What software programs have known issues with Windows ME (Millennium Edition)?
This question was answered on September 9, 2000. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.
According to the programs.txt file that is included with Windows ME, here are the known issues:
--------
CONTENTS
--------
MS-DOS-BASED AND WINDOWS-BASED PROGRAMS
NOTES ON SPECIFIC MS-DOS-BASED
AND WINDOWS-BASED PROGRAMS
THIRD-PARTY MEMORY MANAGERS
=======================================
MS-DOS-BASED AND WINDOWS-BASED PROGRAMS
=======================================
NOTE: All of the following references to software are to
versions available when Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
(Windows Me) shipped New versions may now be available
For updated information about any of the issues described
here, contact your software vendor.
Select-It v 1.1
------------------------------
Select-It v 1.1 was developed to run on Windows 3.1, Windows 95
and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 It is not recommended that you
use Select-It on Windows Me The product has been discontinued.
Norton Utilities
------------------------------
Windows Millennium was released after most current versions
of Norton Utilities were produced, and some compatibility
issues have arisen Please activate the LiveUpdate function
within Norton Utilities to check if an update is available.
My Holiday Mailing Labels v1.0
------------------------------
This particular version of MyMailList & Address Book was not
designed for use with Windows Me Users may experience minor
issues if they use this program on a computer running Windows Me
For more information, see the Technical Support section of the
MySoftware Web site:
Hurricane 98: McAfee Software
---------------
This application has known compatibility issues after being installed
on Windows Me Users will not be able to boot their computer after
the installation process has completed You can correct this behavior
by uninstalling the application After doing so, you should be able to reboot
normally
For more information, see the McAfee Software Web site
(or Call (972) 855-7044):
Drive Image 3.0
---------------
This version of Drive Image may not work with Windows Me For
more information, see the PowerQuest Web site:
http://www.powerquest.com/windowsmillennium.html
Norton 2000
-----------
Norton 2000 was developed to run on Windows 95, Windows 98, and
Windows NT For more information, see the Symantec Web site:
Norton Your Eyes Only
---------------------
Norton Your Eyes Only was developed to run on Windows 95 and
Windows 98 For more information, see the Symantec Web site:
Juno v3.0.1092.2818
-------------------
This version of Juno may be incompatible with Windows Me To
download the latest version of Juno, which is compatible with
Windows Me, see the Juno Web site (or call 1-800-TRY-JUNO):
Control It 5.0 & Nvidia Display Card
------------------------------------
If you have an Nvidia card installed on your computer and you
are using ControliT 5.0, you may experience compatibility issues
When you try to initiate a Viewer mode session from host to
client computer, the host viewer may display a blank black
screen instead of the remote desktop
Netsonic v2.5
-------------
Netsonic 2.5 was not designed for Windows Me This program forces
a continuous restart loop, and the uninstaller does not function
properly You could experience these problems if you install
NetSonic 2.5 on a clean installation of Windows Me To uninstall
this program with SFP enabled, carry out the following steps:
1 In the Startup folder, delete the shortcut to Webmain.exe.
2 On the taskbar, right-click the Gator icon, and then click
Exit.
3 Restart your computer You can then uninstall without problems.
For information about versions of NetSonic that are designed to
work with Windows Me, see the NetSonic Web site:
http://www.web3000.com http://www.web3000.com/support (for technical support)
CuteFTP
-------
Every time a registered copy of CuteFTP is run, it verifies
that both your BIOS signature and Windows version haven't
changed This is in an effort to combat illegal distribution
of registered versions If you are upgrading you version of
Windows, you will need to re-enter your serial key to re-
register CuteFTP from the Help menu If you lost your serial
key, contact the company at [email protected].
GW Micro Window-Eyes v3.1
-------------------------
This version of the product is not fully compatible with
Windows Me Because of changes to the operating system, the
program will still read displayed text, but you may receive
the error message "Could not create hook" when the program
initializes To make this program compatible with Windows Me,
it is recommended that you visit the manufacturers Web site
and download a patch for this application:
Error in Using Data Access from Microsoft
Office Standard for Windows Version 7.0
-----------------------------------------
If you install Microsoft Office Standard for Windows version
7.0 on a computer running Windows Me, a "Failure to load
expression service" error message appears when you use the
Access ODBC driver from Office programs such as Excel or
Word.
