MEM_BAD_POINTER

I've just started using Vista and am trying to install all my "old" software
on my new machine. One item seems to install without a problem but when I go
to run it I receive the following error - "MEM_BAD_POINTER". If you click OK
enough times it eventually gives an error of "Failed to update the system
registry. Please try using REGEDIT." The software is for record keeping in
my civic club and was developed using Alpha5 database software. It worked
fine using Windows XP so I'm assuming it has something to do with Vista but
am not familiar enough with it to even begin to guess.

Hi,

The software is not Vista compliant and is trying to write to files in the
system folder. Right click the shortcut and use 'run as administrator' and
see if this works. The software writers need to update the program, you
might check with them for a patch or additional workaround.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"MBHCFO" <MBHCFO@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:96094221-611C-47FF-BB8B-FC251BE03585@microsoft.com...
> I've just started using Vista and am trying to install all my "old"
> software
> on my new machine. One item seems to install without a problem but when I
> go
> to run it I receive the following error - "MEM_BAD_POINTER". If you click
> OK
> enough times it eventually gives an error of "Failed to update the system
> registry. Please try using REGEDIT." The software is for record keeping
> in
> my civic club and was developed using Alpha5 database software. It worked
> fine using Windows XP so I'm assuming it has something to do with Vista
> but
> am not familiar enough with it to even begin to guess.

Easy fix here:

Right click the "exe" file and use compatibility mode.

D


"MBHCFO" <MBHCFO@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:96094221-611C-47FF-BB8B-FC251BE03585@microsoft.com...
> I've just started using Vista and am trying to install all my "old"
> software
> on my new machine. One item seems to install without a problem but when I
> go
> to run it I receive the following error - "MEM_BAD_POINTER". If you click
> OK
> enough times it eventually gives an error of "Failed to update the system
> registry. Please try using REGEDIT." The software is for record keeping
> in
> my civic club and was developed using Alpha5 database software. It worked
> fine using Windows XP so I'm assuming it has something to do with Vista
> but
> am not familiar enough with it to even begin to guess.

I renamed SH31W32.dll in windows\system32 folder to SH31W32_old and
Downloaded the SHW32.dll and renamed SH31W32.dll from Internet and copied to
C:\windows\System32 folder

"MBHCFO" wrote:

> I've just started using Vista and am trying to install all my "old" software
> on my new machine. One item seems to install without a problem but when I go
> to run it I receive the following error - "MEM_BAD_POINTER". If you click OK
> enough times it eventually gives an error of "Failed to update the system
> registry. Please try using REGEDIT." The software is for record keeping in
> my civic club and was developed using Alpha5 database software. It worked
> fine using Windows XP so I'm assuming it has something to do with Vista but
> am not familiar enough with it to even begin to guess.