What's covered

• Before you begin
• Beginning troubleshooting
• Intermediate troubleshooting
• Advanced troubleshooting

This document can help you resolve problems that interrupt the installer for Adobe Captivate 4 on Windows XP. These problems can manifest themselves in many different ways, including (but not limited to) a frozen cursor or screen, or an error.

Please note that this document does not address problems related to serial numbers. For these problems, contact Adobe Customer Service.

Different factors can interrupt the installation of an application, including the AutoPlay feature in Windows, a conflicting application, incorrect data in the Windows registry, or hardware problems. Although a system error may occur only when you work with Adobe Captivate 4, Adobe Captivate may not necessarily be the cause--it may be the only application that uses enough memory or processor cycles to expose the problem.

Before you begin

To benefit most from this document, perform the tasks in order. Keep track of the tasks that you perform and the results of each, including errors and other problems. Adobe Technical Support can use this information to better assist you if you need to call.

Note: The procedures in this document are based on the default interface of Windows XP. If the interface is customized, some procedures may vary. For example, a commonly encountered difference is the navigation to Control Panel from the Start menu: You may navigate Start > Settings > Control Panel instead of Start > Control Panel. Additionally, the procedures in this document assume you are using the Classic View of the Control Panel: To view the Control Panel in the Classic View, click Switch To Classic View on the Control Panel navigation bar on the left side of the window.

Some of these procedures may require you to locate hidden files, hidden folders, or files by their full file names, which include extensions (for example, example_filename.ini). By default, Windows Explorer doesn't show hidden files, hidden folders, and file name extensions that it recognizes.

See "Show hidden files, hidden folders, and all file name extensions in Windows Explorer (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404856) for details.

Beginning troubleshooting

The tasks in this section can help you resolve the most common installation problems. Before performing any of these tasks, back up all personal files.

1. Make sure that the system meets the minimum requirements for Adobe Captivate 4.

Adobe Captivate may not run correctly on a system that doesn't meet the following requirements:

• Intel® Pentium 4, Intel Centrino®, Intel Xeon®, or Intel Coreâ„¢ Duo (or compatible) processor
• Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2
• 512 MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
• 1.5 GB of available hard-disk space; additional free space required during installation (Adobe Captivate 4 cannot be installed on flash-based storage devices.)
• 800X600 screen resolution (1,024x768 recommended)
• Internet connection required for product activation
• DVD-ROM drive

2. Install current Windows service packs and other updates.

See "Install current Windows service packs and other updates (Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb405107) for details.

3. Check the DVD and DVD-ROM drive.

Dust or dirt on a DVD can interfere with installation and prevent the DVD-ROM drive from recognizing the DVD. Examine the Adobe Captivate DVD for dirt, dust, or fingerprints. Gently wipe the bottom of each DVD from the center outward with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Verify that the DVD-ROM drive can read other DVDs. If it can't, examine the DVD caddy or loading tray for dirt, and clean it with a lint-free cloth. If it still can't read other DVDs, contact the DVD-ROM drive manufacturer or the computer manufacturer.

4. Check the knowledgebase for any specific error during installation.

If you encounter a specific error message during the installation check the Adobe Installation Support Center for knowledgebase articles on installation errors. We have developed a tool to analyze your installation and provide tech notes for your issue. We recommend you download and run the Adobe Install Support Utility, which will assist you to find the cause and solution for errors which occur during the installation process.

Intermediate troubleshooting

If the tasks in the previous section don't solve the problem, then try the following intermediate troubleshooting tasks.

5. Install Captivate 4 in a simplified mode from the desktop.

Software and services that load automatically with Windows (for example, virus protection utilities) can conflict with the Captivate 4 installer and cause problems in Captivate 4. To prevent conflict, reinstall Captivate 4 while Windows is in simplified mode and if this doesn't resolve the issue, try installing and running Captivate 4 on a different computer, or on a different hard drive.

1. Create a desktop installation point for the Adobe Captivate 4.
   1. Insert the Captivate 4 disc into your DVD-ROM drive.
   2. Create a folder on your desktop named "Adobe Captivate Install".
   3. Choose Start > My Computer.
   4. Using Windows Explorer, right click on your DVD-ROM drive and click Explore.
   5. Copy the contents of the Captivate 4 DVD-ROM to the folder you created on your desktop.
2. Start Windows XP in a simplified mode. For additional information, please refer to "Disable startup items and services (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404984).
3. Start the Adobe Captivate 4 installation from the desktop.
   1. After the restart, double click the Adobe Captivate Install folder.
   2. Double click Setup.exe.

6. Run the Adobe Captivate 4 installer in a new user account.

Create a new user account that has the same permissions as the account that you use when the problem occurs. If the problem doesn't recur, then the original user account may be damaged. For instructions on creating a new user account, see "To add a new user to the computer" in Windows Help or contact your system administrator.

7. Optimize handling of temporary files by Windows XP.

Windows and applications store working data in temporary (.tmp) files that they create on the hard disk. Excessive or outdated temporary files can interfere with performance of Windows or applications.

See "Delete temporary files using the Disk Cleanup utility (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404871) for details.

8. Repair and defragment hard disks.

See "Repair and defragment hard disks (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb404981) for details.

9. Scan the system for viruses.

Use current anti-virus software (for example, Symantec Norton AntiVirus or McAfee VirusScan) to check the system for viruses. Virus infections can damage software and cause system errors. For more information, see the documentation for the anti-virus software.

Advanced troubleshooting

10. Troubleshoot the Adobe Captivate 4 installation log file.

The Adobe Captivate 4 installer is designed to create an installation log of the actions performed on the machine.

1. Locate and identify errors in the Adobe Captivate 4 installation log. For additional information, please refer to, "Find and read installation logs for Adobe Creative Suite 3 and 4 products" (TechNote kb400593).
2. Search the Adobe Installation Support Center for solutions to the errors.

11. Install Adobe Captivate 4 on a different computer.

Try to install Adobe Captivate 4 on a different computer to determine if the problem is unique to your computer. If you are able to install Adobe Captivate 4 on a different computer, contact the computer manufacturer. If the problem occurs on multiple computers, contact Adobe Technical Support.

12. Visit the Adobe User to User Forums.

You can see if other Adobe customers have a similar problem by visiting the User-to-User Forums. If you confirm that other users have experienced the same problem, then Adobe Technical Support may be able duplicate and research the problem.

13. Contact Adobe Technical Support.

If none of the above steps has resolved the error or freeze that you are experiencing with Adobe Captivate 4, then you need to contact Adobe Technical Support. You can find the support options at the Adobe Support Center.

Products affected