WorkFlow Error

[Matt Davis]

I just got a new Gateway computer and was trying to use
an activation CD for my broadband service. Every time
the program gets to the point of checking system
requirements and tries to check the CPU speed, it hangs
and then gives the Error Reporting Message "WorkFlow
Harness Executable Application has encountered a problem
and needs to close." It also gives the option of sending
the error to Microsoft. I contacted the broadband
provider (Road Runner) and was able to get my internet
and email connections set up without using the CD, but
they said that it was highly unusual to get Error
Reporting messages from a brand new computer and
suggested I contact Gateway. I did that and showed them
the problem, and they said it is a Microsoft problem and
I need to contact them. Microsoft seems to not be so
easy to get direct help from. Actually, I am not having
any system problems as a result of this and I don't see
the error again unless I try to use that CD. What I'm
trying to figure out is if this a systemic problem that I
need to address, and if so how? The other thing I think
is unusual is that if I look into the details of the
error report it says CPU: AMD and that the operating
system is Windows NT 5.1. My computer is a Pentium 4
operating on Windows XP. I don't know much about
Microsoft Error reporting so I'm not sure where it gets
that information from or even if I'm reading it correctly
since I'm not an IT person. Can anyone help?

 

[Ben Jorna]

I just got a new Gateway computer and was trying to use
an activation CD for my broadband service. Every time
the program gets to the point of checking system
requirements and tries to check the CPU speed, it hangs
and then gives the Error Reporting Message "WorkFlow
Harness Executable Application has encountered a problem
and needs to close." It also gives the option of sending
the error to Microsoft. I contacted the broadband
provider (Road Runner) and was able to get my internet
and email connections set up without using the CD, but
they said that it was highly unusual to get Error
Reporting messages from a brand new computer and
suggested I contact Gateway. I did that and showed them
the problem, and they said it is a Microsoft problem and
I need to contact them. Microsoft seems to not be so
easy to get direct help from. Actually, I am not having
any system problems as a result of this and I don't see
the error again unless I try to use that CD. What I'm
trying to figure out is if this a systemic problem that I
need to address, and if so how? The other thing I think
is unusual is that if I look into the details of the
error report it says CPU: AMD and that the operating
system is Windows NT 5.1. My computer is a Pentium 4
operating on Windows XP. I don't know much about
Microsoft Error reporting so I'm not sure where it gets
that information from or even if I'm reading it correctly
since I'm not an IT person. Can anyone help?

If your ISP and Microsoft can´t help you I think it will remain a mystery
asto why the error message occured. It could have something to do with the
order in which you installed software, but that´s sheer speculation. I
doubt if anybody can solve the problem with the little information you gave.
A word of advice though. As you managed to get you connection working by
hand, I hope you made a note of all the settings you made for future
reference. If not, you can buy a copy of Norton Ghost or Powerquest Drive
Image, and store an image of your XP partition on CD-R. In the event of a
crash you can restore it to working order, including your Internet
connection, by using that image.
And the error report is correct: Windows XP and Windows NT 5.1 are two names
for the same OS.

Best of luck,

Ben