Access97 SR-2 install on Windows Vista: a workaround

Microsoft Access97 works fine on Vista, once you can get it to install. My original install CD is the SR-1 version, and I was alarmed to discover that the SR-2 patch doesn't work on Vista, because Vista's new security model prvents the patch from updating the program files. How do I install the Access 97 SR-2 patch? Fortunately there is a workaround.
I used my old testing laptop and created a WinXP install, and then installed Access97, the ODE Tools, the print relationships wizard, and the service packs for both ODE and SR-2. Then I backed up the files onto an external drive. The folder I used for Access97 was c:\Program Files\Office97 so that these files don't get mixed up with newer versions of office.
Next, I created an install script using Inno Setup, based on the log file created by the SR-2 patch program. After creating and running the setup program, my copy of Access97 reports that it is indeed version SR-2, as shown in the screen shot above.
If you want to use this patch, then you must have done the following:
Delete the HATTEN.TTF (Haettenschweiler) font, and then install Access97 SR-1. I have not tested the install with a pre-SR1 version. Run Access97 SR-1 as administrator (just right click on the shortcut and select "Run as administrator") to ensure that Access has correctly set up all its registry entries.
Only once you have completed these steps is it okay to download and run my Access97SR2Setup.exe file (25MB). Alternatively, you can download the Access97sr2.zip file which contains a copy of the Inno Setup script file. Don't be confused: you can't use this script to actually install Access97 without an original Access97 or Office97 CD, because the script only updates existing files. If you want to install the Acces97 Runtime tester, then follow the link. The runtime version only allows you to run Access programs, not edit Access databases. Also, my installer does not patch Word, Excel, etc.
Update: after installing the patch I have stopped getting a weird compile error when creating MDE files. I guess it was fixed by one of the SR-2 updates or the ODE service pack fix.

Getting Rid of Unwanted Fonts

I'm a font junkie. I collect fonts, but that doesn't mean I'm prepared to put up with my Word font menu looking like a Christmas tree. I noticed that my Vista machine has several hundred MB of fonts that I either don't like or just find annoying. There is a complete list at the end of this post. It includes all the fonts I managed to remove.
In theory it should be simple: if you don't like a font, just go to the fonts list and delete it, right? Wrong. Vista protects some humungous fonts from being deleted, but usually those are the fonts that look the same as half a dozen other fonts. So I tried a small experiment: boot the PC using a WinXP/BartPE disk, and move all those font files to another folder. It's a bit risky because some of the fonts used by the system got removed in the process, and Outlook 2007 and a Truecrypt dialog with checkboxes looked weird. A bit of experimentation later and I had everything working correctly, but fewer fonts on the fonts menu.
You may not have all these fonts on your machine: my laptop came preinstalled with 269MB of fonts, including Office 2007, and then I installed Access 2002 and Access 97 as well, so if the fonts listed are missing from your machine, relax. The numbers after the file names give the font size in bytes, and as you can see some of them are huge. I have kept these fonts on a backup disk, so I can always put them back if a particular document or application needs them. And I'm glad to see the last of those fonts names beginning with an @ sign, which drove me nutty.
Here are all the font files that are no longer in my Vista font folder:

