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InstallShield on Windows 11:"The Specified path does not exist"

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First post, by BEEN_Nath_58

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There is something wrong with InstallShield on my Windows 11 machine. A lot of games pre -2000 can be installed, but on 2nd installation attempt they can't be installed. I thought that they are 16-bit executables, in-fact OTVDM can run them, but I didn't install them with OTVDM on first place. The issue here is OTVDM can't run all InstallShield setups because of some missing files in it's system mostly relating to language (in my case) and thus fail.

Frogger 2 and Rainbow Six are example cases. I installed Rainbow Six directly from File Explorer on Win11x64 and it worked fine. Yesterday I go to the same process and now it says that the specified path doesn't exist. Today I was about to install Frogger 2 and the same error exists. However this error doesn't come up for NFS High Stakes from 1999, also using InstallShield. An odd thing here is that these InstallShields run on both 16-bit and 32-bit environments, allowing my WIN10 machine to run them from File Explorer and also OTVDM (of course not the ones I mentioned in the first paragraph). Some may be arguing that OTVDM will execute these 32-bit executables with a warning notifying that they are a Win32 application, but there is NO SUCH WARNING, so it has to be a 16/32-bit application (IDK how that works, Win32s?).

So what's wrong with InstallShield. You can see the attachment for the error I am receiving now.

previously known as Discrete_BOB_058

Reply 1 of 6, by crazyc

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BEEN_Nath_58 wrote on 2021-12-06, 15:08:

The issue here is OTVDM can't run all InstallShield setups because of some missing files in it's system mostly relating to language (in my case) and thus fail.

I'd like more details about this if you have some.

BEEN_Nath_58 wrote on 2021-12-06, 15:08:

Some may be arguing that OTVDM will execute these 32-bit executables with a warning notifying that they are a Win32 application, but there is NO SUCH WARNING, so it has to be a 16/32-bit application (IDK how that works, Win32s?).

Most Win95 era Installshield installers had a 16bit stub that run first and then execute the main 32bit installer so they could print an error if you tried to use them on Win31. In Winevdm on Windows 10/11 if it works correctly the starting installer dialog will show followed by an elevation prompt before the 32bit part runs.

Reply 2 of 6, by BEEN_Nath_58

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crazyc wrote on 2021-12-06, 16:25:
BEEN_Nath_58 wrote on 2021-12-06, 15:08:

The issue here is OTVDM can't run all InstallShield setups because of some missing files in it's system mostly relating to language (in my case) and thus fail.

I'd like more details about this if you have some.

See attachment

crazyc wrote on 2021-12-06, 16:25:
BEEN_Nath_58 wrote on 2021-12-06, 15:08:

Some may be arguing that OTVDM will execute these 32-bit executables with a warning notifying that they are a Win32 application, but there is NO SUCH WARNING, so it has to be a 16/32-bit application (IDK how that works, Win32s?).

Most Win95 era Installshield installers had a 16bit stub that run first and then execute the main 32bit installer so they could print an error if you tried to use them on Win31. In Winevdm on Windows 10/11 if it works correctly the starting installer dialog will show followed by an elevation prompt before the 32bit part runs.

That means WineVDM is running fine, but what about Windows. I just installed Frogger 2 on Win10x64, and if it was that the 16-bit stub is unsupported it would display a similar error like in Win11, or worst, "This app can't run on your PC"
What do you propose is up with Windows 11? It installed once and then declined completely since.

previously known as Discrete_BOB_058

Reply 4 of 6, by BEEN_Nath_58

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crazyc wrote on 2021-12-06, 17:18:

Are you using the latest version of winevdm because this bug should have been fixed. Here's the same bug in wine https://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=48557 and the fix is also in winevdm.

I never noticed there was a 0.8.1 version, I was on 0.7.0. Nevertheless I will try and let you know.

Any ideas on why InstallShield is slowly failing on Win11?

previously known as Discrete_BOB_058

Reply 5 of 6, by crazyc

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BEEN_Nath_58 wrote on 2021-12-06, 18:24:

Any ideas on why InstallShield is slowly failing on Win11?

Your original post is a bit unclear is this happening with or without winevdm? If it's with then are you getting an elevation prompt?

Reply 6 of 6, by BEEN_Nath_58

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crazyc wrote on 2021-12-06, 19:03:
BEEN_Nath_58 wrote on 2021-12-06, 18:24:

Any ideas on why InstallShield is slowly failing on Win11?

Your original post is a bit unclear is this happening with or without winevdm? If it's with then are you getting an elevation prompt?

Without winevdm. I run with admin privileges but same result

previously known as Discrete_BOB_058

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