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Q157517: BUG: Uninstalling DAO 3.0 SDK Prevents Help Files from Working

Article: Q157517
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 4.0,4.1,4.2; WINDOWS:4.2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbDAOsearch
Last Modified: 04-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, versions 4.0, 4.1, 4.2 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, version 4.2 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Uninstalling the DAO SDK that ships with Visual C++ 4.X will result in the
incorrect deletion of registry entries used by Microsoft products for the
location of Help files. Non-Microsoft products, or Microsoft products not using
the specific registry path given below are unaffected.

CAUSE
=====

The DAO SDK uninstall incorrectly destroys the following registry entry:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Help

This is where many Microsoft products store information giving the path of their
Help files. When the DAO SDK uninstall removes the entries in this registry
path, the Online Help for any Microsoft product using this path will no longer
function. The only way to recover the lost entries is to re-install the
Microsoft products. If possible, perform partial re-install just on the Help
components for each product.

RESOLUTION
==========

Don't uninstall the DAO SDK. This problem is not an issue for the
redistributable components.

If you wish to prevent accidental uninstall, you can edit the registry to remove
the DAO SDK from the uninstall list. Delete the following registry entry:

  My Computer\ 
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ 
        SOFTWARE\ 
           Microsoft\ 
              Windows\ 
                 CurrentVersion\ 
                    Uninstall\ 
                       Data Access Objects (DAO)

This will prevent Windows from allowing the uninstall of the DAO components.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. We are researching this bug and will post new
information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: kbVC400bug

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbDAOsearch 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper kbVC410 kbVC420 kbVC32bitSearch kbExchange550SP5
Version           : :4.0,4.1,4.2; WINDOWS:4.2
Issue type        : kbbug

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