AGENCYB.TTF                 60,656
AGENCYR.TTF                 58,920
ahronbd.ttf                 50,332
ALGER.TTF                   75,272
andlso.ttf                 117,960
angsa.ttf                  109,808
angsab.ttf                 106,220
angsai.ttf                 103,444
angsau.ttf                 109,784
angsaub.ttf                106,236
angsaui.ttf                103,408
angsauz.ttf                105,592
angsaz.ttf                 105,636
ANTQUAB.TTF                151,000
ANTQUABI.TTF               150,416
ANTQUAI.TTF                149,092
arabtype.ttf               621,580
ARBLI___.TTF                65,544
ARIALUNI.TTF            23,275,812
BASKVILL.TTF                54,976
batang.ttc              16,264,732
BAUHS93.TTF                 46,176
BELL.TTF                    84,840
BELLB.TTF                   82,580
BELLI.TTF                   82,192
BERNHC.TTF                  70,656
BKANT.TTF                  155,528
BOD_B.TTF                   74,440
BOD_CB.TTF                  74,092
BOOKOS.TTF                 160,940
BOOKOSB.TTF                154,576
BOOKOSBI.TTF               162,460
BOOKOSI.TTF                161,020
BRADHITC.TTF               105,296
BRITANIC.TTF                40,728
BRLNSB.TTF                  96,880
BRLNSDB.TTF                 96,852
BRLNSR.TTF                  97,284
BROADW.TTF                  60,372
browa.ttf                   89,656
browab.ttf                  75,424
browai.ttf                 100,224
browau.ttf                  89,616
browaub.ttf                 75,416
browaui.ttf                100,216
browauz.ttf                 89,376
browaz.ttf                  89,380
CALIFB.TTF                  80,620
CALIFI.TTF                  98,748
CALIFR.TTF                 105,300
CAMBRIA.TTC              1,609,340
CASTELAR.TTF                48,252
CENSCBK.TTF                162,380
CENTAUR.TTF                 82,760
CENTURY.TTF                165,248
CHILLER.TTF                 96,452
COLONNA.TTF                 54,952
COOPBL.TTF                  80,388
cordia.ttf                 108,572
cordiab.ttf                 95,892
cordiai.ttf                100,104
cordiau.ttf                108,544
cordiaub.ttf                95,888
cordiaui.ttf               100,100
cordiauz.ttf                94,812
cordiaz.ttf                 94,816
CURLZ___.TTF                69,480
daunpenh.ttf               190,700
david.ttf                   56,600
davidbd.ttf                 55,652
dokchamp.ttf               149,624
ELEPHNT.TTF                 51,652
ELEPHNTI.TTF                54,324
ENGR.TTF                    49,768
ERASBD.TTF                  57,508
ERASDEMI.TTF                59,996
ERASLGHT.TTF                68,656
ERASMD.TTF                  60,772
estre.ttf                  110,436
euphemia.ttf               172,656
FELIXTI.TTF                 45,952
FRABK.TTF                  152,700
FRABKIT.TTF                169,620
FRADM.TTF                  142,932
FRADMCN.TTF                116,940
FRADMIT.TTF                135,904
FRAHV.TTF                  139,400
FRAHVIT.TTF                152,700
framd.ttf                  139,332
FRAMDCN.TTF                132,516
framdit.ttf                152,104
frank.ttf                   63,840
FTLTLT.TTF                  83,580
gautami.ttf                249,332
GIGI.TTF                   142,072
GILBI___.TTF                71,496
GILB____.TTF                68,304
GILC____.TTF                60,320
GILI____.TTF                69,436
GILLUBCD.TTF                72,408
GILSANUB.TTF                73,136
GIL_____.TTF                67,416
gisha.ttf                   72,932
gishabd.ttf                 74,056
GLECB.TTF                   72,676
GLSNECB.TTF                 84,668
GOTHIC.TTF                 137,568
GOTHICB.TTF                129,676
GOTHICBI.TTF               139,084
GOTHICI.TTF                148,520
GOUDOS.TTF                  81,376
GOUDOSB.TTF                 82,796
GOUDOSI.TTF                 80,280
GOUDYSTO.TTF                55,956
gulim.ttc               13,524,720
HARLOWSI.TTF                55,060
HARNGTON.TTF                70,440
himalaya.ttf               610,104
HTOWERT.TTF                 92,736
HTOWERTI.TTF                74,712
IMPRISHA.TTF                60,488
INFROMAN.TTF                74,968
iskpota.ttf                541,176
ITCBLKAD.TTF               132,372
ITCEDSCR.TTF                64,056
ITCKRIST.TTF                59,712
JUICE___.TTF                62,884
kaiu.ttf                 5,178,844
kalinga.ttf                206,572
kartika.ttf                124,960
KUNSTLER.TTF                63,392
latha.ttf                  119,980
