now my past Sidekick history is lost.
I want to thank Jim, especially, for the time and thoughtful suggestions, and to Frank for his comments.
I hate to leave Sidekick behind--I first used it as a TSR under DOS 3.1--but I've been without my calendar and addresses for close to a month now so I just have to move on.
As time allows I'll come back to the Sidekick98 puzzle, because I would like to recover some of the old contacts and appointments for my records. Thanks to all, and I'll drop in here from time to time to try to keep up on my old friend Sidekick.
=======================================================
- Tried to install a different version of Sidekick, 97 and 99, but the setup.exe files won't run.
- DK: No error message, nothing at all, I simply can't get the setup.exe to run on my system--even tried it in a command window and from Start | Run.
- DK: It's the *install* that I can't get to work. I did go through the SK98Patch routine on the old machine and it worked fine.
- DK: As I wrote earlier, when I restored Sidekick98 from a Ghost archive the sidekick.exe ran but immediately gave me the two errors I mentioned, a *broken* cityinfo one, not the one you describe with meaningful contents, and the abnormal termination one. IOW, even a restore is throwing up errors that I haven't been able to resolve with the help of the FAQs and the preceding messages here (for which I thank everyone who's tried to help). Because even the restored SK98 won't work I thought a clean install might be preferable--if I could get one.
======================================================
I'm giving up, very reluctantly, on Sidekick98 for now; I've installed WinPIM and begun recovering data out of my Sidekick data files; I'll be able to restore most of the active data (filling in and verifying from various hard-copy stuff I have), but for now my past Sidekick history is lost.
I want to thank Jim, especially, for the time and thoughtful suggestions, and to Frank for his comments.
I hate to leave Sidekick behind--I first used it as a TSR under DOS 3.1--but I've been without my calendar and addresses for close to a month now so I just have to move on.
As time allows I'll come back to the Sidekick98 puzzle, because I would like to recover some of the old contacts and appointments for my records. Thanks to all, and I'll drop in here from time to time to try to keep up on my old friend Sidekick.
Dear Donkirk,
Sorry to hear about your decision, if you need help recovering your data check out the 250 website (see Faqs) I am not very productive on that score at the moment though, as I am a little busy (+ on holidays in a couple of weeks whoopeee!!!).
Dear All,
With regard to Donkirks post:
I am convinced that trying to recover a program by retrieving it from a 'Ghosted' image of a Hard Disc, is at best a waste of time and at worst, seeds for a more complicated disaster.
Later versions of Windows (after 3.1) use information which is written into the registry and is not re-created together with the folders containing the program and and the files which make up the program when the program is restored in the above way.
Uninstall the program and then attempt to re-install with a FRESH install from the program install disc if you have it, or a download if you have lost the original.
Years ago (Late 1990's) Cybermedia Uninstaller did a version for Windows 95-98-Me that would pack up an installed version of a program together with registry entries which you could then install on another computer.
If you can find that and do it on an existing installation, it could be an option for the future.
It worked for me with a downloaded copy of Active Words.
Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort!
Sorry to hear about your decision, if you need help recovering your data check out the 250 website (see Faqs) I am not very productive on that score at the moment though, as I am a little busy (+ on holidays in a couple of weeks whoopeee!!!).
Dear All,
With regard to Donkirks post:
I am convinced that trying to recover a program by retrieving it from a 'Ghosted' image of a Hard Disc, is at best a waste of time and at worst, seeds for a more complicated disaster.
Later versions of Windows (after 3.1) use information which is written into the registry and is not re-created together with the folders containing the program and and the files which make up the program when the program is restored in the above way.
Uninstall the program and then attempt to re-install with a FRESH install from the program install disc if you have it, or a download if you have lost the original.
Years ago (Late 1990's) Cybermedia Uninstaller did a version for Windows 95-98-Me that would pack up an installed version of a program together with registry entries which you could then install on another computer.
If you can find that and do it on an existing installation, it could be an option for the future.
It worked for me with a downloaded copy of Active Words.
Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort!
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