Microsoft Visual Basic Frequently Asked Questions on the Package and Deployment Wizard (PDW)

This page contains answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Package and Deployment Wizard. Go here for the Frequently Asked Questions for Visual Basic 6.0. If you are still experiencing problems with the PDW after reading this FAQ and Knowledge Base articles, please call Microsoft Product Support Services.
  • Does the Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack update the Package and Deployment Wizard (PDW)? Have there been any updates to the PDW?

    Yes, the latest Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack fixes the following bugs in the PDW:



    The Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack fixes a number of other Visual Basic bugs. Go to the Visual Basic Service Pack Fixes Overview page to find more information on the Visual Basic bugs that are fixed by installing the service pack.

  • How can I force the Setup program to install my application to a specified location?

    You can force the Setup program to install your application to a specified location by adding the following line to the [Setup] section of the Setup.lst file immediately following the DefaultDir line:

    ForceUseDefDir=1

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q190150 HOWTO: Force Application Setup to Use the Default Directory

  • How can I get Setup to install files into subfolders of the application's folder?

    You can modify the Install Location setting for the files listed in the Install Locations window of the Package and Deployment Wizard. For example, if you want a file to be installed in the Test subfolder of the application's folder, you can set the Install Location to $(AppPath)\Test.

    NOTE: If you change the Install Location of the application (.exe) file, you must also change the location specified for the application's shortcut in the Start Menu Items Window of the Package and Deployment Wizard.

    The $(AppPath) macro is one of several macros you can use in the Package and Deployment Wizard. For more information about the installation macros, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q189739 INFO: Package and Deployment Wizard Installation Macros

  • What do I need to install on a Web server to deploy my Visual Basic Internet applications?

    The Visual Basic 6.0 Package and Deployment Wizard (PDW) uses the HTTP Post method to transfer files to a Web server. To configure your Web server to receive files from the Package and Deployment Wizard, you need to install the Microsoft Posting Acceptor. For more information about installing and configuring the Microsoft Posting Acceptor, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q192116 HOWTO: Configure Posting Acceptor to Work With the PDW

    If you are deploying a DHTML application, you can transfer the files created by the Package option of the PDW to any directory on the Web server. However, if you are deploying an IIS application, the files must be in a virtual directory on the server. If you do not have an existing virtual directory on the server to store the file, you need to create a virtual directory using the IIS Internet Server Manager. For more information about creating virtual directories, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q172138 How to Create a Virtual Directory

  • How do I resolve the following error message?

    Unexpected error number C0042116 has occurred: The Web server returned the following error: The signature on cabinet file xxxx.CAB could not be verified.

    Before you can successfully post your applications, you must install the Posting Acceptor and configure the Web server correctly. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q192116 HOWTO: Configure Posting Acceptor to Work with the PDW

  • How do I troubleshoot error messages that occur when deploying a Visual Basic Internet application to a Web server?

    The following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base provides step-by-step instructions on troubleshooting error messages that may occur when you deploy a Visual Basic Internet application to a Web server:

    Q194296 HOWTO: Debug PDW Internet Deployment Issues

  • What should I do when I get a Missing Dependency Information warning message in the Package and Deployment Wizard?

    Your project contains a component that does not have an associated dependency (.dep) file and has no pertinent information in the Visual Basic 6.0 master dependency file, VB6DEP.INI.

    If the component does not require any other files to run properly, you can safely ignore this warning message. However, if the component depends upon other files, you must either add those files manually in the Included Files screen of the Package and Deployment Wizard or obtain a .dep file for the component and rerun the Package and Deployment Wizard.

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q190978 PRB: Missing Dependency Information Dialog in PDW

  • What should I do when I get an Out-of-Date Dependency Information warning message in the Package and Deployment Wizard?

    Each component listed below the warning message has a dependency (.dep) file that lists all the files required by that component. However, the .dep file was created for a different version of the component, so the PDW is unable to determine which files the component requires.

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q198052 PRB: "Out-of-Date Dependency" Warning in Setup Wizard & PDW

  • What causes the following error to appear when I install my Visual Basic application on a target computer?

    Unable to load file 'msdadc.dll' to register it.

    You need to install DCOM prior to installing the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC). The setup program created with the Package and Deployment Wizard uses the MDAC installer program, Mdac_typ.exe, to install the Microsoft Data Access Components, which includes OLE DB, ADO, and Jet. The MDAC installer program requires DCOM to be already installed on the target computer.

    To install DCOM on a system running Windows 95 or Windows 98, run the file DCOM98.exe, located in the DCOM98 folder of the Visual Basic distribution disks. Systems running Windows NT 4.0 already have DCOM installed.

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q191704 PRB: Unable to Load File to Register It During Setup

  • What causes the following error message?

    The Jet VBA file (VBAJET.dll for 16-bit versions, or VBAJET32.dll for 32-bit versions) failed to initialize when called. Try reinstalling the applications that returned the error.

    The Jet or DAO files are mismatched, or one or more of the files are missing.

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q192934 PRB: Error "The Jet VBA File...Failed to Initialize When Called"

  • What does the following message mean?

    The SETUP.EXE file is linked to missing export OLEAUT32.DLL:185.

    You are running the setup program on a client computer that has the file, OLEAUT32.DLL version 2.1. This older version shipped with the original version of Windows 95, version 4.00.950. Setup packages built with the Package and Deployment Wizard do not run on the original version of Windows 95, due to the lack of support for an API function in the file OLEAUT32.DLL version 2.1.

    This error does not occur on client computers with later versions of Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT version 4.0 or later. Further, this error does not occur if another program installation, such as the installation program for Microsoft Office 97, Internet Explorer 3.0, or Internet Explorer 4.0, has updated the file OLEAUT32.DLL to a newer version. Note that all Visual Basic 6.0 applications require a newer version of the file OLEAUT32.DLL.

    To resolve the problem, install the latest versions of the Visual Basic 6.0 run-time files on the client computer before you run your setup program. You can install the latest versions of the Visual Basic 6.0 run-time files by running the self-extracting file vbrun60.exe. This file installs the latest Visual Basic 6.0 run-time files.

    For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q194754 PRB: SETUP.EXE File Linked to Missing Export OLEAUT32.DLL:185

    Q192461 FILE: VBRun60.exe Installs Visual Basic 6.0 Run-Time Files

  • What causes the following error message to appear after I run a setup program created by the Visual Basic 6.0 Package and Deployment Wizard?

    The file c:\windows\temp\msftqws.pdw\$(DllSelfRegisterEx) could not be registered because it was not found.

    This problem occurs when the setup program attempts to register MSCal.ocx, because the registration macro for MSCal.ocx in the Setup.lst file is incorrect. The registration macro should be $(DllSelfRegister) instead of $(DllSelfRegisterEx).

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q208699 PRB: Error "$(DllSelfRegisterEx) Could Not Be Registered"

  • What causes the following error message to appear when I save a setup package to diskettes using the Package option of the Package and Deployment Wizard? Why isn't there enough room for the setup files on my diskette?

    An unknown error occurred while building the cabinet file '<Project Name>.CAB'. Please verify that you have proper access to the destination and that there is sufficient space there to create the file.

    The Package option of the Package and Deployment Wizard also creates a Support folder that contains the uncompressed versions of the files being distributed in addition to creating setup files for your application. There is not enough room on a diskette for both the setup files and the Support folder.

    When you create the distribution Package, you should save the setup files to a hard drive instead. Then use the Deploy option of the Package and Deployment Wizard to copy the setup files to diskettes. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    Q196583 PRB: An Unknown Error Occurred While Building the Cabinet File


Last Reviewed: Tuesday, February 13, 2001