Application failed to start - side-by-side configuration incorrect

[LisaV]

I'm having trouble some programs on my Vista machine. They used to work -
not sure what has happened as I don't recall a crash or anything...

1. Try to open a program
2. Error message displayed: The application has failed to start because its
side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application log for
more details.

It is affecting the following programs (at least - may be more but I haven't
tried everything. Microsoft and built in system tools and games open up ok):
Asus Splendid Bachache (utility that comes with the laptop)
Adobe Reader (I've reinstalled this but with no success)
Adobe Photoshop


When I open the Event Viewer from the Control Panel the following message is
displayed:
MMC could not create the snap-in. The snap-in might not have been installed
correctly. Name: Event Viewer. CLSID:
FX{b05566ad-fe9c-4363-be05-7a4cbb7cb510}

Thanks.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Side by Side architecture uses a trick in a file called a 'manifest' to call
a special system file instead of the regular Vista system file (a .dll). The
error is saying that finding that special dll written for that application
is not working somehow. (side-by-side configuration is incorrect) You tried
reinstalling Adobe reader, but it's likely that it has to do with another
application. Something has changed those special application files. Perhaps
disk corruption, perhaps conflict with something new. You are probably on
the right track, trying reinstalls.
I realize you probably don't have 'original media' for the ASUS Splendid
Bachache, but I would guess that was it. It and Adobe are trying to
establish a file to use in the same place, but they want two different files
to be there. My hack at finding out what was doing it would be to uninstall
one, restart and see if the other started behaving correctly. Another
approach, though a bit technical, would be to read those '*.manifest' files
to compare needs.