Error Message "not a valid Win32 application"

[CE101]

I have some legacy systems running on a Win2000 machine. And I have been running AutoIT vs3.3.6.1 on that machine. However, yesterday I decided to move to AutoIT vs3.3.12.0, which is the version I am using on my Win7 machine.

First I uninstalled the older version.
Then I did a full install of AutoIT vs3.3.12.0

Since then I cannot run any scripts.
I get a system message saying "not a valid Win32 application".

I found a posting about this by Chip on Oct11/2011
https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/133792-sciteexe-not-a-valid-win32-application-on-windows-2000-pro/
<<BEGIN>>>
CHIP wrote:   " Just set up a new, fully patched Virtualbox VM of WIndows 2000 Pro. Installed AutoIT 3.3.6.1 and SciTE4AutoIT3 dated 7/3/11. Attempt to start Scite and get a 'c:\Program Files\AutoIt3\SciTE\SciTE.exe is not a valid Win32 application. As far as I can tell in the release notes, both applications should still be Windows 2000 compatible. There is no antivirus running on the VM. ........ Sorry to answer my own question, but it looks like starting with version 2.12 SciTE is now built with Visual Studio 2010 which does not produce executables which run on Windows 2000. If Windows 2000 support is needed, then build it with an older compiler such as Visual Studio 2008. "

JOS responded:  "There is and older version of SciTE.exe and SciLexer.dll available for older OSes in the download directory."  
<<END>>>
 

NOW MY ISSUE.

I would like to install the older version of SciTE.exe and SciLexer.dll, however I cannot find the download page for it.
I've looked through  SciTE history at  https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/scite/docs/History.html
And Editors downloads at       https://www.autoitscript.com/site/autoit-script-editor/downloads/
But I do not see what I need.

Does anyone know specifically what is the highest version of SciTE that can be used on Win2000 (in conjunction with AutoIT vs3.3.12.0) and what is the specific URL for that file?  

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jos]

Are you really needing the oder SciTE version or just need to be able to compile with the Old AutoIt3 version?

There is a Old SciTE version available in the Downloadpage for Win95 systems and guess that will also work fine for win2k.

Jos

[CE101]

Hi Jos:

Thank you for responding.

I am not a developer.  I don’t know anything about compiling.
So I guess -- I just want the correct versions of SciTE.exe and SciLexer.dll.

I have had AutoIT on the Win2K machine since around 2011. I don’t recall what version (of AutoIT) I started with. But whatever it was -- it was the most current version at that time. And I always did a full install which would have included the most current SciTE.

So I would prefer not to go back to something from the Win95 days. I would prefer to find something more recent, from the Win2K era.

Any suggestions?

[Jos]

3 minutes ago, CE101 said:

Any suggestions?

Let's start with making sure its clear when you are getting this error. Is it when starting SciTE, running a script from SciTE or running a compiled script?

Jos

[CE101]

Thank you for taking in an interest in my problem. I get this error when I run an uncompiled script. In other words I right click the filename and choose Run Script. Right way I get the message.

[Jos]

So it is shelling AutoIt3.exe when you get this error and not related to SciTE.exe. 
You did install the x86 version of AutoIt3 when prompted for by the installer?

Just try running AutoIt3.exe from its directory to see if you get the same error to confirm.

Jos

Edited June 23, 2016 by Jos

[CE101]

Thank you for your reply.
 
> Just try running AutoIt3.exe from its directory to see if you get the same error to confirm.  

Just tried it. Got the same error.

> You did install the x86 version of AutoIt3 when prompted for by the installer?

I was not prompted for that.

FYI, I installed from  autoit-v3.3.12.0-setup.exe  , which I downloaded from  
     https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/files/archive/autoit/

[Jos]

Just looked at the technical history log and found:

3.3.10.0 (23rd December, 2013) (Release)
AutoIt:
- Removed: PluginOpen() and PlugInClose() removed to due to not being used and never having progressed past the experimental stage.

- Changed: Removed Windows 2000 support. Minimum supported OS is now Windows XP RTM / Windows Server 2003.

So sounds like the last supported W2k version is 3.3.8.1 (29th January, 2012) (Release)

Jos

[CE101]

Thank you for checking it out!
I guess that explains it.

[CE101]

> So sounds like the last supported W2k version is 3.3.8.1 (29th January, 2012) (Release)  

Thank you for checking out the log.
https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/history.htm  

I just installed vs3.3.8.1  and got the same message.

The log shows that in vs3.3.8.0 ,  workarounds were added for Win2000/XP RTM - to allow execution of AutoIt, Aut2Exe, Au3Info, Au3Check and AutoItHelp. Perhaps these workarounds never really worked well in vs3.3.8.1 and Win2k support was ultimately discontinued in the next version - 3.3.10.0

Anyways I reverted back to vs 3.3.6.1, the version I used to use and everything is ok now.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.