[Support Center] Recently Added Articles

Is My Software Installed In Two Places On My Windows Computer?

Mon, 13 May 2013 19:46:17 GMT

Problem:I selected a drive other than "C" to install my birding software. Is that a good idea? It seems to have installed in two different places on my C drive instead.

Solution: You should always install our software on the C drive of your computer.

We are following standard installation guidelines and installing our application files to the Program Files folder and our application data to the ProgramData folder.

These are special folders whose physical location is defined by the operating system. The installation just points to these special folders and then the files get installed to wherever the Operating System says those folders are located.

As for duplicating the data in different folders, C:\Users\All Users is a symbolic link (symbolic links are new to Vista/Windows 7) that points to C:\ProgramData. So installing a file into C:\ProgramData creates one physical copy that is visible from both C:\ProgramData and C:\Users\All Users. The fact that C:\Users\All Users is a symbolic link can be determined by right-clicking and selecting Properties on All Users from within Windows Explorer. So there is no duplication of the data files.

Also look at the related FAQ "Cannot Install on Drive Other than C Drive"

Can I Install V4.5 or v5.5 on Windows 8?

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:09:30 GMT

Problem: Does your software run on Windows 8?

Solution: Yes. Version 4.5 and version 5.5 (Gold edition) should both load on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and run without any problems.

Media.cab - Cannot read from the source file or disk

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:55:00 GMT

Problem: I purchased the Thayer "Birds of North America Gold Edition DVD" set, but one of the disks seems to be defective. I get an error message that says "Cannot read from the source file or disk. media.cab Type=Cabinet File."

Solution: InstallShield is the program we use to install our birding program on your computer. It compresses groups of files into .cab files (similar to .zip files). The Media.cab file is a cab file that contains a lot of the compressed media files such as photos, videos and songs. During installation, the installer decompresses the contents of the cab file. This file is contained directly on the DVD.

It appears that this compressed file is not expanding properly during the installation and so the media files are not being loaded onto your computer.

We would suggest that you try copying the contents of the DVDs directly to a folder on your desktop and install from there. For the Gold edition, be sure you copy the entire contents of BOTH discs into just one folder. Once you have done this, open the folder and double-click the file called setup.exe to start the installation process.

If this is not successful, please let us know and we will mail you a replacement disc. There may actually be something wrong with your original disc, although this is far less common than most folks realize!

Free Updates - Unable to Connect to Remote Server

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:09:33 GMT

Problem: When I click Help and then click check for updates I get an error message that says "Unable to Connect to Remote Server." What do I do now?

Solution: If you recently tried to get a free update to the Thayer Birding Software program for versions 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 or 5.5 and received an error message, you will need to download a small file to fix this. The two links below allow us to modify a tiny piece of code inside your computer that will tell your computer where to find the free updates for version 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 and 5.5.

In the past we told your computer to look for the free Thayer Birding updates on a server in Pennsylvania. Now it will go look for them on the Thayer Birding Software web site, housed in Ohio.

If you have version 3.9.8 or earlier, please purchase the latest version of our software to continue receiving free updates.

Windows Users:
Double-click on this file=> [ModifyUpdateServer.zip] and install this small change to your program.

To do this, click Open and if you see any warning messages from Windows, ignore them and proceed with the download and installation.
When you see the box that says Modify Update Server Location, click the Update button. Or double-click on the Application file named ModifyUpdateServer.exe (Again, ignore any Windows warning message. It should take 1-2 seconds to update the configuration file.)

Mac Users:

Mac users, hold down the control key on your keyboard and click on the file link below. Then select "Download Linked File As..." and select Desktop as the location. Then Double-click on the ModifyUpdateServerMac zip file on your Desktop. This will automatically open a Terminal window in which the script will be run. When it is done running, a messge box will be shown indicating that it is complete.

[ModifyUpdateServerMac]

Mac Users running OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) will need to do this before starting the download: On your Mac computer, click Finder> Applications > System Preferences > Security & Privacy. Now click the lock icon in the lower-left corner and enter your administrator username and password. Under “Allow applications downloaded from”, select “Anywhere” The installer should now launch and function normally. (Mac users should be sure to change the security setting back to “Mac App Store and identified developers” or “Mac App Store” as desired, when finished for improved security.)

