Freecell not working since IE6 install - Now Sorted!

[mepearce]

Continuing saga of Freecell (yes, the card game!) not working since IE6 installed ....

My Win98 Freecell quit working after an IE6 (from V5.0) install. (Launched OK, but
permanent "egg timer" mouse cursor when you tried to play)

Tried quite a few suggested fixes from various sources, all without success. Thanks to a
helpful guy called Rick (Muchos thanx, Rick, wherever you are!), Freecell now works again,
so I'm posting this in case it helps anyone else.

I'd already tried deinstall/reinstalling the <<freecell.exe>> and <cards.dll>> files from
my original (Win98, 1st Ed.) install CD-ROM, - without joy.

Rick kindly mailed me some different versions of these files (presumably newer ones from
a later Win98 build than my[4.10.1998] one(Second Edition, perhaps??), as the three
(newer?) files I reinstalled all reported larger file sizes and later build (date/time
stamps) when examined by right-clicking, then select <<properties>>

1. It APPEARS! that SOMETHING either gets changed (or added) during an IE6 install, that
one (or more!) of the Freecell files doesn't like living with (or vice versa), that causes
Freecell to quit working. It further APPEARS, now, that later versions of those same files
(from a Win98 Second Edition, perhaps) WILL happily co-exist with an IE6 installation.

2. So, if your Freecell has quit since an IE6 install, can't guarantee this 'fix' will
work for you, but it did for me, and worth a try.

METHOD: Locate and rename the files listed below found in these locations: (e.g rename
<<freecell.exe> to something like <<freecell_old.exe>>, for example. DO NOT DELETE files,
at this stage, as best to retain them for the time being (in case this fix doesn't work
for you!)

A. <<freecell.exe>> found in [....\windows] folder
B. <<freecell.hlp>> found in [...\windows\help] folder
C. <<cards.dll>> found in [...\windows\system] folder

Obtain (latest) and/or certainly "known good" versions of these files (perhaps from Win98
Second Edition) and (re)install these files to their corresponding folders. Don't even
need to reboot!

Freecell SHOULD now work. Mine did!

And if it works - don't thank me! Thank Rick! (wherever he is!)

Happy IE6-ing
Mark Pearce (Hampshire U.K.)
email : me.p...@ntlworld.com