GIMP: Application failed to initialize error

Thanks for the lesson/reminder -- I'd like to think I once knew about "Zibo's" vanity "header", but I truly don't remember. I am aware that a DLL is an executable, but the last time I did any sort of low-level software development was in the mid-80s with Microsoft's Basic & C development systems for DOS, and most of what I remember about those experiences is too ugly to revisit here -- I do remember using "CodeView", rather than a Hex editor to examine compiled elements, though.

Your "bunny rabbits with pointy ears" analog was particularity comical -- if you further consider the BFF header for Sun Sparcs and Intel x86 machines running the Solaris operating system can be "ELF", then things become even more "gray" as both bunny rabbits and elves have pointy ears! LOL

Anyway, thanks for the "heads up" on the "MZ".

http://w8aok.w3kwh.com/
Live Large, it's a short ride!

Just sent them to the contact @ address with subject line, "For John Haller - 2 DLLs (Zipped) re: Application failed to initialize error".

I've been away from this for a couple of days, but did some more investigating today. Here's some notes for whatever they may be worth:

First, the sequence of installtion leading to the issue:

Portable GAIM was "installed" on local HD prior to installing GTK 2.8.18 runtime and the application worked fine, having no other GAIM application installed.

Portable GIMP was "installed" on local HD and bombed with error of this discussion thread.

Made an attempt to install GIMP 2.2.12 [full OS registered, not portable], but received a message saying the GTK Runtime Environment was not installed -- I've used apps requiring the GTK in the past, so either it had become corrupted, or those other useages were prior to my last system rebuild.

While installing GTK Runtime using gtk+-2.8.18-setup-1.exe, the following information (copied directly from the installation dialog) was displayed:

Setup has found some DLL files, which may conflict with programs
that rely on GTK+ 2. To prevent such conflicts, Setup can automatically 
rename these files.
Note: Renaming these files may cause other programs to stop working. If you
encounter such program, please read the FAQ at
http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjsimo/gimp/faq.html for possible solutions.

Following is the list of files, which would be renamed:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\xmlparse.dll
C:\WINDOWS\system32\xmltok.dll
If you choose to rename these files, their extension will be changed to .dll.off.

Allowed that operation, and then installed GIMP 2.2.f2 [full OS registered, not portable] which then worked fine.

"Installed" GIMP Portable, and it worked fine.

From today's investigation:

Neither the xmlparse.dll or xmltok.dll were replaced when installing the GTK 2.8.18 runtime environment, rather they were disabled by appending a .off extension; that is, there is no active xmlparse.dll or xmltok.dll in my ../system32 directory.

Doing a simple registry scan with regedit, the only string entries I found using those file names were for dlls in an Adobe Bridge file path; and, for two files with the same names located in the \PortableGaim\gaim\ path.

That's it, although I did run through my entire Program directory, starting all my regular work applications, and had no problems as a result of those files being re-named.

I guess I could add that all Portable apps "installed" on this machine are working fine. They include:

AbiWord_Portable_2.4.5_PRERELEASE
FireFoxPortable at 1.5.0.6
PortableClamWin 0.88.2.3
PortableFileZilla 2.2.22
PortableGAIM 1.1.4.0
PortableGIMP 2.2.11
PortableNVU 1.0 (20050620)
PortableOffice 2.0.2
PortableSunbird 0.2
ThunderbirdPortable 1.5.0.5 (20060719)