>>>I did search the archives, but didn't find any comments on this one ...
>>>
>>>I just replaced an old stand-alone computer with a new Window 7 computer.
>>>
>>>I run a number of VFP 6 apps on this system, and need that version of the development system loaded.
>>>
>>>VFP 6 loaded fine.
>>>
>>>SP5 hung, saying it needed MDAC 2.5 or better. Running the load from the SP5 disk does not good.
>>>I'm sure Windows 7 handles the issues "a better way."
>>>
>>>I see on other support sites mention of this problem, but I don't see a work-around.
>>>
>>>Would just running this apps under VFP 7 avoid the problem?
>>
>>If you haven't already, you could try running the VFP6 SP5 installer or the MDAC installer as Administrator i.e. right-click on the EXE or MSI and select "Run as administrator".
>------------------------------------------------------
>2:30 EDT 4/18/13
>
>I ran them both (setup, then mdac_type, then setup again) all as administrator.
>
>No change in behavior.
>
>I am the sole user (my notebook) of this computer, and am an "administrator". If I am an administrator, should I have to "Run as administrator" to get better results (which didn't happen in this case?"

With Windows Vista and later, even if you log on using an Administrator account, everything you do is with reduced privileges unless you explicitly ask to run as administrator, or you use an installer that knows how to ask for elevated privileges in those OSs (thereby invoking the UAC prompt that usually comes up in those cases). VFP6 long predated those OSs so its setup doesn't know how to play with UAC. So, if you get installation problems with old setup programs, run as Administrator is one thing to try.

Another thing is Vista+ places restrictions on what can be written and/or updated in C:\Program Files and subfolders. One thing you could try would be to install VFP6 to a folder that's not in that tree e.g. try installing to C:\VFP6\ .

Another thing you can experiment with is setting the compatibility level of the install packages. Right-click on them, go into Properties, and on the Compatibility tab select Windows XP SP3 (which works in most cases).

I don't know how well VFP7 installs/runs on Win7, I only have VFP9 installed on my Win7 workstation.

Just for grins you could try installing MDAC 2.8, available from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5793 .