To correct this problem, obtain the free update of Microsoft
Office for Windows version 7.0b from Microsoft Product Support
If you are in the U.S., call the Microsoft Order Desk at
(800) 360-7561 to obtain a copy If you are outside the U.S.,
contact the Microsoft subsidiary in your area To locate your
subsidiary, call the Microsoft International Sales Information
Center at (425) 936-8661.
Installing Win32 SDK Debug Components
from the MSDN CD-ROM
-------------------------------------
The MSDN components might not work properly with some
Windows Me components If you install the SDK or DDK debug
components, reinstall Windows.
Microsoft MS-DOS Utilities
Running Under Windows Me
--------------------------
The MS-DOS utilities installed in the \Windows\Command
directory have been enhanced to work with Windows Me
Do not use the disk repair utilities that shipped with older
versions of MS-DOS Most of the other MS-DOS utilities that
worked with earlier versions of Windows should continue to
work with Windows Me.
The following MS-DOS utility files are deleted after you
upgrade from an earlier version of Windows:
Defrag.hlp
Mwundel.exe
Mwundel.hlp
Networks.txt
OS2.txt
Share.exe
Disk Utilities
--------------
Disk utilities that perform low-level disk functions, such
as defragmenters, disk-repair tools, and disk-compression
utilities, often do not function correctly on FAT32 drives
For information about an older disk-compression utility's
compatibility with Windows Me, contact the program vendor.
Multiple Display (Multi-Monitor) Issues
---------------------------------------
Some programs were not developed with the capabilities to
operate seamlessly in a multiple-display environment As a
result, these programs may not work properly when operating
with more than one active monitor For more information about
multiple-monitor issues, see the Display.txt file in
Windows Me.
Reinstalling Programs
---------------------
If you are upgrading to Windows Me and you install it in the
same folder as your previous version of Windows, you do not
need to reinstall your programs If you install Windows Me
in a new folder, you must reinstall all of your Windows-based
programs Copying from your old Windows folder to your new
Windows Me folder is not sufficient.
Anti-Virus Software
-------------------
Existing anti-virus programs running on Windows Me should be
able to detect viruses, but they may not always eliminate the
viruses they find It is recommended that you update your
anti-virus software to a version that is designed to run with
Windows Me For information about upgrades, contact your
anti-virus software vendor.
Disk-Compression Utilities
--------------------------
Windows Me is incompatible with Stacker 4.1 and earlier versions
You need to uninstall Stacker version 4.1 or earlier before
upgrading to Windows Me.
Universal Naming Convention (UNC)
Network Names and Existing Software
-----------------------------------
There are three ways to assign a network resource in Windows Me:
- Assign a network resource by using its UNC name UNC names are
in the format \\server\share Windows Me uses this method by
default.
- Assign a local name to the network resource For example,
assign one of your LPT ports to a network printer.
- Assign a drive letter to a remote disk drive This method was
the default in Windows 95 and is still supported in Windows Me.
==============================
NOTES ON SPECIFIC MS-DOS-BASED
AND WINDOWS-BASED PROGRAMS
==============================
Adaptec EZ-SCSI 3.1
-------------------
When this program runs with Windows Me, you may experience
the following product limitations:
- The SCSI Power Management device driver included with
Adaptec EZ-SCSI 3.1 is not compatible with Windows Me.
- The SCSI tape backup package does not support backing up
long file names.
For information about Adaptec software products designed
specifically for Windows Me, contact Adaptec directly at
(800) 959-7274 or (408) 945-8600.
Adobe PhotoShop 3.0.4
---------------------
If you have more than 2 GB of free space on your start-up drive,
PhotoShop may be unable to run You may be able to work around
this by setting a large maximum size for your swap file.
