Where does startup stop?
Loader stage
Missing BPL/DLL, wrong architecture, unresolved import or damaged executable.
Initialization stage
Unit initialization, COM creation, configuration parsing or an unhandled exception before the main form.
First external access
BDE alias, database client, network share, license service, printer or serial device.
Controlled diagnosis
- Capture error dialog, event log and process behavior; note whether any window appears.
- Verify the executable and adjacent BPL/DLL files belong to the same release.
- Inspect imports and failed module loads before copying libraries.
- Compare configuration, registry and database aliases with a working installation.
- Test access as the affected user, including write paths and 32-bit registry views.
- Trace external interactions to identify the final successful operation.
Replacing a DLL with a newer same-named version can change exported functions or runtime expectations. Preserve the original set before testing.
Choose the next investigation
BDE errors should continue through BDE assessment rather than being treated as generic DLL failures. If binaries must reveal hidden dependencies, use Delphi reverse engineering. For missing build capability use legacy Delphi support; serial hardware can be diagnosed through the serial cluster.
Useful evidence
Exact error, complete application directory, installer, Windows architecture, event logs, database/BDE configuration and details of any machine that still starts successfully.