VIsta IE5 / IE7 problem...

[Paul H]

I need a new laptop - my old ones are getting slow unreliable. To test what
I need to use, I'm trying to install my COBOL compiler from a CD to my Vista
Home Premium - pre- SP1. I get the error "Before you can install Net
Express, you must install Internet Explorer 5.0 or above." I am, of course,
running IE7, as I am on XP Pro machines that do not have this issue, so it
is some kind of Vista incompatibility. Since I cannot buy a laptop with XP
Pro, what can I do? I don't want a newer version of my COBOL - mine works
fine and a new one would be $4,000 or more. TIA, Paul

 

[Chad Harris]

1) I don't know anything about COBOL but if you bought Vista you should have
a support episode from MSFT. If I remember correctly, Rick Rodgers gave you
one for SP1 and maybe they can help you.

2) You always have the option as I showed you if you make some space on your
drive of making a new partition the way I showed you and installing XP.

Is there anybody you can contact @ COBOL to research Vista compatibility?

Good luck,

CH

 

[+Bob+]

I need a new laptop - my old ones are getting slow unreliable. To test what
I need to use, I'm trying to install my COBOL compiler from a CD to my Vista
Home Premium - pre- SP1. I get the error "Before you can install Net
Express, you must install Internet Explorer 5.0 or above." I am, of course,
running IE7, as I am on XP Pro machines that do not have this issue, so it
is some kind of Vista incompatibility. Since I cannot buy a laptop with XP
Pro, what can I do? I don't want a newer version of my COBOL - mine works
fine and a new one would be $4,000 or more. TIA, Paul

My suspicion would be that the Cobol install is looking for some
specific identifier to tell it that I5 or higher is installed. Perhaps
it's a registry key. But, whatever it is, that item doesn't exist in
Vista or is returning a value it doesn't understand, so the install
code falls through to a default message.

Unless you can find what it's looking for as an identifier, I think
you might be hosed. Perhaps there's a support group for the compiler
where someone has figured it out?

 

[Chad Harris]

That's a very good tip Bob that I hadn't seen. I'll file that away for
future use.

Thanks.

CH

 

[Paul H]

Thanks, Bob... I replied to "HeyBub" in the comp.lang.cobol news group:

"Bob Campbell" suggested on the "Microsoft.public.windows.vista.general"
newsgroup:

He should also try running the installer in XP SP2 compatibility mode. This
has worked for me for several software packages that complained when
installing on Vista. After installing, then set the exe icon to also run
in XP compatibility mode.

It worked, but some security/licensing problems arose. In XP Pro, I've been
able to load the software to run for a 30 day trial. I give up - Dual Boot
here I come...

===================

My last Windows XP laptop is dying. I'll buy a new laptop, but of
course it will have Vista Home Premium. Will my MicroFocus Net
Express 3.1 work there? TIA, Paul

========================

Good suggestions - I've struggled with Vista Home Premium on an Acer
for two years. Since I posted this query I bought a Compaq today
with Home Premium and SP1. I do like many of the Vista features.
I'll make it a dual-boot machine if I have to, so I'd have XP Pro for
my NETX 3.1.

The problem when I try to install on Vista is that it says it must
have IE5 or higher, and refuses to continue the install. Since I'm
using IE7, of course, it's some Vista flaw. Maybe Microsoft will
help me. I've heard that they will relent and help people with OEM
versions Vista issues.

It's not a Vista flaw - it's a flaw in the installer. The installer checks
for IE version and doesn't recognize the designation used by Microsoft for
IE7. From the Microsoft Developer Network:

"Several typical browser detection techniques fail when they encounter
Internet Explorer 7. For example, some sites that look great when viewed in
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 might display errors when viewed in Internet
Explorer 7. This is not caused by any problems with Internet Explorer 7; it
happens because the browser detection code is not designed for newer
versions of the browser."

There might be a hack/circumvention for defective installers.

 

[Jim]

I need a new laptop - my old ones are getting slow unreliable. To test what
I need to use, I'm trying to install my COBOL compiler from a CD to my Vista
Home Premium - pre- SP1. I get the error "Before you can install Net
Express, you must install Internet Explorer 5.0 or above." I am, of course,
running IE7, as I am on XP Pro machines that do not have this issue, so it
is some kind of Vista incompatibility. Since I cannot buy a laptop with XP
Pro, what can I do? I don't want a newer version of my COBOL - mine works
fine and a new one would be $4,000 or more. TIA, Paul

Have you tried installing Net Express ?