Shoutbox

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Originally posted by CookieRevised

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Originally posted by DJKAL
would all of this work if i have installed WLM 8.0 and i wanted to rename that cos im a beta tester and have installed 8.0 but it obviouslt has written over 7.5.

So could i rename "msn messenger" to "msn messneger 8.0" and just install messenger 7.5 again as normal?

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no[*]



First of all, the chances are very high that you would get a message saying "a newer version of messenger is already installed blahblah uninstall that first".

But most importantly, the reason behind it is that when you install msn messenger, you install for more than only the files you'll find in the msn messenger program directory. Many different libraries are installed (in the system directory) and many things are added to the registry.

If installing messenger only meant adding some files into a directory in your program files, then yes, you could rename, move and do whatever you want in any order you want. But unfortunatly the picture is much bigger (and this doesn't only go for msn messenger, but for extremely many other programs also):

Installing a newer msn messenger version also means installing newer libraries and stuff into your system directory and registry.

If you are lucky those system libraries are downwards compatible (but this is not garanteed!!![**]) this means a system library from messenger 8 could work with a messenger 7. But, vice-versa, a system library of messenger 7 could lack many functions needed for messenger 8.



[*]If you really must have two different versions, do it the other way around. Thus always start from the lowest version first. Install that. Rename the directory, and install the newer version. This will update the libraries instead of downgrading them and the chances of errors due to conflicting versions will be less (but not zero![**]).

[**] and that is also the reason why you will never have a true original, unmodified version running when using two different versions side by side. In other words, if you want to do proper testing (beta testing, plugin testing, whatever) never install two different versions by the method described in this thread as you will never be sure if the bug is a real bug or if it is because you are mixing different versions of libraries and main programs together.

It may work now (although you can not be 100% sure until you compared all the binaries and libraries from all versions to eachother for compatibility), but nothing is guaranteed that it will always work like that.

If it seems to be working on the surface, it doesn't mean it also works 100% under the hood. Thus again, for proper testing anything, never install two different versions like that (no matter in what way or in what order or whatever).

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haha my god, i thought i was the only one that caught this when i first read it. i was scared for a sec. lol.