Ok... this is lengthy, it also could not be answered by myself, with over a decade of experience in PC's. It also couldn't be answered by Microsoft... I ask that you please read the whole thing before responding, thanks!

I have an Asus laptop with the following specs:Windows XP Pro
Mobil P4 2.0 ghz
512 MB RAM
Radeon 7500 Pro video
40 GB Hdd

Here is some background:
1) The Freelancer CD works in a second machine perfectly, it was tested completely, and the CD itself is in perfect working condition.
2) The Laptop's CD drive works perfectly, it reads the CD perfectly, and was able to copy the entire contents of the Freelancer CD to the Hard Drive.

The Laptop is completely up to date via windows update, it also has the newest version of Direct X. The Laptop also has 15 GB free.

Here is exactly what happens when I attempt to actually install Freelancer:

The splash screen comes up, and asks what install I would like to perform. Clicking either "Express Install", or "Install" makes no difference, so I click, for instance, "Express Install"

Moving to the next screen, it checks for disk space, then it comes up with:
"WARNING: Direct X Setup Failed. Freelancer requires DirectX and may not run properly. Click OK to continue"

At this point, I click OK. (Keep in mind, the Direct X install will work, if started directly off the CD, by browsing the CD)

Then, it checks disk space, and hangs on "Creating Game Folders." After less than five seconds, an error pops up:

"VCRedist.exe - Application Error
The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000006). Click on OK to terminate the application"

I click "ok".

The same error appears again, I click "OK".

Then, I get the following error:

"Shfolder.exe - Application Error
The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000006). Click on OK to terminate the application."

Again, I click OK, then the install locks.

I am thinking this is a RAM related error... although every other PC game I install works flawlessly, without any errors. A scan disk comes back with no errors.

If anyone out there has any idea's, I am open to suggestions. The only thing I have not tried is removing the 256 SODIMM I installed over a year ago... If nobody has any other idea's, that is my next step.

Thanks for reading!
Al_Hurtcha

"A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week"
-Patton