LATINWD.TTF                 44,824
leelawad.ttf                97,752
leelawdb.ttf                97,420
lvnm.ttf                    56,964
lvnmbd.ttf                  54,940
l_10646.ttf                325,400
MAGNETOB.TTF                65,284
MAIAN.TTF                   61,384
malgun.ttf               4,337,104
malgunbd.ttf             4,513,520
mangal.ttf                 206,264
meiryo.ttc               7,815,292
meiryob.ttc              8,054,096
mingliu.ttc             27,496,184
mingliub.ttc            33,791,880
MISTRAL.TTF                191,716
MOD20.TTF                   62,612
monbaiti.ttf               356,576
moolbor.ttf                342,840
mriam.ttf                   52,128
mriamc.ttf                  57,064
msjh.ttf                14,713,760
msjhbd.ttf              14,509,756
msmincho.ttc            10,056,872
MSMINCHO.TTF             9,081,312
msuighur.ttf               203,360
msyh.ttf                15,044,440
msyhbd.ttf              14,685,876
msyi.ttf                   342,124
MTCORSVA.TTF               157,360
mvboli.ttf                  42,004
NIAGENG.TTF                 95,904
NIAGSOL.TTF                 74,012
nrkis.ttf                   56,944
nyala.ttf                  438,016
OCRAEXT.TTF                 55,400
OLDENGL.TTF                 93,068
ONYX.TTF                    81,044
PALSCRI.TTF                 51,404
PARCHM.TTF                 151,256
PERBI___.TTF                75,620
PERB____.TTF                58,512
PERI____.TTF                76,080
PERTIBD.TTF                 48,320
PERTILI.TTF                 43,800
PER_____.TTF                60,216
plantc.ttf                 118,824
PLAYBILL.TTF                46,164
POORICH.TTF                 76,588
PRISTINA.TTF                82,680
raavi.ttf                   93,768
RAGE.TTF                   132,600
RAVIE.TTF                   74,416
ROCCB___.TTF                59,444
ROCC____.TTF                55,824
ROCK.TTF                    72,272
ROCKB.TTF                   68,780
ROCKBI.TTF                  73,700
ROCKEB.TTF                  49,168
ROCKI.TTF                   76,756
rod.ttf                     61,560
SCHLBKB.TTF                168,756
SCHLBKBI.TTF               160,964
SCHLBKI.TTF                163,164
SHOWG.TTF                   52,316
shruti.ttf                 276,616
simfang.ttf             10,576,012
simhei.ttf               9,751,960
simkai.ttf              11,785,184
simpbdo.ttf                 91,968
simpfxo.ttf                 90,904
simpo.ttf                   90,692
simsun.ttc              13,747,080
simsunb.ttf             15,406,288
SNAP____.TTF                63,196
STENCIL.TTF                 55,596
sylfaen.ttf                225,856
TCBI____.TTF                73,856
TCB_____.TTF                74,656
TCCB____.TTF                66,020
TCCEB.TTF                   74,708
TCCM____.TTF                66,804
TCMI____.TTF                78,236
TCM_____.TTF                76,252
TEMPSITC.TTF                76,100
tradbdo.ttf                127,456
trado.ttf                  126,124
tunga.ttf                  186,800
UNVR47W.TTF                 77,212
UNVR48W.TTF                 72,160
UNVR53W.TTF                 77,008
UNVR54W.TTF                 71,532
UNVR55W.TTF                 76,384
UNVR56W.TTF                 71,364
UNVR57W.TTF                 77,388
UNVR58W.TTF                 72,644
UNVR63W.TTF                 77,364
UNVR64W.TTF                 71,700
UNVR65W.TTF                 76,456
UNVR66W.TTF                 71,424
UNVR67W.TTF                 77,520
UNVR68W.TTF                 72,728
upcdb.ttf                   65,156
upcdbi.ttf                  68,784
upcdi.ttf                   69,956
upcdl.ttf                   69,448
upceb.ttf                   74,076
upcebi.ttf                  76,736
upcei.ttf                   75,360
upcel.ttf                   72,360
upcfb.ttf                   64,056
upcfbi.ttf                  67,216
upcfi.ttf                   67,424
upcfl.ttf                   64,900
upcib.ttf                   71,080
upcibi.ttf                  73,612
upcii.ttf                   73,632
upcil.ttf                   71,068
upcjb.ttf                   74,428
upcjbi.ttf                  77,692
upcji.ttf                   76,456
upcjl.ttf                   73,568
upckb.ttf                   64,648
upckbi.ttf                  68,872
upcki.ttf                   68,140
upckl.ttf                   64,316
upclb.ttf                   54,260
upclbi.ttf                  57,100
upcli.ttf                   56,752
upcll.ttf                   54,264
VLADIMIR.TTF                54,308
vrinda.ttf                 259,364

