when I try to start zope on windows machine i get: problem(100) ZServer Computing local hostname

this is 'normal' and not a problem (though I always wonder what it really means) <snip>

The dos window seems to hang after this.

nope, this is just the console window for the server. This is also normal. You only get output here if something strange happens (and in ftp sessions)

when I start a browser and goto http://localhost:8099/manage I get an number, apparently an error: 972402587.52

back in the dos window, I see: ZServer uncaptured python exception, closing channel <PCGIChannel at 1307340> <exceptions.ValueError:invalid literal for atio<>: Get/ manag [c:\programfiles/home/zserver/medusa/asyncore.py|75] [c:\programfiles/home/zserver/medusa/asyncore.py|handle_read_event|327] [c:\programfiles/home/zserver/medusa/asynchat.py|handle_read|110] [c:\programfiles/home/zserver/pcgi.server.py|found_terminator|146]>

try accessing it via the http port. In your case http://localhost:8080 or http://localhost:8080/manage then it should work. hth Rik