Side-by-side configuration error

[sanderloz]

I am running Windows Vista Business (upgraded from an XP Dell Machine) with all updates.
Whenever I download and try to install Yahoo Messenger 9.0, 8.1, or even older versions
of this program, I'm getting the following:

"The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect.
Please see the application event log for more detail"

This sign appears when I activate the *.exe file (in this case yahoomessenger.exe).
I googled this problem, only very few and confuse answers associated to Microsoft®
Visual Studio® and .NET Framework came out. I'm not very smart...

As a note, I tweaked Vista to get a better performance. Should have stayed with XP...
Any comments and help will be greatly appreciated.
Sander.

[Philip]

Welcome to the BBB forums. The problem might be the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Package in your system. Uninstall it, and download/install the latest Visual C++ 2008 Package here. Reboot and try installing Yahoo Messenger again.

[sanderloz]

I'm not getting the side-by-side error anymore. However I still cannot download Y
Messenger, it says it's downloading and it never stops.
I guess you solved the side-by-side problem.
Hopefully I'll find a solution for the download.
Thanks.

[Philip]

Try downloading and installing YM 8.1.0.421 here.

[sanderloz]

Interesting. I was able to install yahoo. But when the *.exe file is executed, I'm getting the same "side-by-side" configuration error...

I'm really puzzled.

[Philip]

I see you've posted this problem in Annoyances.org, and the guy responding said it was a Yahoo problem. Googling this problem doesn't offer much help anyway. Try installing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Package again.

[sanderloz]

There is no way. I re-installed the 2005 package and still the same problem. Tried rebooting, nothing.

Maybe the answer is in the amount of Vista tweaking I did. This is what I modified.

Disabled UAC (User Access Control)
Reduced graphics and other UI features -
Removed unnecessary startup programs
Disabled the following services:
Application Experience Lookup Service
Desktop Windows Manager Session Manager
DFS Replication
External memory Devices Management Service
File Replication
Internet Connection Sharing
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service
Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
Offline Files
Protected Storage
Quality Windows Audio Video Experience Service
Remote Registry Service
Smart Card
Smart Card Removal Policy
SSDP Discovery Service
Tablet PC Input Service
Themes
Volume Shadow Copy
Windows Colour System
Windows Image Acquisition
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
Windows Search Service

I had to reestablish some of these services (especially the ones for net connections).

Also, I had trouble installing a windows update for Net Framework (KB929729) but finally got it working (using a solution at the vistax64 forum). However in the updates history it still shows as "failed", whereas in the hidden updates there is nothing to restore...

This is a Canadian Dell XPS M1710, running an upgrade to Windows Vista Business (sold by Dell), T7200@2GHz. Dell had no comment about this issue.

[Ven0m]

Try running it as an administrator. Right click on the desktop Yahoo icon, and select Run As Administrator. But looking at the services you tweaked, that may be most likely why. I'd try turning them back on one-by-one and see if they effect Yahoo like that.

[sanderloz]

No effect...

[Ven0m]

Again, it could be one of the tweaked services. Also can be effected if you've removed Internet Explorer from the computer.