>This time, I have started to research the use of the RDC (Report Designer Component). I am trying to determine if it can be used instead of the OCX.
>Crystal's documentation on the RDC makes a big deal over how much more advanced the RDC is over the OCX. The OCX however, does everything I need it to, and I would be happy to use it, if I can be sure it will install via an 'easy' setup routine. Also, the majority of the installations will be on Win2k Prof. I have no idea if that will be an issue.
>

You might consider using VSI and the Crystal Reports runtime MSM available from Installsite.org I've had good results starting from this using both VSI and InstallShield Pro for the Windows Installer (a commercial product.) InstallShield Express 3.0 and Wise now also support the MSM technology, and all of these are much stronger install products than Setup Wizard, with stronger sequencing control and installationoptions, and all will do a better job of restoring to the initial system state if an install fails, or of uninstalling at a later date, and are handling Win2K install issues such as side-by-side DLL versioning well.

The MSMs are packages of related files for installing specific services, plus the versioning, ordering and deployment instructions expected when they're installed. Using MSM ensures that things are done in the proper order, versioning is controlled, and components are located in the proper folder regardless of the OS location or environment. Using MSMs avoids lots of the headaches of DLL Hell and cooperates with the newer OS versions in managing and tracking component versions and working folder locations.