Final Step:
After downloading and running one of the two files shown above, open your birding program and, for Windows computers click Help > Check for Updates (do this TWICE). For Mac computers click eViewer > Check for Updates (do this TWICE.).

After doing this you should be running version 4.5.1 or version 5.5.1. This free update (released in September, 2012) added 43 new photos, updated the taxonomy to match the AOU 53rd Supplement from July 2012 and updated state and province checklists. Songs and a photo can now be exported to iTunes with the bird names in any one of four different languages. Minor bug fixes were made to the Mac program. In the Gold edition the Manage My Quizzes section now lets you add up to four photos. A Side-by-side comparison icon lets you compare images of Things in Manage My Quizzes.

Unhandled Exception.. Type Initializer Threw An Exception

Tue, 14 May 2013 20:32:13 GMT

Problem: When I open the program, it does not fully open. Only field guide, handbook and petey are available. I get an error message that says:
"Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. The type initializer for 'Thayer.Birding.UserSettings' threw an exception."
Then it goes on to talk about JIT debugging....
This all started when I was attempting to load pictures and images onto my mp3 player for the first time.

Solution: The most likely cause for this issue is that your "UserSettings.xml" file may be corrupted.

Delete the ”\ProgramData\Thayer Birding Software\eViewer 4.0\Settings\{computer name}\{user name}\UserSettings.xml” file
(substituting in your computer name and user name in the file path. If you have the Gold edition, substitute eViewer 5.0 for 4.0)
This file will simply be recreated the next time you run you application.

If you are trying to run an older version of our software on a 64-bit computer, you may also see this error message. Click HERE for your options.

Problem Downloading Free Update for Version 5

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 18:48:10 GMT

Problem: I own the Gold edition. I tried to install updates as suggested by your eNewsletter. I got this error message:
\C:\Program Files\Thayer Birding Software\eViewer 5.0\Thayer.Birding.Updates.dll is denied.

Solution: This sounds like a permissions issue. First, make sure you are logged on with an account that has Administrative privileges and see if that makes a difference. If you are already using an account in the Administrator group, then make sure you have read/write permissions for the C:\Program Files\Thayer Birding Software\eViewer 5.0 folder and make sure none of the files are marked as read only.

[This person works at a U.S. Govenment agency so it is very likely that she will need to get special permission from the IT department in order to do this. Many schools and agencies and even larger companies are very strict about what can be downloaded to networked computers.]

v5.5 - Video Will Not Play

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:07:12 GMT

Problem: I installed the Gold edition but the videos will not play.

Solution: The user downloaded another update to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD400 and the problem is now solved.

Cannot Get Free Updates Over The Internet

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:22:32 GMT

Problem: When I check for updates I get the following (using Mac Lion):
The following error has occurred:
The remote server returned an error:(407)Proxy Authentication Required.

Solution: Make sure you are not using a proxy server to access the internet. We do not support updates through a proxy server.

A proxy server would probably not be used at home. But it may be used at a school or a company as a way to prevent people from reaching web sites that your IT team does not want you to reach. It is used as a way to protect a network - such as all the computers at your school.

You can download the free update at home and then use a memory stick to copy the free update and then take it to your school or place of work and install it from there. Obviously you should run a full scan on your memory stick to make sure it is not infected with a virus. Check with your IT team to make sure this is OK with them!

Increasing the Font Size on Windows or Mac computers

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:10:58 GMT

Problem: How can I make the printed words (font size) larger on my computer. I am having trouble reading the words.

Solution: You cannot change the font size for just our software program, but you can easily change it for everything you see on your computer. If you are having trouble reading the words in our birding program you probably would enjoy your computer more if everything were a bit larger.

For Windows computers:
1. Right-click on an empty area on your Desktop.
2. Click Personalize.
3. Click Display (over on the lower left side of the screen.)
4. Click Medium (or Large)
5. Click Apply

For Mac computers:
1. Click the Apple icon.
2. Click System Preferences.
3. Click Display (in the Hardware section)
4. Under Resolutions click the small circle in front of the word "Scaled."
5. Make a note of the current selection in case you want to go back to that. Now try other resolutions that are smaller numbers. For example, if it shows 1440 x 900 then you might try 1344 x 956. Keep trying other options until you are happy.

v5.5 - Custom Quiz - Problem Importing MP3 Songs from Xeno-Canto

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:46:59 GMT

Problem: There is an amazing web site called www.Xeno-canto.org that lets you download mp3 files of bird songs.
[type a bird’s name into the search box, click Search. Wait. When you see the recordings, right-click on the floppy disc image and click Save Target As]

I downloaded some files from this web site and inserted them into a quiz I made on Birds of Australia.

