Try updating to ver 1.2.
http://patches-scrolls.de/
Then (not sure if it's possible) try heeding the advice here:
The Curse of Monkey Island

OR try unshrinking it?
http://protools.anticrack.de/unpackers.htm

Oh yeah, don't forget compatibility modes!

Or the Windows ACT. Or DosFreak's list in Deep Thought.

OR... see this:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=epnxcEDN … ftngp13.phx.gbl

Maybe, try installing the game to a directory with no spaces in the name, and folder names smaller than 8 chars.?

Hi,
Thanks for trying to help. I pretty much tried all of your advice:

1)compatibility 95 and 98/me get shrinker.err message
no compatibility or nt and 2000 get standard error box
with the 'send error report/don't send' options (MM6.EXE)
2)tried both default install location and location c:\mm6
3)patch 1.2 does not correct
4)tried shrinker3.x and shrinker3.2 on launcher.exe
mm6.exe and setup.exe -- error message 'not win32 or
can't be loaded or already finished'
5)no .dat file to change to .exe as referrred in other
post which had similar problem
6)not sure what Windows ACT is
7)should work (XP Pro) per DOSFreak list
8)nothing concrete in google link

Anyways, thanks for your help. I'm going to try installing on my laptop which also has XP to see if it is a hardware/driver problem. If you think of anything else, please post here. Thanks.

Well...the game works ok on my laptop (also Win XP HE and a P4). I suspect a driver or conflicting program (perhaps DirectX). I will do more research....copied files exactly from laptop...get same error message. My desktop is a Sony VAIO 3.0Ghz (with HT) and my laptop is a Compaq 2.8Ghz. Both have DirectX 9.0b. I am suspecting the HT or NVidia video card in my desktop.

Have you tried following these guides: http://www.mightandmagicwalkthrough.com/mightandmagic6/ ?