Access '97 crashes under Win '98 with Office Xp installed

[Uncle Ben]

I can't get Access started. I get an error message: "A system error
occurred, or there isn't enough free memory to start Microsoft Access.
Close unneeded programs and try again."

I've pretty much tried every possible solution found on the web and the MS
Knowledge Base, all to no avail. I've re-checked the system requirements
for Access '97 and even though I'm well overdue for a new PC, a Pentium II
300 Mhz with 64 megs of RAM and plenty of disk space, appears to amply meet
the state requirements. I suspect that I have a DLL conflict with the
library files installed for Office Xp Standard Edition.

Any clues anyone?

Tks!


Uncle Ben

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

I know of people that have 2, 3 or even 4 versions of ms-access installed on
the same PC.

However, while it is very easy to install, and run multiple versions of
ms-access, you do need to exercise caution on how you do the install.

For example, some people just pop in the disk, and allow the default
directory to be used. Well, ms-access installs about 1000 registry entries,
and a zillion .dll files. I can't imagine any sane person installing more
then on version to the same directory. (how can anyone un-sort the mess of
thousands of files from two different applications mixed up in the same
directory - in this, this is such a mess, that you might un-install both
offices, and start over. In some cases, you might even consider re-building
the OS install from scratch, as this is real huge mess when you do this).

So, for each additional version you install, you need to do a custom
install, and choose a different directory.

office97
office2000
officeXP

The above is typical choices I make.

here is few articles on installing multiple version of office/ms-access on a
pc. Really, the only trick is to use different directory so as to not
confuse the heck out of what .dll file belongs to what program. And, some
have mentioned that you *should* install in lowest order to highest order,
but many here report success without having done that.

Here is a article that should help you...

ACC2000: How to Install Access 97 and Access 2000 on the Same Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=241141
--

Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal

 

[Uncle Ben]

Thanks, much appreciated. But every install and uninstall and re-install
was made to a separate directory, on a separate drive.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Thanks, much appreciated. But every install and uninstall and re-install
was made to a separate directory, on a separate drive.

Hum, that sounds good, and thus it should work fine.

at this point, you might have to start with a97, and get it working..and
then install office xp.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Hum, that sounds good, and thus it should work fine.

at this point, you might have to start with a97, and get it working..and
then install office xp.

Again, many thanks for your help. If I read you correctly, you're
suggesting removing Office Xp, then installing Access '97 and, assuming that
it'll work, then re-install Office Xp. I have a couple of questions for
you.

a) When I remove Xp and later re-install it, does this mean that I will have
a fresh copy of Xp and will have lost all the updates since the date it was
first installed?

b) Once I remove Xp, are there residual files, DLLs and others, that should
be manually removed from the Windows and Windows\System directories?

Uncle Ben