You receive an error message about the Riched20.dll file when you start Outlook 2002

When you attempt to start Outlook 2002, you may receive one of the following error messages: -or- If you click OK, Outlook does not start.

Alternately, Outlook may start, but when you attempt to create a new message, you may receive the following error message:

This behavior occurs because the Riched20.dll file is damaged or missing.

To resolve this behavior, rename the Riched20.dll file, if it exists, and repair Outlook 2002.

How to Rename the Riched20.dll File

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type Riched20.dll, and then click Find Now.
3. In the Search Results box, right-click Riched20.dll, and then click Rename on the shortcut menu. Rename the .dll extension to .old.

How to Repair Outlook

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
3. In the list of installed programs, click to select either Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Office, depending on how you installed Outlook.
4. Click Add/Remove.
5. After the setup screen appears, click Repair Office.
6. Click Detect and Repair errors in my Office installation, and then click Install.

The repair process takes several minutes while Office Setup repairs any damaged or missing files. If prompted to restart your computer, click Yes.

The Riched20.dll file is the source library for Rich Text Editing and displays features in Outlook 2002, notably with Microsoft Word or Microsoft Outlook Rich Text selected as the default e-mail format. Issues with the Riched20.dll file may be manifested at startup with an inability to read text in the Outlook preview pane.