I can play the downloaded songs from my desktop without any problem. But when I import them into v5.5 and go to manage My Quizzes and then select a bird and click the Preview button for the song, I get this error message every time: Error playing sound – error in the application

Songs I imported from a CD work fine. Photos are working fine as well.

Solution: There seems to be an encoding/filter issue with the original .mp3 files on Xeno-Canto.org that does not allow them to be played correctly using the DirectX audio/video playback library used in the Thayer Birding Software.

We are not quite sure of the technical details of why the original files do not work correctly (audio file formats / encoding / compression / filters etc. is a very specialized topic), but it appears that converting them to a “more compatible” format does allow them to work in a Thayer Birding Software Custom Quiz.

We were successful using AVS - Audio Converter 6. You can get this at www.AVS4you.com
There is a modest fee for this but you can also use the same registration number on dozens of other programs they offer -- it is actually a very good deal! AVS is based in England.

Open AVS Audio Converter 6, click the Convert tab, Add a file by selecting the mp3 file you downloaded from Xeno-Canto.org, set the codec to mp3 and then click Convert Now! Then select this mp3 file when creating a new Custom Quiz in the Thayer Birding Software Gold edition.

Gold edition user, David Buckley also suggested two other programs:
"I have been using 2 different sound editors - DAK and Audacity. The first try on DAK seems to convert the mp3 files fine. DAK is a primitive looking (reminiscent of DOS screens) but highly functional piece of work. Worth the cost for one of it's tools alone: "I Wish" as in "I wish I had recorded that song but it's too late now that it's half-way done." It has a continuous buffer that continually refreshes itself to keep that last few minutes and you just select the capture button and it writes to disk the buffer plus the rest of the song. Great for internet radio listening. DAK also has a suite of mp3 editors, batch processors, tag/re-tag/edit-tags as well as the usual editing stuff. It also has a very useful timed recorder function. See: DAK Software Suite - DAK 7.1b Wave Editor & MP3 Editor PRO Plus CD Burner & Recording EQ Plus V2 (http://www.dak.com/shop/listings.cfm?cat=23)

The other program is called Audacity. (audacity.sourceforge.net) Well it's free and open source! I have not tried it yet to convert Xeno-Canto mp3 files."

v3.0 and v3.1 - Can I Run This on Windows 7?

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:44:59 GMT

Problem: I got a new computer running Windows 7. My disc says version 3.0 (or 3.1) on it. I understand it was created years before Windows 7 was invented. Can I run this version 3 disc on Windows 7?

Solution: No, not really. Microsoft wrote Windows 7 in a new code and older computer programs will not run on Windows 7. Unfortunately, Microsoft did not make Windows 7 "backwards-compatible."

Even if you download the snippet of code from our web site that does away with the need to register your software, just about all you can do on Windows 7 is look at the birds. The Birder's Handbook needs a program from Microsoft, which when downloaded and installed, seems to do nothing – no handbook. As for the other buttons – some work others don’t.

Version 3 operates very slowly on Windows 7, and is time consuming.

But you can get the latest version at a very reduced price: Click HERE for details.

There are some amazing new features in the latest version: See the Difference Between Version 4.5 and version 3.0

Version 5.5 Error message about .NET

Fri, 25 May 2012 01:41:26 GMT
Problem: I sometimes get an error message concerning .NET when I try to open version 5.5. I click ignore and everything is fine.
When I close the program and try to reopen, I do not see the error message.
When I click the Details button for this error I get a long page of code that starts with this:
System.InvalidOperationException: Invoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created.
Solution: Here is what our chief programmer says about this annoying, harmless message:
This issue happens occasionally and I don't know why. I have every trap I can think of in there to try to prevent that issue from happening, but it still occurs every now and then. I don't know if it is a .NET Framework bug or an obscure threading issue, but I don't know what else to do to prevent it. It is a very harmless issue and you can ignore the error without any further ramifications. It only relates to the splash screen and should not affect running the application. I wish I had a better answer, but the best suggestion is to realize it is harmless and ignore it.

Event Viewer Results - Helping Us Debug a Windows Issue

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:57:36 GMT
Problem: I am having a problem with the birding program on my Windows computer. The folks at Thayer Birding Software asked me to see if there was anything appearing in the "Event Viewer" -- so how do I do that?
Solution: Try running the Thayer Birding Software program. Once you see your problem repeat itself you can check the Event Viewer to see if an error message was recorded by your computer.
On your computer, click Start in the lower left corner of the screen.
Click Control Panel
Click Administration Tools
Double-click Event Viewer
Click Application and Services Log
Click on Thayer Birding Software (if it appears)
If it does appear, you might see something like this:

If you see anything that refers to Thayer Birding Software, especially any error messages, please copy the error messages that appear in the center, bottom portion of the screen and email it to us.

Opening The Program On A Mac Computer

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:16:36 GMT

Problem: How do I open the birding program? I think it installed OK but I do not know what to do next.
Solution: Here are a few images that will show you what to do. The first set of images show what to do if you DO SEE the eViewer icon. Scroll down to see what to do if you DO NOT see the eViewer icon.

First, see if the eViewer icon appears along the bottom of your screen. If so, double-click it.

Now the Menu Bar (the top row of your screen) should look like this.

Click the word File and then click the word Open.

A small screen will pop up that lists all the DVD titles you have in the Thayer series.
You probably see just one name.

Now click on the title you want to see and click Open.

The program should now open.
To see other birds type in a new name or click the drop-down arrow and select the bird you want.
If you DO NOT see the icon, then follow these instructions:

Click the Finder icon along the bottom of your screen.

Click on the word Applications.

Click on the words Thayer Birding Software.

Now click on the eViewer icon in the column to the right.

You should now see the birding program.
To see other birds type in a new name or click the drop-down arrow and select the bird you want.
If you DO NOT see the program open, go back to the top of these instructions and follow the steps shown there (click File> Open> Thayer program name> Open)

Kindle Fire or iPod - Will Birding Software Run On These?

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:45:02 GMT
Problem: Is it possible to load my software version from my computer to a Kindle Fire or iPod.
Solution: No. Our software will only run on devices running the following operating systems:
Windows 7, Vista or Windows XP or else Mac OSX 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 or 10.7 (Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard or Lion.)
You can download songs and an image to an iPod through iTunes using the Custom List feature in the birding software.

Error: Jet.OLEDB4.0 provider is not registered on the local machine

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:53:43 GMT
Problem: When I try to get the free version 4.5 (or 5.5) update on my Windows 7 64-bit computer I see an error message that says: Error "Jet.OLEDB4.0" provider is not registered on the local machine.
Solution: We have no idea why this is happening to a handful of folks.
Our chief programmer asks that anyone seeing this error message provide us with the following information (see below for an example):
Original filename
File version
Product version
Size
Date modified
for the following files:
eViewer.exe
Thayer.Birding.DataUpdates.dll
Thayer.Birding.dll
Thayer.Birding.UI.dll
Thayer.Birding.Updates.dll
Thayer.Birding.Versioning.dll
UpdateDownloader.exev UpdateInstaller.exe

You can get the information for each of the files by going to C:\Program Files (x86)\Thayer Birding Software\eViewer 4.0 or C:\Program Files (x86)\Thayer Birding Software\eViewer 5.0, right clicking on the file, selecting Properties, and selecting the Details tab. (See below)
Also tell us your mailing address in case we need to mail you a new disc.

v4.0 Error - Action: Peedy.exe, command:/Q (Microsoft Agent Will Not Install)

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:17:45 GMT
Problem: Action: Peedy, location: E:Peedy.exe, command:/Q
I get this error near the beginning of the installation, even before Raven Lite installs.
I installed the program fine on my work computer but it will not install on my laptop.
Solution: It looks like there is an issue running the command to install the Microsoft Agent character Peedy. [The programmers at Thayer Birding Software changed his name to Petey in the birding program - Pete Thayer has no idea why!] We suggest copying the contents of the DVD to the hard drive and install from there. This should rule out a physical disc error or an error with the drive reading the disc. Only one person has ever reported this issue to us.

Installing The Gold edition on a Mac computer

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:20:38 GMT
Problem: Is it possible to run the Gold edtion version 5.0 or version 5.5 on a Mac computer?
Solution: Yes, of course it is!
To do this you will need to be running a Windows emulation program on your Mac computer. This special software creates a "virtual" Windows computer inside your Mac computer. You can then run any Windows software, including the Thayer's Guide to Birds of North America Gold edition!
Here is one report we received:
I installed the 5.5 Gold edition on our Mac, which has the following description: Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac8,1
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.8 (9L31a)
We had installed VMWare Fusion 2 so that we could run other Windows programs. The operating system is Windows XP Professional 2. The 5.5 Gold edition took about 30 minutes to install and it seems to run just fine using the Windows emulation program.
To find a list of Windows emulations programs, just Google "Mac Windows emulation program."
Well-known and respected programs include VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop.
If you are successfully running the Gold edition on your Mac computer, please let us know which program you are using to do this and let us know how happy you are with it. We will pass this information along to other Mac owners. Email Pete@ThayerBirding.com

The Program Will Not Open On My Mac Computer. Installation Went Fine.

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:40:57 GMT
Problem: I can click Finder and then click Applications and I can then scroll down to Thayer Birding Software and click that. In the column just to the right I see the eVewer icon but when I double-click it or I click the bigger icon in my dock down at the bottom of the screen I cannot get anything to appear. What am I doing wrong??
Solution: I know this is frustrating and it took me a while to figure out what was happening to folks with this issue.
First of all, when the Thayer program is actually open on your computer you will see at the VERY top of your screen the apple icon in the far upper left corner. Then just to the right of that you will see these words:
eViewer File Edit View Web Links Tools Window Help
Click the word File and in the drop-down list click the word "Open" (it should be the first word on the list.)
You will then see a new box that is titled Open and below you will see the word Collection. Just below that you will see something like Guide to Birds of North America or Birds of California. You may even see two different titles. At the bottom of that screen you will see the word Caancel. The word Open is grayed out.
Now click the name of the program you want to open. The wording should turn blue with white writing and the Open button should no longer be grayed out. Now click Open at the bottom of that screen. You should then see the eViewer with a bird image, description and everything else.
In the eViewer screen you can click the colored icons near the top to go to other parts of the program such as Quizzes or ID Wizard. To see a new bird just click the arrow to the right of the bird's name or simply start typing in a new name.
We put in this "feature" so folks with two different State or Province DVDs could select the one they want. This was not my best idea ever! We will try to fix this in the future by forcing the first title to open automatically on Mac computers.

Cannot Open Program on Mac OS X 10.7

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:09:34 GMT
Problem: I recently installed Mac OS 10.7 Lion on my computer, and my eViewer v 4.0 will not open. Consequently, I cannot follow the upgrade procedure offered for Mac Users on your free upgrade page, since I can't launch the existing program.
Solution: Before we could answer this the user wrote back and said "I think the problem was Raven Lite. After receiving your email, I uninstalled both version 4.0 and RavenLite and then attempted to reinstall both. Raven Lite was no longer installable because "Power PC Applications are no longer supported." But in the absence of Raven Lite, version 4.0 now works fine."
Fix the Raven Lite issue on Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)

Mac Computer Installed OK But I Cannot See Any Birds! Icon Bouncing or Not Responding.

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:24:47 GMT
Problem: I installed the software without any problems but I am not seeing any of the birds. I see an icon below but nothing happens or it bounces. What do I need to do? I am new to computers so be very specific please.
Solution: Along the bottom of your Mac computer screen you will see an icon that looks like a square blue face. When your mouse pauses on this, it says "Finder." Click this icon.
Now double-click the word Applications. Next, scroll down and double-click on the words Thayer Birding Software. To the right you will now see a small orange and blue bird icon and the word "eViewer" along with your version number.
Double-click the word eViewer (NOT the small icon.)
If you think you did this and nothing is happening, look down below in the row of icons and see if there is an icon with the blue and orange bird. If so, click on this icon. The program is actually open. Look at the very top of your screen and you should see the Apple icon followed by eViewer... File... Edit ...View ... and so on.
Click on the word File and then click on the word Open. You should now see a new box with a list of the bird programs in your "Collection." Double-click on the name of a Collection (such as Guide to Birds of North America.)
The eViewer Field Guide page will now appear showing bird photos, identification info and much more.
You can maximize this screen by clicking the green dot in the upper left corner. You should be all set to go.
You might want to click Help and then click eViewer help to see the electronic User's Guide. We also have video tutorials at our web site.
To close the program you will need to click eViewer at the very top of the screen and then click Quit.

Unknown License Error: Access to Path... is Denied

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT
Problem: Hi there. I have a new laptop (Toshiba) running Windows 7 OS and cannot load the Thayer Birding Software's Birds of my Region version 3.9 (2007) from my CD to my new laptop...; I get this error: Unknown License Error: Access to the path 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Thayer Birding Software\eViewer 3.9\eViewer.lic' is denied.
Solution: It appears that you have a new 64-bit computer. Our software with version numbers of 3.9.8 and higher run just fine on 64-bit computers. If your disc says 2007 on it, then you have version 3.9.0 or 3.9.1 ... so that disc will not run on a 64-bit computer.
Version History
As an owner of an earlier version, you are entitled to a significant discount on the latest version. Click Here for details.
To check to see if you are running a 32-bit Operating System or a 64-bit Operating System:
click Start (circle in lower left of your screen)
click Control Panel
click System and Maintenance
click System
Then look in the System section for the System type

Microsoft .NET Framework - Thayer.Birding.UI.Windows.EGuideForm threw an exception

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:59:17 GMT
Problem: I just received a new Windows 7 64-bit computer for Christmas and I reinstalled my Thayer Birding Gold program version 5.0.0. It installed fine, but when I try to start it I get a Microsoft .NET Framework error. The error mentions that "Thayer.Birding.UI.Windows.EGuideForm" threw an exception. It gives me a chance to continue or quit. If I continue, the program shuts down. What can I do to fix this?
Solution: Version 5.0.0 does not run well on a 64-bit computer. First, try the free fix available on our web site at:
64 Bit Problem
If that does not work, mail your version 5.0.0 discs to us and we will send you the version 5.0.2 discs.
Send to:
Gold disc Swap
Thayer Birding Software
12650 Colliers Reserve Drive
Naples, FL 34110

Cannot Install Raven Lite on Lion OS X 10.7

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:32:05 GMT
Problem: When I tried to install the Raven Lite program on my Mac computer (running OS X 10.7 - Lion) I got an error message saying that Lion no longer supports PowerPC applications. Raven Lite would not install. Now what do I do? I really want to use Raven Lite to see the bird's sonograms (pictures of their songs.)
Solution: Raven Lite is a separate program that Thayer Birding Software bundles on the DVD. It is a program that lets you see a picture of the bird's song. In the program there is a link to this in the Sound Recordings section of eViewer called "Spectrogram".
Raven Lite will install on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. It will also install on Macintosh Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard. However, the version of Raven Lite shipped with version 4.0 and 4.5 of the Thayer Birding Software will not INSTALL on the new Lion operating system. It is just the installer package that causes a problem, not the Raven Lite program itself. In fact, if you installed Raven Lite when you were running Snow Leopard as your operating system and then later upgraded to Lion, you can use Raven Lite now without any problem!
This is easy to fix. Just go to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology web site and download the free file found there. They have invented a work-around that will install Raven Lite on your Mac Lion computer.
Information for Lion users (read this first!)
Free Mac Lion Download (Clicking this will begin the free download.)

Error 1721 - Problem With Windows Installer during Installation in Version 4

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:55:08 GMT
Problem: When I try to install the software, I get this error message: Error 1721: There is a problem with windows installer package. A program required for this install to complete could not be run. Contact support.
Solution: This happens when the Raven Lite program does not install completely, even though the icons appear on the desk top and Raven Lite is listed in the computer's installed programs.
Try reinstalling Raven Lite again. It may take three or four tries. When successful, you will see the icons flash. You should now see a Next button to complete the installation.
Note: Raven Lite is a separate stand-alone program from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that lets you click the word "spectrogram" next to the bird song in our program. You can then see an image of the bird's song. Some folks have reported that the Next button, used to complete the installation of our program, may be hidden behind a Raven Lite screen -- so drag and drop the Raven Lite screen if things appear to be frozen.
If this does not work, try installing the birding program but skip over the Raven Lite installation. You can always install this later.
Raven Lite is available as a free download from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
[This error may also appear when installing on a computer running Windows 2000. We no longer support this operating system.]