KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q150947: VB 4.0 Setup Fails w/"VB4SETUP.STF Contains NULL Characters"

Article: Q150947
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbVBp400
Last Modified: 11-JAN-2001

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

- Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The Visual Basic 4.0 installation procedure creates the file VB4SETUP.LST based
on the options the user selects. The VB4SETUP.LST file is used during
installation, and, at a later time, for adding and removing components. Certain
hardware and software problems and incompatibilities cause bad data to be
written to this file. The Visual Basic 4.0 setup program fails if it cannot read
the file, and displays the error message:

  VB4SETUP.LST contains NULL characters

MORE INFORMATION
================

This behavior is often caused by a faulty or incompatible CD-ROM driver, drive,
network, or network card. The data written to the temporary VB4SETUP.STF file is
corrupted. The EXTRACT.EXE utility, used to extract the program files from the
compressed *.CAB files, requires that all components are 100 percent compatible
and functioning properly.

Early ATAPI CD-ROM drivers, network and network component problems, and some SCSI
drivers and components are shown to cause this error.

In most cases, copying the contents of the root and \SETUP directories of the
Visual Basic 4.0 CD-ROM to a local hard drive and installing the program from
that drive solves the problem. However, obtaining the updated components from
the component vendor is recommended whenever possible.

You can obtain the latest CD-ROM or SCSI drivers from the CD-ROM drive or SCSI
controller vendor. If you are installing from a network, contact the network
administrator or vendor about possible network problems and hardware or software
updates.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsetup kbVBp400 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbVB400Search kbVB400 kbVB16bitSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.