From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11
On Fri, 11/28/2025 1:44 PM, micky wrote:
Is there any chance that having more than one, in this case 3, versions
of the same program installed could keep all of them from running? I
know that often or usually one can have more than one version installed
and it's no problem, but do you think there are times when one version
would stop another?
(Background, FWIW: I posted a couple months ago or more about
installing a program that will not run, Reolink.exe, for my outdoor
camera, to watch for deer and, if I'm lucky, birds.
(I've been busy with other things but want to get this fixed. I've
posted on their own Reolink community forum, but I don't think the
people there will be able to help, unless someone from tech support is reading. You may remember that I already had tech support run my
computer and fix it a few months ago, but I'd rather not ask for that
again. After he fixed it, I reflexively clicked on Update when an
update button was displayed int he program window, and now it doesn't
work anymore. I uninstalled and reinstalled a prior version, the one
that I coudln't get to work without their help, and again I coudln't get
it to work. He told me he installed a prior version and upgraded that
and I tried that too, to the best of my ability, and that didn't work either.)
I take it each program is stored in a custom Program Files location ?
C:\Program Files\Reolink1
C:\Program Files\Reolink2
C:\Program Files\Reolink3
Otherwise, programs that install as "upgrades", tend to delete
the old materials and install the new materials.
C:\Program Files\Reolink
Then, when the program is running, it needs space to
store its preferences or logs. That would need unique naming too.
Via the "compatibility mechanism", programs that attempt
to write into their own (Program Files) folder, the results of the write operation
are redirected to AppData. So perhaps in the above pattern,
some part of AppData would have Reolink1, Reolink2, Reolink3.
Use of the registry could be a problem for three programs
to share the (same?) settings.
You can also install some programs, in "portable mode".
And their resources may all be kept in the separate portable folders.
They might get in a fight at the driver level (for programs
that install private drivers or filter drivers into a driver stack,
like an UpperFilter).
Lots of possibilities, requires creative thinking
by the developers for execution.
Paul
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