Cannot use CreateObject from VB scripts on Windows 7 x64

Question

When I try to create a COM object in VB script on a Windows 7 (64 bit) machine, I always get the following error:

"ActiveX component can't create object 'xxx.xxx'. Code: 800A01AD

I have applications that use the COM object without any problem. I have tried running the command line in admin mode, no difference.

Is there any way to enable this?

Solution

The VBScript interpreter (cscript.exe/wscript.exe) comes in two flavors on a 64-bit version of Windows: a 32-bit version and a 64-bit version.

The 32-bit version can create and use 32-bit COM components only, and the 64-bit version can create and use only 64-bit COM components.

By default, .vbs files are associated with the 64-bit version. You COM component is most likely a 32-bit one, hence the error.

You can find the 32-bit version in the %windir%\SysWOW64 folder. Launching this version should give you access to all 32-bit COM components:

%windir%\SysWOW64\wscript.exe myScript.vbs

or

%windir%\SysWOW64\cscript.exe myScript.vbs

Comments

[Vitaliy]

After banging my head for a couple of hours, you saved the day!

[Jeremy Thompson]

Do you know how to make this work for HTA applications, I'm seeing code like this: <script type="text/vbscript" src="utils.vbs"></script> and making it like this obviously fails: <script type="text/vbscript" src="%windir%\SysWOW64\wscript.exe utils.vbs"></script>

[Dirk Vollmar]

@JeremyThompson: You need to start the correct version of mshta.exe, i.e. the 32-bit version: c:\Windows\SysWOW64\mshta.exe c:\page.hta. If you want to enable starting the .hta by double-clicking in Explorer you probably could have your .hta restart with the correct version of mshta.exe.

[Jeremy Thompson]

Thanks Dirk, I tried SysWOW64\mshta.exe initially and it didn't force the VBS files to run under 32 bit that's why I was trying to do it in the HTA file. I'll report back when I get this working.

[clarifier]

%windir%\SysWoW64\wscript.exe in Browse I used the file path in add arguments and I set the program start in path but I could not able to get that done.The task seems to be successfully completed but there is no output as expected