< snip >
>>>>>
>>>>>Shell.Application requires that you have SHELL32.DLL version 4.71 or later on the target system. This rules out systems with WIn95 pre OSR2 that don't have IE installed, or NT 4.0 prior to NT SP3.
>>>>I have NT 4.0 with SP4 and IE 5.0
>>>
>>>It works here; check how you've spelled Shell.Application in your command. IE5 guarentees that SHELL32.DLL is version 4.72 or later.
>>>
>>>The documentation for the Shell Object is in the MSDN under the topic "Shell Object"
>>>
>>>>Mark
>>
>>Ed,
>>
>>I've got a question on the SHELL32.DLL version. I've got version 4.00.951 (W95a) and IE4, and
>>oShell = createobject('Shell.Application')
>>works OK. From what you've been saying, it should not. Just how are we supposed to tell what version of these .DLL's we TRULY need, then?
>
>You've posted the Win95 version, which is not the same as the version of SHELL32.DLL on your system. You can check that by locating SHELL32.DLL, displaying its Property sheet, and looking at the version on the Version tab.

No, I did not. When I select the file SHELL32.DLL from Explorer, right click/properties and then the version tab, it says 4.00.951 as the version. It does also have a "Special Build Description" of "QFE" (my computer is a Compaq, if that's of any info) But yes, I do have W95a which is 4.00.950a.

>
>The MSDN docs say SHELL32.DLL version 4.71 or later. Since there's no single thing short of installing IE that will update the Shell version for any operating system, checking the version of SHELL32.DLL is the only reliable means here.

I did that, see above.

>
>The obvious way to check for Shell.Application is to check HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Shell.Application - if this registry key isn't present, then the shell version needs to be updated.

Yes, that key does exist. So again, if your sources say 4.71 or better and my SHELL32.DLL says it's version is 4.00.951, but I do have scripting available, what is truly the correct version ????