FIX: Setup Wizard Cannot Register Foxhhelpps.dll File (197941)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to install an application that includes HTML Help using diskettes created with the Setup Wizard dated October 7, 1998 on a "clean" Windows 95 computer, the following error occurs:

FOXHHELPPS.DLL was unable to register itself in the system registry.

NOTE:In this case, "clean" is defined as the original version of Windows 95, version 4.00.950 without having Internet Explorer 4.0 installed.

CAUSE

The Rpcrt4.dll file is the wrong version. The Foxhhelps.dll file has a dependency in Rpcrt4.dll and may not be supported with some early versions of the Rpcrt4.dll file. If you install an outdated version of the Rpcrt4.dll file on the target computer, registration of the Foxhhelpps.dll file fails during the installation.

RESOLUTION

Install the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) 95 on the Windows 95 computer before running the Setup.exe file to install the application.

You can install the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) for Windows 95 from the following Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

This bug was corrected in Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 3.

For more information about Visual Studio service packs, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

194022 INFO: Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs, What, Where, Why

194295 HOWTO: Tell That Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs Are Installed

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior does not occur on Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0. Both of these operating systems have an updated version of the Rpcrt4.dll. However, the original version of Windows 95 does not have the proper version of this file. If Internet Explorer 4.0 is installed on the Windows 95 computer, the Rpct4.dll file may be the correct version. Setup does not install an updated version of Rpcrt4.dll during the setup process.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Create an executable file that contains a WAIT WINDOW command.
Run the Setup Wizard and choose the HTML help Engine option in step 2.
Continue through the remaining steps and build the disks.
Go to a computer with a clean install of Windows 95 and attempt to install the setup disks.

RESULTS: Setup proceeds normally until registry updates occur. Then, the following message appears:

FOXHHELPPS.DLL was unable to register itself in the system registry.

Setup then terminates with the following message:

Setup was not completed successfully.