Faulting module embedhtml.dll in virtualmidisynth v2.9.3 installer under xp mce sp3

i have no problems installing this software in xp pro sp3 (or even xp pro sp2 with the /skip_os_check switch), but it absolutely refuses to install in a fresh xp media center edition sp3 build. the installer loads and after i click next, it bombs out when trying to display the readme.html in the install dialog. i get a faulting module 'embedhtml.dll' in the application event log. the xp default ie is installed, but i don't think embedhtml.dll is a microsoft library.

i don't see why this can't run under xp mce sp3...the only significant difference from professional is the inability to join a domain. if there's no inherent incompatibility with mce, the only other thing i can think of is that the embedhtml.dll that ships with v2.9.3 is cpu dependent? i run an athlon xp 2100 so maybe it requires an intel cpu?

is there a way to install this thing manually? i'm sure it would work if i could just get past the readme.html.

the /S switch worked just fine (didn't need the /skip_os_check). all components install in program files and control panel as expected, but the first run on virtualmidisynth.exe to create the midi driver causes a module fault. i also tried re-running the installer in safe mode with the same result.

i'm thinking i have to be deficient in some requirement used by your libraries, or it's the amd cpu thing. my system is an iwill kk266plus-r (kt133a), athlon xp 2100, radeon 9800 non-pro, awe64 and a generic nec usb2.0 pci card. i'm skeptical i have something installed that is conflicting for such a vanilla xp sp3 build. other than hardware drivers/software, this is all i have installed:

- .net 3.5 sp1 and all previous revisions

- visual c++ 2005, 2008, 2013 redistributables

- directx 9c final

- windows media player/center

- ffdshow

- internet explorer 8 final

- dosbox

- munt mt-32 midi driver

i'm disappointed that i won't be able to get virtualmidisynth running as this is looking more and more like a dead end. i also tried to use fluidsynth (which i've had great success with in linux) pre-compiled binaries for windows, but they also error out immediately. i wonder if all of these things are closely related.

stanwebber wrote:

the problem is sse2 instructions which my cpu doesn't have

Ouch, I haven't realized it was such an old one, missing that set of (now essential) instructions.
Still thinking they're not used at all by embedhtml.dll, but it could have been compiled with that minimal requirement needed 🙄

Anyway, BASSMIDI.dll needs sse2 for sure, so this is a showstopper.

@falcosoft: ok, I wasn't aware of that, thanks.

So it could be VMS itself, which is built with VS2019 that (as I can read here) defaults to using SSE2 instruction set and registries.

hey, i remember reading this during my troubleshooting efforts under "Troubleshooting steps to solve issues with VirtualMIDISynth" in the faq section of this very website:

1. VirtualMIDISynth requires a modern CPU to run.
An Intel Core2 CPU (or newer) should be fine, like an AMD AthlonXP processor (or newer).

does this leftover remnant mean that at one time my cpu was supported? if so, would it be possible to pinpoint at what release ver the sse2 instructions were introduced?