vista64 & max 9 install error

I have vista business 64bit running on a dual xeon 2.33ghz with 256mb quadro fx
card, 4 gigs of ram & 750gb hd.  I used up a 30-day trial of max 9 which
expired.  I've now loaded max 9 so I can authorize it.  The install seems to go
fine.  I then click on the .exe and before the splash screen comes up or the
display asking for authorization, I get a repeating error regardless of what I
do.  The error is:

Cannot find
‘file:///C:/Us...:%5CProgram%20Files%5CAutodesk%5C3ds%20Max%209%5CWebdepot%5Câ
€™.
Make sure the path or Internet address is correct.

(It doesn't show the full path of where it's looking to but possibly looks like
somewhere in C:/Users)

I click OK and it comes back, however the display which says the trial is
expired and asks to authorize or run, then shows up in back of it but is
inaccessible.  No matter how many times I click OK on the error it pops up
again.

I have to end process on 3dsmax to kill it.

Here's what I've done:
-I'm on the administrator logon.
-Ran .exe as adminstrator.
-Ran in compatibility mode for win xp (did it without that too)
-Turned on and off desktop composition in the properites of the .exe file
-Tried installing 64bit max 9 and then uninstall, reboot and installing 32 bit
max 9 - twice
-Installed service pack 2 for 64 bit and 32 bit respectively
-Installed productivity booster
-Installed a copy of Max 8 as a trial with no hitch
-Beat screen with keyboard

The error still comes up when I click the Max 9.exe.

Someone throw me a bone?

Thanks in advance,