I had Delphi 3.01 and BDE 4.01 working perfectly.

Next I downloaded a demo of Avery Label Pro software at their web site.

I installed and I noticed during the install that it was installing/moving
some BDE files.

Now my database client program does not work "Mismatch Engines" or
something like that.

I didn't like the Avery demo anyway, so I uninstalled it.  It uninstall
prompted me about the BDE files. The standard remove prompt suggestted
to "leave file alone with no harm". So I said NO to each of those remove
file prompts, all BDE related.

Now my database client has a INIT BDE ERROR,  BDEADMIN won't run
and the BDE 5.01 installation attempt (from the Inprise web site) thinks
I don't have a legitimate copy of BDE on the system.

VCPN.EXE thinks I have NO BDE or multiple copies.

I remove the duplicate IDAPI32.DLL alias entries in the registry as
VCPN.EXE suggested to do.  Rebooted with the same issues.

What should I do?  How do I get my normal BDE back short of reinstalling
delphi?

On Wed, 09 Dec 1998 23:43:02 -0500, Hector Santos

[...]

This error is typical when trying to use a BDE-using program (such as
Delphi) with too early a version of the BDE. For instance, trying to run a
Delphi 4 application when only BDE 3 has been installed. It would appear
that this demo program you had installed the BDE without any version
checking. A well-behaved BDE install will check the version of a currently
installed BDE and only install its version if it is higher than that
already installed.

For now, you can still recover from this situation. Use RegEdit to view
your system registry. Delete all registry entries related to the BDE. Then
run an installation of Delphi. Elect to do a Custom Installation, and
deselect all options except the BDE. After this, your Delphi and peripheral
applications should be able to run again.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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Technical Publications         it consists of four simple things: to live
INPRISE Corporation            a lot, to love a lot, to laugh a lot, and
http://www.inprise.com/delphi  from it all, to learn a lot."
                                                     -- Richard J. Needham

Thanks for the reminder.  Looks like I need to try to resolve this issue with
Avery again.

I have contacted them about their non-compliant installation procedures for the
BDE in the past, and they have not responded.  I encourage anyone encountering
this problem to raise the issue with Avery or any other vendor who installs the
BDE in a non-compliant way.  This is a violation of their license agreement.

John Kaster, Enterprise Product Manager
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