Microsoft, Visual Basic, 6, Run-Time Error '430' - Class does not support automation or does not support expected interface

A Standard .Exe front-end, connects with an ActiveX DLL (in-process) web search tool - simple as dirt.  Both projects are included in the VBG, and when the Standard .Exe app is started within the IDE, everything works *perfectly*!  Front-end gathers stats, passes them back to the back-end .DLL, which goes and gets some web pages, and passes the results to the Front-End, no problems.

But when I attempt to run the .Exe outside the IDE (like in Windows XP) I get the error "Run-Time Error '430' - Class does not support automation or does not support expected interface".

But it's all the same machine!  Nothing has changed, except that the IDE seems to be providing something that the OS is ignorant of - what could be the problem?  It's been awhile, so I wonder if I might have missed a step....