Windows 7 - Run-time error 5:Invalid procedure call or argument

Asked By Docster

22-Jan-10 06:46 PM

Run-time error 5:Invalid procedure call or argument

I have been running a small app to backup OE for years (same app without
updates its) and now all of a sudden I am getting the above error message.
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this message to pop up?

Oh, the app is Outlook Express Freeby Backup and Outlook Express Quickie
Backup.
I feel certain the problem is with the OS its self

22-Jan-10 07:13 PM

[X-post to OE General]

The author withdrew OE Freebie Backup over 5 years ago.  You should only be
using OE Quick Backup now.

22-Jan-10 07:24 PM

I get the same results no matter which one I use.
Have been using both successfully until now.

[X-post to OE General]

The author withdrew OE Freebie Backup over 5 years ago.  You should only be
using OE Quick Backup now.

22-Jan-10 07:52 PM

This error message is produced by the Visual Basic runtime. I'd guess
that OE Quick Backup was written in Visual Basic; and for some reason,
the VB runtime is having a problem on your machine.

A quick way to try and fix the problem would be to re-install OE Quick
Backup, using the download version which contains the full VB Runtime,
bundled (I just looked at their website):

http://www.oehelp.com/oebackup/default.asp

Alternatively, you can install (or re-install) the Visual Basic Runtime
files, from here:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vbruntime

If it keeps failing after that ... I dunno. Even if it is a problem in
the OS, you may need to contact the app's author, to find out what is
causing the error message.

Hope it helps,

Andrew

--
amclar at optusnet dot com dot au

23-Jan-10 07:52 AM

Error 5 indicates a permissions issue, so you might consider whether the
output directory has the correct permissions to write to.  Also you can
reset the program by deleting this key in the Registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\OEBackup

that might fix the problem.

steve

25-Jan-10 10:44 AM

Steve,
Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it after your suggestion but no dice. It
did not correct it either.
James


Error 5 indicates a permissions issue, so you might consider whether the
output directory has the correct permissions to write to.  Also you can
reset the program by deleting this key in the Registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\OEBackup

that might fix the problem.

steve

26-Jan-10 08:02 AM

Try changing the backup directory to something else.

At what point in the program do you get the error message?  Is there
anything in the output directory, or is it empty after running the program
and getting the error?

steve

26-Jan-10 03:17 PM

When I run the program it acts like it is making copies and backing up then
I get this run time error 5.
When I open the backup folder I have registry backups but not files
which I can import etc.
I tried to attach jpegs of the the images but the send was rejected as being
to large.


Try changing the backup directory to something else.

At what point in the program do you get the error message?  Is there
anything in the output directory, or is it empty after running the program
and getting the error?

steve

26-Jan-10 03:33 PM

An "error 5" does indicate Access Denied, *if* it comes from a Windows
component; as shown in WinError.h


But in this case, the "Runtime error 5: Invalid procedure call or
argument" clearly matches the Visual Basic Runtime's "error 5", which
means that there was, well, an invalid procedure call or argument :-)

So the error here means that the VB runtime which drives this OE backup
application is unable to call one of the application's methods, rather
than anything to do with permissions.

As per my separate reply to the OP, I'd recommend making sure the VB
bits are in good order.

Sorry to be pedantic :-) but just had to throw this in.

Cheers

Andrew

--
amclar at optusnet dot com dot au

27-Jan-10 08:38 AM

You can email them to me and maybe we can figure out the issue.

steve

27-Jan-10 08:38 AM

is run time error 5.  Unfortunately the VB code is not accessible, as the
author is no longer accessible (I only host the program on my website
oehelp.com). So the chances of debugging the code are nil, which is why I
asked docster what the steps were leading to the error.

steve

27-Jan-10 05:22 PM

Ever tried running it under DependencyWalker's Profiler feature?   <eg>
--while monitoring both with ProcMon?    <EG>


---

28-Jan-10 08:49 AM

No, because I do not have the problem.  It will not help for me to diagnose
something on a machine that is not sick.

steve

28-Jan-10 11:53 AM

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Error 5 is generally a permission problem.

Which of these programs are you using, where did you download it, etc.

I want to download it myself and see if I have the problem and then
figure out what to do about it that does not involve guessing or
trying things that might work.

You cannot attach screenshots here, but here is what you can do:

Take a screenshot of what you see and upload the screenshot to one of
several
free picture hosting WWW sites.

When you are done, we will be able to see what you are seeing.

To create and post a screenshot:

Press the Print Scrn button to copy your entire screen to the Windows
clipboard.