FIX: Zen Micro Installer Error - "DemoShield Player has encountered an error.

Question

I just thought I'd post a solution to a problem I was having with the Zen Micro Explorer software installation because it might help someone else. Also, this forum is well indexed by search engines so it will be easy for people to find. It took me well over an hour to track this down.
After starting the Zen Micro Explorer Installer CD, a full screen splash is shown of the creative logo and then DemoShield is started for the software install. It shows an intro screen where you must click 'Next,' on clicking next the DemoShield program was crashing with the generic Windows error "DemoShield encountered an error..." The problem appears to be a software conflict between DemoShield and Apple's QuickTime (any version as far as I know). Disabling the QuickTime startup entry does not help, installing in Safe Mode does not help and exiting any instance of QT in the system tray does not help either.
To fix the problem you must un-install the QuickTime software from your computer by going through the Add/Remove Programs screen in the Control Panel. Once un-installed, run the Creative installer CD again, this time it will run correctly. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the install.
<i>Please note that if you have installed iTunes on your system it will not run while QuickTime is uninstalled, this is normal. Re-installation of QuickTime is covered later in this post.</i>
When you have completed the install and restarted your computer you can re-install QuickTime. At the time of writing (4th Sept 2005) QuickTime and iTunes are bundled in one download package so you must download both. You can <a href='http://www.apple.com/QuickTime/download/' target=_blank>get the bundle here[/url]. Let it download and run the installer. If you already have iTunes installed, the installer will 'Repair' your installation, detecting that QT is missing it will re-install. If you do not have iTunes the installer will installer iTunes and QuickTime.
When you have completed the QuickTime+iTunes install you have got around the DemoShield issue. I hope this of use to anybody with a similar problem.Message Edited by PhilM on 09-5-2005 02:30 AM

Answer 1

Hi Jeremy,
I knew it was an issue with QuickTime because I clicked on 'Send Error Report' on the error message and it took me to <a href='http://oca.microsoft.com/en/response.aspx?SGD=0b73e24-7433-4ee-ac4c-49956d08c85c&SID=623' target=_blank>this page[/url]. It states "An analyst at Microsoft has investigated this problem and determined that an unknown error occurred in QuickTime Player. This software was created by Apple Computer, Inc.."
My QuickTime version is 7.0.2. My operating system is WIndows XP Home (Athlon 64; 52Mb RAM)
Eventually I just tried uninstalling QuickTime and it wroked after I did that. Some screenshots: <a href='http://www.phantomphil.co.uk/ZM/' target=_blank>Click[/url]
The contents of my disk.id file reads:
Creative Zen Micro
ZENM-CDSD-W-LB
Hope this hel
ps.
Message Edited by PhilM on 09-5-2005 02:45 AMMessage Edited by PhilM on 09-5-2005 02:48 AMMessage Edited by PhilM on 09-5-2005 02:49 AM