Chief Architect Help Database - Article Number: 214
How to troubleshoot installation problems
The information in this article applies to:
Chief Architect X3Chief Architect X2
Chief Architect X1
Chief Architect 10
Chief Architect 9.5
DESCRIPTION
CAUSE
Before following the steps outlined in this article, please first check to ensure that the version of the software that you are trying to install is compatible with the operating system that you are attempting to install it on to.
Article Number 27: What operating systems does Chief Architect run on?
Most install problems are caused by other programs or services running in the background. Often these programs or services are factory installed and can cause install problems even on new computers.
RESOLUTION
Follow the instructions in each section in order. Be sure to follow the last section to restore your system after the install is complete.
NOTE: When using Microsoft Windows, you must be logged in to Windows as a user with sufficient privileges. Contact your network administrator if you are unsure about your user rights.
Installation of Chief Architect on Microsoft Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh, and Unix based operating sytems is not supported.
Please verify with your software information as to the versions of Windows that it is supported on.
Installation instructions for Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP, 98 and ME
- Close all programs and return to the Windows Desktop.
- In Windows 7 and Vista, click on the Windows Start button and select the search field.
In Windows XP, click the Windows Start button and select Run.
- In Windows 7 and Vista, in the search box type "MSCONFIG" and press the Enter key on your keyboard
In Windows XP, in Run type "MSCONFIG" in the Open text field and click OK.
- Do not type the quotation marks when you type msconfig.
- On the General tab of the System Configuration Utility dialog:
In Vista and Windows 7:
In Windows XP:
- Click the radio button beside Selective Startup.
- Uncheck the box beside Load Startup Group Items.
NOTE: If the Load Startup Group Item (or Load Startup Items) is grayed-out, the Startup Group has been customized at some point.
Click the Startup tab at the top and record the startup items that are checked so this customized configuration can be restored after the installation.
- Select the Services tab:
In Vista and Windows 7:
In Windows XP:
- Check the box beside Hide Microsoft Services.
- Uncheck all non Microsoft services that remain visible in the list of services.
- Click the Apply button and then click OK to close the dialog.
- When prompted to restart the computer, click the Restart button.
- When the computer restarts and the Windows desktop returns, your computer will reopen the System Configuration Utility. Close it again.
- If you have downloaded the program, you are now ready to double click on the installer to begin the installation process.
By default, this will be located in your My Documents (on XP) or Documents (on Vista and Windows 7) in the Downloads folder. If you chose to save the file to a different location on your computer, then go to that location to double click on the file to run the installation process.
For Chief Architect X2, the name of this file is: Chief_Architect_Setup-12.1.2.29.exe
Once the installation is complete, follow the steps below to restore the system to its original configuration.
If you are installing from physical media instead of a download, insert the Chief Architect software DVD into your DVD drive. Auto Play should begin.
- Chief Architect versions 10 and prior were only available on CD, and should be inserted into your CD drive.
To run install directly from the disk:
If you have a software download, you can skip these next steps and go directly to the section on restoring your system to its original configuration.
If Auto Play fails to run correctly, follow these steps to run setup directly from the CD or DVD:
- Insert the Chief Architect software CD or DVD into the CD or DVD drive.
- If Auto Play starts, choose to Exit this window without installing but leave the disk in the drive.
- Right-click on the Windows Start button and choose Explore.
- In the menu tree, browse to the CD or DVD drive and expand the folder so that you can see the contents. You should see a number of files and folders on the disk.
- Locate the folder named Install and double-click on it to open it.
- In the Install folder, locate the installer file and double-click on it.
- In Version X1 and newer, it is called this is a Microsoft Installer (.msi) file, which will look similar to the image below.
- In Version 10 and prior, the installer is an InstallShield file called setup.exe, which will look similar to the image below.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to install the Chief Architect program.
- Once the installation is complete, follow the steps below to restore the system to its original configuration.
To restore your system to its original configuration:
- Close all programs and return to the Windows desktop.
- Click the Windows Start button and select the searchbox.
In XP, select Run. - In the search box (Run dialog in XP), type "MSCONFIG" in the Open text field and click OK.
- On the General tab of the System Configuration Utility dialog, check the box beside Normal Startup, then click OK.
- When prompted to restart your computer, click Restart.
MORE INFORMATION
If you are having difficulty installing a password version of Chief Architect, see article 251 in this database: How to install, activate and deactivate a password version of Chief Architect.
For more information on clean booting Windows, please refer to the following Microsoft® Knowledge Base articles:
- How to perform a clean boot procedure to determine whether background programs are intefering with a game or a program that you currently use
- How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista
- How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
- How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
- How to perform clean boot troubleshooting for Windows 2000
- How to perform a clean boot in Windows Millennium Edition
- How to perform clean boot troubleshooting for Windows 98
- How to perform a clean boot in Windows 95
Last updated on: 07-01-2010
