Installshield "not a valid Win32 application"

time

Storage? I am Storage!
Joined
Jan 18, 2002
Messages
4,932
Location
Brisbane, Oz
I get this error on TinyXP while trying to install an app with a 1999 version of Installshield. Not sure if the problem only affects Tiny, but I have noticed that there is no 'compatibility' option in the properties - it's ages since I'v e used that, should it be there?

Unfortunately, searching suggests it might be a fairly generic error. Help?
 

LiamC

Storage Is My Life
Joined
Feb 7, 2002
Messages
2,016
Location
Canberra
I've encountered this error in two ways:

* The install media is corrupt–scratched disk/HDD with bad sectors/CD-R that has a "silent" failure, i.e. it is just failing. Try running the disk in Nero's disk testing utils.

* The O/S is not supported.

Not much to go on I'm afraid
 

Mercutio

Fatwah on Western Digital
Joined
Jan 17, 2002
Messages
22,275
Location
I am omnipresent
Fixing MSI, when it breaks, is whole other worlds of nightmarish, for what it's worth.

What's the app, time? I have TinyXP on a VM here someplace.
 

mangyDOG

Learning Storage Performance
Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
161
Location
Ballarat, Vic, Aust.
I have encountered the same or similar error in Windows XP and the fix was to delete one of the subfolders in the Installshield folder in Program Files. The only problem is I cannot remember which folder and could not find the reference to the fix in Google with your error message. Sorry. The problem is caused by a version mismatch between the files on your hard-drive and the files in the application you are trying to install.

Hope this helps you find the solution.

cheers,
mangyDOG
 

time

Storage? I am Storage!
Joined
Jan 18, 2002
Messages
4,932
Location
Brisbane, Oz
Unfortunately, the app has an extremely limited user base - currently down to fewer than 20 users. It cost millions to develop, but is now unsupported and the last update is 2 1/2 years old - hence the old version of InstallShield.

It installs fine on Windows 2000, and because I completely ran out of time, I got the user to install that over the top of TinyXP (it got broken, despite the dual-boot). So, not a media issue.

Presumably, something that allows the install to run is missing in TinyXP. :(
 
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