OL98: Riched20.dll Error Messages Causes Outlook to Fail

When you attempt to start Microsoft Outlook, you may receive the following error message: If you click OK, Outlook fails to start.

The file, Riched20.dll is damaged.

Rename the Riched20.dll file and reinstall Outlook 98, or copy the Riched20.dll file from your Microsoft Office 97 CD-ROM.

To replace the file from your Office 97 CD-ROM, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and click Files Or Folders. In the Named box, type Riched20.dll and click Find Now.
2. In the Search Results list, right-click Riched20.dll and then click Rename on the shortcut menu. Rename the extension .dll to .old.
3. Insert the Office 97 or Outlook CD-ROM into the drive.
4. Ensure Riched20.dll is in the Named box. In the Look In list, click to select the CD-ROM drive from the list and click Find Now. In the Search Results list, copy the file to the Windows\System folder.

Riched20.dll is the source library for Rich Text Editing and display features in Outlook, notably with Microsoft Word or Microsoft Outlook Rich Text selected as the default e-mail format. Problems with Riched20.dll may be manifested at start up with an inability to read text in the Outlook preview pane.