Adobe PhotoShop 4.0
-------------------
When you use the Color Range feature on the Select menu, a page
fault results To obtain a patch for this problem, see the Adobe
(PhotoShop v 4.01) Web site at:
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/photoshop
AH-64D Longbow (Jane's)
-----------------------
If you use the Microsoft Sidewinder Pro and switch resolution
from 640x480 to 320x240, the joystick will stop responding
To restore joystick input, press one of the arrow keys To
obtain a patch to correct this problem, see the vendor's
Web site at:
Ami Pro v3.01
-------------
To run the Ami Pro v3.01 tutorial correctly, you must set your
Windows Me taskbar to Auto Hide To do this, carry out the
following steps:
1 Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Taskbar And
Start Menu.
2 Select the Auto Hide check box.
Astound 2.x
-----------
If you experience printing problems, open the Properties dialog
box for your printer and turn off EMS spooling.
ATM fonts
---------
ATM fonts do not appear on the font list when certain printer
drivers for fax programs are set up as the default You might
have this problem with some versions of WinFax, FaxWorks, and
older Quick Link 2 versions A substitute TrueType font is used
instead.
AT&T Mail Access PLUS
---------------------
If you use AT&T Mail Access PLUS for MS-DOS or AT&T Mail Access
PLUS for Windows (earlier than version 2.7), upgrade to the
latest release of Access PLUS for Windows To order an Access
PLUS upgrade or to get more information about other AT&T
messaging products and services, call (800) 242-6005 and ask
for Department 95.
ClarisWorks for Windows 3.0 v1
------------------------------
To install ClarisWorks correctly, you must run the Setupcw
program on disk 2 The Setup program on disk 1 does not install
the program under Windows Me.
Conner Tape Backup
------------------
Because of enhancements to the Windows Me file system, which
supports long file names, the Conner tape backup program does
not work with Windows Me For information about an updated
version of this utility, contact Seagate at (405) 936-1630
or visit the Seagate Web site at:
Dogz (PFMagic)
--------------
PFMagic Dogz 1.0 to 1.09Q does not run on Windows Me Contact
the vendor about obtaining an updated version designed to run
with Windows Me.
Doom 95 (id Software)
---------------------
This game is known to malfunction with the S3 968 video card.
Director 4.04 (Macromedia)
--------------------------
This program will not start on a computer that has more than
2 gigabytes of free drive space To work around this problem,
either run the program on a hard disk that has less than 2
gigabytes of free disk space or upgrade to version 5 or later.
DragonDictate for Windows
-------------------------
For information about the availability of an upgrade that
may be compatible with Windows Me, call Dragon Systems at
(800) 825-5897 or (617) 965-5200
Faxworks v3.0
-------------
If your default printer name is extremely long, you may find
that the Call Center dialog box does not appear If this
happens, shorten the printer name or, if you are printing
to a network printer, capture the printer port
FaxWorks Version 3.00f.041
--------------------------
The Advanced AGC option (audio gain control) is designed to
adjust incoming call voice volume Do not use this option
with Windows Me Using this option creates a .tmp file in
your Temp folder The file gradually fills the disk and causes
a system lockup.
Gold Disk Astound v2.0
----------------------
If you experience problems with embedded OLE objects, contact
the manufacturer for an updated patch.
HiJaak Graphic Suite
--------------------
Some problems may occur when you run Smuggler.exe with
Windows Me To avoid problems:
- Use the screen capture utility for only short periods of
time.
- Periodically restart your computer to regain system
resources when you run Smuggler.exe for long periods
of time.
For information about obtaining a Windows Me version of
this program, in the U.S., call Inset Systems, Inc., at
(800) DR-INSET Outside the U.S., call (203) 740-2400.
IBM Client Access/400
---------------------
You need a patch to run this program with Windows Me For more
information, use the SNDPTFORD command through Electronic
Customer Support (ECS), and then ask for APAR II08704 Or you
can call (800) 274-0015, and then:
1 Press 1 for the support line, and then enter your customer
number
2 Press 1 for new call
3 Press 6 for PTF and ask for APAR II08704
Learn to Speak French (Hyperglot)
---------------------------------
Learn to Speak French 4.02 (Hyperglot) does not display
correctly in 256 colors if Active Desktop is enabled
Running the program with Active Desktop enabled results
in discoloration of dialog boxes Before running this
program, make sure you disable Active Desktop by
carrying out the following steps:
1 Right-click the desktop, and then point to Active
Desktop.
