Microsoft KB Archive/836204

= When you start Encarta or games for Windows, you receive an error message because of an error that occurs in Aclayers.dll =

Article ID: 836204

Article Last Modified on 11/14/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator X Standard
 * Microsoft Age of Empires III
 * Microsoft Age of Empires III : The WarChiefs
 * Microsoft Age of Mythology
 * Microsoft Age of Mythology Gold
 * Microsoft Age of Mythology: The Titans
 * Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003
 * Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2004
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: Century of Flight
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations: Gold Edition
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots

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SYMPTOMS
When you try to start one of the programs listed in the &quot;Applies To&quot; section, the program may quit unexpectedly, and you may receive an error message that resembles the following:

Microsoft  has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

To see what data this error report contains, click here.

When you view the data in the error report, the report contains an error signature that is similar resembles the following: AppName:   AppVer:     ModName:        ModVer:     Offset: appname    appver      aclayers.dll        5.1.2600.2180  00012f5C Where  is one of the following:
 * age3.exe
 * aom.exe
 * aomx.exe
 * encarta.exe
 * rise.exe
 * nations.exe
 * thrones.exe



CAUSE
This issue occurs when the game's shortcut is set to use a compatibility mode. The Microsoft XML 4.0 that is used by some games and by Microsoft Encarta is not compatible with the Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition compatibility modes in Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Windows XP.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

Windows Vista

 * 1) Open the Program Compatibility Wizard. To do this, click Startvistastartbutton.jpg], click Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Use an older program with this version of Windows.
 * 2) Follow the instructions in the wizard.

Windows XP

 * 1) Right-click the shortcut icon for the program, and then click Properties.
 * 2) On the Compatibility tab, click to clear the Run this program in compatibility mode for: check box.

Alternatively, on the Compatibility tab, select the compatible mode Windows 2000.
 * 1) Click OK.
 * 2) Start the program with the shortcut that you just modified.

If this issue still occurs after you follow these steps, create a new user account, and then try to start the program as the new user.

For more information about how to create and configure user accounts in Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

279783 How to create and configure user accounts in Windows XP



MORE INFORMATION
For more information about program compatibility, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

301911 How to use the Program Compatibility Wizard in Windows XP

To learn more about how to run older programs in Windows Vista in Windows Vista, follow the instructions in the &quot;Make older programs run in this version of Windows&quot; topic in Windows Vista Help and Support. To view the topic, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start vistastartbutton.jpg], and then click Help and Support.
 * 2) In the Search Help box, type Make older programs run in this version of Windows, and then click Search Help.
 * 3) Click the appropriate topic.

Additional query words: features

Keywords: kberrmsg kbui kbprb KB836204

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