Kobo Desktop 3.9.0 install problem

[murg]

I've seen two reports that Desktop 3.9.0 is being rejected by Windows with the following error message: C:\Program Files\Kobo\Kobo.exe is not a valid Win32 application.

I'm not sure what's happening, I installed it just fine into Windows 7.

One of the reports had a problem installing onto Windows XP.

I'm creating this thread so there's a central location for the discussion of the probable problem.

[murg]

Some suggestions:

You can download the Desktop from the Kobo website and try to install it manually.

If that doesn't work, try uninstalling the existing Kobo Desktop, then manually installing the new version.

[Lucas Malor]

Kobo Desktop app doesn't work anymore. After the upgrade to the latest version it doesn't start and gives me the (in)famous and useless alert message "kobo.exe is not a valid win32 application". I also tried to reinstall it, but it's simply not working.

Previous versions works fine, I reinstalled 3.8.0 and it boots. The problem is that Kobo Desktop must be upgraded if an upgrade is available. And you can't use it without an internet connection. Checkmate.

Anyone else experienced this issue? I'm using the app on WinXP sp3 32 bit.

[murg]

My 3.9.0 is working on Windows 7.

I redownloaded the program from the Kobo website just now, and it is the same as the one I installed on the 11th (10th in the rest of the world).

[Chris_Snow]

I just found the same thing. Uninstalled and re-installed, and still the same. I guess Kobo doesn't want me to use their desktop!

[Lucas Malor]

Do you have windows xp as me?

[Sharkus]

This might sound a little strange, but how did those on XP get the 3.0.9 update? Did you just launch the app and it stated there was a new update, or did you manually download the latest app, if so, where from?

[PeterT]

It's safe to say that they got auto upgraded....

As Lucas says

Previous versions works fine, I reinstalled 3.8.0 and it boots. The problem is that Kobo Desktop must be upgraded if an upgrade is available. And you can't use it without an internet connection. Checkmate.

[jackthereader]

I have the same problem on Win XP and I did manually download the update. Upon starting the exe the update was installed 'Kobo style' within 3 seconds without any further questions.

[Lucas Malor]

Both. The first time the app autoapdated itself, the second time I downloaded it from Kobo site. It doesn't work either.

[Chris_Snow]

Originally Posted by Lucas Malor

Both. The first time the app autoapdated itself, the second time I downloaded it from Kobo site. It doesn't work either.

Same for me (Yes I'm on XP). I contacted their support a couple of days ago. Still no reply.

Maybe their is such a thing as a corporation that doesn't care about my money

[samaya]

windows xp -done everything, doesn't matter -so we email and just wait?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Sharkus

This might sound a little strange, but how did those on XP get the 3.0.9 update? Did you just launch the app and it stated there was a new update, or did you manually download the latest app, if so, where from?

On XP running in a virtual machine, I installed 3.8.0 and it ran happily. I connected the VM to the network, ran the desktop app and it decided to update. Ooopss.. invalid win32 application. I uninstalled the desktop app, deleted all remnants and installed the copy I had downloaded to update my Win7 x64 install. Same error message.

At a wild-eyed guess, the kobo.exe executable or one of the .dll modules was compiled for a minimum OS version greater than 5.01.

Edit: Quick check with Nirsoft's exeinfo utility says OS Version: 6.0 for v3.9.0 kobo.exe.


Regards,
David

[PeterT]

Just saw this Blog post --> http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dsvc/archive...e-startup.aspx and for the heck of it, tried a

dumpbin /headers kobo.exe

What looks telling is

Spoiler:

OPTIONAL HEADER VALUES
             10B magic # (PE32)
           11.00 linker version
            7A00 size of code
          9F1A00 size of initialized data
               0 size of uninitialized data
            710D entry point (0040710D)
            1000 base of code
            9000 base of data
          400000 image base (00400000 to 00DFBFFF)
            1000 section alignment
             200 file alignment
            6.00 operating system version
            0.00 image version
            6.00 subsystem version
               0 Win32 version
          9FC000 size of image

From http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6sehtctf.aspx

Spoiler:

#define WINVER 0x0500
#define _WIN32_WINNT 0x0500

This targets the Windows 2000 operating system. Other valid values include 0x0501 for Windows XP, 0x0502 for Windows Server 2003, 0x0600 for Windows Vista, and 0x0601 for Windows 7.

So the MINIMUM OS level for this version of Kobo.exe is Windows Vista

[murg]

Originally Posted by PeterT

So the MINIMUM OS level for this version of Kobo.exe is Windows Vista

Too bad the installer doesn't know this...