What Does This Error Message Mean?

I don't have a clue. My operating system is Windows 7 64-bit. This error message popped up when I tried to install a particular software program. The tech guy entered computer by remote and found an extraordinary amount of "events," something like 58,000 of them. He said this way out of whack and something is out of kilter with the architecture. If true, can this be easily fixed, for example, deleting the info on events to free up space?

 

Basically, the message tells you that you need a 32bit OS to install the program. Not a very clear way of doing it, but I'm pretty sure that is the idea.

 

So that's all this is? Do you think the tech guy at the software company was trying to take me for a ride? The info on the website says the program is compatible with 32- or 64-bit operating systems. Hmmm, maybe it really isn't compatible with 64-bit.

 

As Nebulus has already said the application will only work on 32 bit versions of Windows, and you are running 64 bit Windows. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your computer - just that software is not compatible with your edition of Windows.

As for the events found, I presume they came from event viewer? This sound like a scam where you are told all of the events are serious errors and they need to fixed (for a cost of course). In reality this should be nothing to worry about.

But, how did they get access to your computer? You need to be sure they can't access it again.

 

I allowed them remote access to my computer. They recommended fixing the large number of events being generated for, like, $250 bucks, having to manually erase them all. He estimated it would take six hours, and would give me a discount from the regular $400 or so price since I have been a repeat customer in the past. It is a reputable software company, I think, but I am not willing to state the program just yet. Don't want to violate any rules of the forum.

They offered me either a refund, or the recommended work on the computer. I chose the refund and they have already given it to me. No sense in paying that much for service when a new laptop would not be that much more than what they were asking for in repairs.

 

Caveat emptor

 

They were trying to scam you and you are protecting them? Could you tell us the name of the company?

 

They don't sound reputable at all to me.

Are the events from event viewer? If they are (as I presume is the case) then they are nothing to worry about, but it does indicate this was most definitively a scam and you are lucky to have got a refund.

As an example of events showing in Event Viewer, I just open it on my work computer which is running fine, and then navigated to "Application" under "Event Logs" and there are 72,694 events there. They are almost all errors, but once again, my system is running fine.

 

The tech guy said you should only have about 700 errors or less in event view. He said 58,000 indicated a serious issue with the computer.

I guess no harm was done since I got the refund and did not opt for the computer work. But let me hear from others. If the consensus seems that this was an attempt at a scam, I will provide more information on the product and the company. But I don't want to be drawn into any legal issues for defamation or whatever. I did not record the conversation.

 

Thanks for the warning, but this event was not quite what the link discusses. I bought a security software program, and when I tried to install it, it did not install properly, producing the error message which I included in my first post above. I called the company to let them know, and a tech guy gave me a call back and I told him about the error message. That's how all this started. Just a clarification.

 

Personally I always provide as much info as possible when asking for help to get it sorted quickly.

So to make it easier for those that are trying to help, just say what the "security software program" product name is, and what the Company name is ?

 

My weekly (usually over the weekend) cleanup includes going into the event viewer and clearing all the Windows logs, without backups. Over the course of a week typically I'll accumulate several hundred entries in each of the application and system logs, and around 1100-1200 in the security log. The vast majority of the entries (99+ percent) are "informational" and of no interest whatsoever, and the very few "warning" ones typically relate to app crashes, which I already knew about, or the odd time I disabled my a-v's file scanner to scan with something else.

And I agree with the previous replies in that the more info you can provide, the more likely we can give you useful suggestions. In this particular case, letting us know the company involved will, if nothing else, help prevent others from falling into the same trap you did. Take a look at my signature, which many others use to a greater or lesser degree -- it provides basic info on system hardware and software which pre-answers a number of necessary questions if I'm looking for help.

 

Okay, here is the situation. I've used the Windows 7 firewall along with Norton antivirus for awhile now. Over the last few weeks I had been thinking of adding a personal firewall to the security set up on this particular computer. I had used Outpost personal firewall in the past, and even before that the Lavasoft Personal Firewall 3.0. I went into my Lavasoft account and noticed that programs I had purchased in the past but had now lapsed, the info was still in my account. It had a tab that reads something like "renew with a discount," so just for the hell of it I hit the tab for the Lavasoft personal firewall, which as far as I knew had not been updated since 2010. I saw that new info popped up on the firewall when I hit the update link, which said that the firewall has been updated, compatible with Windows 7, and works with 32- or 64-bit OS. The discount looked good to me, and given my positive experiences with the firewall in the past, I went ahead and purchased it. I then proceeded to install it, and that's when the x86 error message popped up, which was included in the first post. I tried several times to install it with no luck. I saw a toll free number listed for help, I gave them the purchase information, and the person on the other end said someone would call me to follow-up. fifteen minutes later I got a call from a tech guy, and he asked to get remote access to my computer. He never mentioned anything about this simply being a problem of a 32-bit software not being able to be installed on a 64-bit operating system. I had no idea what the error message meant. He made it sound like there was a serious error with my computer, and recommended a "discounted" amount of work totaling $250 to fix it. I assumed after this "fix" the firewall would load, but I never asked him about this got an explanation. He gave me the option of either getting a refund or doing the work on the computer. I explained to him that I got the computer for a very good deal--under $300 new--and that it wouldn't make any sense to fix it. It would make more sense simply to buy a new computer.

So I took the refund, and it was refunded promptly. I've never had any problems with Lavasoft before. I've been a longtime customer, having purchased such products as the old Ad-Aware, the file shredder, the registry tuner, and of course the wonderful firewall. When I found the firewall was still available--even though there is no advertisements for it at the website--I went ahead and renewed with a discount through my account. If it not 64-bit compatible, I wonder why that renewal button says otherwise?

Anyway, that's the story.

 

There are separate 32 and 64 bit version of their firewall. For example this is the download page for the 64 bit version at download.com

 

If it is still a rebranded version of Outpost, then Outpost Firewall Pro would be a much better choice than this as it is updated.

 

The error means you tried incompatible software, maybe even non-x86 arch.
Nothing to worry about.
Mrk