2 Clear the check mark beside Show Web Content.
Links LS 97 (Access)
--------------------
During Links LS 97 Setup, you are given the option to
Disable Task Scheduler If you elect to do so, the program
may minimize to the taskbar and can be closed only by pressing
CTRL ALT DEL and then clicking End Task for Links LS Do not
choose to disable task scheduler This does not occur with
Links LS 98.
Lotus Notes
-----------
To install Lotus Notes from a network computer, you need to
map a drive letter to the network computer To do this, carry
out the following steps:
1 Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and
then click Windows Explorer.
2 On the Tools menu, click Map Network Drive.
3 In the Path box, type the path to the network server, and
then click OK.
4 Click the drive you just mapped, and find the Lotus Notes
setup program.
5 Install Lotus Notes.
Lotus Notes Windows Client 3.2
------------------------------
If you are using the NetBIOS interface over IPX and the NetBEUI
protocol stacks, you must configure the port for NetBIOS using
the unit number that correctly corresponds to that protocol
The default number for the first NetBIOS protocol is initially
set to 0; then any additional NetBIOS interface starts at
port 7 through 1 NetBIOS will probably use 7 or 6 if NetBEUI
is using 0 To make changes, in the Lotus Notes Windows client,
click Tools, click Setup, and then click Ports
MaxSoft-Ocron
-------------
Business Card Reader 2.0, ColorFax, ImagePhoto, and Wordlinx 2.0
were written for Windows 3.1 and may not work correctly with
Windows Me For more information if you are calling from within
the U.S., call MaxSoft-Ocron, Inc., at (510) 445-8610 If you are
calling from outside the U.S., call the product support telephone
number that came with your copy of Perceive Personal OCR for Hand
Scanners
MCS Stereo Version 1.05
-----------------------
In the Windows Me operating system, you cannot switch between
standard and enhanced environments in MCS Stereo version 1.05
If you do, the mixer controls are disabled To enable them, close
the program, and then reopen it If you are in the U.S., contact
Animotion Development Corporation for information about obtaining
a version of this program for Windows Me In the U.S., call
(205) 591-5715 Outside the U.S., call the product support number
that came with your copy of MCS Stereo.
MechWarrior 2 MS-DOS 1.1 (Activision)
-------------------------------------
This game does not work correctly on Windows Me.
To correct this problem, download the Mech2v11.exe patch provided
by Activision from their Web site at:
Menuworks Total Security
------------------------
The security features of this product are incompatible with the
Windows Me file system We strongly recommend that you remove
this software before you install Windows Me.
MicroHelp Compression Plus 4.0
------------------------------
If you have problems installing Compression Plus on Windows Me,
carry out the following steps:
1 Open the System.ini file.
2 Add the word "progman" to the end of the SHELL= line For
example:
shell=explorer.exe progman
3 Restart your computer, and then reinstall MicroHelp
Compression.
4 Change your System.ini file back to its original setting.
Microsoft FORTRAN 5.1
---------------------
If you want to create QuickWin applications using Microsoft
FORTRAN 5.1 running on Windows Me, either delete or comment out
the following line in the Fl.def file:
APPOADER '___MSLANGLOAD'
After you remove this line, recompile any QuickWin programs that
were built with version 5.1.
Microsoft Office 97 Service Releases (patches)
----------------------------------------------
If Windows 95 and Office 97 are installed on your computer and
you then upgrade to Windows Me, the Office 97 Service Release 1
patch cannot be installed on your computer However, if you
install the Office 97 Service Release 1 patch before you
upgrade to Windows Me, the patch should work correctly
The Office 97 Service Release 2 patch has been released and
can be used on both Windows 95 and Windows 98 systems.
