Error message when you use Database Engine Tuning Advisor in SQL Server 2005: "Attempt to initialize the CRT more than once"

When you use Database Engine Tuning Advisor to analyze the performance effects of workloads in Microsoft SQL Server 2005, you may receive the following error message:Additionally, Database Engine Tuning Advisor stops responding after you receive this error message.

This problem occurs because of the application compatibility settings. The application compatibility settings may be set separately for the application. Alternatively, the application compatibility settings may be inherited from the settings that are specific to the Explorer.exe process. When you explicitly set the application compatibility settings for the Explorer.exe process, all applications that are started from the Explorer.exe process inherit the same application compatibility settings.

If Database Engine Tuning Advisor inherits the application compatibility settings from the Explorer.exe process, the Microsoft Windows loader tries to initialize the C run-time library (CRT) Msvcp80.dll file two times when you start Database Engine Tuning Advisor. Therefore, Database Engine Tuning Advisor stops responding.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To work around this problem, you must set the Explorer.exe process to stop using the application compatibility technology. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
3. In the right pane, right-click the registry entry for the Explorer.exe process, and then click Delete.
4. In the Confirm Value Delete dialog box, click Yes.
5. Exit Registry Editor.
6. Restart the computer.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about Windows application compatibility technology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: