I sent him a link to the official VB6 runtime library (from Microsoft’s legacy site). He downloaded vb6run.exe , installed it, and restarted his PC. Note: Some antivirus flags VB6 components as suspicious — false positive. Just restore the files if quarantined. Step 4: Database Registration Woes AutoData 3.40 asks for a serial and database path on first launch. Marco had the CD’s serial, but the database wouldn’t load.

“It installs, then crashes when I search for a car model,” he groaned. “I need this for a BMW E46 on the lift tomorrow.”

If you’re stuck with the same error, try the steps above. And remember — even old software can run on new systems with a little patience and the right compatibility hacks.

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon when my friend Marco called me, frustrated. He’s a mechanic who relies on — that classic car diagnostic and repair database. He’d just upgraded his shop PC to Windows 10, and the old CD was refusing to cooperate.

I remembered fighting with AutoData 3.40 myself a year ago. So I told Marco: “Grab a coffee. I’ll guide you step by step.”

Here’s the story of how we got it working — and how you can too. AutoData 3.40 was built for Windows XP/7. On Windows 10, it throws cryptic errors. But there’s a fix.

Good luck — and may your diagnostics always find the fault code.