This post is being added in order to provide an answer rather than a
question, a solution rather than a problem. In so doing, I hope to help
someone avoid any unnecessary frustration when they try to add 'fax services
' to their Win XP machine.

Here is a description of the background info, opening scenario, and problem.
If any of you purchase a pre-build computer, as I did, with Win XP already
loaded on it, you may find yourself, at some later point, wanting to load MS
's fax services to your computer. How do you do this and how do you resolve
a problem which may develop in the load process? That's what I would like
to explain here.

The online set-up instructions rightly tell us that we need to go to the
control panel, add or remove programs, add or remove Window Components, and
then to click on fax services. The OS will then attempt to load the
necessary software. However, a problem may develop upon doing this. The
procedure hangs when attempting to load a file called zClientm.ex_.
Apparently, there are many others who are having this same issue.

Unfortunately, I could not find a workaround on the Net, so upon finally
resolving this issue (and many hours later), I thought it would be a good
idea to be a 'Good Samaritan'. And, I hope this will assist in eliminating
some frustration in the lives of others.

First, I relocated my i386 files from my CD to my local hard drive. This
may not be necessary. But the first error message which the load procedure
provided indicated it had problems loading the file and I though this would
help. This is an old trick which help on older CD's and older drives.
Then, I reran the install and the system seemed to get further through the
procedure. The OS reported another exception indicating contention with
zClientm.exe. Upon doing a search of the local drive, I noticed
zClientm.exe was present under a game directory.

Apparently, my pre-build computer had games from MS which the install
procedure hit. Maybe the file was write protected and therefore couldn't be
replaced or overridden. That's only speculation. Regardless, a snare
occurred when it was trying to unpack xClientm.ex_ when it was trying to
create zClientm.exe. That's the bottom-line.

My machine is used for business purposes and there is no need to have games
on it. So I proceeded to remove the games and re-ran the install procedure.
At this point, the fax service software components installed successfully.
When others do this, I suspect they will likewise gain ground. It is
interesting to note, when I became successful, zClientm.exe was loaded under
a new directory. This time it could be found \Windows\Prefetch\ and no
longer under a game subdirectory.

This program (xClientm.exe) appears used for several applications, more than
such games and fax services, so I believe this workaround will not only help
folks who have the same issue that I had, but as they are attempting to load
other services to their computers. I think this component is used by IIS
but someone else will have to confirm that.

From what I could find on the Net, another conclusion can be draw. It also
appears, unlike me, someone who is adding components to a computer which has
always operated on a Win XP platform, others are having problems adding
services to their machines although their original OS was different. While
they have upgraded from NT or 98, in order to operate on XP, they too are
now having difficulty adding or removing software from this computers. The
workaround explained on this post 'may' also help them.

May you all overcome the peril of adding or removing computer services from
your computers,

From a Good Samaritan merely hoping to make the world a better place to
live.

Interesting. OEM installations have always been a problem.
You said you found nothing on the Net. Did you try the recommendations we
post monthly in the FAQ?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Steve D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:u2$(E-Mail Removed)...
> This post is being added in order to provide an answer rather than a
> question, a solution rather than a problem. In so doing, I hope to help
> someone avoid any unnecessary frustration when they try to add 'fax
> services
> ' to their Win XP machine.
>
> Here is a description of the background info, opening scenario, and
> problem.
> If any of you purchase a pre-build computer, as I did, with Win XP already
> loaded on it, you may find yourself, at some later point, wanting to load
> MS
> 's fax services to your computer. How do you do this and how do you
> resolve
> a problem which may develop in the load process? That's what I would like
> to explain here.
>
> The online set-up instructions rightly tell us that we need to go to the
> control panel, add or remove programs, add or remove Window Components,
> and
> then to click on fax services. The OS will then attempt to load the
> necessary software. However, a problem may develop upon doing this. The
> procedure hangs when attempting to load a file called zClientm.ex_.
> Apparently, there are many others who are having this same issue.
>
> Unfortunately, I could not find a workaround on the Net, so upon finally
> resolving this issue (and many hours later), I thought it would be a good
> idea to be a 'Good Samaritan'. And, I hope this will assist in
> eliminating
> some frustration in the lives of others.
>
> First, I relocated my i386 files from my CD to my local hard drive. This
> may not be necessary. But the first error message which the load
> procedure
> provided indicated it had problems loading the file and I though this
> would
> help. This is an old trick which help on older CD's and older drives.
> Then, I reran the install and the system seemed to get further through the
> procedure. The OS reported another exception indicating contention with
> zClientm.exe. Upon doing a search of the local drive, I noticed
> zClientm.exe was present under a game directory.
>
> Apparently, my pre-build computer had games from MS which the install
> procedure hit. Maybe the file was write protected and therefore couldn't
> be
> replaced or overridden. That's only speculation. Regardless, a snare
> occurred when it was trying to unpack xClientm.ex_ when it was trying to
> create zClientm.exe. That's the bottom-line.
>
> My machine is used for business purposes and there is no need to have
> games
> on it. So I proceeded to remove the games and re-ran the install
> procedure.
> At this point, the fax service software components installed successfully.
> When others do this, I suspect they will likewise gain ground. It is
> interesting to note, when I became successful, zClientm.exe was loaded
> under
> a new directory. This time it could be found \Windows\Prefetch\ and no
> longer under a game subdirectory.
>
> This program (xClientm.exe) appears used for several applications, more
> than
> such games and fax services, so I believe this workaround will not only
> help
> folks who have the same issue that I had, but as they are attempting to
> load
> other services to their computers. I think this component is used by IIS
> but someone else will have to confirm that.
>
> From what I could find on the Net, another conclusion can be draw. It
> also
> appears, unlike me, someone who is adding components to a computer which
> has
> always operated on a Win XP platform, others are having problems adding
> services to their machines although their original OS was different.
> While
> they have upgraded from NT or 98, in order to operate on XP, they too are
> now having difficulty adding or removing software from this computers.
> The
> workaround explained on this post 'may' also help them.
>
> May you all overcome the peril of adding or removing computer services
> from
> your computers,
>
> From a Good Samaritan merely hoping to make the world a better place to
> live.
>
>

