REG.DAT May Need Update if Both Windows 3.0, 3.1 Installed

ID: Q82144

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

If you are running Windows 3.0, and you install an OLE (object-linking-and- embedding) enabled application, such as Publisher or Word for Windows 2.0, and later install Microsoft Windows 3.1 in a directory other than the directory in which Windows 3.0 resides, Windows 3.1 can't locate the OLE database. You may need to update the registration database, REG.DAT.

MORE INFORMATION

To update REG.DAT, start REGEDIT.EXE to merge the registration information that the OLE-enabled application installed into the Windows 3.0 directory.

If the OLE-enabled application is not registered into the REG.DAT file yet, the client application that attempts to access the server application doesn't have a selection in the Insert Object dialog box. The client application may also display an error message such as

   UNABLE TO OPEN SERVER APPLICATION

when the server is not registered in the REG.DAT.

To merge the registration information, do the following:

1. Choose Run from the File Menu in either Program Manager or File Manager.

2. Type the following in the Command Line text box:

      regedit

3. From the Registration Information Editor dialog box, choose Merge

   Registration File from the File menu.

4. Select the registration file that corresponds to the server

   application. For example, MSPUB.REG for Microsoft Publisher, or
   MSWORKS.REG for Microsoft Works. Notice the file has a .REG
   extension and should be located in the Windows directory.

5. Choose OK.

After the proper registration file has been successfully merged with REG.DAT, REGEDIT displays:

   INFORMATION IN <DRIVE\PATH\MY.REG> HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY REGISTERED
   IN THE REGISTRATION DATABASE

   <DRIVE\PATH\MY.REG> is the corresponding registration file.

For more information on updating the REG.DAT file, query on the following:

   rebuild and reg.dat

KBCategory: kbsetup kbdisplay kbenv kbole KBSubcategory: Win31 Additional reference words: 3.10 registry registration editor 3.11

Last Reviewed: November 21, 1994