okay, I'm no Zen goddess, but I have installed a cart before, so maybe I might be able to help you a teeny bit. But we'll see.

I know that my register globals are on also. They had to be for some mod I installed that really needed to work. It wasn't a problem I guess.

What kind of server do you have? Are you actually on a Windows server? I didn't have that error message that I know of. I'm on a linux server I believe.

I know I replied to your PM telling you to search that other phrase. I searched it and didn't come up with anything.

Honestly, here's what I would do. First, ask your host provider if that PHP API Mode thing is a problem, ask what kind of server you have. Then: Install the cart, to your test site, or site that isn't live yet. Load the test products/categories etc. Then set it up as you would want the live store to be, meaning your shipping/payment. Then fool around with it. Run test transactions, see if anything doesn't work.

In the meantime hope that one of the guys that actually knows what they are talking about answers ;) hehehehe