The latest Office 97 Service Release patches can be found at:
http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/downloadDetails/sr2off97detail.htm
Microtek ScanWizard 2.0b7
-------------------------
If you have problems installing this program, carry out the
following steps:
1 Add the following line to the [Compatibility] section of your
Win.ini file:
DSHELL=0x00400000
2 Restart your computer, and then reinstall Microtek ScanWizard.
3 Remove the DSHELL line from your Win.ini file.
Midisoft Studio 4, Midisoft Recording Session 4,
MIDI Kit 1.0
------------------------------------------------
If you experience problems running these Midisoft titles, see the
vendor's Web page at:
http://www.midisoft.com/html/tech_support/faq/faq-st~1.htm
From this site, you can contact their technical support for an
updated Studio.exe file.
Norton Backup
-------------
Windows Me requires new settings for this program Before you
run Norton Backup, delete the Nbackup.pif file located in the
Norton Backup directory.
Norton Disk Doctor 2.0 and 3.0 (Symantec)
-----------------------------------------
If you have Norton Utilities 2.0 or 3.0 installed before
upgrading to Windows Me, Norton Disk Doctor will not run after
an incorrect shutdown To enable Norton Disk Doctor to run
after an incorrect shutdown, either reinstall the program or
carry out the following steps:
1 Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then
click MS-DOS Prompt.
2 From the \Windows prompt, type CD COMMAND and then press ENTER.
3 Type COPY NDD.EXE SCANDISK.ALT and then press ENTER.
4 Type EXIT to return to Windows Your Norton Disk Doctor will
now run correctly after improper shutdowns.
Norton Navigator (Symantec)
---------------------------
Norton Navigator places shortcuts to its programs on the Start
menu However, on a clean install of Windows Me, Norton's Start
menu shortcuts do not have any file associations and do not
launch any programs.
To fix this problem, manually edit these shortcuts and point them
to the corresponding *.cpl file in your \Windows\System folder.
Office Accelerator
------------------
Because there is no Print Manager, Office Accelerator does not
use the Office Accelerator menus Instead, to configure your
printers, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
Paint Shop Pro v2.0
-------------------
You cannot use this program to draw capture areas inside 32-bit
programs, because 16-bit programs do not see mouse movements
over 32-bit programs All other mouse capture methods still work;
the program continues to work with 16-bit programs We recommend
that you upgrade to the latest version of this program.
PC-cillin Version 2.0 (Trend Micro, Inc.)
-----------------------------------------
Trend Micro PC-cillin will not uninstall correctly after loading
In addition, Microsoft WordPad and Microsoft Paint are disabled
after PC-cillin is installed To correct this problem, reinstall
Microsoft WordPad and Microsoft Paint
PCTools Versions 7 Through 9
----------------------------
Shortcuts are not created during installation of PCTOOLS
versions 7 through 9 on Windows Me To create shortcuts after
installation, carry out the following steps:
1 Click Start, and then click Run.
2 Type CPSDOS.GRP, and then press ENTER.
PCTools are added to your Programs folder For the shortcuts
to work, you must add the PCTools folder to the path in your
Autoexec.bat file.
Because of changes to the Windows 98 file system, these disk
utilities do not work correctly with long file names For
information about purchasing disk utilities that are designed
for Windows Me, contact Symantec.
Personal Oracle 7.1 for Windows 3.1
-----------------------------------
This program cannot be installed on a computer running Windows
ME because it requires a Win32s.dll that is no longer used For
information about obtaining an updated version for Windows Me,
call Oracle Corporation at (650) 506-7000, or contact your local
Oracle office.
QuarkXPress 3.3
---------------
You might experience the following problems:
- Out-of-memory error Upgrading to QuarkXPress 3.32 should
solve the problem You can download a patch from their
Web site:
- QuarkXPress 3.3/3.31x library windows may fail to display
control box and menu items, making it impossible to resize
or close library files This problem will be corrected in
the next version of QuarkXPress.
- The QuarkXPress installer may stop at 99% complete when
QuarkXPress is installed on some Windows 98 computers To
complete the installation process correctly, click Continue.
