NWDS Sneak install (-1) return from \exe/sapstartsrve.exe -WAS 6.40, SP9

Hi all,

I've solved a lot of problems, thanks to others who posted before me, but I seem to be stuck on this one. I'm installing on Windows XP.

Install is in step 3, message: "An error occurred while processing service MaxDB > Migration - Target System Install, Cannot register COM interface."

The log shows it is executing "C:\usr\sap\J2E\SCS01\exe/sapstartsrv.exe"

I don't know why the forward slash. sapstartsrv does exist as a member of the exe directory. If I restart without deleting the directory, install will add another sapstartsrv, and name it sapstartsrv.new.exe

Any ideas?