Don't edit fpcup.ini. Run fpcup --help and read the readme please (see
https://bitbucket.org/reiniero/fpcup)
HOWEVER, if you don't have a c:\development directory, I'd suggest just running fpcup with standard settings first.
If it doesn't work (or even if it doess), you can always zap these directories. Your corresponding settings will be stored somewhere in c:\users\<username>\...<localsomething>\lazarusdevsettings\
Make sure you run fpcup under an elevated command prompt under Win Vista+ if you do this otherwise you won't get write access to those directories.
You mentioned you tried everything (except fpcup).
Did you do this:
delete the Lazarus settings dir from c:\users...bla, you are also removing info on which compiler to use etc. If you then use the IDE to recompile anything it probably won't work as you found out.
Do a
make distclean
make all
make bigide
(experts will tell me some of these can be combined)
to clean up old .ppu (package) files, build a clean Lazarus IDE and then build the IDE with some packages installed - the same set of packages you get when you install a snapshot or stable version.
... what happened? Error messages?
As I also indicated earlier, you could delete the primary config path directory (c:\users\<username>\....\lazarus and try a reinstall) as cleanging the registry and removing the c:\lazarus directory in itself is not enough to remove all traces. Then do a reinstall.
Have you tried that? Could you add your packages and recompile?
As for Juha's point: I do agree with him. Please try to read up on how to rebuild Lazarus etc in the wiki. If things aren't clear there, then we'll need to update the wiki.
I agree with you that the thread chenged to a different target, but I suspect the one that needs to get the eureka moment is you... in the sense that you understand how building Lazarus works.
(It took a while for that concept to sink in with me and it's still a bit unclear now and then - which is why I started fpcup so I didn't need to remember all of it).
Yes, your posts are comprehensive and you admit your mistakes which surely more people should do... however, I don't get always get specific feedback on what suggestions you tried and what the results were. So for me it's starting to get a bit repetitive in my suggestions...
Anyway, hope we can get it working sooner rather than later so you can chalk this up to experience
Anyway, hoping to hear good news from you,
BigChimp