setup.exe not working

[Bill3000]

I've been having this problem for a while now.

Whenever I try to open a setup.exe on an old program, such as for Civ2 or Amazon Trail, the setup simply doesn't open. No errors or anything. THe program's running in the task manager; I can see setup.exe, wowexec.exe, and ntvdm.exe. Looking at the setups that have not worked, they all seem to use a version of InstallShield 3.0; so I think they are 16-bit setups?

I am using Windows XP with SP3. The setups and programs worked perfectly fine on my previous computer which had Windows XP with SP2.

 

[GenMarshall]

I'd think Windows XP would be able to run those old 16 bit programs.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

64-bit XP doesn't run 16-bit programs. Something to do with the architecture.

Here;s how to check for 16-bitness: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320127/

May want to check this, too:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314495/EN-US/

However, on my computer, CivII works. Don't know about Amazon Trail, as I don't have it. However, I have had problems with SimEarth installation -- it says the 16-bit subsystem is unstable. (Later, i figured out how to troubleshoot it, but I'm lazy.) However, when I went to the C:\MAXIS folder, it was there, and it worked as well.

 

[Bill3000]

It's not 64-bit XP; it's just regular old 32-bit XP Professional.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Okay, so cross that out.

I googled the installshield thing:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1036093027

Maybe compatability mode work.

 

[Bill3000]

Bump!

This is annoying me again, and the problem still isn't solved.

Same as before: 32-bit Windows XP Professional SP3.

Also, this game is a windows 95/98 game, so I can't use DOSBox. The autorun works, but the setup doesn't.

 

[Mise]

CivII setup worked just fine on my XP w/ SP3

 

[lndm]

this game is a windows 95/98 game, so I can't use DOSBox. The autorun works, but the setup doesn't.

The setup sounds 16bit. You can put the lot on Dosbox's virtual hard drive as with normal 16bit stuff then start the default vanilla freedos, cd to the game setup files and run setup.

 

[Bill3000]

Yeah, the setup is 16-bit and the program is 32-bit. I tried dosbox, but it said that the installation doesn't work on DOS.

I managed to make the installation work in safe mode, so I guess one of the services need to be disabled, but I don't know which one...

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Possible maybe to do with resolution, if it works in safe mode. Did you try compatibility small resolution?

Or, if you have a copy of Windows 9x laying around, you can use a VM.

Also, if it's not against any forum rules, maybe send me the installer and see if I can get it working.

 

[lndm]

I managed to make the installation work in safe mode,

I wonder about permissions?

 

[Bill3000]

I think I found the culprit! It's Nero Scout, which is apparently bloatware that came with my computer. Turning it off allows 16-bit programs to work again! It also caused the problem of making my computer go super-slow when it was closing down.