BLD:W0176

32-bit NT preloader does not run on Windows 95/98/Me - please adjust build platforms

You selected the 32-bit Unicode preloader in the Build - Advanced dialog box. This preloader does not run on Windows 9x platforms, and any attempt to start the installer will result in an error message from Windows that will confuse the user.

Background information

The installer package internally starts with a small preloader program that is responsible for loading the actual installer. It is important that this preloader is compatible with the intended target platforms, because a failure to start the preloader prevents the installer from handling any errors gracefully.

InstallMate 9 includes three different preloaders: 32-bit ANSI, 32-bit Unicode, and x64 Unicode. The first of these runs on all 32-bit and 64-bit Windows platforms except the 64-bit WinPE versions. The other two are more platform specific and should only be used in special circumstances.

For more information about the installer internals, see Setup stubs.

Solution

If you have a specific reason to use the 32-bit Unicode preloader, then adjust the Platforms settings of the current Package attributes to exclude the Windows 95, 98, and Me platforms.
On the other hand, if your installer must run on all Windows platforms, then select the 32-bit ANSI preloader in the Build - Advanced dialog box.