Microsoft KB Archive/101251

"Cannot Launch Server" Error Message

= "Cannot Launch Server" Error Message =

Q101251
--- The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Publisher for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a - Microsoft Works for Windows 3.0 - Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0 ---

SYMPTOMS

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You may find that you cannot run an OLE (object-linking-and-embedding) server application from inside Publisher 2.0, or Works for Windows 3.0, or any other OLE 2.0 application but that other applications ( such as Write, Word 2.x or Publisher 1.0) can access the server without any problem. When you try to insert an object, Publisher, Works for Windows 3.0 or Word for Windows 6.0, may generate the error message "Cannot Launch Server," "can not insert object" and/or "can not start source application"

CAUSE

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This problem occurs if the OLE 2.0 section of your REG.DAT file is damaged or has been deleted. Publisher is an OLE 2.0 client application, and needs the OLE 2.0 section of the REG.DAT file. Many other Windows-based applications still use only OLE 1.0, and can function normally without the OLE 2.0 section of the REG.DAT file.

RESOLUTION

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To correct this problem, do the following:

1. Rename the REG.DAT file. (This file is in the Windows directory.)

2. Exit Windows and restart. Windows does not find the original REG.DAT file, so it creates a new one.

3. Start File Manager.

4. In the PUBLISHER directory, double-click the MSPUB.REG file. This registers Publisher in the new REG.DAT file.

5. Switch to the WORDART subdirectory in the MSAPPS subdirectory. Double-click the WORDART2.REG file. This registers WordArt 2.0 in the new REG.DAT file.

6. Locate and double-click the .REG files for each of your other OLE server and/or client applications to register them in the new REG.DAT file.

You can locate these files by choosing Search from the File menu, searching on *.REG, and choosing Search All Subdirectories.

If you cannot find an application's .REG file, or if it has been damaged, you can reregister the application in the REG.DAT file by doing a minimal custom reinstallation of the application.

After re-creating the REG.DAT file, you should be able to embed objects into Publisher without any problems.

Additional query words: 2.00 mspub source destination w_works WordArt cannot launch communicate 2.00a Word Art Source Application OLE Office 4.3