Appcompat.exe

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This comment is in response to the one made by Brian on October 16.

First of all, you seem to be implying that Windows Media Player 9 was the source of your Warcraft III problem, when the program itself was not. When Warcraft III crashes after the intro movie with the generic "send a report to Microsoft" Windows error message, that is an audio/video codec or hardware driver issue. I have been using Windows Media Player 9 and playing Warcraft III, and the game doesn't crash. The codecs that come with the player by default will not cause a problem, however a third-party one that you download via WMP9 or from a website may cause a problem. If the problem really was caused by a codec you downloaded via WMP9, instead of formatting and reinstalling Windows, you could just have deleted the codec or bypassed the Warcraft III intro movie by renaming the "movies" directory in the Warcraft III directory.

Second, you seem to be implying that because you did not know how to properly resolve your Warcraft III problem, anyone who has a crash problem that results in a file named appcompat.txt being generated will not be able to properly resolve it either. This is completely flawed logic and very poor advice.

An appcompat.txt file is generated when two pieces of software (possibly one of them being Windows) have a conflict, and it is ridiculous to say that the conflict can only be resolved by formatting. I have encountered crashes that generate the file before, and in those cases it was always a non-Windows program I was using that was causing the crash.

There is no magical solution to all of the possible causes of the file being generated, and what you need to do is contact the developer of the program you were using when the crash occurred (possibly Microsoft) and/or find someone who knows how to analyze the file's contents.

An appcompat.txt crash may have something to do with Windows, but to say it's always Windows' fault is simply wrong. I have been maintaining clean Windows installations since 1998, and every time I have had a problem, it has almost always been caused by a third-party driver or program. Windows XP is an exceptionally stable operating system if you know how to use it and maintain it, including all of its updates.

You said that you won't find someone who knows what they are talking about, and I think that that applies to you, Brian. Your generalizations indicate a lack of understanding about what's really going on, and I hope that people don't seriously consider your "advice".

What I want to know is... if we are all having the same problem, and we have a fairly good idea what it isn't ( virus or spyware), who can we turn to? Do I have to drive over to the Redmond Campus of MS and wave a picket sign that says, "Solve the appcompat.txt Thing!"?

Because you're all having *different* problems. As Darkseid put very well, appcompat.TXT is a datafile that is generated when programs crash. And we all know that programs crash for many, many different reasons. Appcompat.TXT *IS NOT THE PROBLEM* and it is not a symptom of a single problem.

And to be clear appcompat.txt and appcompat.exe are two completely different things. appcompat.exe is discussed by the article at the top of this page. appcompat.txt is what most of the comments have turned to.

hi all, well with the advice brain i think it was a load of bull
the reason i think this thing keeps coming up is because we are making files join together ewither by using that disk defragmenter or sum other dodgey anti-virus itried everything to get of that error nothin ever happens.
i just keep deleting the files but they just keep coming bck.
I think these files are clinging on to internet explorer and using there selves to stop you visting certain web pages with a shockwave player or sum sort.
If anyone does have a resolution could you please tell me as i am completely lost!!!

BRAVO Darkseid!!

Got appcompat.txt?? reply here...

Sir,

When i am accessing multiple excel files in windows XP Appcompat.txt Error message occurs and closes all excel application opened.

Pls tell me the solution to solve this problem

hi i am writting in about the acomppat.txt error i have been running xp pro for about 1 year now and the acomppat error is harrasing me its following me so i thought it was some thing i was putting in adware spyware or norton but as soon has i tried again it was back it seems to happen when my comp is straining download online games when not on internet its perfect i wont say the formatting thing dosent work but it didnt for me i must of formated 50 times ive tred home pro same with both got new home same friends home same so then i got new computer happy coz the old computer was gone and my acomppat.txt i was happy till the next dear when quess who knocked on my monitor waving at me the stalker acomppat please help ive got 40 gig hard drive with 20 gig slave nvidia riva tnt 2 graphics amd athlon xp thanx

I need help. My DVD players wont't and it says my error is the appcompat.txt what do i do?

I was using IE6 windows xp to view a website and then poof the window closed sending me back to the desktop.what is causing this.this has been happening all week and is driving me nuts.it says that"the following files will be included in this error report..c/docume/1/marym-1/locals-1/temp/8e43-appcompat.txt .can you help me.i have the sp 2 version with windows xp.

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