How do I resolve “Run-time error '429': ActiveX component can't create object”?

Question

My company has a VB6 application using Crystal Reports 7 which a client has asked to be installed on Windows 7 32 bit. It is currently installed on Windows XP 32bit SP2 machines at the client. Connection to the DB is done via ODBC to SQL Server 2000 instance on another server.

On Windows 7, the installation works fine, however when you try to open the application, the error is given.

I have looked at the following:

• Registering all the dll's and ocx files using regsvr32. Some will not register as they either are registered already or the following message is given "Make sure that "[name].dll" is valid DLL or OCX file and then try again." I read this forum thread regarding this: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/vblanguage/thread/0653f685-4526-45d9-89f3-8c479a6b4c62
• Monitored the opening of the application using a ProcessMonitor application to try and spot if there is a missing dll or ocx file - this does not seem to be the case.
• Reviewed the application according to this list and nothing seems to be against these guidelines

I've noticed two items in the knowledge base that relate to this

• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281848 - the comdlg32.ocx bundled with the application is version 6.0.81.69 and the one in the system32 folder on the dev machine (WinXP 32 bit) is 6.1.97.82. However if this was the issue then surely it would not work currently?
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/184898 - I'm not sure how to confirm that this is the issue

Finally, due to complexities, I am not allowed to make code changes to this application. Even if I was, I'm not a VB6 programmer, just the guy who got the terribly support project! If code changes are required, then I'll have to investigate using WinXP mode.

Update: I get the same error in XP Mode. That's a Win XP with SP3 VM. This runs on a Win XP SP2 VM, is there potentially something in SP3 that would have caused this to occur? Or is it just a fact of it being XP Mode?

Answer 1

The file msrdo20.dll is missing from the installation.

According to the Support Statement for Visual Basic 6.0 on Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 this file should be distributed with the application.

I'm not sure why it isn't, but my solution is to place the file somewhere on the machine, and register it using regsvr32 in the command line, eg:

regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\msrdo20.dll

In an ideal world you would package this up with the redistributable.

Answer 2

I got the same error but I solved by using regsvr32.exe in C:\Windows\SysWOW64. Because we use x64 system. So if your machine is also x64, the ocx/dll must registered also with regsvr32 x64 version

Answer 3

This download fixed my VB6 EXE and Access 2016 (using ACEDAO.DLL) run-time error 429. Took me 2 long days to get it resolved because there are so many causes of 429.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=13255

QUOTE from link: "This download will install a set of components that can be used to facilitate transfer of data between 2010 Microsoft Office System files and non-Microsoft Office applications"

Answer 4

You say it works once you install the VB6 IDE so the problem is likely to be that the components you are trying to use depend on the VB6 runtime being installed.

The VB6 runtime isn't installed on Windows by default.

Installing the IDE is one way to get the runtime. For non-developer machines, a "redistributable" installer package from Microsoft should be used instead.

Here is one VB6 runtime installer from Microsoft. I'm not sure if it will be the right version for your components:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=7b9ba261-7a9c-43e7-9117-f673077ffb3c