[R] R 3.4.4, internet access fails on Windows XP

[Duncan Murdoch]

On 21/03/2018 8:27 AM, Holger Taschenberger wrote:
> I can install and run R 3.4.4 on Windows XP (32bit). However, calling "Update Packages..." or "Html help" from the RGui.exe main menu fails with a Windows MessageBox saying:
> 
> "The procedure entry point IdnToAscii could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll"
> 
> and the following text printed to the RGui console window:
> 
> "...
> In addition: Warning message:
> In download.file(url, destfile = f, quiet = TRUE) :
>    unable to load shared object 'C:/R/R-3.4.4/modules/i386/internet.dll':
>    LoadLibrary failure:  The specified procedure could not be found."
> 
> "IdnToAscii" is exported from "C:\WINDOWS\system32\normaliz.dll" on Windows XP. But apparently RGui cannot locate this procedure on Windows XP.
> 
> Any advice? (except for "switch to a more recent windows version")


The Windows FAQ 2.2 says, "Windows XP is no longer supported", so I 
think you're out of luck.  XP went past "end-of-life" in 2014.

Other than switching to a more recent Windows version, your choices are 
switching to a completely different OS, or switching to an older version 
of R.

Duncan Murdoch