Suddenly Mathcad 14 won't launch

[#1]

I have been running Mathcad 14.0 M020 on Windows Vista for some time without problems. Now suddenly I get this when I try to launch mathcad: Miscrosoft Vistual C++ Runtime Library Runtime Error! Program C:\ProgramFiles\Mathcad\Mathcad 14\mathcad.exe abnormal program termination Does anyone have any idea what has caused this? Thanks.

[RichardJ]

Have you tried repairing the installation of Mathcad? Richard

[ptc-2292564]

Yes, but no joy. I am now attempting a more elaborate re-install under the direction of Tech Support via telephone. Unfortunately I have now exceeded my online license activation quota, and have to wait for a new license file to arrive on Monday (apparently the license server doesn't work on weekends). As it turns out, the CD sent to me by PTC when I upgraded from MCAD13 to MCAD14 does not contain all the files needed to do a complete re-install, so all those files had to be downloaded from the PTC website. I am hopeful that when the license file arrives and I complete the installation, all will be well again, but for now the jury is still out.

[ptc-2292564]

I received the license file this morning, but it did not solve the problem. So back in the Tech Support queue ...

[RichardJ]

If you haven't already tried this, uninstall Mathcad completely, and then delete the folder under Program Files. Also find and delete the assembly cache: C:\Documents and Settings\<Your Name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mathsoft\Mathcad\14\LocalAssemblyCache Then reinstall. Richard

[ptc-2292564]

Thanks Richard. I just tried your suggestion, but it did not help.

[RichardJ]

Sorry, but I don't know what else to suggest. I view Vista as only one step away from a very large virus, and have avoided it. Did it do any recent automatic updates that might be causing a problem? Or did you install any other software? Richard

[ptc-2292564]

The last time I used Mathcad successfully was last April, so yes, lots of updates since then, and any one of them could be the culprit. I figure PTC must know what components Mathcad depends on. I'll just have to wait for them to get back to me. Thanks again for your help.

[mzeftel]

If you have installed lots of things since you last used Mathcad, make sure you still have the right version of .Net for Mathcad 14. You can have more than one version of .Net installed, but Mathcad 14 needs to have: Microsoft .NET Framework® 3.5 or later, MSXML 4.0 SP2 Parser and SDK (this exact version of MSXML is required ) * Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 or later Perhaps one of them is missing. If so, you can install them from the CD or the Microsoft site. Mona

[ptc-2292564]

I have Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and MSXML 4.0 SP2 Parser and SDK installed. There is no MDAC showing in the Control Panel Programs. When I try to install it from the CD PreReq folder, a message box flashes open and then closes before I can read what it says. Anyway, the Tech Support rep on the phone Sunday walked me through these, and it didn't help.

[RichardJ]

You don't need MDAC. The blurb from PTC says you do, but it's wrong. I don't have it installed either, and I know at least one other person that doesn't. We are both successfully running versions 11, 13, and 14 in parallel (I think the "other person" might even be running 12 as well). Richard

[ptc-2292564]

Are you running all those older versions under Vista? Maybe I should drop back to MCAD 13.

[RichardJ]

No, under XP. Several versions have problems running under Vista, but if you can get versions 11 or later to run under Vista then you should be able to get them to run in parallel. Richard

[ptc-2292564]

I'll be happy to get just one (any one) version running again under Vista. Still waiting to hear from Tech support ...

[ptc-3145230]

Only MathCAD2001 on my vista works. But I cannot use it to open 14 version. How can I use 2001 to open 14 files? Please help me.

[RichardJ]

There is no way to make version 2001 open 14 files. They use completely different file formats. Richard

[vroberts]

"" wrote:

I have been running Mathcad 14.0 M020 on Windows Vista for some time without problems. Now suddenly I get this when I try to launch mathcad: Miscrosoft Vistual C++ Runtime Library Runtime Error! Program C:\ProgramFiles\Mathcad\Mathcad 14\mathcad.exe abnormal program termination Does anyone have any idea what has caused this? Thanks.

[RichardJ]

Have you tried repairing the installation of Mathcad? Richard

[vroberts]

"Richard Jackson" wrote:

Have you tried repairing the installation of Mathcad? Richard

[RichardJ]

Do not remove the other versions of .NET framework! The versions can coexist (I have 1.1, 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 installed), and they are NOT backward compatible. Software that requires, for example, 2.0, may not run with version 3.5. If you remove the older versions then some other software may have problems. I am amazed they told you to do that! Just install the required version: 3.5. Richard

[vroberts]

Thanks. I have 3.5 SP1 installed, but not plain 3.5. Does 3.5 SP1 completely replace 3.5? Vic Roberts

[RichardJ]

Yes, the SPs will replace the corresponding older versions. Richard

[vroberts]

"Richard Jackson" wrote:

Yes, the SPs will replace the corresponding older versions. Richard

[RichardJ]

Try a complete uninstall and reinstall. Richard

[vroberts]

"Richard Jackson" wrote:

Try a complete uninstall and reinstall. Richard

[RichardJ]

I am running XP with the latest patches (as are many others) and have no problems like this, so I don't think it has anything to do with an XP update. Did you install anything else in the last month? I'm not sure what else to suggest. You could download a copy of CCleaner, which will do a registry clean (I use this software regularly, and have never had a problem). Uninstall Mathcad again, clean the registry, then reinstall. As far as a replacement program goes, there really isn't anything equivalent. You could switch to Matlab or Mathematica, but then you lose the interface. Richard

[vroberts]

Thanks for the confirmation that XP Pro itself should not be the problem. I've only installed one or two things since I last used Mathcad, and all seem minor, such as WinRAR. When I install something major, such as Mathematica 7, or Office 2007, I always test Mathcad and other key apps after. On the other hand, there have been numerous updates to other programs since I last used MC14. Who knows. I've used CCleaner in the past, so I may take you up on your suggestion to uninstall and then try to clean the Registry. This might be more successful if PTC published a list of Registry keys related to Mathcad that should be removed, the way that Microsoft does.

[vroberts]

No Joy. I uninstalled MC14, including Help and Resource Center, deleted all MC folders in Program Files and Documents and settings, used CCleaner to remove a large number of orphan Mathcad Registry Keys, and then reinstalled the program. I received the same error message during the installation that I receive when I try to run the program. Same error message. I uninstalled yet again, and then installed Mathcad 2001 Pro, which works just great, and is really all I need. I'll install MC14 on a different laptop and convert my files back to the old format. BTW- does MC14 care which version of IE I have? Some programs use modules from IE, and I have one that requires an older version of IE, so I have not upgraded. I also noticed that I have Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable installed. Can this be an issue? Vic Roberts

[vroberts]

Two more questions. First, the list of system requirements posted by PTC state that .Net Framework 2.0 is required, yet people here seem to believe that 3.5 is required. It's one thing for a tech support person to tell me that the issue may be 2.0 and quite another for the official system requirements to list 2.0. Can we get any official feedback from PTC about this issue? Second, I received an e-mail invite to the virtual Mathcad users conference, which includes an offer to purchase support for $149, and this same price includes Mathcad 15. Will the for-pay support staff at PTC be more able to solve my issue than the person I spoke with, or will it still be shooting in the dark? And, what is the chance that MC15 will not have the same compatibility problems as MC14? Thanks for your help. Vic Roberts

[RichardJ]

"Victor Roberts" wrote:

No Joy. I also noticed that I have Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable installed. Can this be an issue? Vic Roberts