Software Program Couldn't Install to W98SE

[MarkTwain]

I tried installing "CorelDraw." v. 9, to a PC running under Windows 98, SE. But the program couldn't install, giving me repeated error messages, saying "Required major source file [in c:\windows\temp...] not found."

Why couldn't I install this program to Win 98 SE (in a Pentium II, with 128 Mgb RAM)?

Thanks for any feedback!

[GaryRouth]

My Huckleberry friend:

Well, the errors aren't from a system requirements mismatch. Here are the system requirements (from the corel support site) -

CorelDRAW 9 System requirements

Pentium 133 processor
Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0
32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended)
150 MB hard disk space (for installation)
2x CD-ROM drive
SVGA monitor
Mouse or tablet

________________________

For a quick-fix try: completely empty the contents of your C:\Windows\temp folder, empty your Recycling Bin, and then try the installation again. It also might help to disconnect from any networks, temporarily turn of your antivirus & firewall [remember to physically disconnected from any networks first!], and exit or kill any unnecessary background processes. Corel installations are notoriously picky.
________________________

Here are two errors from their Knowledge Base that mention installation troubles
Q: I keep getting errors when I install CorelDRAW 9. How can I get it
installed successfully?
A: Errors during installation are usually the result of a conflict with a TSR
(Terminate and Stay Resident) program, or device driver.

Q: During the installation, a series of error messages occur indicating that some source files could not be
found on CD-ROM 1.
A: These errors will occur when one or more drives are running in MS-DOS Compatibility Mode.

I rather doubt that either relates to your situation, but if nothing else works, you can try for clues from those FAQs [for the 1st, they suggest a "clean-boot" and installing from there... for the 2nd, they suggest getting rid of the legacy 16bit CDrom driver, and using the 32bit driver built into Win98] ... the CorelDRAW 9 FAQs are at http://www.the-fine-print.com/downlo...Draw%20FAQ.pdf

I used to dabble with Corel Draw ages ago (back when it was version 5) - and it had the screwiest installation routines around [pretty buggy software throughout, really]. In your case, something is going wrong reading the files in the temporary installation folder. [Can we assume that you have the necessary 150mb free space on the hard drive to run the installation? .. it's not that much room nowadays, but back then, it was a lot]

There is a similiar problem with a Corel 12 installation error, where the fix is to copy the whole CD into a folder on the hard drive & install from there (and this is their latest product, whoah - buggy software has a long and winding tradition with Corel). It shouldn't hurt to try this approach, just to see, if nothing else is working. For the Corel 12 error, they name the folder on the hard drive "Installer".

Best of luck!
. . . Gary

[MarkTwain]

Gary - Thanks for your detailed feedback!

MT