Update: My fonts folder contains only 160 items and occupies 56.6MB of disk space, considerably less than the 269MB it was before. Following a tip from the first comment, I added "Arial Unicode" back, which gives me the "@Arial Unicode MS" font, plus several weird versions of Arial, Courier New, and Times New Roman. These fonts only appear in older applications, not in Word 2007, so I guess I'll put up with the 23MB font file and go with miltilingual compatability. I just hope Windows doesn't try to keep that font file loaded in RAM the whole time.
Update 27th January 2009: I kept getting this setup error message when reinstalling Office 2007, or even just when loading Access 2007: Error 1907.Could not register font. It turns out that I should not have deleted CAMBRIA.TTC because Office 2007 Setup doesn't know how to put it back. Weird.

Go to Microsoft's SysInternals website and download Process Monitor:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

Run the program after you download it.
The program will start listing activity on your computer. Stop this by clicking on the magnifying glass so there is a red X over it.
You can also click on File --> Capture Events (Ctrl+E) to do the same thing.

Then click on the picture of a funnel, or filter.
You can also click on Filter --> Filter (Ctrl+L) to do the same thing.

In the "Process Monitor Filter" screen, click on "Architecture" and change it to "Path".
Click on "is" and change it to "begins with"

In the next field, an empty field, type the following:

C:\WINDOWS\FONTS\

Click the Add button.
If you have done this correctly there will be a new entry below with a green checkmark that reads:
Path begins with C:\WINDOWS\FONTS\ Include

Click OK.

Click on Filter --> Drop Filtered Events.

Now we are ready to find the fonts that are required by Office.
Click on the magnifying glass so the red X goes away.
You can also click on File --> Capture Events (Ctrl+E) to do the same thing.

Now try to launch your Office Application again. When you get to the error, look near the last line in the Process Monitor list. It will list the last font that Office tried to access. You will have to replace or repair this font.

You can repair Windows system fonts using the SFC tool:
sfc /scannow
Then you have to change the rights on c:\windows\logs\cbs\cbs.log to allow you to read the log and find out which fonts were damaged.

HP's Vista Shortsightedness

When we bought our HP Laserjet 1020, Windows Vista was in its advanced Beta stage. Nonetheless, when Vista came out and we bought Penny's HP Laptop with Vista Home Basic preinstalled, the driver was not ready.
When the driver shipped in May last year, it was worse than the WinXP driver, putting black lines down the side of the page, on both WinXP and Vista. Needless to say I was not impressed. A year later the driver has not been updated.
Yesterday I went to buy a replacement toner cartridge, and noticed that the Samsung ML-1640 printer cost less than the toner cartridge. So not only has HP lost out on the sale of a R750 toner cartridge for the 1020, it has also lost out on the sale of a R12000 laptop (I didn't even look at HP/Compaq laptops last month) and once the 1020 finally conks out we will probably replace it with a Samsung or Lexmark colour printer.
All this because HP were too cheap to do a decent driver for the 1020. Not only does the Vista driver put lines down the side of the page whenever a graphic is printed, but the only way to print anything from another PC is to send it to the shared printer, and then reboot the host PC to get it to print. Not any more, since buying the ML-1640. HP knows how to annoy its customers, and it has done so really well.

Vista Battery Saver

The power management system on my Acer is a bit dodgy, so I was delighted to find something that may just solve the issues I've been having. It certainly adds some useful options to help save battery life when the power is not plugged in, including turning off the Aero eye candy and the Vista Sidebar.
It's called Vista Battery Saver and its a free, open source utility. It has been running on my laptop for a while now, and it has helped me get the power saving to work as I want it to.

What is new in the Disk Defragmenter from Windows Vista SP1

One of the criticized changes in Windows Vista compared to Windows XP, was that fact that the Disk Defragmenter allowed you only to defragment all your partitions at once and not separately. One of the changes introduced in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is allowing the users to select the partitions which they want to defragment. This is a very welcome change and it proves that Microsoft listened to the feedback received from their users.
In this article the guys at Vista for Beginners will show you how to defragment only the partitions you want and how to schedule a defragmentation in Windows Vista Service Pack 1. More ...

Vista Disables Help and SendKeys

I have been having fun with my new laptop and Windows Vista. Actually it doesn't suck too badly, except that the HP LaserJet 1020 support in Vista is badly broken, but I have written about it before. HP lost out on a laptop sale because of this problem, and will probably lose out on our next printer purchase as well.
Today's WOW revelation (remember "The WOW Starts Now" slogan?) is that the trusted VB "Sendkeys" function has been disabled in Vista, breaking a gazillion VB6 programs, as well as some key (ahem) parts of Miami/Mustang. Fortunately I found a library written by Karl E Peterson that required only minor tweaking to get it to work in Access 97.
In the process I discovered that the Access97 help function doesn't work in Vista until you install a help file program. That in turn required me to validate my copy of Windows again, which doesn't work properly in Firefox, so I had to go to the URL using IE7. What a mission!
The dreaded UAC (User Annoyance Control) is a little more manageable if you use the Norton UAC program from Norton Labs.
Update: Any Access97 developer who needs SendKeys and who does not have the time and/or energy to modify Karl Peterson's code, can email me for a modified copy: vmusic at spamcop dot net.