Corrupted files are the cause of Windows 8 "This app can't run on your PC" error

[c627627]

Corrupted files are the cause of Windows 8 "This app can't run on your PC" error

You can't really blame us for wrongly assuming that this is yet another attempt by Microsoft programmers to save us from ourselves:




This happens when trying to install apps running perfectly fine on an old install of Windows 7 but can't be installed on Windows 8. All the threads out there I could find have an original poster posting this error, followed by no answer or others not being able to replicate this error under same circumstances.


No need to figure out how to disable this, this is not another Windows annoyance, if you get this error:


This app can't run on your PC
To find a version for your PC, check with the software publisher.

Then the answer is simple: Installation files for the program you are trying to install got corrupted.


If you have an old backup of them, the installation will go through without this error. Possibly the only criticism about this error screen might be a suggestion that they somehow include a hint about possible corrupted files either on screen or under More Info link (or similar) when suddenly displaying this screen all across your Windows 8 monitor.

EDIT: The same error screen pops up when trying to run a 16-Bit app on 64-Bit Windows 8. So the error screen appears to double up as corrupted file and/or 16 bit file error. So error cause is one of those or both.

 

[Automata]

If that error could mean the installer is corrupt, that is extremely unhelpful wording.

 

[c627627]

I saved the 1MB corrupted file of a freeware Setup that I can use to replicate the error on Windows 8.


The corrupted file simply will not launch on Windows XP but you get that screen if you try to launch it under Windows 8.

 

[c627627]

It appears to double as both corrupted file error and an error that displays across the entire screen if you try to run a 16-Bit program under 64-Bit Windows 8.


A while back I thought they somehow managed to do the impossible and make old 16-Bit programs run on 64-Bit Windows because screen shots of Windows 8 had a 16-Bit program compatibility checkbox.


Turns out that was for 32-Bit Windows 8 only and not 64-Bit Windows 8.

 

[johan851]

These days those old apps are probably easier to run in a VM.

 

[c627627]

Hi johan851. I am talking about apps I run system wide permanently.


Example: In My Humble Opinion, it should be against the law for a program to willy-nilly needlessly insert itself *without permission* to run every time your system boots up. I haven's had a problem with that since Windows 95 because of Start Up monitor: http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml

It is an old program written before 64-Bit OS's were written. Frankly I never switched to 64-Bit Windows because I couldn't find a program that does the same for 64-Bit OS as this one does for all 32-Bit OS from Windows 95 to 32-Bit Windows 7/8:

 

[c627627]

pfew after all these years I found one!


It is called StartupEye. I cannot believe there's only one obscure place that has this. It is freeware. Ever since Windows 95, I was saved countless times from all kinds of legitimate (not just malware) programs registering themselves to phone home, run unnecessary automatic updates, and generally needlessly try to slow my machine down.

I attached the freeware setup file to this post because CNET's freeware download have nasty toolbars that may slip through:
http://tcpmonitor.altervista.org/download/?did=15


Major annoyance with the program is its default alarm setting which can be turned off:



Double click on Setup.exe to install the program.

You will here an annoying ta-da sound when starting the program from
C:\Program Files\StartupEye\StartupEye.exe
or
C:\Program Files (x86)\StartupEye\StartupEye.exe

Immediately click on OK then right click on the program icon in Task Bar [lower right] > Options:
UNCHECK: Alarm when detect registry change


Delete unnecessary VirusTotalUpload.exe file from program directory.