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Joined: Nov 2009
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Bowl of petunias
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Bowl of petunias
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Joined: Nov 2009
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I just upgraded to Windows 7, and YES, I DO understand that mIRC has not been classified yet as Windows 7 ready. That is not the nature of my question.

I am using mIRC version 6.12, I really PREFER this version over later ones and do not wish to upgrade past it if I can help it.

mIRC SEEMS to work fine when I use it, but I keep finding a program compatibility assistant popup saying that mIRC requires a missing windows component called agentctl.dll, which I understand is part of Microsoft Agent, which is not supported in Windows 7.

I am looking to find out how severe a problem this is. Will it put MIRC in danger of crashing? Absolutely forcing a total system reboot? Other things that go bump in the night? Or is it just a little annoying popup window that doesn't really mean anything?

I typed a few lines after joining the channel I normally join and the whole little ditty showed up in my mIRC logs, fully intact.

If it helps at all, here is the "problem details" that shows in the compatibility assistant window:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: ApphelpSoftBlock
Problem Signature 01: {11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111}
Problem Signature 02: {6778C39C-2003-4A36-8328-BB4974F74AAD}
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

After the MOTD for the server I log in to, the status window showed the following:

End of message of the day.
-
There are 59 users and 48 invisible on 3 servers
3 operator(s) online
90 channels formed
I have 45 clients and 2 servers
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Current Local Users: 45 Max: 69
Current Global Users: 107 Max: 147
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-khisanth.myserver.net- The definition of an upgrade: Take old bugs out, put new ones in
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OWIRCN-1b95af0c.dyn.myisp.net is now your displayed host
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* User sets mode: +x
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-NickServ- Welcome to MyServer, User! Here on MyServer, we provide services to enable the registration of nicknames and channels! For details, type /msg NickServ help and /msg ChanServ help.
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Local host: ool-457af5e5.dyn.myisp.net (xx.xxx.xxx.xxx)
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ERROR Closing link (User@ool-457af5e5.dyn.myisp.net) [Quit: ]
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* Disconnected


Does the ERROR line mean anything important? The log of what I typed while in the room is fully intact and shows no errors.

From all the info I've listed, does it appear that mIRC 6.12 is working normally and I can safely ignore the "this program requires a missing component" popup? Or does it mean something serious that absolutely forces some kind of resolution?

(Microsoft.com offered a hotfix for missing Agent files but didn't show where or how to actually download said files.)


Thanks

Fossile are people too!

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 933
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Hoopy frood
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Hoopy frood
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There is no good reason to prefer v6.12 over v6.35 in my opinion.
If you're using an add-on script for mIRC which requires a mIRC version which is over 6 years old, then something is wrong.

Also, a forum search would have led you to this thread regarding the agent.

Joined: Dec 2002
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Hoopy frood
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Originally Posted By: GameFossil
I am looking to find out how severe a problem this is. Will it put MIRC in danger of crashing? Absolutely forcing a total system reboot? Other things that go bump in the night? Or is it just a little annoying popup window that doesn't really mean anything?


mIRC is designed to operate normally without Microsoft Agent installed - if it can't load agentctl.dll it hides the relevant options and moves on. Adding this warning dialog was a poor choice by Microsoft, as it now requires extra work to check for a functioning Agent installation without triggering the message on Windows 7.

Joined: Nov 2009
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Bowl of petunias
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Joined: Nov 2009
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Originally Posted By: 5618
There is no good reason to prefer v6.12 over v6.35 in my opinion.


I didn't say I was using an add-on script. I merely said I prefer 6.12, and left it at that. If this gives you a negative opinion of me as a computer user, I'm sorry to hear it but I will not upgrade my version of mIRC based on what other people want. I will upgrade when it suits me, and for the time being, it doesn't.

Originally Posted By: 5618
Also, a forum search would have led you to this thread regarding the agent.


::shrugs:: Well, I apologize for not including the bug report forum in my search, because when I did a search I did *not* find that thread. At the time I posted my message, I didn't even know that it was a bug. If version 6.12 is six years old as you say, I thought that the mIRC help forum alone would be 15 or more pages long and contain all the archived posts I needed.

Originally Posted By: Collective
mIRC is designed to operate normally without Microsoft Agent installed


Collective, thank you for the information provided. I can now select the "This program is working correctly" option in the popup window and leave it at that.


Fossils are people too!

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,420
Hoopy frood
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Hoopy frood
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,420
This issue will be fixed in the next mIRC release. That said, I would not recommend using older versions of mIRC unless you absolutely have to - new releases of mIRC fix a whole range of issues, including security-related issues. By using older versions, you are leaving yourself open to exploits. Is there some reason that you prefer 6.12 over 6.35? Is there something specific about the latest version that you do not like? If it's something simple, let me know, maybe I can improve it for the next version.


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