Microsoft KB Archive/199641

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PRB: Problems Related to Installing/Uninstalling IE4 and DCOM 95

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Q199641

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK), on platform(s):
 * the hardware: Intel x86

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SYMPTOMS
When installing or uninstalling Internet Explorer 4 and DCOM 95 in various combinations, applications using DCOM 95 features of COM may encounter various problems. Following are the most typical scenarios that cause these problems.

STATUS
This behavior is governed by the design of these two components. Future versions of these components may handle these situations differently.

Internet Explorer 4 or Later Uninstall and DCOM 95
Internet Explorer 4 installs DCOM as part of its base install on Windows 95. This means that when Internet Explorer is uninstalled, the DCOM DLLs are restored to the same state as before Internet Explorer was installed.

If DCOM 95 version 1.0 (build 426) is installed before Internet Explorer 4 or later is installed, while Internet Explorer 4 or later is installed, DCOM build 1120 is on the system. If Internet Explorer 4 or later is uninstalled, DCOM 95 1.0 is restored.

If DCOM 95 version 1.1 (build 1718) is installed before Internet Explorer 4 or later is installed, it remains installed, even if Internet Explorer 4 or later is uninstalled.

If DCOM 95 is not installed when Internet Explorer 4 or later is installed, when Internet Explorer 4 or later is uninstalled, then DCOM disappear also, even if DCOM 95 is installed after Internet Explorer 4 or later is installed. This can cause applications that rely on DCOM 95 to stop functioning correctly after Internet Explorer 4 or later is uninstalled. The workaround in this scenario is to install the DCOM 95 Web release. See instructions on downloading the DCOM95 Web release in the References section of this article.

NOTE: Applications that are dependent on DCOM 95 and ship on CD-ROM should redistribute the DCOM 95 Web release on the CD so that it can easily be reinstalled if necessary.

DCOM 95 Uninstall and Internet Explorer 4
Internet Explorer 4 or later relies on OLE fixes which are in DCOM build 1120 or later. When DCOM 95 is installed from the Web release, it adds itself to the list of products which can be uninstalled using the control panel add/remove tab. When DCOM 95 is uninstalled, it restores the DCOM system DLLs to the state they were in when DCOM 95 was installed. This means that if you install DCOM 95 over a Windows 95 or OSR2 clean install, then install Internet Explorer 4 or later, then uninstall DCOM 95, you have removed the DCOM system DLLs out from under Internet Explorer 4 or later and Internet Explorer 4 or later will probably break. If you have installed the Windows Desktop Update, you may not be able to boot your system into Windows. The workaround in this case is to reinstall DCOM 95 or Internet Explorer 4 or later. See the References section for instructions on downloading the Internet Explorer 4 or later release version.