Quickbooks 2.0
--------------
If you experience problems running Quickbooks 2.0 with Windows
ME, add the following entry to the [Compatibility] section of
your Win.ini file:
QBW=0x08000000
Quickbooks 3.0
--------------
Before you minimize Quickbooks, be sure to register the product
If you have already minimized it and are experiencing problems
running Quickbooks 3.0, delete the Qbw.ini file in your
Quickbooks folder
Quicken
-------
If you configured Quicken to use a printer other than the
system default printer or to use custom fonts, you may lose
these settings after you upgrade to Windows Me After you
install Windows Me, you can use Quicken to restore these
settings.
Savage: The Ultimate Quest for Survival (Viridis)
-------------------------------------------------
This game might stop responding during Setup It occasionally
displays a double cursor, and it doesn't work properly with the
S3 Trio64 video card To solve these problems, restart your
computer If the problems persist, the vendor recommends that
you install the 16-bit version of this game
Splice 2.0
----------
You may encounter a General Protection Fault if you try to create
an optimal palette with some video files This problem has been
fixed by Asymetrix in the most recent version (now called Digital
Video Producer) A free upgrade is available from Asymetrix for
all registered Splice users For more information, contact
Asymetrix Technical Support at (425) 637-1600.
Stacker 4.1 (Stac)
------------------
Windows Me does not run on a Stacker compressed hard drive If
you currently have Stacker 4.1 installed on your computer,
uninstall Stacker before you upgrade to Windows Me.
SuperPrint
----------
SuperPrint 2.0 (which includes SuperQue) does not work with
Windows Me For more information about SuperQue 95, call
(800) 366-7494.
Talk-To Plus
------------
For information about a compatible Windows Me upgrade, call
Dragon Systems at (800) 825-5897 or (617) 965-5200.
Timeline
--------
You may have problems running existing macros with Timeline
Timeline tries to use Window handles that it has already freed
and may cause an error For information about program updates,
contact the vendor.
Triple Play 98 (EA Sports)
--------------------------
The autorun feature on the Triple Play 98 CD-ROM might cause a
general protection fault Use the Setup.exe on the CD-ROM, or
for further information, visit the Electronic Arts Web site at:
Typestry 2.0
------------
If you experience problems running Typestry 2.0, obtain a patch
from Pixar, Inc Call the product support number that came with
your software You may also have problems using Typestry to print
to a PostScript printer under Windows Me The workaround is to
use a non-PostScript or UniDrive printer.
Ultima VI/Wing Commander CD-ROM
-------------------------------
Because Windows Me does not support the JOIN command, you need
to run the Ultima VI/Wing Commander CD-ROM from your hard drive
The procedure for doing this is outlined below and in the
documentation for this CD-ROM game Copy all programs to your
hard drive, and then run Install.exe to configure the program
You need approximately 13 MB of space for Wing Commander and
5 MB of space for Ultima VI.
To copy all files for either Wing Commander or Ultima VI:
1 Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then
click Windows Explorer.
2 Click your CD-ROM drive.
3 Click the icon for the folder you want to copy, and then drag
it to your hard-disk icon.
4 To configure the proper video and sound options, run the
install program from your hard drive.
Where in the USA Is Carmen San Diego? (Broderbund)
--------------------------------------------------
This program is unable to initialize graphics when run on Windows
ME in 16-bit color mode This program runs correctly using 256
colors.
WinShield Version 1.0.1 (Kent Marsh)
------------------------------------
If you have WinShield version 1.0.1 installed on your computer,
do the following before you upgrade to Windows Me:
1 Remove WinShield by using the Setup program found on the
installation disks.
2 When the uninstall is finished, upgrade to Windows Me.
IMPORTANT: To avoid deleting all devices in Device Manager,
install Windows Me immediately after you uninstall WinShield
Do not restart your computer, run the Add New Hardware wizard,
or try to use Device Manager before the Windows Me installation
is complete This is not an issue with WinShield version 1.5.
===========================
THIRD-PARTY MEMORY MANAGERS
===========================
Some third party memory managers do not work properly with
Windows Me If you experience problems with these applications
please contact the application manufacturer for an update or more
information Memory managers known to have some problems
in previous operating systems which might still be have problems:
- 386MAX 7.0
- BlueMAX 7.0
- QEMM 7.01 - 8.01
About the author
Posted by Ken Colburn of Data Doctors on September 9, 2000
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