Update required to use legacy help files on Windows 7 (KB917607)

KB917607 update required in order to use legacy help (.hlp) files.

WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp" file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows 7, you need to install this application.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=258aa5ec-e3d9-4228-8844-008e02b32a2c&displaylang=en

Windows6.1-KB917607-x64.msu

702KB

Windows6.1-KB917607-x86.msu

688KB

Also see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/262841

and

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934307

for installation command line parameters.

wusa.exe <filename>.msu /quiet /norestart

Registering comdlg32.ocx on Windows 7 64-bit

http://www.bioinformatics.org/snp-tools-excel/install_comdlg32.htm

In case this link stops working, you copy comdlg32.ocx to C:\windows\syswow64 and run regsvr32.exe in the normal way.  YOU MUST HOWEVER start the ActiveX Installer Service first.

32-bit programs calling 64-bit utilities may not work.

I recently saw a 32-bit program calling a 64-bit utility on the OS which was failing.

The 64-bit util worked perfectly if the user ran it but not if the user ran it via the call from the 32-bit program.

The 32-bit program was a compiled Wise script.  Making calls out to 32-bit equivalents of the 64-bit programs was fine.  The theory was that the 32-bit program was causing a problem by possibly trying to run the 64-bit program in 32-bit mode/process.

Blank Microsoft Visual Basic Error occurs during Excel launch

This error was encountered during an first time Excel launch where addins had been prewritten into the users registry.  Excel launched and carried out the first time launch items such as confirming the User Name but then stalled with this error.  Some other articles have also referred this type of event happening when addins that worked under 2003, are tried in Excel 2007.  Which was true in this case as well.  The cause, therefore, appears to be the contents of the addins rather than the mechanism for configuring them for the user (the packaging).  Addins in this case were Bloomberg and Bloomberg TSAPI.  The workaround is as simple has having any of the office applications launch before Excel or launching Excel before the applications are installed and configured for the user.
Also found on this subject
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/officeprog/thread/562433ed-5365-4c2f-8a48-b68540821403
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-3513-0.html?forumID=102&threadID=333274

Windows Live Messenger in the system tray on W7

For some reason Windows Live Messenger on W7 does not operate from the system tray by default.  To make it do this set the C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe to XPSP3 compatibility mode.

Reuters 3000 Xtra Installations

Reuters 3000 Xtra has a good installation configuration and management system called Reuters Desktop Management Consolde (RDMC).  rdmc.exe is the launchable program that can provide access to the interface.    The RDMC.exe can be used to export settings in an XML file.  This file can then be used with the MSI installation command line as a configuration input.  Refer to the RDMC help file and other documentaion for the options pertaining to silent installs and/or mass deployments.

PCA Go figure

Program Compatibility Assistant
I'd love to post an good explaination on this one but I haven't found one.  The best I've got is:

Key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

Name:
Path to exe            - Type REG_SZ

Data
VISTARTM         - This is the PCA mode to use. RUNASADMIN can also be used where necessary.

Setting the path to an exe with VISTARTM will stop PCA popping up and annoying you.

You can try this if you like - good luck
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb756937.aspx