When you try to install a program that uses InstallShield on Windows XP, you receive:

The install Shield engine 'ikernel.exe' could not be launched - Error loading type library / dll.

This error will occur if any of the following files are NOT located in the %SystemRoot%\System32 folder:

Stdole32.tlb
Stdole2.tlb
Stdole.tlb

To fix this problem, expand the files from the Windows XP CD-ROM, by opening a CMD.exe prompt and typing:

CD /d C:\
Expand \I386\stdole32.tl_ %SystemRoot%\System32
Expand \I386\stdole2.tl_ %SystemRoot%\System32
Expand \I386\stdole.tl_ %SystemRoot%\System32

Error Loading Type Library/DLL for Windows NT, 2000, and XP Users

Setup failed to launch installation engine: Error loading type library/DLL
The InstallShield Engine (iKernel.exe) could not be launched. Error loading type library/DLL
More Information

This issue may occur if one or more of the following files are missing from the Windows\System32 or WINNT\System32 folder:

* stdole32.tlb
* stdole2.tlb
* stdole.tlb

The above stdole files should exist in the Windows System directory for the application to successfully install. The following steps explain how to locate the missing stdole files and extract them from either your computer's hard drive or the Windows Installation CD.

1. Determine which stdole files are missing.
1. Click Start > Find > Files or Folders.
2. In the All or part of the file name field, type stdole*.tlb to search for the missing files.
3. In the Look in field, click Drive C.
4. Write down which files are missing. You will use the file names in the following steps.

2. Extract the missing stdole files from a cabinet file using the Expand utility.
1. Click Start > Run.
2. Type CMD. Click OK.
3. Change to the root folder of drive C, type cd\ or c:, and press ENTER.
4. Insert the Windows Installation CD.
5. Type expand cd_drive_letter:\i386\filename.tl_ drive:\Windows\system32\filename.tlb, and press ENTER, where cd_drive_letter is your CD drive, filename is the name of one of the missing stdole files (stdole32, stdole2, stdole) that you want to expand, and drive is the letter of the drive where Windows is installed. For example:

expand D:\i386\stdole32.tl_ C:\Windows\System32\stdole32.tlb

6. Repeat step 5 for each of the missing stdole files.
7. Type exit.
8. Restart your computer.