I think this hotfix would have resolved it

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=884018


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Steve D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:u2$(E-Mail Removed)...
> This post is being added in order to provide an answer rather than a
> question, a solution rather than a problem. In so doing, I hope to help
> someone avoid any unnecessary frustration when they try to add 'fax
> services
> ' to their Win XP machine.
>
> Here is a description of the background info, opening scenario, and
> problem.
> If any of you purchase a pre-build computer, as I did, with Win XP already
> loaded on it, you may find yourself, at some later point, wanting to load
> MS
> 's fax services to your computer. How do you do this and how do you
> resolve
> a problem which may develop in the load process? That's what I would like
> to explain here.
>
> The online set-up instructions rightly tell us that we need to go to the
> control panel, add or remove programs, add or remove Window Components,
> and
> then to click on fax services. The OS will then attempt to load the
> necessary software. However, a problem may develop upon doing this. The
> procedure hangs when attempting to load a file called zClientm.ex_.
> Apparently, there are many others who are having this same issue.
>
> Unfortunately, I could not find a workaround on the Net, so upon finally
> resolving this issue (and many hours later), I thought it would be a good
> idea to be a 'Good Samaritan'. And, I hope this will assist in
> eliminating
> some frustration in the lives of others.
>
> First, I relocated my i386 files from my CD to my local hard drive. This
> may not be necessary. But the first error message which the load
> procedure
> provided indicated it had problems loading the file and I though this
> would
> help. This is an old trick which help on older CD's and older drives.
> Then, I reran the install and the system seemed to get further through the
> procedure. The OS reported another exception indicating contention with
> zClientm.exe. Upon doing a search of the local drive, I noticed
> zClientm.exe was present under a game directory.
>
> Apparently, my pre-build computer had games from MS which the install
> procedure hit. Maybe the file was write protected and therefore couldn't
> be
> replaced or overridden. That's only speculation. Regardless, a snare
> occurred when it was trying to unpack xClientm.ex_ when it was trying to
> create zClientm.exe. That's the bottom-line.
>
> My machine is used for business purposes and there is no need to have
> games
> on it. So I proceeded to remove the games and re-ran the install
> procedure.
> At this point, the fax service software components installed successfully.
> When others do this, I suspect they will likewise gain ground. It is
> interesting to note, when I became successful, zClientm.exe was loaded
> under
> a new directory. This time it could be found \Windows\Prefetch\ and no
> longer under a game subdirectory.
>
> This program (xClientm.exe) appears used for several applications, more
> than
> such games and fax services, so I believe this workaround will not only
> help
> folks who have the same issue that I had, but as they are attempting to
> load
> other services to their computers. I think this component is used by IIS
> but someone else will have to confirm that.
>
> From what I could find on the Net, another conclusion can be draw. It
> also
> appears, unlike me, someone who is adding components to a computer which
> has
> always operated on a Win XP platform, others are having problems adding
> services to their machines although their original OS was different.
> While
> they have upgraded from NT or 98, in order to operate on XP, they too are
> now having difficulty adding or removing software from this computers.
> The
> workaround explained on this post 'may' also help them.
>
> May you all overcome the peril of adding or removing computer services
> from
> your computers,
>
> From a Good Samaritan merely hoping to make the world a better place to
> live.
>
>