Special Instructions For
VB6 Application Deployment On Win2K and WinME
This Applies To Both The X-Tracker And Coin Selector Utilities.

Background
As detailed in the MS Knowledge Base Article attached below (with further reference to a second one), Microsoft has a problem in deploying applications generated in Visual Basic 6 (VB6) onto Windows 2000 computers. It relates to how system files are updated in the process and due to excessive protective measures in Windows 2000, it can result in an endless loop of requests for you to reboot your computer to update system files when trying to run Setup for installing the application software.

What To Do
First and foremost, do not try to install the IDX application program if you have not completed the steps below, as failure to do so may actually result in confusion of Windows 2000 by some files that try to update and should not, and they may not be repaired later by the SP4 Update.

Step 1. Update your Windows 2000 operating system with the Service Pack 4 Update if you have not already done so. Use the Windows Update Web Page to do the Scan For Updates, it will be on the list if you have not already done the update. If the SP4 Update is not shown on the list of updates then your computer apparently already has had this update and you should be able to install the IDX application program with no trouble.

Step 2.  To install the Windows 2000 SP4 Update you have two choices: 1.) click to download the update, which is a two step process in which the second portion is a 32MB download, or 2) order the SP4 Update CD from Microsoft via the Web at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp4/ordercd.asp.

 

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 279764

PRB: Multiple "System Files Are Out of Date" Errors When You
Install Visual Basic 6.0 Application on Windows 2000-based Computer

SYMPTOMS
When you install a Microsoft Visual Basic version 6.0 application that was created with the Package and Deployment Wizard onto a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000, you may receive the following error message: Setup cannot continue because some system files are out of date on your system. Click OK if you would like setup to update these files for you now. You will need to restart Windows before you can run setup again. Click cancel to exit setup without updating system files. After Windows 2000 restarts and you begin the installation again, you receive the error message again.

CAUSE
The Package and Deployment Wizard uses a restart to update in-use system files. In Windows 2000, system files are protected and are not updated on the restart. Each subsequent attempt to install the application results in the same error message, and the application cannot complete its installation. The normal procedure to update Windows 2000 system files is to install the latest service pack. However, in certain situations, the development computer may contain specific system files that have a later version number than those found on Windows 2000. For example, if the setup package was created on a Windows Millennium Edition (Me)-based system or a Windows 2000-based system with a service pack that is later than the target, the PDW may package a higher version than is on the target Windows 2000 system. When this happens, the application setup detects that it needs to install the new system files, and it prompts you to restart the computer. Because Windows 2000 does not allow application installations to replace system files, the application setup detects the old system files again when it restarts. The file that causes this problem is Oleaut32.dll.

RESOLUTION
There are two ways to resolve this problem:

  • Use a Windows 2000 Service Pack to update the version of Oleaut32.dll on the target computer to one that is equal to or later than the version of the Oleaut32.dll file in the package.
  • Include a version of Oleaut32.dll in the package that is equal to or earlier than the version that shipped with Windows 2000. One way to accomplish this is to install Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 4 (SP4) or later. Visual Studio 6.0 SP4 installs three files (Olepro32.dll, Oleaut32.dll, and Stdole2.tlb) in the Redist folder. The file versions that SP4 installs are earlier than the versions that shipped with Windows 2000. The Package and Deployment Wizard then distributes the Oleaut32.dll from the Redist folder instead of the System folder.

NOTE:
One further Knowledge Base  article on this matter from Microsoft (at 191096 PRB: Multiple 'System Files Are Out of Date' Errors) seemed to provide equally as much help....