Crystal reports 11Rs Vista unicows.dll errors

[Former Member]

Clean install of Crystal Reports 11R2 on a Vista SP1 machine.

Installs fine, opens as expected but when I click file, open and choose a report, I get an error message:

"The Microsoft Layer for Unicode (unicows.dll) can not be found. This program will now exit."

Unicode was for pre 2000 systems, I don't know why I am getting this error message.

Ken Caudell

[former_member11696]

Unicode was for pre 2000 systems, I don't know why I am getting this error message.

Is not true. Unicode is the norm world wide to handle multi-byte fonts and character sets.

[Former Member]

Hi Ken,

Have you applied any service pack?

Regards,

Shweta

[Former Member]

Yes, SP3, then SP4, still got the same thing.

Uninstalled EVERYTHING Crystal Reports. Rebooted, installed 11R2 clean. Errors still.

Copied unicows.dll from older system in the office to Windows\system32 folder, still no go.

Went to Microsoft and got the official release of unicows.dll, copied to windows\system32 folder still no go.

Copied unicows.dll to the program files\business objects\crystal reports 11.5 folder.

NOW I can open saved reports. What is weird this has just started after I updated to R2 on this Vista machine. v11 was fine but R2 was supposed to give Vista compatibility!??!?!?!

I am now running v11R2 without any service packs and it SEEMS correct at this time.

KJ

[Former Member]

Hi Ken,

Have you upgraded Crystal reports From RI to R2?

Crystal Reports XI is installed on your computer. You need to manually uninstall Crystal Reports XI for one of the following reasons:

u2022 To verify that all Crystal Reports XI components have been completely removed prior to installing a later version of Crystal Reports.

u2022 To remove the remaining Crystal Reports XI components that have not been removed using the 'Add/Remove Programs' command (Start > Settings > Control Panel).

u2022 To remove the remaining Crystal Reports XI components that have not been removed using the Setup.exe file from Crystal Reports XI installation CD.

How do you manually uninstall Crystal Reports XI?

Resolution

Before getting started, uninstall Crystal Reports XI by launching the Setup.exe file from the installation CD or by using the 'Add/Remove Programs' command. If either of these methods fails to remove all Crystal Reports directories, files and registry keys, then continue with the resolution of this article.

==========

WARNING:

This resolution can be applied if Crystal Reports XI is the only software installed on the computer that uses the Business Objects directories, files and registry keys.

For example, Crystal Analysis, Crystal Enterprise and BusinessObjects Enterprise XI are applications that may share the same directories, files and registry keys.

Removing these directories, files and registry keys may cause other software to function incorrectly.

==========

1. To manually uninstall Crystal Reports XI, delete the following directories:

u2022 C:\Program Files\Common Files\Business Objects\3.0

u2022 C:\Program Files\Business Objects

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

NOTE:

Do not remove the directory C:\Program Files\Common Files\Business Objects\3.0 if you have BusinessObjects Enterprise XI or Crystal Reports Server XI installed. These files are shared by both applications and removal of these files will cause Business ObjectsEnterprise XI and Crystal Reports Server XI to function incorrectly.

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

2. Delete the following registry keys:

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

WARNING:

The following resolution involves editing the registry. Using the Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall the Microsoft Windows operating system. Use the Registry Editor at your own risk.

HELP:

For information on how to edit the registry key, view the 'Changing Keys And Values' online Help topic in the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).

RECOMMENDATION:

It is strongly recommended that you make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat on Win9x computers) before you edit the registry.

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

u2022 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Business Objects\Suite 11.0\Crystal Reports\

u2022 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Business Objects\Suite 11.0\Crystal Reports

u2022 HKEY_USERS\S-#-#-##-...-####\Software\Business Objects\Suite 11.0\Crystal Reports

(The number signs (#) represent a series of numbers that are different on each computer.)

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

NOTE:

After making changes to the registry, restart the affected service or application as required.

Now install Crystal Reports XIR2.

Hope that helps!!

Regards,

Shweta

[Former Member]

Hi Ken,

With above steps you can also try with

Run a command prompt as administrator. From the start menu, select "All Programs", then "Accessories" and right-click on the "Command Prompt" shortcut and choose "Run As Administrator". From here you can use the following command to disable Data Execution Prevention (DEP) with the following command:

bcdedit.exe /set nx AlwaysOff Keeping your command prompt open, run your setup or other process being stopped by DEP. Then, to turn it back on again, do the same and run the following: bcdedit.exe /set nx AlwaysOn

Regards,

Shweta

[Former Member]

<sigh>

Ok, Yes I originally ran an uninstall via the Control Panel.

I went ahead and again uninstalled everything via the control panel, then manually deleted everything pertaining to Business Objects in Program Files and Program files\common

Then edited registry deleting everything relating to Business Objects.

Rebooted computer

Installed v11R2.

Now back to getting unicows.dll when I try to open existing report. So grabbed the unicows.dll file and copied it to the business objects folder and it fixed that problem.

Not sure if all is well at this point or not. Will do further testing.

KJ

[Former Member]

Try with turning off DEP.Its a known issue with Vista.

Regards,

Shweta

[Former Member]

bcdedit.exe /set nx AlwaysOff what goes into the ?

KJ

[Former Member]

-Open a command prompt as Administrator.

-Run the following command:

bcdedit.exe /set nx AlwaysOff

-Reboot the machine.

Regards,

Shweta